Our ALP

The Balmain SEC, via a motion from the Leichhardt Branch, has resolved to take the initiative in addressing a number of the recommendations raised in the recent review. Around a third of the recommendations are able to implemented by local branches or electorate councils with only minor changes in wording or scope. There is no need to wait for advice or permission from head office, conference or any other party body to begin to address some of these issues.

Specifically Balmain SEC has resolved to form a working group of interested party members and party supporters to look at addressing the following recommendations locally:

• Recommendation 2: Conducting a survey of Balmain party members seeking their views, expectations and attitudes to the Party.
• Recommendation 3: Discussing and recommending a local membership growth target.
• Recommendation 4: Dedicating a budget to new party-building activities.
• Recommendation 5: Explicitly adopting a community-organising model.
• Recommendation 6: Soliciting recommendations on actions to grow membership and to assist the building of better branches.
• Recommendation 7: Creating a cost-effective local campaigning organising and training academy to boost the skills, awareness and knowledge of Balmain electorate members.
• Recommendation 9: Developing a system of small grants to assist with party-building activities. Encouraging local branches to apply for these grants.
• Recommendation 22: Co-opting local members to provide expert advice on matters of policy. That in future the Balmain SEC be strongly encouraged to draw upon the experience and professional expertise of members within the electorate when determining policy positions.
• Recommendation 28: Instituting a Labor Community Dialogue program to facilitate access and discussion between the Party, local community organisations and local community leaders, supported by online engagement opportunities.

Following on from Phil Drew’s post, I know that many people were unable to attend the protest on the day. Below are a few photos from the rally.

Setting up. The building manager had been instructed by head office not to let party members near their own party’s building. Threats of police action did not eventuate:

The protest underway:

ABC TV covering the event:

ALP signage was taken down before the rank and file arrived. Don’t want the ‘brand’ sullied after all:

Leichhardt Councillor Darcy Byrne addresses the rank and file:

No rank and file welcome at party headquarters. Lifts are locked off to level 9.

From the 2009 Rules Committee report, it is possible to better understand the relationship between head office and the rank and file branches, and the challenge ahead in introducing democratic processes into the party.

The Rule committee considers improvements to the rules governing the operation of the party as received from a number of different sources – rank and file branches, as well as the Administrative Committee and the Rules Committee themselves. For each suggestion they provide a recommendation – “Adopt” or “Reject”.

The 2009 report contains 79 motions for consideration across various sections/schedules A to I of the rules. 54 were submitted by rank and file branches across NSW, the remainder being submitted by the Rules Committee or from other units established by head office. Unsurprisingly the Rules Committee had a 100% “Adopt” recommendation rate with their self-generated motions. Perhaps more surprising is the Adopt rate for the 54 rank and file motions. Zero percent.

The Rules Committee appears to take “zero tolerance” attitude to the rank and file. Not one of the 54 suggestions were recommended for adoption, many without any reason provided. Even from a self-serving position, it is interesting that the committee did not consider passing just a token number from the rank and file, if only to maintain a “defensible” position. Sadly, the truth is no defense is required today when you completely ignore the rank and file. This is just business as usual. Instead they chose to clearly send the opposite message – “Rank and file participation in the organisation of the Labor party will not be tolerated. Do not waste your time or ours by trying.”

The legitimacy with which the current power brokers operate is becoming paper thin. The current lack of transparency and democracy can only continue whilst the 35,000 remaining members of the rank and file allow it. Do not allow it.

Damien Hogan
Leichhardt Branch

This is from Phil Drew, an attendee at yesterday’s protest…

There were about fifty people present from the far South Coast as well as the city.  The Party hierarchy was conspicuous by its absence.  They were locked away on the 9th floor all the decisions rubber stamped.  No one had the stomach to appear or to invite a delegation.  It was good to put faces to some of the names that we read each day as we work towards reform.

So what can I comment?

“F. U. A. An open Conference is what we want.”

This is the banner than is featured outside the offices of the NSW ALP branch.  It is an ironic backdrop to the rally for reform outside those offices on Friday 20 May.

In a recent circular Sam Dastyari, General Secretary of the NSW ALP branch, spoke of a commitment to greater rank and file involvement.  How was that demonstrated on Friday?

• By increasing the fee for nominating for a Parliamentary position by 50% to $750.
• By closing off the 9th floor to members and asking the building manager to advise those outside not to trespass on private property.
• By telling potential nominees (such as recently defeated Steve Whan, former Minister of Emergency Services, for Small Business and Rural Affairs) “that they had no chance”.
• By not holding a ballot of members to fill positions that were widely indicated in the press as already decided.  In fact Eddie Obeid apparently linked his resignation to the appointment of Walt Secord.  Pre-selection is less democratic that in the Liberal Party.

Despite the shellacking on 26 March this year more than 250 members attended a meeting a week later, from all over the State, to indicate their commitment to Party reform.  But it is clear that the energy that was evident in that meeting is of no consequence to the Party hacks.  In the past the rank and file have been letter-box stuffers and how-to-vote hand-outers.

From now, because of the diminished subventions from a diminished parliamentary representation, we will have a new role:  to fund the Party.  But have a say in pre-selections or in policy?  Nah.

What do we want now?  What should be the banner on the Party Offices wall next year?

How about:  “An open Conference is what we want in 2012”?

Let’s show we won’t be ignored.  It’s our ALP.

Phil Drew
Leichhardt Branch

An update to the previous What happens Next? post:

The closing date for Motions to Conference has been extended.  The new date is:

Friday 13th May 2011 by 12 noon.

Motions to conference have closed.  All submitted motions proposing rule changes will be considered by the Rules Committee.

They prepare a report which says, in effect, ‘accept’ or ‘reject’ for each motion. That report will be voted on in its entirety by Conference, July 8th and 9th. It would be unheard of for the report not to pass.

Where Conference delegates disagree with an aspect of the Rules Committee Report they move an amendment, to be dealt with on the floor of conference.  And that is where it will get interesting.

Coming up in the next month – contact me for details:

• there will be a regional meeting in Kiama on the 15th May.
• there will be a (small) workshop in Sydney late in May.