Progressive Labour Party (Australia)

Progressive Labor Party
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National President	Rod Noble
Founded	1996
Ideology	Democratic Socialism Anti-Privatization Anti-individualism Anti-Capitalism
Political position	Left-wing
Website
www.progressivelabour.org
Politics of Australia Political parties Elections

The Progressive Labour Party (PLP) is a minor political party in Australia. The party is a broad left-wing party started by, among others, dissident former members of the Australian Labor Party in 1996. The party alleges that Labor has abandoned its traditional working-class supporters as it has moved towards the political right in recent years. The party ran Senate tickets in New South Wales and Western Australia and contested several House of Representatives seats at the 9 October 2004 election.

The party regularly makes submissions to Senate and other committees on a broad range of issues.

Core principles

• Support an end to ‘economic rationalism’, privatisation and National Competition Policy;

• Recognise the right of everyone to quality health, education, housing and welfare as a right, not a privilege;

• Seek to boost public education funding, especially in disadvantaged areas such as the rural sector;

• Support full employment and a 35-hour workweek;

• Favour a substantial increase in R & D investment to boost science and Australian industry;

• Aim at effective rural and regional development through Government intervention - and effective protection of rural industry where necessary;

• Seek guarantees to protect the environment, ratification of Kyoto Agreement and abolish uranium mining;

• Replace the dominant two-party system with a multi-party system through Proportional Representation;

• Favour a Maximalist Republic with a directly elected President and major constitutional change;

• Recognise the need for self-determination of indigenous peoples, reconciliation and affirmative policies;

• Promote policies to spread media ownership, and secure the independence of the ABC and SBS;

• Oppose sexism, racism, homophobia, ageism, and discrimination against disabled persons;

• Seek solidarity with the disadvantaged around the globe and abide by international treaty obligations;

• Insist on complete transparency regarding international treaties and agreements and full public and parliamentary debate;

• Support the peaceful resolution, through negotiation, of international conflicts;

• Ensure stronger civil and human rights by reviewing all Security and Anti-Terrorist legislation.

External links

• Progressive Labour Party website
• Progressive Labour Policies