Local Membership
Branches
The foundation of the ALP is the local branch and Party members. All Party members belong to a branch. Labor Prime Ministers, past and future, will have attended them as part of their involvement in the Party. These branches elect an executive to organise their business and conduct their regular meetings. Also elected by the local branch are delegates to other electorate council meetings, forums and state conferences. Branches fall within State and Federal Electorates. Normally most electorates will have a number of branches.
Branch meetings are a great way to connect with like-minded people in your own local community. Full of vibrant discourse, your local branch meeting can provide an avenue for stimulating policy discussion.
Policy
Members may submit motions for discussion and consideration at their local branch, which may then be put to the state (and possibly national) conferences for the Party. In this manner, it is possible for an everyday member’s idea to find its way into the Party’s national platform and even as national law.
National Policy Committee
The National Policy Committee (NPC) is elected every three years by the National Executive. Its primary role is to prepare the draft National Platform which is debated by delegates to the triennial National Conference. Branches and other Party units can send motions and suggestions to the NPC for its consideration. Current membership of the NPC is:
- Gai Brodtmann MP (Chair)
- Laura Smyth MP (Deputy Chair)
- Anne Black
- Paul Bastian
- Rosemary Barker
- Terri Butler
- Rose Jackson
- Chris Ketter
- Brent Thomas
National Conference
National Conference is the Federal ALP’s highest decision-making forum and the National Platform outlines Labor's long-term principles. The conference is held usually every three years to consider amendments to the Party platform, resolutions, and conduct other business. The National President chairs the National Executive.
More recently, National Conference has been held concurrently with the progressive Fringe program. Labor affiliated networks, progressive organisations and charities run a series of events aimed at promoting an exchange of ideas about some of the nation's most challenging policy debates.
National Executive
The National Executive is the chief administrative body of the Australian Labor Party between National Conferences. The National Executive is directly elected by delegates at the National Conference. The National Presidents, National Secretary, the leader of the Federal Labor Parliamentary Group and State Secretaries all sit on the National Executive, usually as non-voting members unless otherwise elected as a delegate.
National Secretariat
The National Secretary oversees the running of the National Secretariat, which is the organisational head office of the Australian Labor Party. As the Australian Labor Campaign Director for federal elections the National Secretary plays a critical role in electing Labor Governments. The National Secretariat provides support to all state branches and party units.
Federal Labor Parliamentary Group
Labor's enduring values, which were born in the collective struggle for better living and working conditions, are reflected in the progressive and reformist tradition which the Party embodies, and in the continuing pursuit of a society which values equality and security, fairness and compassion, environmental sustainability, enterprise, opportunity and aspiration.
In the 1890s when the Australian Labor Party was first conceived, its purpose was to afford workers parliamentary representation to advance their position. Given these origins, the Federal Labor Parliamentary Group have an important role to play in the organisation.
The Federal Parliamentary Labor Party are empowered by the Australian Labor Party to represent the views of the Party and the constituents they represent in the Federal Parliament, guided by the enduring values and positions espoused by the members of Australian Labor through the Party Platform.
Labor MPs remain answerable to their members, and attend their branch meetings for this purpose. This reflects the original strategy of the shearers under the Tree of Knowledge – to choose from among themselves someone to stand for parliament in order to promote their interests and conduct good and fair governance. In this way, what happens at local branch meetings goes full circle in the organisation the Australian Labor Party.