Byelection humiliation a coal, hard lesson for Labor
Weâre sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later.
Dismiss
May 25, 2021 â 12.10am
Save
Normal text size
Credit: Fairfax Media
In the wake of Laborâs calamitous showing in the Upper Hunter byelection, youâd think Joel Fitzgibbon would be keeping a low profile (âFresh internal stoush for ALP over pro-coal visionâ, May 24). After all, NSW Labor followed his prescription for success â full-throated support for coal â and it spectacularly backfired. But no, heâs doing the rounds, still urging Labor to âwake up to itselfâ, back fossil fuels and ignore the need for a transition plan. Letâs not forget this is a seat Labor has never won. The eight-point fall in its primary vote appears to have come mainly from the loss of progressive voters, who moved to the independent Kirsty OâConnell, the only candidate advocating a move away from coal. Labor does need to wake up â to the fact that it stands to lose far more than it gains by following Fitzgibbonâs advice. -