Fed: Right wingers want more say in preselection

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Fed: Right wingers want more say in preselection

By James Grubel, Chief Political Correspondent

CANBERRA, Aug 6 AAP - Some right-wing powerbrokers within the ALP will seek more influenceover preselections in return for changes to the party's controversial 60-40 rule.

Opposition Leader Simon Crean is pushing to change the rule, which gives union delegates60 per cent of the seats at state party conferences.

He wants the rule to become 50-50 to make the party representation more democraticand appealing to community and grass roots members.

The rule change will be a central plank of the Hawke-Wran review, which will presentits findings to the ALP national executive on Friday.

A phone hook up of members of the New South Wales right was briefed on the findings today.

NSW Labor Council secretary John Robertson said union leaders wanted a payoff for therule change, with unions to have a greater say in preselections.

"That (60-40 rule) was one of the issues that was raised," he told ABC radio.

"Overall, the majority of the recommendations, people were comfortable with, but thereare some significant issues.

"For the unions it's all a question of how you balance the ledger.

"The unions contribute significantly to the party and they ought to play a role. Ifthere's going to be 50-50 it ought to be at all levels of the party, including preselectionof candidates."

Key Labor frontbencher Stephen Smith said Mr Crean would win his campaign to modernise the party.

Mr Smith said reforming the party's internal structures was part of overhauling Laborand making it more relevant to everyday voters.

"I'm confident that when we have the national conference meeting in October that SimonCrean will get the outcome which he wants which is a more modern party with a structurethat is more relevant to modern Australia," he told reporters.

"In the end, the party and Simon Crean will be judged on the outcome, and I'm confidentthat the national conference will be a good one."

Opposition treasury spokesman Bob McMullan also said Mr Crean would win wider partysupport for his reforms.

"I'm very confident that his proposals will be supported," he said.

"They're right, they're necessary and we need to change the way politics is conductedin Australia."

Their comments came as a new poll found support for Mr Crean had hit new lows.

The Newspoll, in the Australian newspaper, found support for Labor dropped to 37 percent from 40 per cent in the two weeks to last weekend.

AAP jg/sb

KEYWORD: ALP NIGHTLEAD