Last change to submit to the Lavarch review

Posted on 25 October, 2019 by Ben Aveling

Your opportunity to make a submission to the Lavarch review into NSW Labor Governance closes at 5pm today (25 October)

Your submission needs to be sent to:

Terms of reference are here:

Some suggestions from various parties for what you might like to consider addressing in your submission are below:

 

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Federal Election Campaign Review in Sydney

Posted on 22 September, 2019 by Ben Aveling

The Federal Election Review Panel members have been travelling the country to hear feedback from state and territory party members.

The Review will be in NSW on Monday, 23 September 2019 (tomorrow) to give branch members an opportunity to have their say:

When: 6:00pm – 7:30pm, Monday, 23 September 2019
Where: Trades Hall Auditorium

For your reference, here are links to some past reviews:

(This is not a complete list. If anyone has a copy of other reviews, please contact us and we’ll share it/them around.)

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Parliamentary Election Review

Posted on 15 September, 2019 by Ben Aveling

The Federal Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters is hold an inquiry into “all aspects of the conduct of the 2019 Federal Election and matters related thereto”.

Submissions close 20 September.

https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/joint/electoral_matters

The NSW Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters has announced an inquiry into the administration of the 2019 NSW State Election.

Submissions close 9 October.

https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/inquiry-details.aspx?pk=2549#tab-termsofreference

Party Units, etc, may wish to contribute to the official submission, and should do ASAP as described in the latest political briefing. Individuals may also make their own contributions.

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2019 Federal Campaign Review

Posted on 28 July, 2019 by Ben Aveling

The ALP National Executive has commenced a review of the party’s 2019 Federal election campaign.

The objective of the review is to “examine and identify areas that can be improved to return Labor to Government at the next Federal Election, due by 2022.”

The review will be conducted by a panel chaired by Jay Weatherill and Craig Emerson, and including Linda White, Anthony Chisholm, John Graham and Lenda Oshalem.


Submissions close Friday 9 August 2019.

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Nominations for State Conference are open

Posted on 5 June, 2018 by Ben Aveling

Nominations have opened for the following positions, to be filled at this year’s NSW State Conference:

  • Conference Agenda Committee (5 members)
  • 2 State Policy Forum Deputy Chairs
  • 16 Assistant Returning Officers
  • 52 Delegates to National Conference (to be elected by union delegates only)
  • Senate (3 positions, $1,000 nomination fee payable)
  • Legislative Council (8 positions, $750 nomination fee payable)

In addition, as happens at every second State conference, the following committees will be elected.

  • Health Policy Committee
  • International Relations Committee
  • Building Sustainable Communities
  • Education Policy Committee
  • Indigenous Peoples & Reconciliation
  • Economics Policy Committee
  • Industrial Relations Committee
  • Social Justice and Legal Affairs
  • Organising, Recruitment and Training Committee

These committees review suggested policy changes from branches, electoral councils and other affiliated bodies, and advise conference on which motions should be accepted, and which motions should be rejected. Conference can override the committees, and occasionally does, but in the main these committees are responsible for Party Policy.

Each committee has a Chair, Deputy Chair, and 10 Members. Party members with twelve months standing are eligible to nominate.

Nominations close at 12noon Friday 15 June 2018.

Nominations must be on an official nomination form, which is available from the NSW Party Office.

Affirmative action applies to ballots where 3 or more positions are being filled.

For more information, consult the June Political Briefing.

Posted in NSW ALP State Conference | Leave a comment

Just checking, do you have your National President Ballot yet? (You should have.)

Posted on 11 May, 2018 by Ben Aveling

This is just a quick reminder that National President Ballot papers and emails have been sent.

You should either have received an email with a subject something like “2018 National President Election – Your Online Ballot”, or you should have received a ballot in the post.

If you haven’t received anything yet (don’t forget to check the spam trap), it might not hurt to contact ALP head office.

 

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National President Candidate Mark Butler calling for Party Reform

Posted on 29 April, 2018 by Ben Aveling

Mark Butler, candidate for National President, will speak about Party Reform and Democratisation at Trades Hall Auditorium, 377 Sussex Street, at 6.00pm on Wednesday May 16.

Admission is $5.00, which includes annual membership of Local Labor NSW.

RSVP to: Chris Haviland; 0457 155499 / chrishav2001@yahoo.com.au / facebook

Mark Butler is campaigning on a platform of party reform including calling for party members to be allowed to vote for positions including state leaders, and Senate candidates and to rebalance the role of the unions in the Party.

