Australian Labor Party Victorian Branch

State Conference 2016

Venue Moonee Valley Racecourse McPherson Street, Moonee Ponds

URGENCY RESOLUTIONS URGENCY RESOLUTIONS (Draft Document) Victorian ALP State Conference November 2016 No. 1. UNIVERSAL PAID FAMILY & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEAVE

This conference applauds the work of the Andrews’ Government in tackling the scourge of family and domestic violence through the establishment of a Royal Commission and other important initiatives.

For over a decade a broad based community and union campaign has been seeking to have paid family & domestic violence leave included in both Modern Awards and/or enterprise agreements.

Conference congratulates unions and employers who have negotiated workplace agreements that now provide more than 1.6 million employees access to paid family & domestic violence leave.

Currently the ACTU is running an important case in the Fair Work Commission to include paid family & domestic violence leave in all Modern Awards.

The inclusion of family & domestic violence leave as an entitlement has ensured countless women who are experiencing and/or leaving domestic violence situations are supported, protected and able to maintain their employment and subsequent economic independence.

But despite all these efforts we still have more work to do to protect predominantly women and children from the impacts of family violence. There are too many employees who still don’t have any support from their workplace.

That is why Victorian Labor supports a paid leave entitlement in the NES so that all workers – predominantly women – who are faced with family violence situations can access paid leave.

Family & domestic violence leave in the NES also recognises that women are more likely to be in casual, part-time and precarious work and with the least bargaining power.

Family & domestic violence leave should be considered no less of an entitlement than other forms of leave already contained in the NES including annual leave, long service leave, personal carers leave, compassionate leave, community service leave or parental leave.

The inclusion of domestic violence leave in the NES ensures:

1. Every employee covered by the federal industrial relations system will be entitled to access the leave regardless of what instrument they are employed under;

2. The leave is secure so it cannot be “bargained off”;

3. It protects the most vulnerable and those with the least bargaining power; and

4. The inclusion of domestic violence leave in the NES will deliver the entitlement to all Victorian employees.

Accordingly the Andrew’s Labor Government will continue to press the Federal Government to include family & domestic violence leave in the NES.

Victorian Labor calls on the Federal government to acknowledge the suite of measures required to reduce violence against women, including by providing adequate funding for domestic violence support services.

Moved: Ingrid Stitt Seconded: Natalie Hutchins

No. 2A. LABOR HIRE INQUIRY

The Victorian ALP Conference welcomes the Victorian Government’s, Victorian Inquiry into the Labour Hire Industry and Insecure Work - Final Report and congratulates the Victorian Labor Government for showing real leadership on this issue.

In contrast, the Federal Liberal Government have ignored calls to crack down on the exploitation of labour hire workers by unscrupulous employers and companies, whilst the State Labor Government has listened to Victorian workers and their unions and acted.

Conference notes the Inquiry report findings that:

• labour hire workers in Victoria are treated almost like a ‘second class’ of worker. This treatment extends to outright exploitation in certain sectors – principally the horticulture, meat and cleaning industries.

• the impact of insecure work has on Victorian workers included financial insecurity, difficulty planning and saving for the future, and stress (including in the management of working time and family commitments).

Conference condemns the Federal Liberal Governments failure to address the exploitation of labour hire workers and temporary workers and;

Conference calls on the Federal Government to work with the Victorian Labor Government to immediately implement the following report recommendations:

• increase the Fair Work Ombudsman’s investigatory powers and to increase the penalties applicable under the Fair Work Act for award breaches and failure to maintain proper employment records.

• Through the Council of Australian Governments work to create a national licensing scheme for labour hire operators.

