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October 7th, 2011 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda Labor’s left will launch a campaign this weekend to give grassroots members a greater say in the party, as speculation continues over the federal leadership.
The Labor Renewal launches in six states and territories come as Victorian MP and former veterans affairs minister Alan Griffin and West Australian senator Mark Bishop were named as being behind a push to get Kevin Rudd back in the prime minister’s job.
And the Victorian ALP meets this weekend with a fractious debate expected on gay marriage, ahead of December’s Labor national conference which will look at changing the party’s position on the issue.
Labor Renewal national convenor Darcy Byrne said members wanted action at the national conference on some of the changes recommended in the review of the party by Labor stalwarts John Faulkner, Bob Carr and Steve Bracks.
These included greater involvement of members in the election of officials, policy development and candidate selection.
“We are optimistic about Labor’s future, but we know real reform will only be achieved if members force change from below,” Mr Byrne said.
A number of candidates for the ALP national presidency have backed the reform plan in letters to members.
Current president Jenny McAllister said in her letter, obtained by AAP, that members were frustrated that their role in Labor was “withering away”.
“We can allow Labor’s membership to continue to decline, and accept our transformation into a parliamentary party dominated by a professional political leadership,” the Sydney-based member wrote.
“Or we can act to revitalise ourselves – to grow our party through adopting reforms to strengthen democracy, renew our values, and enhance member participation.”
Another candidate, Victorian John Lannan, said in his letter the ALP was in “deep trouble”.
“The party is run by a clique of factional and union bosses, often aided by branch stacking, who seem more interested in furthering their own ambitions than the principles of the party,” Mr Lannan wrote.
The presidency for the next three years is tipped to go to Ms McAllister, Transport Workers Union boss Tony Sheldon and Victorian MP Jane Garrett, with each in the office for one year.
Meanwhile, Mr Rudd added fuel to leadership speculation when asked by reporters about former powerbroker Graham Richardson’s comments that Mr Griffin had been working behind the scenes for Mr Rudd to canvass support.
The foreign minister on Friday said “Griffo” and he had been friends for about a decade and he had seen him twice in the past month, but downplayed the meetings.
“I think in the last couple of months I’ve seen Griffo twice. Probably about a month ago I saw him. I saw him earlier this week in Melbourne, and I see a lot of people,” Mr Rudd said.
He said Mr Richardson was suffering from “relevance deprivation syndrome” and acted as the “unofficial spokesman for the factional bullies in our party who try and control it from time to time”.
Right powerbroker Stephen Conroy said he had seen no evidence of number crunching for a Rudd revival.
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