Australian Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party is one of two major parties in Australia who compete for government at federal and state level, with the Liberal Party of Australia.

Labor, Australia's oldest political party, was founded as the political arm of the trade union movement to fight for workers rights. Over recent years, however, it has diversified from its Protectionist roots incorporating a blend of Progressivism and Economic Liberalism within it's policy platform.

It's current leader is Bill Shorten and is currently in government in South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory, and in opposition elsewhere.

Factions
Under the leadership of Gough Whitlam in late 1960s/early 1970's, the ALP was officially factionalised into formal factions - the Socialist Left on the party's Left-Wing and the Labor Unity on the Centre-Right.

The Socialist Left represent the Progressive and Democratic Socialist wing within Labor and is the smaller of the two major factions. Labor Unity represent the Social Liberals and Conservatives within Labor, whose priority is win over the majority of middle Australia and form government - even at the expense of the Socialist Left.

The factions gave been a major cause of division within the Labor Party in recent years.