Even the union leaders are deserting

[IQS.RLOW]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/n ... 6626207367" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ONE of Queensland's former union powerbrokers has quit the Labor party after 36 years, warning it has "lost the plot" and is being ruined by factional power struggles.

In a scathing critique of his party, David Harrison said Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her predecessor Kevin Rudd had trashed Labor's values with "crass politics".

Mr Harrison warned Labor was controlled by a small cabal who were only interested in petty power struggles.

A self-described "rusted on" Labor supporter, Mr Harrison was president of the Queensland Council of Unions for a decade until 2004 and AMWU secretary for 24 years.

The former union boss said Labor needed to restrict the power of factions if it was to appeal to more voters, but warned this was only likely to happen if the party was wiped out at the federal election.

"For change to happen, there has got to be a cataclysmic act like the severe flogging they received in Queensland," he told The Courier-Mail.

[AiA in Atlanta]

Seems they have the same problem as the Republicans in the USA. Things have to fall apart completely before they can begin anew.

[IQS.RLOW]

Seems they have the same problem as the Republicans in the USA. Things have to fall apart completely before they can begin anew.

I wouldn't say that the republicans have reached the lows of the ALP. The republicans just need a decent leader to emerge along the lines of Reagan. The ALP are so rife with factional division that even a remotely visionary leader gets cut off at the kneecaps.

Nearly every spot, seat, job for the boys is set up by the factional union bully boys and they aren't about to cede that power because most have spent years working up to be parachuted into a plum seat. Any change would see another line at the trough open up and you can guarantee that those in the privileged line aren't about to let the plebs to cut in and beat them there.

They'd rather see the whole lot collapse than let that happen...which is what we are seeing now and the knifing of Rudd.