Last Sunday, Sydney FEC organised a meet-the-candidates for the NSW Policy Forum, which was attended by about 30 of the candidates. I took the opportunity to ask them if they were factionally aligned. Most were. The three most common answers were:
- Left
- Right, but…
- Unaligned.
Most were running because they wanted more resources for their own policy priority. Some because they wanted progressive policy, or fairer, more equal policy, or more populist policy (policy that “reconnects with the community”). Some were concerned about execution of policy – how things are done rather than what things should be done. Plenty of people were interested in where funding should be spent, only one mentioned being concerned with where funding should come from.
A number of candidates give the impression they were running because it seemed like a good career move. And at least two volunteered that they were running because they’d wanted to be sure there was an election – unlike the Union positions on the Forum where a deal has been done and there are 16 candidates for 16 positions.
The below are my notes. If a candidate is marked as not present, remember that many candidates are regional and that there have been regional forums that most of these candidates wouldn’t have been at.
If you have information on the candidates, please feel free to share. In the interests of sort-of-full disclosure I’ve indicated which candidates are on my short list, but not why or why not.
See also their statements, either at https://ouralp.net/2011/10/15/nsw-policy-forum-candidates or http://www.nswalp.com/policy-forum-election
Rainbow Labor has also surveyed the candidates: http://www.rainbowlabor.org/pages/node/23
| Alison McLaren about.me/… Email Alison |
Unaligned
Priorities: Transport, Planning[Shortlisted] |
| Amanda Rose Dulwich Hill/Lewisham Branchfacebook.com/… Email Amanda amandajrose.info/… |
Left Sees this as an opportunity for Reform [Shortlisted] |
| Andrew Zbik Lane Cove branch |
Unaligned Priorities: Financing, especially proper financing for Infrastructure [Shortlisted] |
| Bryce Wilson Queanbeyan Branchtwitter.com/… Email Bryce |
Right
Priorities: Regional issues |
| David Armstrong Ku-Ring-Gai branch |
Unaligned
Priorities: Aged care, mental health, transparency in development, anti-privatisation, pro-reform (“instead of being elected, they’ve been selected”)[Shortlisted] |
| Gayle Barbagallo Rooty Hill |
[Not present] |
| George Barcha Smithfield Branchtwitter.com/… Email George M: 0426 042 649 |
Unaligned |
| Hugh McDermott Central Policy Branch facebook.com/… Email Hugh hughmcdermott.com/… |
Right Priorities: reconnect to communities, progressive politics, pro-reform (“this factional thing is crap – has to change”)[Shortlisted] |
| Huw Phillips Glebe branch |
Left
Priorities: youth policy, juvenile justice reform |
| James Marshall Newcastle branch |
[not present] |
| Hugh McDermott Central Policy Branch facebook.com/… Email Hugh hughmcdermott.com/… |
Right Priorities: reconnect to communities, progressive politics, pro-reform (“this factional thing is crap – has to change”)[Shortlisted] |
| James Marshall Newcastle branch |
[not present] |
| Jay Suvaal Cessnock branchEmail Jay M: 0402 608 540 |
[not present] |
| Julia Finn Harris Park branchabout.me/… |
Left |
| Kirk McKenzie North Sydney branch |
Right
Priorities: Charter of Rights |
| Lenda Oshalem Maroubra branchfacebook.com/… Email Lenda M: 0406 244 356 |
Right
Priorities: Crime, Juvenile Justice |
| Linda Scott Erskineville BranchEmail Linda |
Left
Priorities: Federal State Relations – wants State to take more interest in Federal Issues |
| Michelle Miran Jervis Bay/St Georges Basin Branch |
[Not present] |
| Nick Finch Coffs Harbour branch |
[Not present] |
| Romola Hollywood Mid-Mountains Branchfacebook.com/… Email Romola au.linkedin.com/… |
Right Priorities: Early Childhood Education, Social Justice |
| Sarah Shrubb Katoomba branch |
[Not present] |
| Sue Kealy Ourimbah/Narara Valley branchfacebook.com/… |
Left
Priorities: Equality [Shortlisted] |
| Baden Kirgan Panania branchEmail Baden |
[Not present] |
| Byron Danby Enfield South Branchfacebook.com/… |
Right
Priorities: “The forum itself”, and health |
| Carol Berry Thirroul BranchEmail Carol |
Left
Priorities: Human Rights, Social Policy, Mental Health |
| Cassandra Coleman Lithgow Branchtwitter.com/… |
[Not present] |
| Christopher Hepple facebook.com/… Email Chris] |
[Not present] |
| Darcy Byrne twitter.com/… |
Left |
| Darriea Turley Broken Hill branch |
[Not present] |
| David Harris Wyong Branchfacebook.com/… Email David |
[Not present] |
| David Hetherington Erskineville Branchtwitter.com/… Email David www.percapita.org.au |
[Not present] |
| David Latham Ashfield Branchfacebook.com/… www.fresh4policyforum.org |
[Not present] |
| David Wood Newcastle day/night Branchabout.me/… linkedin.com/… |
[Not present] |
| Donald McAllister Far North Coast Pottsville branch |
[Not present] |
| Edmond Atalla Rooty Hill branchabout.me/… |
[Not present] |
| Farid Ahmed Marrickville Central Branchfacebook.com/… |
Unaligned |
| George Houssos Randwick-Coogee West Branchtwitter.com/… Email Georgegeorgehoussos.virb.com |
[Not present] |
| Ian McNamara Mount Pritchard Branchfacebook.com/… Email Ian www.ianmcnamara.com.au |
[Not present] |
| James Brann Bathurst Branchfacebook.com/… www.jamesbrann.net |
Left
Priorities: Regional Services and Infrastructure, especially Mental Health, Schools |