Moved: L. Chesters Seconded: N. Hutchins

No. 2B. LABOR HIRE INQUIRY

Labor recognises that the Victorian Government’s Inquiry into the Labour Hire Industry and Insecure Work has identified serious and widespread issues of exploitation and unethical labour practices within the labour hire industry in Victoria. The Inquiry’s Final Report (31 August 2016) found a multitude of unlawful and rogue practices committed by labour hire companies and operators including, underpayment of award wages, other breaches of award conditions, non-payment of superannuation, poor or dangerous health and safety, abuse of workers on visa’s, victimisation and bullying and tax avoidance. This unacceptable situation arises in circumstances where the Victorian labour hire industry remains largely unregulated. Similar issues of concerns have been identified in a number of state and federal inquiries including those conducted by the Queensland and South Australian state governments and at a federal level, by the Senate Economic and Finance Committee.

The Victorian Inquiry’s Final Report made 35 recommendations including the establishment of a national labour hire scheme, but in the absence of such a scheme, a Victorian scheme should proceed to be established in certain sectors of the economy.

The Conference notes that the recommendations from the Final Report are inadequate to ensure that all workers engaged under labour-hire arrangements in Victoria are afforded full protection from abuse and exploitation. We await the formal response of the Victorian Government.

The Conference urges the State Government to introduce a more comprehensive mandatory licensing scheme which extends to all Victorian industries and labour hire workers. Further, that the the expanded scheme and the other recommendations outlined in the Final Report are implemented in a timely and consultative manner including:

• the establishment of a mandatory licensing scheme for labour hire operators that extends to all Victorian industries and all labour hire workers; • the establishment of an independent regulatory body that has clear powers to license, regulate, prosecute and penalise labour hire operators where breaches occur; • the introduction of the requirement that to secure a labour hire licence, a labour hire operator must meet a threshold capital requirement based on held assets and revenue and cash flow, satisfy a fit and proper person test, must be able to demonstrate a history of compliance with health and safety laws and industrial compliance and show a capacity to meet employee obligations and the payment of an annual licence fee;  the introduction of criminal offences relating exploitative practices committed by labour hire operators and/or host organisation/s;  The introduction of significant penalties for the use of unlicensed or unregistered labour hire firms by host employers; • the strengthening of state government procurement policies and practices to ensure that Victorian tax expenditure is used to promote safe and secure employment; • the funding of workplace rights, safety and readiness programs for recently arrived migrant workers who are particularly vulnerable to unscrupulous labour hire practices; • the enhancement of Victoria’s occupational, health and safety laws to ensure there is no liability gaps in the protection of labour hire workers as regards both the labour hire agency and their host’; and • the strengthening of Victoria’s occupational, health and safety laws to improve worker representation and to protect workers against victimisation for asserting their rights under the OH&S Act 2004 (Vic).

Moved: Michele O’Neil (TCFUA) Gary Maas (NUW) Seconded: Ben Davis (AWU) Steve Dargavel (AMWU)

No. 3. CUB 55

The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) on behalf of the AMWU and ETU members from Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) in Abbotsford, the “CUB 55”, who have been protesting for over 150 days for reinstatement to their jobs on existing pay and site conditions, calls on Conference to condemn the inaction of the Turnbull Government to address the injustice faced by these workers, and the failure of the Government to reign in the rampant abuse of loopholes in the Fair Work Act that allow multinational corporations to bypass fair bargaining standards and deprive workers of their long-held livelihoods.

We call on Victorian Labor to support the CUB 55 and the union movement’s campaign to overhaul the Fair Work Act to close this loophole and prevent further corporations’ avoidance of the Fair Work Act, through which just three workers in another state can vote up an agreement that can be applied to workers in another state, without accepted bargaining principles, over two years later, and despite only working for a related entity for only three days as a casual in a different industry.

In addition we call on Victorian Labor to engage their Federal counterparts to support the CUB 55 and union campaign with actions that fall within their jurisdiction.

We call on Victorian and Australian Labor to support the campaign and publicly boycott all CUB products until the full reinstatement of the former CUB workers on preexisting pay and conditions.

