Sincere thanks to all those who supported the independent / non-aligned National Conference delegates in the just completed election. We had a good outcome.
The team: myself (Eric Dearricott), Janet McCalman, Hamdi Ali and Kimberley Wheeler are most grateful to those who supported us so strongly.
Janet, Hamdi and I were elected as delegates and Kimberley will be elected as a proxy for the ALP National Conference to be held in Brisbane in August.
The outcome demonstrated clearly to all the support among Party members for delegates who will represent members rather than a faction.
I again topped the poll with 368 votes, more than 100 above 2nd highest, Bill Shorten who had 260 primary votes. Janet gained a strong 102 votes. With the quota at 134 my surplus flowed on to Janet and Hamdi to assist their election. It was the best independent / non-aligned outcome since the 2002 National Rules reforms.
As we did for the 2020 National Conference, closer to the Conference we will be conducting open forums for members to propose amendments to the Draft National Platform for us to submit for consideration.
Overall Victorian membership National Conference election delegate outcome:
The Left, including the Industrial Left, have significantly improved their position since the 2020 Conference (up 4 or 5 delegates). Counting is still proceeding with 41 of the 45 delegates now elected and an Affirmative action count for the remaining positions to be conducted on Wednesday.
The FEA State Conference delegate elections outcome
As with the National Conference delegate elections Socialist Left candidates significantly lifted their representation and gained almost half of the 300 FEA delegates. This increase is largely due to the drop in Right aligned delegates because of the non-renewal of the many members associated with the Somyurek led Mods sub-faction.
Independent/Non-Aligned delegates have also significantly increased their number of delegates:
At the 2019 State Conference there were 18 Independent/Non-Aligned delegates – this will rise to the mid-twenties at the 2023 Conference. This will be more FEA delegates than some sub-groups of the Right and also the Industrial Left.
In the past this number of delegates would have meant easy election of a non-aligned member to the Administrative Committee but Bracks/Macklin reduced the number of ordinary members of Admin from 30 to 17 which will mean a quota of 34 votes to be elected. – a challenge but possible if preferences fall favourably. It will certainly enable greater support to be given to non-aligned/independent candidates for policy committees.
Nominations open for election to State ALP
Nominations for election to policy committees, party officers, Administrative, Agenda, Rules Revision and Public Office Selection Committee are now open
Any member of the Party can nominate for election. There are:
14 policy committees each with 20 members
Administrative Committee now has 17 ordinary members (down from 30)
Agenda Committee – 9 members
Rules Revision Committee – 9 members
Party Officers 3 – President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President
Nominations for all of the above positions close at 12 noon Friday June 2
The Public Office Selection Committee (POSC) – 100 members
Nominations for the POSC close at 12 noon Saturday June 17
No nominators other than your own signature is required.
All 606 State Conference delegates vote and elect all of the above committees. All but the POSC are elected during the Conference but the POSC is a postal ballot after the Conference.
All members of the Party are also eligible to nominate for election as one of 45 National Conference delegates to be elected by the 300 union delegates to State Conference. Thirty nominators’ signatures are required on the nomination form.
Non-aligned / independent Party members when lodging nominations for any positions are encouraged to cc their nomination email to me both as proof of their nomination but also so that it is possible to lend your candidature support.
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