Warning on Greens as Labor reflects

Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan has moved to allay fears the government is lurching
to the left under the influence of the Greens, saying Labor's future lies not in
fringe issues but in standing by its core values.
Labor's left wing has called on the party to embrace progressive issues like gay
marriage but the idea has been rejected by conservative sections of the party who
argue it would play into the hands of the coalition.
Speaking at the launch of a new book, All That's Left: What Labor Should Stand For,
Mr Swan said the party faced a new challenge quite unlike its traditional battle
with the coalition.
"Too many of the new generation of activists ... are joining the Greens," Mr Swan said.
"Our base is fracturing, there's a tension between our core constituencies in the
inner cities and the outer suburbs and regions. That's the reality."
He said the answer for Labor lay "not in fringe issues of the far left, but in
bread-and-butter idealism that says it all begins with prosperity and opportunity".
Mr Swan's speech came ahead of a special caucus meeting in Canberra to map out a new
strategy for the Gillard government as parliament held its final sitting days for
the year.
The meeting was initiated after Labor MPs spoke out about a lack of consultation
within the party and a failure by Labor to stem the flow of votes to the Greens,
with whom Labor struck an agreement to form minority government.
At the late afternoon caucus meeting, some 21 MPs spoke, including backbenchers.
One MP said Labor needed to arrest the popularity of the Greens by outlining how the
ALP had historically delivered for the environment, unlike the minor party which had
opposed an emissions trading scheme last year.
Others spoke of reconnecting with card-carrying Labor Party members by outlining how
the ALP had delivered on its platform in government.
MPs also suggested Labor do more to reach ethnic media and explain how its policies
had helped individuals.
The soul searching comes on the third anniversary of Kevin Rudd ending 11 years of
coalition rule under John Howard.
Mr Rudd lasted as prime minister until June 2010 before being toppled by Ms Gillard,
who described Labor as "losing its way".
At an earlier morning meeting of Labor frontbenchers and parliamentary secretaries,
Ms Gillard outlined a five-point plan for the next three years.
The five points are:
* a stronger economy, tied to the national broadband network and transport
infrastructure;
* a sustainable environment, linked to a sustainable population strategy;
* a fairer Australia based on family support and paid parental leave;
* governing for all Australians, tied to empowering the regions; and
* keeping Australia safe at home and strong abroad, with troops remaining in
Afghanistan and development of a regional processing centre for asylum seekers.
In his assessment of Labor's legacy, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott told parliament
the past three years had been a wasted opportunity.
He said the last time Labor had delivered any significant reform was the first three
years of the Hawke government in the 1980s, when the dollar was floated and foreign
banks were allowed into Australia.
Since then little had been achieved, and the government was now locked into
delivering the policy platform of the Greens, he said.
"Labor is in government but the Greens are in power," Mr Abbott said.
"Every policy change since the election demonstrates the Green lean ... then there's
the gay marriage distraction which is going to rip the Labor party to pieces over
the next 12 months precisely because of the influence of the Greens."
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie told AAP the public was demanding the finely balanced
parliament discuss issues such as gay marriage, which governments would ordinarily
"would not want to go near".
Mr Wilkie said Labor's ability to stay in government for the full term "looks solid
at the moment" and it could deliver its election promises.
"All it's got to do is make a good sales pitch to the crossbenchers and we'll back
it," he said.
"Mind you, Tony Abbott can almost rule from opposition - if he has good ideas and he
can influence the crossbenchers of it, we'll support it."
The latest Newspoll puts Greens support at 14 per cent, with Labor holding 36 per
cent of the primary vote and the coalition on 39 per cent.
With the Greens' support, Labor's two-party preferred vote is 52 per cent.