Moved: Steve Dargavel Seconded: Darren Dwyer

No. 4. KEEP PUBLIC DISABILITY SERVICES IN PUBLIC HANDS

Conference expresses grave concern over the Victorian Labor Government’s decision of 1 December 2015 to establish a process to privatise/contract-out public (DHHS) disability services to non-government and/or private service providers.

Conference determines that this process constitutes a fundamental breach of the 2014 Victorian ALP Platform on which the Andrews Labor Government was elected. It represents an absolute breach of commitments made to public sector disability workers who are core Labor constituents and who campaigned strongly for Labor at the 2014 Victorian State Election.

The 2014 Victorian ALP Platform declared: “Labor recognises that for Victoria to continue to lead the way, provide choice and be a driving force in quality disability service provision, it must retain involvement in direct services delivery as a service provider.” It also committed Victorian Labor to: “enhance choice and service options for people by continuing to support the existing balanced service system between direct government and non-government ‘not for profit’ service provision and avoid further privatisation or contracting-out of existing disability services.”

Victorian public disability services are used by nearly 3,000 highly at risk people with profound disabilities who are supported by nearly 5,000 dedicated workers. The majority of these workers are women, modestly paid for the skills, knowledge and emotional labour they bring to their essential and challenging work.

Conference notes the Andrews Labor Government has justified its breach of the 2014 Victorian ALP Platform by arguing that divesting from public disability services is simply a part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) rollout process and that divestment will deliver better outcomes and greater choice for people with disabilities.

Conference rejects those arguments and underlines the fact the NDIS does not require public sector service divestment. Conference notes the Productivity Commission—the NDIS designer—expressly stated the scheme would not preclude continued provision of disability services by state, territory and local governments. Furthermore, the loss of public sector services will fundamentally reduce choice and access to higher quality services for people with disabilities.

In relation to quality support outcomes, Conference notes non-government disability service providers engage staff on lower wages and conditions, employ fewer qualified workers, operate with reduced supervisory profiles and make heavy use of casual employment and other insecure working arrangements. These characteristics all undermine the capacity of support staff to deliver quality care and support to people with a disability.

Conference strongly supports the NDIS and congratulates the Andrews Labor Government for increasing its overall investment in the sector and extending disability services to those who previously had none. However, this must not be at the expense of quality support and care standards for the most at risk Victorians with disabilities. Moreover, by attacking the wages, conditions and job security of dedicated support workers, the goal of the NDIS to ensure genuine choice and control for people with disabilities will, at best, remain forever unfulfilled, or, at worst, reduce the quality of care for people with disabilities, their families and loved ones.

As a government professing to put people first, as a party which supports people with disabilities, and as a movement striving to improve the lives of ordinary working people, Conference must be guided by Labor principles and strong public policy on this matter.

Conference therefore calls on the Andrews Government and all Victorian State ALP MPs to: 1. uphold the Party Platform and cease the current process of privatisation/contracting-out of public disability services and to maintain the current diversity of service choices across public and the non-government sectors;

2. fulfil their ‘party membership pledge’ obligations to faithfully uphold to the best of their ability, the Party Platform;

3. show initiative and leadership to develop quality workforce and service standards that protect at risk Victorians and focus additional reform efforts in Victoria on raising the workforce standards in the non-government sector, including improving training and qualifications and the ability of workers to bargain for decent wages and job security, and;

4. commence a strong campaign around the current inadequate NDIS unit pricing and calling out the Turnbull Government for its failing regulatory stewardship of the scheme.

Moved: Lloyd Williams Seconded: Jenni Fitt

No. 5. LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY CARE

With the transition of aged care policy and funding models from the Victorian system to the Commonwealth via the reforms establishing the My Aged Care system, local government's role in providing home care services is being contested in the sector.

Victoria is the only state where local government provides the breadth of home care services on offer. Yet many councils are using the excuse of the national transition to exit the service entirely especially in regional areas.

