you cant have a party whose primary members are

1 rusted on old penalty rate sprouting shop steward bludging unionists  (like crook)

2 chattering class capacino sipping poofs and quasi intelectual inner city carbon phobes and refo-lovers.

its like trying to form an alliance between the nazi party and the quakers.  these 2 groups are at opposite ends of the spectrum and cannot talk to each other.

sit them down at a dinner party in alternating seats and watch the conversation flow

johnny howard stole the middle ground. labor need to royally kick the bludgers at the bottom and the intelectual hippies at the top out of their party. 
they need to reshape themselves in the image of the liberal party.

imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

and why all the hate and fear etc etc.  as grey said, theres barely a cigarette paper between them in terms of policy. labor just suck up to the extremes.  go to any backyard bbq and talk to NORMAL people about waht they hate

1 bludgers and union thugs
2 intellectual know it alls.