On February 2, Administrators Steve Bracks and Jenny Macklin handed over administration of the Victorian Labor Party to the Interim Governance Committee.
Open Labor thanks Jenny and Steve for their important work, we welcome party monitor John Thwaites, and we congratulate the Interim Governance Committee on their appointment. They have a critical task, and we look forward to engaging with them. However, we have substantial concerns about the way the committee was appointed.
The committee comprises Susie Byers, Linda White (Socialist Left); Ben Davis, Michael Donovan (Labor Unity); and Lloyd Williams (Industrial Left). Its first act was to endorse Victorian Labor rule changes that support the Macklin-Bracks Report’s 37 recommendations.
On 7 December 2020, Open Labor wrote to ALP National Secretary Paul Erickson asking the National Executive to consider a non-factional member for the Interim Governance Committee amid concerns ordinary members were being left out of the reform process. A follow-up letter on 23 December included more than 100 members’ signatures. We also sent it to those National Executive members with a public email address. We received no reply.
On 18 January, Paul Erickson forwarded our letter to the Interim Governance Committee via Acting State Secretary Chris Ford. On 27 January 2021, Open Labor followed up with Chris. His reply has now been received (26 February). It includes an Interim Governing Committee proposal to appoint a new 7 member Branch Consultative Committee to advise them on how best to transition Victorian local branches to one branch per state seat and help the IGC to work through reform branch issues. The committee will last approximately a year. Expressions of interest close 19 March 2021.
Open Labor will respond shortly.
We are hopeful the Macklin-Bracks Report will bring a shift in transparent practice, and we will continue to advocate for a more transparent and democratic Labor Party.
