New state Labor leader Luke Foley is a strange marriage of the Labor right (Liberal-lite) and the Catholic Church; his previous voting pattern giving indication to how this might play out in time.
In November 2013, Foley voted with Fred Nile and hardline Liberals against same sex marriage legislation in the NSW parliament. The bill was defeated 21 votes to 19, a sorry misrepresentation of an issue that receives wide public support.
Will Luke Foley represent the NSW public or Cardinal George Pell and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church?
For all Labor’s rhetoric about modernising the party this seems like a major step backwards or at least, a failure to ‘move forward’.
Last state election Labor received far less votes than the Greens in the Ballina and Lismore electorates. With Foley as leader, it won’t help Labor’s chances this time around either.
Bec Talbot, Mullumbimby
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
