Multiple senior Labor sources were bracing for a major turnout, noting promotional material for the protest was already circulating in inner and south-west Sydney and spreading on social media.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is scheduled to address delegates on July 27 and Minns the following day.
Labor MLC Anthony D'Adam (left) has called for a discussion on caucus solidarity, while NSW Premier Chris Minns has accused him of “deprivation of relevance”.
Minns said Friday that any effort to disrupt the state conference would be a “shameful disgrace” and would indicate that the real goal was the disruption of “a legal, democratic public meeting that has existed for 130 years.”
Late Thursday, D'Adam reposted Payman's resignation statement on various social media platforms with the caption “Free Palestine.” Just over 12 hours later, and seven weeks after he was sacked from his duties as parliamentary secretary, Minns hit out at his Labor MP again.
“How ridiculous. Perhaps suffering from a bit of relevancy deprivation because [Payman] it robbed him of a march in his own mind,” he said.
Minns said any MP who crossed the floor would be suspended from caucus and possibly expelled, saying allowing MPs to “run in a million different directions” on substantive policy issues would only bring “chaos to the state”.
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“I just want to make it clear, if someone crosses the floor about a motion or a bill in the NSW parliament, we will have to take exactly the same action… That's part of the trade-off you make when you join a major political party : you give up some individuality in preference to a collective position.”
In a statement on Friday afternoon, D'Adam denied endorsing Payman's decision to cross the floor, or planning something similar when state parliament meets in August, but called for a “broader discussion” within the party on caucus solidarity.
“I would clearly prefer that Senator Payman had remained within the Labor team. I do not endorse or support his decision to leave the ALP, although I understand why he felt he had no other option,” he wrote.
“Shutting down debate and divergent views is not Labour's way. Workers must learn from this experience. We hope this will trigger a wider discussion in the party about how our parliamentary parties work.”
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