Latest news with #NSWLaborParty
Sky News AU
4 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
NSW Labor MP Anthony D'Adam's bombshell claim over Palestine
A NSW Labor MP claims he was told he 'would not be allowed to speak' by a senior official during a debate about Palestine at a party conference late last year. Labor MLC Anthony D'Adam told the Legislative Council during a late-afternoon address on Thursday that the official said he could not be sure that Mr D'Adam's comments would not 'harm the Labor Party'. 'It is often argued that we should keep our debates inside party forums, but what option are we given if even in the forums where debates are supposed to occur, dissenting voices are not allowed to be heard,' he said. Mr D'Adam claimed he was 'howled down, abused' and urged to resign following a meeting of the Labor caucus earlier this week when, he said, he sought to 'make pointed criticisms of the Premier in respect to the issues of Palestine' and the Sydney Harbour Bridge protest. Members of the NSW Labor Party broke ranks over the weekend to join members of the Greens and crossbench who rallied with more than 100,000 pro-Palestine protesters across the bridge after the Supreme Court shot down a bid by police to stop the march. Premier Chris Minns had been vehemently opposed to the march, repeatedly stating that a pro-Palestine protest across the bridge should never be allowed to occur. In his speech, Mr D'Adams claims a motion was moved to 'gag' him from speaking and his critique of the Premier was 'political' and not personal. 'During the caucus debate, I could see the fear in the faces and hear it in the voices of my colleagues,' Mr D'Adams said. 'They were concerned that this type of conflict could cost them their seats or their ministries. 'It is this fear that is driving a risk-averse culture in our party, but the challenges that we face as a society require bold government.' Mr D'Adam said issues such as war and 'climate catastrophe' would not be solved by 'whispered conversations in quiet corners of government'. He admitted his 'dissenting views' on Palestine were well known and 'put him at odds with the current leadership of the party' at both state and federal level. 'I believe there is room in the Labor Party for those who hold opinions like mine,' Mr D'Adam said. 'I fear, however, there is a growing intolerance in the Labor Party for dissent that is stultifying the party's internal culture, and it is producing a stale groupthink. 'If we do not accommodate dissent, then it finds home elsewhere, and Labor becomes a narrow party devoid of debate, the kind of debate that is essential to the party.' State and federal Labor members attended Sunday's march, including NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe and Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib. Former federal minister Ed Husic was also in attendance. Mr Minns' office and the NSW Labor Party were contacted for comment. Originally published as 'Told not to speak': NSW Labor MP's bombshell claim over Palestine
West Australian
4 days ago
- Politics
- West Australian
‘Told not to speak': NSW Labor MP's bombshell claim over Palestine
A NSW Labor MP claims he was told he 'would not be allowed to speak' by a senior official during a debate about Palestine at a party conference late last year. Labor MLC Anthony D'Adam told the Legislative Council during a late-afternoon address on Thursday that the official said he could not be sure that Mr D'Adam's comments would not 'harm the Labor Party'. 'It is often argued that we should keep our debates inside party forums, but what option are we given if even in the forums where debates are supposed to occur, dissenting voices are not allowed to be heard,' he said. Mr D'Adam claimed he was 'howled down, abused' and urged to resign following a meeting of the Labor caucus earlier this week when, he said, he sought to 'make pointed criticisms of the Premier in respect to the issues of Palestine' and the Sydney Harbour Bridge protest. Members of the NSW Labor Party broke ranks over the weekend to join members of the Greens and crossbench who rallied with more than 100,000 pro-Palestine protesters across the bridge after the Supreme Court shot down a bid by police to stop the march. Premier Chris Minns had been vehemently opposed to the march, repeatedly stating that a pro-Palestine protest across the bridge should never be allowed to occur. In his speech, Mr D'Adams claims a motion was moved to 'gag' him from speaking and his critique of the Premier was 'political' and not personal. 'During the caucus debate, I could see the fear in the faces and hear it in the voices of my colleagues,' Mr D'Adams said. 'They were concerned that this type of conflict could cost them their seats or their ministries. 'It is this fear that is driving a risk-averse culture in our party, but the challenges that we face as a society require bold government.' Mr D'Adam said issues such as war and 'climate catastrophe' would not be solved by 'whispered conversations in quiet corners of government'. He admitted his 'dissenting views' on Palestine were well known and 'put him at odds with the current leadership of the party' at both state and federal level. 'I believe there is room in the Labor Party for those who hold opinions like mine,' Mr D'Adam said. 'I fear, however, there is a growing intolerance in the Labor Party for dissent that is stultifying the party's internal culture, and it is producing a stale groupthink. 'If we do not accommodate dissent, then it finds home elsewhere, and Labor becomes a narrow party devoid of debate, the kind of debate that is essential to the party.' State and federal Labor members attended Sunday's march, including NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe and Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib. Former federal minister Ed Husic was also in attendance. Mr Minns' office and the NSW Labor Party were contacted for comment.
The Age
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
Bridge protest misread creates new caucus problem for premier
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. Loading 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.
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Bridge protest misread creates new caucus problem for premier
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. Loading 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.
Sydney Morning Herald
21-04-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Revealed: What NSW voters really think of their schools and transport
Key worker strikes, hospital scandals and delays to major transport projects are challenging Premier Chris Minns's commitment to rebuild trust in the public service as polling shows fewer than half of voters in NSW have a positive opinion of state-run health, education and transport. More than two years into Labor's first term of government in NSW, Minns maintains a commanding lead over Opposition Leader Mark Speakman as preferred premier, leading 40 to 15 per cent, and the NSW Labor Party's primary vote has quickly bounced back from a low of 29 per cent at the start of 2025 to 33 per cent. But figures from the latest Resolve Political Monitor, conducted for The Sydney Morning Herald by Resolve Strategic, suggest Labor is struggling to convince voters it has improved key public services. Amid widespread industrial strife in the NSW health system including doctor strikes, a staffing crisis in mental health and a long-running pay dispute with nurses, more voters in NSW have a negative opinion of the public health system than positive. The poll of 1123 people taken in March and April shows 42 per cent rated public hospitals as poor or very poor, compared to only 38 per cent who had a positive view. In troubling findings for the government, only 6 per cent of those polled had a 'very good' opinion of public hospitals. But the dim view of public services was repeated across the board, with less than half of those polled expressing a positive opinion of public schools (42 per cent), public transport (43 per cent) and road infrastructure (37 per cent). Resolve director Jim Reed said it was surprising to see voters held such a low opinion of key public services, particularly in the context of a federal election campaign in which health funding in particular has been prominent.
