With the 47th ALP National Conference wrapped up for another three years, the results of the three day event have been described by some as both ‘exhilarating’ and ‘disappointing’. Despite a raft of positive policies being adopted in the areas of education, training, health, jobs, aged care, industry, climate change and foreign relations, and the long overdue approval of a 50% affirmative action target for women, many Party members have expressed deep disgust at the so-called ‘turn-backs’ policy for asylum seekers and the lack of resolve to bind ALP politicians on marriage equality.

Many rank and file members have taken to social media to express their refusal to support the adoption of the controversial ‘turn-back’ policy, outlining concerns that this would put Labor in serious breach of its international obligations. Supporters of the changed policy approach, however, have been quick to defend the new position, stating that Labor would ensure that references to the Refugee Convention would be put back into the Migration Act and that the intake of asylum seekers would be boosted to 27,000 per annum.

On another front, pro Party reform advocates have expressed enthusiasm for the requirement that all state branches will now be required to ensure that a proportion of national conference delegates are elected by the rank and file membership – despite a failed last minute move to exempt some states. There has also been positive recognition of the need to increase the number of Indigenous parliamentarians across the Party. However, many reform advocates are bitterly disappointed that other fundamental democratic changes were not adopted by the Conference, especially with no real increase in the say for members in federal pre-selections.

Another bright light at Conference, however, was the adoption of the motion on Palestine, which was endorsed without any real opposition. The adopted resolution places recognition of the state of Palestine firmly in Labor’s new foreign policy platform.

In the end, this ALP National Conference closes with a mixed bag of ‘good points and bad points’ for many rank and file members. The lack of genuine reform and the adoption of a turn-back boats policy will be cited by some as serious deficiencies in Bill Shorten’s leadership, whereas others will see the development of new, innovative policies and a 50% affirmative action for women as a solid start to Labor’s road back to government.

The upcoming ALP National Conference, due to be held in Melbourne from 24 – 26 July, is starting to gather increased media attention, with a variety of issues scheduled to be debated by the tri-ennial decision-making body. One of those issues, likely to spark some heated debate, is the perennial question of Palestine.

With the ALP Right – a bastion of the pro-Israeli lobby – unable to secure an absolute majority at the conference, there is some speculation that a more ‘Palestinian-friendly’ policy could be the result. With this in mind, some sections of the Party have stepped up a co-ordinated campaign to persuade delegates to support the recognition of a Palestinian state.

Calwell MP, and co-convener of the Australian Parliamentary Friends of Palestine, Maria Vamvakinou, recently wrote in The Age that the time had ‘come for the ALP to show moral fortitude and display political foresight by recognising the Palestinian state’. Her commentary expounded a number of reasons why she believed that the ALP needed to strengthen its position on the issue – a result of many of the disturbing events she observed when she visited the region in 2011. Indeed, according to Ms Vamvakinou, there are certainly  ‘compelling ethical, political, security and community reasons’ why the July conference should adopt a motion supporting the Palestinian state.

Last month, the Annerley Branch – as well as many other ALP branches – adopted a strongly worded resolution calling on the conference to support the recognition of a Palestinian state, based on the pre-1967 borders. The resolution was conveyed to a number of federal MPs and conference delegates, with a written response already received from Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Tanya Plibersek. In her letter, Ms Plibersek stated clearly that ‘Labor is committed to supporting an enduring and just two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’. Whilst acknowledging the right of Israel to ‘live in peace within secure borders’, her reply recognises that the ‘two-state solution’ is the only means to achieving a long lasting settlement to hostilities in the area.

Labor’s foreign policy section of the national platform is due to be debated on Sunday 26 July.