| James Young Hills/Baulkham Hills Branchfacebook.com/… Email James |
Right
Priorities: Transport |
| Jennifer Golledge Bankstown branch |
[Not present] |
| Kathryn Landsberry Kogarah-Carlton |
Left
Priorities: Planning, Infrastructure, Transport |
| Kieran Drabsch Ballina Branchfacebook.com/… Email Kieran |
[Not present] |
| Lachlan Drummond Randwick-North Branchfacebook.com/… |
Left
Priorities: “Equality of Outcome”, Transport |
| Leanne Atkinson Bega Branchtwitter.com/… Email Leanne M: 0414 417 315 |
[Not present] |
| Leta Webb Port Kembla Branchlinkedin.com/… |
[Not present] |
| Luke Whitington Macquarie Branchfacebook.com/… |
“Proudly Left”Priorities: Progressive policy, for example free preschool and early intervention |
| Marcus Mariani Cardiff/Elermore Vale branch |
[Not present] |
| Marilyn Eade Mayfield branch |
Left
Priorities: The ‘N40’ |
| Mathew Ferguson Parramatta Branchfacebook.com/… Email Mathew M: 0421 934 228 |
Left
Priorities: Members rights, engagement and participation[Shortlisted] |
| Narelle Rich Port Macquarie branch |
[Not present] |
| Nur-alislam Joarder | [Not present] |
| Patrick Miller Murwillumbah branch |
[Not present] |
| Paul Reid Campsie branch |
[Not present] |
| Barney Langford Charlestown branch |
[Not present] |
| Raj Datta South Strathfield branch |
Right
Priorities: Community Values, Equality |
| Ross Smith Redfern branch |
Unaligned
Priorities: Housing[Shortlisted] |
| Shane Prince Malabar branch |
[Not present] |
| Trevor Drake Hardy’s Bay branch |
Unaligned
Priorities: TAFE [Shortlisted] |
| Wendy Waller Green Valley branch |
[Not present] |
Our ALP 
I am Cassandra Coleman from Lithgow. I am from the Right.
My priorities are regional jobs and services.
I wasn’t present because it was my youngest daughters 8th Birthday Party and I try to achieve work and family life balance.
Thanks Ben for this excellent summary.
The candidate forum was discussed informally after last night’s Sydney SEC meeting. Tanya Plibersek’s office (Michael Vaughan) and Sydney FEC were commended for their event organisation and for the “blind date” structure (candidates move around tables.) It was noted that Sussex Street had failed in its undertaking to host more of these events and this was unfair to many candidates. (Candidates at an event have a ‘meet and greet’ advantage.) it was noted that the selection process weighting (40% to women, 40% to men and a regional weighting) was not clear. Concern was expressed that right and a left tickets have emerged. (One overt; the inner-city left one is framed as “you may wish to vote for these people”.) Some thought factional tickets are contrary to the aims of “rank and file” selection and would embalm even this limited “reform”. One delegate was concerned that elected representatives shouldn’t stand (including councillors). My view is that no member who already enjoys weighted privilege should stand (party employees or union employees.) One interesting take was that candidates should stand for an area (say 3-4 electorates) to break down the town/country demarcation. (A view put by candidate Andrew Zbik.) Clearly there needs to be discussion on ‘reform’ beyond the vested Admin Ctee. The Kings Cross branch endorsed 7 questions for candidates which is distributed to candidates. To view responses go to the Kings Cross Labor page.
Jo Holder, assistant sec, KX
What will embalm this limited reform is if a majority of people opposed to significant reform get elected to it. If a decent number of people pro-reform get elected to it this can hopefully be avoided.
As a labor party we should never disparage collective action to achieve our goals, nor enshrine a fantasy version of rugged individualism as some kind of advanced state of nobility. (I outlined my factional involvement in another post here down the page somewhere.)
You might as well then exclude anyone on an SEC or FEC – if you’ve reached that level of involvement in the party its likely you know who most shares your goals and views as compared to others and want to see some people get wins in the party as opposed to other people and believe more in some policies than others, even if you haven’t formally joined a faction. This is not actually a bad thing.
I was happy to answer the factional question when Ben asked it, but its a pretty blunt instrument really and doesn’t tell you much about a person’s actual commitment to reform.
I have suggested a list of other people (indeed, with 63 candidates most people I’ve spoken to have begged me to suggest other people they can vote for), this is not factionally based. Indeed one of the people I’ve recommended is in “the other faction” to me, and some others I have no idea. I do know their election to the PF with or without me will help prevent the forces within the party (of which are many, and guess what! they are mostly in the one faction) that want to see the thing die getting their way.
Pretending there aren’t people who’d be more committed to advancing reform in the party than others is an efficient way to get steamrolled (again) and to see the status quo continue.
The geographical representation thing has a lot of merit, I think. The process has been unfair to people in rural areas, undoubtably. (even with the quota)
Can someone actually confirm the final elected list? Voted, can’t find result on ALP website – want to make sure we keep the pressure