STATEMENT BY ANTHONY ALBANESE IN RESPONSE TO "LOCAL LABOR MEMBERS" ANTHONY ALBANESE..... I am proud that one of my first acts as Deputy Labor Leader was to co-sponsor the most important democratic reform in our Party’s history – giving members a vote in this historic ballot for the Labor Leadership. This leadership election must be the start of rebuilding our Party from the ground up. That is why last week I pledged that as Labor Leader I would implement the recommendations of the 2010 National Review authored by Bob Carr, John Faulkner and Steve Bracks. I have a proud history of supporting democratic reform in the Labor Party. In March 1991, in an article as a member of the National Organisational Review Committee, I said: “The concept of ownership of the party must be reflected in our structures. Despite technological changes, the Party’s greatest resource remains our rank-and-file members, Power must be decentralised so that ALP members are encouraged to participate fully in our collective future”. ** Challenge magazine, March 1991. In 1986, I was the co-founder and convenor of an organisation in New South Wales called Campaign for Labor Democracy. Having fought for decades to give rank and file members a real say in our Party, I am now seeking the support of Party members as Leader. As Labor Leader my priorities for empowering members will include: 1. Making the direct election of the federal parliamentary leader by members permanent. Having given members a vote in this ballot I will strongly oppose any attempt to wind back this positive and necessary reform. 2. Giving members a direct vote in electing ALP National Conference delegates. Members must have a real say at our Party’s highest decision making forum and as Leader I will implement this. 3. Winding back intervention in Party pre-selections by the National Executive and state administrative committees, so that local candidates are elected by and accountable to rank-and-file members. 4. Delivering a national organising plan to give members the training, resources and support they need to recruit new members and grow our movement from the grassroots. 5. Implementing a trial of community preselections in open seats to give Local Labor supporters a say in electing Labor candidates. 6. Asking the National Executive to monitor and transparently report on progress on implementation of the Faulkner, Carr, Bracks Review recommendations. 7. Bringing forward the next National Conference to 2014 to allow earlier deliberation on rules and policy matters. Yours in solidarity, Anthony Albanese ** Challenge magazine, March 1991.
Posted on: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 01:23:22 +0000