The party unconditionally recognised the sovereign rights of Australia's indigenous nations. The NLP will stand candidates in the Australian Capital Territory, the region which includes Canberra, later this year. All these decisions are cause for optimism, but key issues remain unsolved. Many disputed policy proposals were not discussed at the conference, leaving up in the air vital questions including the party's posture in practice toward Australian capitalism. Meanwhile, battles over internal democracy are holding back campaigning and recruiting.
Democracy is key.
In labor parties around the world, those who want to reform capitalism instead of challenging it use proscription policies to censor radicals and maintain control. Delegates from Melbourne NLP, including representatives of the Freedom Socialist Party, fought strenuously against all forms of proscription. This competitive hostility toward other organised political groupings undercuts regroupment and erodes the conference decision to permit caucuses and tendencies. NLP members must reject this measure as a redbaiting assault on the party constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression. At a crossroads .