ALP has lost touch

MARGARET LESTER

THE NSW Labor Party’s battering in the weekend’s by-elections has the party fearful of their chances in the next State election but former long-term Throsby MP Colin Hollis remained philosophical this week about the swings against Labor.

The former ALP MP said yesterday the concerns of senior Labor figures including Premier Nathan Rees over the Ryde, Lakemba and Cabramatta by-elections were just a “gut reaction’’ after a “particularly bad result’’.

There were 22 per cent swings against the Government in Ryde and Cabramatta and a 12 per cent swing in Lakemba.

“My personal view is that it never does any harm to have a change of government every eight or nine years, provided the change is not too drastic,” Mr Hollis said

“After eight or ten years ministers get tired, out of touch with the electorate, and for some more than a touch of arrogance creeps in – and that goes for both sides, Liberal and Labor.”

And Mr Hollis, who represented Throsby from 1983 until his retirement in 2001, also had a word of caution for NSW opposition leader Barry O’Farrell - celebrating the historic win of Ryde.

“The Liberals shouldn’t crow too loudly over these by-elections,’’ Mr Hollis said.

“Divisions within the Labor Party, resignations and recent changes in leadership leading up to the by-elections could easily be repeated in the liberal party.”

Mr Hollis said he saw the Greens as being the party with the most potential as disillusioned Labor voters find it hard to vote for the Liberals, and vice versa.

“It’s an interesting result in Port Macquarie with one independent following another independent,” Mr Hollis said. “It reminds me of John Hatton on the south coast and with both the major parties a little bit on the nose it’s the Greens and the independents that have the most potential,” he said.

Mr Hollis said the Labor Party had two years to improve on its performance and win back the support of traditional voters.

“Traditional Labor members have left the party because the party has lost touch with its roots, replacing pre-selection ballots with people brought in from Sydney and placing too much emphasis on raising money for head office,” Mr Hollis said.

“In rock solid Labor seats why is there a need to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for electoral campaigns?” he asks.

“Big developer money has killed the ethos of the party and no one should have to pay $1000 to meet a minister or a premier at a function.”