On re-election in May 2025, Anthony Albanese pledged to run a “disciplined and orderly” government – hardly ‘the light on the hill’, but it struck a chord. Many of us were still scarred by the Morrison government’s dysfunction and trampling of due process.

Fast forward to last weekend’s ALP National Conference and “disciplined and orderly” had a different feel.

Debate was stifled and proceedings tightly managed at the 50th gathering of the party faithful. While careful choreography is hardly new to ALP conferences, it was pretty clear that not all were enamoured of the “radical centre” of which the PM........

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