Many councils fear the new funding model that removes the funding certainty delivered by bloc funding. The new direct funding model is to the client, like that of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and was designed by the Productivity Commission which is a major shift for service providers. It is a system that will deliver money to providers that can attract client choice, which is a concern if this choice is based on cost not the quality of the service delivery. It is a system designed to force market style competition in a policy area where collaboration has been shown to be far greater at achieving good public outcomes.

Many within the sector fear a repeat of the rorting that have characterised similar changes to vocational education made some years ago. While those ripped off under the failed changes to education were left with useless qualifications and large sums of debt, a similar failure in aged care can see senior Australians quality of life adversely impacted.

Combined with legitimate concerns about the impact rate capping is having on Council’s capacity to raise revenue, many Councils are opting to take the easy way out and exit HACC.

Therefore, conferences resolves to:

1. Recognise that over 6,000 people, predominantly women, are employed by Victorian local government providing home care services and that the cumulative cost of redundancies for these workers will run into the tens of millions, while those workers remaining as home carers are forced onto inferior award based pay and conditions 2. Urge all Councils in Victoria to continue to provide home care services to their communities at not less a level than that which currently prevails 3. Calls on all Labor councillors to support the continuation of home care services at their councils 2. Calls on the Andrews government to apply the power of the state government to see the continuation of local government provision of home care services 3. Calls on the federal parliamentary Labor party to review funding arrangements regarding aged care services, with especial reference to local government home care services and with a view to reinstate bloc funding 4. Calls on both state and federal Labor to offer greater financial assistance and financial certainty to those Councils involved in providing home care services both during the transitional period and thereafter

Moved: Richard Duffy Seconded: Wendy Phillips

No. 6. BUS DRIVERS WELFARE & SAFETY That the Andrews Labor State Government acknowledges the genuine concerns of the TWU for the welfare and safety of its members given recent incidents of verbal abuse and physical assaults on bus drivers by commuters in Victoria.

That the Andrews Labor State Government continues to work with the Transport Workers Union to address the concerns of the TWU and its members for the safety and welfare of bus drivers and the community in Victoria.

Moved: John Berger Seconded: Chris Fennel

No. 7. PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Preamble:

NOTING that the Victorian Liberal Premier Jeff Kennett began the process to privatise our state Rail and Tram networks almost two decades ago on the assumption that this would deliver a lower cost, better performing public transport service for Victorians.

NOTING that, despite the best endeavors of workers, successive multinational operators have used Melbourne’s metropolitan Rail and Tram networks as a cash cow, letting them fall into disrepair - resulting in taxpayers receiving inadequate services and reliability despite the high subsidies being paid by government.

RECOGNISING that exclusive negotiations for the next iteration of franchising are now currently underway by Public Transport Victoria & the State Government for the Metropolitan Rail and Tram Networks, this ALP conference calls on the Andrews Government to take this opportunity to investigate restoring public ownership, control and oversight to ensure value for money is achieved for taxpayers. The current contracts rip off Victorians and allows too much money to be stripped from our assets and shipped offshore to shareholders by multi-national operators rather than reinvested into Melbourne’s public transport system.

FAILING THIS move to bringing the Rail and Tram assets back into the hands of the public, this conference calls on the Andrews Government to conduct a transparent competitive tender process that allows all potential consortiums to bid; with a weighted loading in favour of Australian owned consortiums who ensure profits are returned to the local economy, including through a much stronger reinvestment in our Rail and Tram networks.

Motion:

This ALP conference calls on the Andrews government to:

5. Bring the operation and maintenance of the Rail and Tram network, which are publicly owned assets back into the hands of the public by reversing them back into assets owned, operated and maintained by the Government.

6. Failing this call, we urge the Government to at a very minimum open up the tendering process to ensure it is a competitive tender not simply a roll-over of the current Operators Metro Trains and Yarra Trams.

Moved: Luba Grigorovitch Seconded: Phil Altieri

No. 8. PARLIAMENTARY ENQUIRY INTO VICTORIAN INTRASTATE SHIPPING

Labor believes in a fair, safe, efficient and sustainable shipping industry for a strong Victorian economy and regions and to protect the Victorian pristine coastline.

