I think he was absolutely right not to go to UN last week... First things first - that is, values and people here in their local communities, and remembering all politics is local, and trusting people more.
From Patricia Hewitt
We're seeing quite a lot of people who really would like a return to class-based politics.
Certainly we know from our own experience how very difficult it is when you've lost an election that perhaps a lot of people were expecting you to win.
And it seems to me in that experience may lie at least some of the clues for policy development perhaps constitutional changes as well that Labour will need to make at the national level too.
Well I think all I would say on that is, when we were in opposition in Britain and Hawke and then Keating were in power here, Labor was in power here, we learnt a huge amount from the ALP's experience here.
And I hope very much that the ALP will become increasingly engaged in the international discussions that are taking place amongst centre-left parties generally.
But clearly at the same time you've got to get out there and connect with voters and actually respond to the needs, the frustrations, whatever problems their now saying are not being adequately solved.
You've got to respond to that and of course thinking through the role of a left party in the modern world, in the modern economy and society and having a policy response to that.
But getting your party structure right may also be a precondition for getting your policies right.
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