Bridge protest misread creates new caucus problem for premier

The Age

21 hours ago

Chris Minns read his MPs the riot act early last year. If his Labor colleagues had a passion for international relations, the premier warned them via an ABC interview, they should head down the Hume Highway and become an MP in Canberra.
Minns was referencing MPs speaking out about the bitterly divisive issue of Palestine and Israel, the catalyst for some of the most fiery debates on the floor of NSW Labor Party conferences over decades. In this instance, two of Minns' MPs had signed a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, criticising the decision to suspend payments to the main UN agency in Gaza after Israel provided intelligence that it said linked some employees to the October 7, 2023 attacks.
'I can understand people feel passionately about international affairs,' Minns told ABC's Stateline, 'but honestly, if that's your passion, and that's where your desires are, your policy interests are, well, run for federal parliament.'
Some 18 months on, Minns had better hope they do not follow his directions because 10 of them – or just shy of 20 per cent of his Labor caucus – revealed their passion/desires/interests when they took part in the pro-Palestine march across Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday.
The most senior of those MPs, among at least 90,000 protesters, was the government's leader of the upper house and Environment Minister Penny Sharpe. Her attendance sent a clear message that the Left of the party can, despite Minns' instructions, walk and chew gum at the same time.
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Also on the bridge were former Labor general secretary turned upper house MP Bob Nanva, Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib and backbenchers Stephen Lawrence, Sarah Kaine, Anthony D'Adam, Lynda Voltz, Cameron Murphy, Kylie Wilkinson and Peter Primrose. Former Labor premier and long-term Palestine supporter Bob Carr joined them.
Dib, a Muslim with family ties to Palestine, was understandably motivated to be on the bridge. The others had their own motivation – and they sent a clear message to Minns that being an elected official in NSW does not preclude you from having a position on a humanitarian crisis. It also shows that the caucus Minns has ruled with an iron fist since his election as leader is willing to think for itself.
The first caucus meeting after the march, on Tuesday, was heated. MPs were angry. Before he was overruled by the Supreme Court and the protest given the greenlight, Minns said he would not tolerate shutting down the 'central artery' of Sydney, despite there being a history of that happening. (In 2007, the Harbour Bridge was closed for a full day to give US Vice-President Dick Cheney a clear ride through the city.) As is his skill, Minns played to both sides, stressing he had empathy for the plight of civilians in Gaza.