Labor is committed to working closely with industry, unions and Victorian communities to enhance the role of intrastate shipping to grow regional economic development and jobs for Victorians.

Labor will pursue a parliamentary enquiry into intrastate shipping involving all relevant stakeholders to identify barriers and assess options for policy reform to strengthen Victoria's intrastate shipping industry and the regional economic growth it supports, and to maximize Victorian seafaring labour.

Labor will work with the Maritime Union of Australia to develop the Terms of Reference for an Intrastate Enquiry and will keep the MUA updated on the progress of establishing said enquiry.

Moved: Joe Italia Seconded: Mark Jones

No. 9. TAXI & HIRE CAR HARDSHIP FUND

The Andrews Labor Government needs to fully appreciate the ongoing hardship of approximately 3,000 families in Victoria who individually own or operate taxis or hire cars and are suffering as a result of comprehensive changes to the taxi and hire car industry announced in August 2016. It is welcome that the Hardship Fund has been increased from $4 million to $50 million by the Andrews Labor Government, however most of the 3,000 families in Victoria who individually own or operate a taxi and hire car in Victoria are still ineligible for support when they are experiencing severe financial hardship.

In one case a family owns two perpetual licenses and purchased two more 10 year leases at $180,000 6 years ago. As a result of changes to the taxi and hire car industry they have had to re-mortgage their home which they owned free and clear. This has broken them as a family both mentally and physically.

In a second case a single mum in her 50s who still works full time purchased 3 licenses to cater for her retirement. As a result of the changes to the taxi and hire car industry this mother now owes $800,000 in her loans and may need to declare bankruptcy.

The Andrews Labor Government should consider a proposal of providing financial support for each taxi and hire car licence that is own by individual licence holders. We understand that most of the major players like Silver Top, Cabcharge and 13 CABS have welcomed the changes; however individual operators remain in severe financial hardship and deserve support. I encourage the Andrews Labor Government and the Minister for Transport, the Hon Jacinta Allan MP, to consider providing more support to taxi and hire car operators in Victoria.

The taxi and hire car industry have a proud history in Victoria, which has seen returned servicemen driving taxis when they returned from wars, and every new wave of migrants have used the taxi industry as a way to integrate into society in this country, hence many license owners are from migrant backgrounds, such as from the Greek, Italian, Indian, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese etc communities. It was a right of passage to drive a taxi then slowly purchase a license to become self-employed, and many have now retired, making it their superannuation. In light of their long term contribution to the fabric of Victoria we must do all we can to support the taxi and hire car industry in Victoria.

The Andrew Labor Government should also ensure new companies like UBER comply with Government legislation and regulations, and pay their fair share in taxation in Victoria.

Moved: Daniel White (Melbourne FEA) Seconded: Nick McLennan (La Trobe FEA)

No. 10. AUTOMOTIVE TRANSFORMATION SCHEME

Labor condemns the Abbott-Turnbull Government for laying the groundwork for an economic catastrophe, by goading Australia’s two remaining car manufacturers to cease motor vehicle production at the end of 2017.

The shutdowns were not inevitable. Holden and Toyota chose to leave because the Government treated them with open contempt and hostility.

The Liberals have turned their back on workers, their families and communities, by failing to provide an adequate industry adjustment plan in response to the factory closures.

The automotive industry remains Australia’s great repository of skills and capabilities in advanced manufacturing – it is a powerhouse of innovation, research and development, and engineering and design talent.

These capabilities must be retained to attract new investment that provides decent, well-paid jobs.

That can only happen if there is the political will to make it happen.

The Victorian Labor Government has shown real leadership by putting in place supply chain diversification programs to help manufacturers invest for the future.

However state resources are finite and a well-resourced, successful diversification program requires a national approach and commitment from the Federal Government.