There are a total of four candidates. In ballot paper order, the candidates are:

  • Mich-Elle Myers (MUA/CFMEU; facebook)
  • Claire Moore (Queensland Senator; web, facebook)
  • Mark Butler (Member for Port Adelaide, current National President; web, facebook)
  • Wayne Swan (Member for Lilley, Queensland; web, facebook)

Eligible members will be able to vote online, commencing 4 May. Postal vote packs should start arriving Monday 7 May. Other eligible members will be contacted by email.

All votes must be received by 5 pm AEST, 15 June.

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National Delegates Conference – Nominations close Monday

Posted on 6 February, 2018 by Ben Aveling

Nominations for FEC elected National Conference Delegates opened last weekend, and will close on Monday 12 February.

Any financial member may nominate in their local Federal Electorate, and if you care about democracy in our party, we encourage you to do so.

Each NSW Federal Electorate gets to elect one delegate.

Where there is more than one candidate, there will be a ballot of financial members of the electorate.

Nominations must be accompanied by a $100 fee payable in cash, cheque or credit card at the time of nomination. The fee may be waived for hardship.

Candidates should accompany their nominations with a 200 word candidate biography and photography. Biographies and photos, where provided, will be made available on the ‘Your Say’ website.

Full details for NSW here: Delegate_Guidelines.

Other states will also be sending delegates. There are different rules in each state.

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Administrative Committee Ballot Report.

Posted on 6 August, 2017 by Ben Aveling

The Administrative Committee, commonly known simply as Admin, has 36 members. Of these, 18 are elected by Affiliated Unions’ Delegates, and 18 by Rank and File Delegates and assorted others, such as the Parliamentary Party, but also the chairs and secretaries of the various policy committees, and so on.

For the 18 members of Admen elected by unions, there were 18 nominations, as agreed by Left and Right, and no ballot was required.

For the 18 members of Admen elected by the rank and file, there were 24 nominations, 13 from the Right, 10 from the Left, and me.

Nobody officially preferenced anybody.

The Right had 228 votes, the Left had 157 votes, and I, the sole independent, had 13 votes. Accordingly, the Right picked up the first 10 positions and the Left the next 7, leaving a three way race for the for the 18th and last place.

I am told that on the first count of the ballot, I narrowly squeezed home, and on the second count, I narrowly missed out, being knocked out by Stephen Bali, 13.1 votes to 13 votes. I do not have a breakdown of where my 13 votes went, except to say that after they were distributed, Paul Sekfi defeated Bali, taking the 18th place for the Left.

I have asked for a recount.

Posted in Misc | 3 Comments

Make a difference. Vote Independent!

Posted on 27 July, 2017 by Ben Aveling

At State Conference this weekend, there will be the following ballots.

If you have a vote, use it to make a difference. Vote for an Independent.

Rules Committee

(9 to elect)

Fiona Seaton

Left

Anthony D’Adam

Left

Farid Ahmed

Right

Robert Allen

Right

Lewis Hamilton

Right

James Mack

Independent [1]

Janai Tabbernor

Right

Josephine Hillard

Right

Jan Burnswood

Left

David McElrea

Left

Amanda Fazio

Right

Ben Aveling

Independent [2]

Emma Murphy

Right

Administrative Committee

(18 to be elected by Rank and File members)

Bill Kritharas

Right

Anne Charlton

Right

Monika Wheeler

Left

Trish Marinozzi

Right

Ben Aveling

Independent [1]

Gerry Ambroisine

Right

Anthony D’Adam

Left

Michael Forshaw

Right

Jan Primrose

Left

Chris Haviland

Left

Melanie Dagg

Right

Karen McKeown

Left

Verity Firth

Left

Sarah Conway

Right

Georgia Kriz

Left

Mary Ross

Right

Sue West

Right

Pam Ward

Right

Leonie Wilbow

Left

Jennifer Light

Right

Paul Sekfy

Left

Stephen Bali

Left Right

Simonne Pengelly

Left

Kirsten Andrews

Right

President

Mark Lennon

Right

Emma Maiden

Left

(no Independent candidate)

Senior Vice President

Michelle Miran

Left

Tara Moriarty

Right

(no Independent candidate)

No vote required for any other committees.
They have all been ‘agreed’ between Left and Right.

Edit: Stephen Bali is Right, not Left. Apologies

Posted in Misc | 3 Comments