Anthony Albanese will use the opening of Labor’s triennial national conference to promote “practical” policies as the best way to respond to the anxiety and frustration he says are affecting Australian voters. The prime minister is also set to announce a major expansion of the federal government’s paid work experience program, extending financial support to students in 10 fields including physiotherapy, speech pathology and clinical psychology.
Labor MPs, trade unionists and rank-and-file members will spend the three-day conference in Adelaide debating the party’s policy agenda for the next three years. The event is expected to largely avoid major internal clashes because of agreements reached between factional powerbrokers, although tensions remain ahead of Saturday’s debate on Labor’s position on Israel and Palestine.
Jewish groups and Israel’s embassy in Canberra are publicly putting pressure on the party, which they claim is not critical enough of Hamas’ role in the Gaza war, while pro-Palestine supporters within Labor are pushing to strengthen the language. Party insiders believe the draft version strikes the right balance and are reluctant to bend to either group, meaning a contested debate on the conference floor is unlikely.
A Students for Palestine protest calling for a stop to arms trade with Israel – which the government – is planned for Thursday afternoon outside the Adelaide Convention Centre, which will have beefed-up security for the 3000-person conference.
In his speech, Albanese will attempt to draw a clear contrast between Labor and its political opponents, particularly One Nation, warning that “raging against a system” without a plan to fix it does not “take the country forward”.
“I understand that for many Australians right now, looking to the future runs second to the immediate pressures they are under,”
“It is a challenge confronting governments and democracies right around the world.
“That is why our focus remains squarely on helping with the cost of living, on the practical measures that matter to people and make a positive difference to their lives.”
The prime minister will also say, according to a draft version supplied to Australia, “This is how Labor governs,” and “We deal with the here and now in a way that builds for the future too. We navigate the rough seas, while always keeping our eyes on the horizon.”
The announcement on student placements will mean students in ten extra courses receive up to $338.60 a week during their clinical or professional placements from 1 July 2027. The courses are clinical psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, paramedicine, radiography, pharmacy, rehabilitation therapies, audiology and podiatry.
The program is currently limited to teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work. The expansion follows pressure from MPs including David Pocock and Helen Haines, who last month tabled a 43,000-person signature calling for allied health courses to be included.
On Thursday morning, after the election of the new Labor president, the 400 conference delegates will begin debating the text of the 126-page draft platform, starting with economic and climate policies.
Delegates from the left and right factions held lengthy meetings on Wednesday to discuss their positions on various topics. The section of the draft platform that commits Labor to securing a “fairer return” for natural resources is expected to feature in the final text, effectively binding the Albanese government to eventually act on the campaign to increase taxes on gas exports.
Left faction sources were on Wednesday night optimistic a proposal to “remove disincentives for decarbonisation” would also make the final text after it was excluded from the draft version. The grassroots Labor Environment Action Network (LEAN) is pushing the amendment as part of a campaign to cap fuel tax credits for mining companies, which has won the support of hundreds of local branches and Labor MP Jerome Laxale.
Even if the amendments succeed, the government is unlikely to move quickly on fuel tax credits or a gas tax due to the uncertainty the Middle East conflict has caused to the global oil market.
The left is also discussing pushing for even stronger positions on tackling online gambling harm, including a national regulator, ahead of a scheduled debate on Friday. The draft platform already goes further than the government’s gambling advertising legislation with a commitment to address inducements offered by wagering companies.
A ban on inducements and the establishment of a national gambling regulator were among several recommendations from the that were omitted from the the government’s bill, which is set to be debated when federal parliament returns next month.
