2000 Members Handbook September 2000 Tel: (03) 9933 8500 ! Fax: (03) 9933 8560 ! Freecall 1800 638 003 Victorian Homepage: www.vic.alp.org.au ! National Homepage: www.alp.org.au ! E-mail: [email protected] CONTENTS Introduction Introduction Politics involves the art of communication. Not only do political Victorian ALP Office parties need to communicate to the electorate, but also to their Holders own party membership. Labor Values This Members Handbook provides information for ALP members History, Organisation and prospective members on the workings of the Victorian and Achievements Branch. ALP Government in Victoria It also includes useful information on who's who in the Party, as New Members well as the history, structure and organisation of the ALP. Summary ALP Language A mass-based Party, like the Australian Labor Party, needs its members to be actively involved in the Party; this publication How to find your way provides details on how members can become more involved. around the ALP The ALP and the local It is hoped that this Handbook will prove to be a valuable asset to community ALP members. This handbook includes all changes made up to The ALP and Trade and including the State Conference of June 2000. Unions Election Time David Feeney State Secretary National Structure Achievements Office Holders Hints for Branch Meetings State President: Greg Sword Victorian ALP Office Senior Vice President: Brian Daley Holders Vice President: Karen Sherlock State Secretary: David Feeney [email protected] ALP Members of Assist State Secretary: Daniel Andrews [email protected] Parliament State Organisers: Abbey Howe [email protected] Roland Lindell [email protected] ALP Committees Peter Mitchell [email protected] Affiliated Unions State ALP Office: 360 King Street Election Details West Melbourne, 3003 Request for more information 2000 Membership Handbook 1 Labor Values: Security & Opportunity LABOR’S CENTRAL VALUES 8. Labour Rights. Labor is committed to protecting and advancing the fundamental rights of working 1. The Australian Labor Party had its origins in the people to join trade unions, and to organise, aspirations of the Australian people for a secure, collectively bargain and strike. decent, dignified and meaningful way of life, in which every person has the opportunity to fully 9. Responsibility. Labor believes that rights must be realise his or her potential. accompanied by responsibilities to behave • Labor’s driving force today continues to be honestly, humanely and fairly. Those those aspirations. responsibilities must be exercised: 2. More than a century ago, Australian working • by individuals, toward each other and the people recognised the need for a political voice to community which supports them; protect their interests, and to advance the living • standards and improve the quality of life for by social and economic groups and themselves, their families and those in need. organisations, toward each other and the • wider community; and Labor today remains faithful to that tradition, • continuing our close historical relationship with by governments, toward their own people, the trade union movement. other governments and the wider international community. 3. In a globalised economy and society, Australians face new pressures and uncertainties, and more 10. Democracy. Labor is committed to the essential than ever need government leadership to provide democratic principle that every person should security, create opportunity and manage and have the right to a say, directly or indirectly, in moderate the forces of change. every decision that effects his or her life. That right includes: • Labor is totally committed to providing that • leadership. democratic participation in the choice of governments; • 4. Labor is today, as throughout our history, guided the opportunity for a meaningful voice in and motivated by a set of central values: fairness, decision-making in the workplace; and • compassion, individual freedom, labour rights, the opportunity for a voice in planning, responsibility, democracy and community. environment, the delivery of public services and similar matters. 5. Fairness. Labor believes that all people are created equal in their entitlement to dignity and 11. Community. Labor believes that the best chance respect, and should have an equal chance to for the future, for Australia and all Australians, lies achieve their potential. For Labor, government in our working together for the common good. has a critical role in ensuring fairness by: • Within Australia, Labor is committed to a • ensuring equal opportunity; society in which every person is able to actively • removing unjustifiable discrimination; and and productively participate in the life of the • achieving a more equitable distribution of community, and the whole community wealth, income and status. responds sensitively to individual needs. • Labor is committed to a community that 6. Compassion. Labor is committed to protecting embraces cultural diversity and reconciliation, and supporting those who are disadvantaged, based on mutual respect and acceptance. oppressed or simply struggling to cope. Genuine reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is crucial to our • The Labor tradition has always been to reach capacity to face the world as a united, peaceful out, embrace, protect and support those in and just nation. need. • Within the international community, Labor 7. Individual Freedom. Labor is committed to a just strongly believes that every country's national and tolerant society which fully protects the rights interests, including our own, are best protected and freedoms of all Australians, including and advanced by cooperation rather than especially the fundamental political and civil rights confrontation and conflict. of everyone to freedom of conscience, expression and association, and to due process of law. 2000 Membership Handbook 2 LABOR’S PRIORITY OBJECTIVES 17. What makes Labor governments distinctive is our belief in the critical role of government: 12. Providing Security. Labor’s first priority is to provide security for all Australians. This includes: • We believe that strong and active government • job security during our working years; leadership, with an effective and efficient public • income security during both working and sector operating in partnership with a thriving retirement years; private sector, best manages change to provide • personal security in the event of serious illness, security and opportunity for all Australians. injury or other crisis, or in the case of disability; • • security and safety in the community living We believe that government is not an impediment, environment; and but rather a crucial force in building and realising • security of the nation against external threat. the full potential of individuals, the economy and our whole society. 13. Creating Opportunity. A second Labor priority is to provide opportunity for all Australians: 18. Labor believes that government is critical to the achievement of social justice, in ensuring: • to realise fully their individual potential • throughout their lifetime; sufficient basic income to provide a decent • quality of life for all Australians; to advance their living standards and quality of • life; universal social rights (including fulfilling employment, quality education and • to gain access to employment, education, affordable health care and housing); housing, health and welfare services, • information technology, culture and recreation, equal rights for those in groups subject to and the legal system; and discrimination; and • • to participate cooperatively in the life of the special support for those with particular nation and the communities within it. needs (including Indigenous Australians, women, people from non-English speaking 14. Managing Change to Ensure Security and backgrounds, the long-term unemployed, Opportunity. Labor has always sought to homeless, disabled, frail aged and mentally anticipate and understand the forces of change at ill). work in the national and international communities - not to resist that change, but gain the maximum 19. Labor sees government as a guardian of the benefit from it while moderating and smoothing its common good, not only in achieving social justice impact. but in securing many public goods which are simply unlikely to be delivered as effectively, if at all, by the private sector and a free market. • Successful governments are those which understand and communicate the reality of that • change, and manage it in a way that both We see our society as not just a market creates opportunity and provides security. but a community with mutual responsibilities. Not all values have dollar 15. Labor recognises that the twenty-first century will equivalents. inevitably be a period of increased globalisation - with dramatically expanding international 20. Labor has a distinctive vision of how Australia competition and technological development, and should present itself in the wider international ever-growing interdependence. community. We should be, and be seen to be: • • Labor believes that this offers Australia a modern, innovative, socially and unprecedented opportunities to become a economically advanced, united world leader in balancing a dynamic multicultural society; • economy with a just society. willing to take a confident and independent position in advancing our 16. Labor has led the way in recognising the national