Dear Delegate,

Re: Reform or Revolt

As you know, the decisions that you make at NSW Labor’s 2011 state conference will have an enormous impact on the future of our party and our movement in this State.

The reform proposals supported by the rules committee, for a limited trial of community preselections in three years time and a new policy forum are positive, but they do not go anywhere near far enough. These proposals provide no road map at all for how to halt and reverse the devastating shrinking and ageing of our membership base over the next three years.

An overwhelming number of motions from local branches, that delegates will consider, support a move toward increased direct election of positions by party members.

Given this, if conference chooses not to endorse any increased powers for members, it will be an unmistakeable repudiation of the will of our party’s rank and file.

You should know that such a snub has the potential to provoke rank and file members across the state into a campaign of open revolt against the party’s current hierarchy.

If members’ positive and constructive reform proposals are not supported, we will have no choice but to continue our campaign for reform and renewal so that in twelve months time we are in a position to elect a majority of delegates who are willing to represent the views of members rather than the power brokers.

Yours sincerely,
Alex Lofts – Ashfield Councillor, Liam Hogan – Stanmore Camperdown Branch, Linda Scott – Erskinville Branch, Dinesh Gonsalkorale – Ashfield Branch, Tom Harris-Brassil – Stanmore Camperdown Branch, Amanda Rose – Dulwich Hill / Lewisham Branch, James Still – Darlington Branch, Mary O’Sullivan – Marrickville Councillor, Darcy Byrne – Leichhardt Councillor, Ben Karalus – Leichhardt Branch President, Michael Johnson – Summer Hill Branch, Laurie Urane – Haberfield Branch, Lucille McKenna – Ashfield Councillor, Jerry Stiel – Annandale Branch, Gemma Haigh – Warren Branch, Jack McBride – Balmain Branch, Jo Blackman – Dulwich Hill / Lewisham Branch, Imogen Wareing – Earlwood Branch, Seumas Phelan – Ashbury Branch, Damien Hogan – Balmain SEC Secretary, Richard Walsham – Marrickville SEC Secretary, Victoria Rollison – Alexandria Branch, Lliam Caulfield – Warren Branch, Susan Martin – Balmain Branch, Susan Lever – Erskinville Branch, Catherine Crittenden – Summer Hill Branch, Marcus Strom – Sumer Hill Branch, Ian Peel – Marrickville Central Branch, Michael Butterworth – Ryde Councillor, Tom Flood – South West Rocks FEC, and Keith Perkins Dubbo Branch Secretary, Glenda Gartrell – Willoughby branch, Pamela Slater – Berowra / Mt Colah Branch, Kathryn Landsberry – Kogorah Councillor, Diane O’Brien – Ryde Branch, Michelle Cahill, Willoughby branch, Denis O’Connell – Ryde Branch, Richard Slater – Mt. Colah/Berowra Branch President, Edna Wilson – Balmain Branch, Don McGregor – Katoomba Branch President, Tanya Jackson Vaughan Dulwich Hill / Lewisham Branch President, Simon Crittle – Balmain Branch Secretary, Philip Smyth – Leichhardt Branch, Steve Storey – Fivedock, John Fryer – Ryde Branch, Judy Singer – Balmain Branch, Shane McArdle – Warren Branch , John Diplock – Summer Hill Branch, Yang Ding – NSW Young Labor Executive, Phil Drew – Leichhardt Branch, Brian Frankham – Balmain Branch, Bob Burford – Annandale Branch, Dorethy Burwood – Annandale Branch, Nizza Siano, Vaucluse SEC President, James Du Pre Dungog Branch, Tom Zelinka Annandale Branch, Harry Johnson – Rozelle/Lilyfield Branch, Lorre Manning – Morisset Branch Secretary, Sasha Blumen, Kings Cross Branch, Tom Hall – Summer Hill branch, Anna Beresford – Summer Hill branch. Ruark Lewis – Paddington Branch, Adrian Wong – Secretary Cabramatta SEC Secretary, Stephanie Cunio – Double Bay/Bellevue Hill Branch, Eric Snowball Glebe Branch President, George Cooper Balmain Branch, Neil Reilly – Kiama Councillor, Ed Gilmore – Kiama Branch, Gordon Mackay – Kiama Branch, John McCutcheon – Kiama Branch, Simon Mansfieild Kiama Branch, Virginia Walker – Fivedock Branch & Inaugural McKell Award winner, Paul Pearce – Bronte Branch President, Ingrid Strewe Bronte Branch Secretary, Carmel Niland Double Bay Bellevue Hill Branch President, Mary Hunt – Double Bay / Bellevue Hill Branch, Chris Hunt – Double Bay / Bellevue Hill Branch, Alan Outhred – Summer Hill Branch, Glenn Holdstock – Summer Hill Branch, Anthony McLaughlin – Kings Cross Branch, John Wakefield – Waverly Councillor, Ivan Ransom – Balmain Branch, Sacha Blumen – Kings Cross Branch, Mark Drury – Ashfield Councillor, Steve Hambridge – Balmain Branch, Narelle Callanan – Bondi Beach Branch President, Jenny Haines – Newtown Golden Grove Branch, Neil O’Hare – Bondi Beach Branch Secretary, Linda Beattie – Neutral Bay Branch, Chris Simpson – Willoughby Branch President, Rachael Simpson – Willoughby Branch, Tom Westbrook – Willoughby Branch, Nick Wright – Willoughby Branch Secretary, Justin Holmwood – Mt Colah/Berowra Branch Secretary, Andria Kannane – Willoughby branch, Robbie Wilde – Katoomba Branch, Shirley Ross-Shuley – Katoomba Branch, Brian Kirkby – Mid Mountains Branch, Samantha Thompson – Mid Mountains Branch, Verity Williams Katoomba Branch, John Harper – Darling Harbour Branch, Chris Quilkey – Quakers Hill Branch Secretary, Mick Fell – Springwood Branch, Richard Collier – Springwood Branch, Richard Bournes – Springwood Branch, Annie Hearn – Springwood Branch , Pam Crafoord – Springwood Branch, Martin McLaren – Springwood Branch, Colleen Carmody – Springwood Branch, Bernard McNair – Springwood Branch, Chris Dunstan – Dulwich Hill / Lewishan Branch, Luther Weate – Paddington Branch