It’s A Bid To Save Seats, Not Lives

State Labor’s hardening stance in favour of Palestine will not do much to end human suffering in Gaza – but that was not the point.

Moving ever so slightly to recognise Palestine as a sovereign and independent state “as a priority” was never designed to have an immediate impact overseas. The change in state Labor’s stance was intended to cauterise what Labor sees as a political gaping wound in parts of Western Sydney.

The semantic change will hardly make a difference to the Israel-Gaza war but will likely anger an Australian ally in Israel.

The main audience was voters here. Labor insiders have known for months that the war overseas was going to become a political problem at home.

Labor fears electoral backlash from Muslim communities at the next election.

It has already copped a rank and file revolt; more than half a dozen branches moved motions calling on Palestine to be recognised “immediately”.

The motion, agreed in days of backroom talks between Labor powerbrokers, will heap pressure on the federal party platform to change.

Federal Labor’s position is recognising Palestine as an issue of “important priority”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s call for an “urgent” and “immediate” ceasefire (cynically made on the eve of the NSW conference) did little to stop loud protests outside Sydney’s Town Hall.

Inside, the debate was all for show; the deal had been brokered. Albanese would have had his hands all over it.

The consensus did not go nearly as far as some wanted. The most vocal pro-Palestine voice inside NSW Labor, Anthony D’Adam, is now completely isolated in the party.

When Albanese told the Labor faithful to “choose progress over protest,” it could have easily been directed squarely at D’Adam himself.