The 2025 Queensland Labor Party conference started unusually and ended unexpectedly, a trade union delegate to the conference reports.
No doubt, the political high point for the left at the ALP state conference on 29 and 30 November was the Labor Friends of Palestine motion that unequivocally called for the ALP Federal Government to:
- Issue explicit legal notices to Australian citizens and dual nationals that serve in the IDF [Israel Defence Forces] during operations that may constitute war crimes or genocide which could give rise to criminal liability under Australian or international law; and
- Ensure investigations and prosecutions are mandatory where credible allegations of complicity in international war crimes exist.
The motion referred to recent comments by former Albanese government minister, Ed Husic that “Australians serving in the IDF may fall within the definition of foreign fighters under international law”. You can read the full motions on the Australia Israel Labor Dialogue website.
The most pointed schism in the meeting arose when the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) put up a resolution in support of the CFMEU, asking that legislation placing the construction union under administration be repealed and the CFMEU Qld branch be returned to democratic control.
As soon as the motion came on the screen, the Labor Forum right faction staged a walk out. In single file they exited the conference to boos and “shame” from the remaining delegates. The ETU state Secretary Peter Ong then had the microphone, and told delegates that he was “going to be nice, but they’ve all left the room now so it doesn’t matter”. The motion passed comfortably, and Labor Forum were welcomed back into the room despite calls to “stay out”.
Factional shuffles
When conference opened, the resignation of the current assistant secretary Zac Beers was announced. Queensland Labor operates on a power sharing arrangement between the establishment factions for the executive of the party. The Left faction has controlled conference floor for about a decade now, meaning that they hold the general secretary position. The “old guard” (officially ‘Labor Unity’) right faction is granted the president spot under this arrangement. This was the previously powerful faction of former prime minister Kevin Rudd and former Queensland premier Peter Beattie, and was associated most recently with the National Union of Workers (NUW). Since amalgamation with the UWU, the Old Guard has tended to vote with the establishment Left faction. And finally, Labor Forum, the ‘official’ Labor right faction of the Australian Workers Union (AWU), Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) control the assistant secretary position. Zac Beers, having held the role for several years, was replaced by Luke Richman.
The factional shuffle wasn’t over yet however, with a motion being moved to fill a second assistant secretary position, which has been left vacant inexplicably. A process will follow after conference to fill it, but it will be filled by a left faction member. Although there was not much discussion on the floor, it was clear that this move allows the left to succession plan for future secretaries.
There was little dissent on this matter, and once you look at the numbers it was clear why. The Left faction took up roughly 50 percent of the delegates, with the Old Guard and Labor Forum taking about 25 percent each. With the Old Guard unwilling to split from the Left majority, this left Labor Forum with no ability to pass amendments or resolutions on their own, and the Left with the ability to pass anything all by themselves.
Motions backing union campaigns
As a consequence, conference was packed with resolutions and amendments, many directly relating to current union struggles. The conference first took aim at occupational violence against teachers. The state Liberal National Party government is in negotiations with the Queensland Teachers’ Union, with Queensland teachers having spent two days on the grass in pursuit of their claims. At the top of their list of issues is the outrageous abuse teachers cop from parents and students alike. The conference heard from members of the union from all over the state, and the conditions they have to face every day at work.
The Maritime Union of Australia is having a fight with stevedoring company DP World about artificial intelligence and automation. The conference heard from the new MUA state secretary on how AI and automation will affect the port if DP World gets its way. The employer, Dubai Ports plan to automate Australian container terminals across the country. The MUA’s position is that automation and artificial intelligence should only be introduced by agreement and where it has a community benefit. This position was heartily accepted by the conference, and certainly an area of concern for trade unionists everywhere.
Next, the left threw the AWU a bone. Australian manufacturing often relies on Australian gas as an energy source. Australia has a thriving gas industry, however, local manufacturers are unable to access it as they are being priced out by the exports market. In previous conferences the AWU has brought resolutions that appeared to be written directly by industry which would expand Australia gas exploration. This is a reckless approach, and would likely do nothing to help make gas cheaper for local consumers or industry. These were of course rejected. However, this time was different.
The AWU has changed tack and instead now talk about a gas reserve, in the same vein as Western Australia. This would require gas companies to reserve a certain amount of gas for domestic use before they’re allowed to export, with domestic producers having a first right of refusal. This one was passed.
This was the first in a series of attempts by Labor Forum to reshape its image to attract a younger ALP base. In the hours that followed there were motions about tax reform, with young Labor Forum after young Labor Forum member getting up to inform us of the importance of taking on the billionaires and making them pay tax. This seems at odds with the traditional fiscal conservatism of the Labor right. But it seems more to shift to an economic populist line, long supported by younger Labor Forum members.
SDA’s social conservatism rears its head
This new image all fell apart when the conference brought up gender affirming care. For context, when the LNP won last year one of their first acts was to ban the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapies in the treatment of transgender adolescents. It commissioned a review which has never been publicly released.
This was brought into sharp focus at conference when Rainbow Labor put forward a motion which would overturn the ban with Labor in government. The SDA promptly proposed an amendment to the motion that would require people to undergo a psychiatric evaluation before they have gender affirming care. This is a ridiculous ideological position which has no basis in medical science, and only places further barriers in front of kids seeking essential care. This amendment was shouted over and booed by the Left faction. The mover of the original motion, Marcia Conlan, took care of the amenders. Unfortunately for the SDA delegate Conlan had read the study they were referencing and made short work of their lacklustre arguments.
In a further motion by Labor Forum, the Retain and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) were lumped in with Nurses’ Professional Association of Queensland (NPAQ) and the Teachers’ Professional Association of Queensland (TPAQ) and labelled as “red unions” or “scab unons”. For those unaware, the NPAQ and TPAQ are indeed scab unions created by pro-conservative elements in Queensland to undermine the relatively powerful and effective nurses’ and teachers’ unions. Bizarrely, they are supported by what is self-labelled a ‘Red Union Support Hub’. But ‘reds’ they are not.
Whatever you think of the anti-unity strategy of RAFFWU, which seeks to create an actual ‘red union’ breakaway from the SDA, scabs they are not.
After the earlier antics of the SDA, this motion was met with jeers from the audience on the left side of the room, however it still went through. Another bone thrown to the right in the interests of establishment unity.
As noted above conference heated up when Labor Friends of Palestine motion came to the floor. It was met with a hearty “NO” from the right side of the room, which was quickly followed by a chorus of “SHAME” from the left. The motion, however, was excellent, calling for Australian’s serving in the IDF overseas to be investigated and prosecuted if there are credible allegations of complicity in international crimes.
AUKUS: don’t mention the war
AUKUS was not mentioned over the course of conference, however it is worth noting that Queensland Labor has already has policy from last conference opposing an AUKUS submarine base in the state, has previously passed a motion critical of AUKUS, and an AWU sponsored attempt at congratulating the deal was comprehensively defeated.
Labor Against War supported motions calling on AUKUS to be removed at next year’s national conference and for an inquiry into the nuclear submarine deal were buried in the final omnibus motion, which are usually passed without debate.
However, the final notable moment came when the omnibus motion was due to the voted on, it was missing. The conference was promptly closed without the motion being ready, meaning there were a number of important resolutions which did not pass conference. When asked it was explained there will now be a process with the administrative committee to adopt them, however, many delegates were left disappointed their voices weren’t heard.