The party has historically been committed to socialist? economic policies, but while commited to nationalised wage fixing and a strong welfare system did not nationalise private enterprise - an attempt to nationalise the banking system in the 1940's was deemed unconsistitional. In the 1970's and beyond, the party largely gave up its old-guard socialist views and became essentially a social-democratic party. Indeed, during the 1980's the party was responsible for the introduction of many economic policies such as privatization of government enterprises, and deregulation of many previously tightly-controlled industry, which are normally the province of conservative governments.
During the 1950s the issue of communism caused great internal conflict in the Labour party; many believed that it was being infiltrated by Communists and Soviet agents. This eventually led to the splitting off from it of the [Democratic Labour Party]? (DLP), led by [Joseph Santamaria]?. The DLP was heavily influenced by Catholic social teachings and had the support of the Catholic Archdiocesse of Melbourne. (The Catholic Archdiocesse of Sydney, however, was opposed to the DLP, and continued to support the ALP.) The DLP helped the Liberal Party of Australia remain in power for almost two decades. But the DLP ceased to exist in the 1970s.
ALP Prime Ministers:
ALP State Premiers / Territory Chief Ministers
The ALP is currently in Opposition at the Commonwealth level; the Opposition Leader is [Kim Beazley]?.
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