How Labor politics works:
(In caucus meeting)
Labor Politician 1: I am for this idea.
Labor Politician 2: I am against this idea.
Note: this disagreement involves more than 2 politicians. The PM/relevant Minister can be on either side of this debate)
(Caucus votes)
Labor Whip: Party votes in favour of proposal.
(Outside of caucus)
Labor Politician 1: I am for this idea.
Labor Politician 2: I am for this idea.
Labor Leader: I am for this idea.
How people seem to think it works:
Labor leader: I am leader and I decree this is our policy.
Rest of the caucus: We do not necessarily agree with you but you are our leader so we have to vote for it in parliament because you are the decision maker.
OR
Caucus: This is our policy.
Labor leader: What you have proposed is a bad idea! So I am gonna do the right thing and propose other legislation because I am PM and I can do that.
Of course if that happened…
Labor leader: As PM, I am going against that policy and ordering my own. Because it is my decision!
Caucus: Very well!
(The next day)
Newspaper headline: “GILLARD GONE. BILL SHORTEN NOW PM.”
Your problems with Labor policy are not because Gillard is a tyrant. It runs far deeper than that! Learn some basic civics before commenting on such things, please!
