Husic says Labor ‘allergic to dissent’ as he breaks ranks on key government positions at party conference

Ed Husic broke ranks with the government to support a gas export tax and press for more criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/Reuters View image in fullscreen Ed Husic broke ranks with the government to support a gas export tax and press for more criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/Reuters Husic says Labor ‘allergic to dissent’ as he breaks ranks on key government positions at party conference Criticism comes as prime minister frames unity as point of difference to political opponents, saying ALP chooses ‘progress over protest’ Outspoken Labor MP Ed Husic claims the party has become “allergic” to dissent and dispute, warning the unity on show at its tightly controlled national conference could backfire. The former industry minister broke ranks with the government on the first day of Labor’s 50th party conference to support a gas export tax, endorse Indigenous truth-telling and press for more criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. As factional powerbrokers negotiated behind-the-scenes to avert contested debates on the conference floor, Husic hit out at the party’s culture under Anthony Albanese . “This whole thing of being allergic to dissent [and] dispute, I don’t think that actually works in our long-term interests as a party,” he told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing. In a speech to open the conference, Albanese framed the party’s unity as a point of difference to its political opponents. “We choose progress over protest. We choose purpose over chaos. We choose unity over division,” he said. Earlier, the government was given the green-light from party members and MPs to wind-back fuel subsidies for big miners, setting up a potential fight with resources giants. The national conference also agreed to extract a “fairer return” from Australia’s natural resources, although Albanese shut down any prospect that would translate into a new gas export tax in the foreseeable future. The Labor Environment Action Network (LEAN) secured support at the opening day of the national conference to amend the policy platform to remove tax “disincentives” to an “orderly” energy transition. Coal companies to reap billions more in taxpayer diesel subsidies as Labor approves new mining Read more The influential group of rank-and-file Labor members pushed the proposal as part of a campaign to cap the diesel fuel tax credit for mining companies, which they view as an expensive handbrake to decarbonisation. More than 350 Labor branches, unions, climate campaigners and mining billionaire Andrew Forrest have backed reforms to the scheme, which refunds miners, farmers and other industries the 52.6c a litre excise applied to petrol and diesel. Treasury has forecast the scheme would cost the budget $47bn over the next four years , rising from $10.7bn in 2026-27 to $12.8bn in 2029-2030. More than $1bn a year goes to coalmine operators. A trio of federal Labor MPs – Jerome Laxale, Sally Sitou and Ged Kearney – backed LEAN’s amendm