Therefore:

This Victorian ALP State Conference calls upon:

1 the Federal Government to redefine the Automotive Transformation Scheme (ATS) and direct ATS funding to diversification and advanced manufacturing jobs for the automotive and related industries.

This plan should be developed and implemented in collaboration with state governments, industry and unions, and be designed to mitigate the loss of jobs, skills and industrial capabilities.

2 the Federal Labor Party to

(i) put in place initiatives to support, grow and expand the Truck and Bus Manufacturing sector of the industry in Australia; (ii) explore and develop policy initiatives similar to those in the United Kingdom which are designed to attract new investment into the automotive components sector; (iii) resurrect a failing Automotive Industry with proper support mechanisms that will ensure the industry’s long term viability

Moved: John Herbertson Seconded: Dylan Wight

No. 11A. VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT MAJOR PROJECT PROCUREMENT

This conference welcomes the Victorian Labor Government’s commitment to major infrastructure investment, major project funding and the construction or revitalisation of major buildings across the State.

However, Conference notes that under this Victorian Labor Government’s first term, a series of major contacts have been awarded to companies whose recent industrial track record has been marked by a litany corruption, fraud, bribery, tax evasion and gross safety failures.

Construction union officials attend Victorian Government major projects on a daily basis to address safety breaches and assist workers with industrial concerns. However, this Conference also notes that in contrast to the Victorian Labor Government’s laissez-faire approach to major project tendering and procurement, construction union officials continue to be barred from accessing major Victorian Government projects by companies who aggressively employ federal industrial relations legislation.

Companies working on major projects in Victoria regularly hide behind the Federal Government’s Fair Work Act to bar union officials from protecting the rights and safety of union members.

Conference notes that value-for-money investment by the Victorian Labor Government of Victorian tax payer revenue must not be limited to the lowest-cost tender.

Victorian tax payers will be best served when contracts are awarded to companies which deliver projects safely and to the highest possible standard, while maintaining constructive industrial relations and ensuring the conditions of workers are respected.

Motion Conference asserts that it is the responsibility of the Victorian Labor Government to ensure that the health and safety of all Victorian workers is prioritised on all projects funded by the Victorian Labor Government.

Conference calls on the Victorian Labor Government to commit to working with construction unions to develop a whole-of-Government procurement policy for major projects. Conference notes that this whole-of-Government procurement policy must ensure that Victorian tax payer money is invested in the interests of all Victorians and that this policy will ensure that the safety of Victorian workers is prioritised.

In keeping with the call for the Victorian Labor Government to commit to a whole-of-Government procurement policy for major projects, Conference notes that it is essential the procurement policy assesses the workplace health and safety record, trading history, industrial history, international industrial practices and standards of the company tendering for Victorian Government work. Conference notes that Victorian tax payers will be best served when the Victorian Labor Government prioritises the tenders of good corporate citizens.

Moved: Ralph Edwards Seconded: Joe Myles

No. 11B. AUDITING OF LOCAL CONTENT

It is generally understood that mandating local content generates jobs and economic activity, often in disadvantaged communities and vulnerable groups. Local content includes both goods and services. As the largest procurer of goods and services in Victoria, there is a massive role for the State Government in ensuring local content where possible, thereby ensuring the local jobs that go with it.

The Andrews Government has mandated that Government tenders and contracts include a minimum of 50% local content. This is to be applauded and stands in stark contrast to the previous Baillieu/Napthine Government which often had no local content provisions, and never mandated more than 20%.

However, it is often difficult to ascertain the provenance of both goods and services, particularly manufactured goods. For example, if a car is assembled here from imported components, as well as being designed overseas, then how much of said car can be considered to be local content?

With this in mind Conference resolves as follows:

That the Victorian Government should as a matter of urgency form a team of stakeholders including Infrastructure Victoria, industry and Unions to develop a system of auditing locally produced goods and services in Government tenders and contracts, and certification of same.

The intent of this audit process will be to ensure that goods and services that are claimed to be local content, are indeed local content, and audited and certified as such.

This project will be overseen by Infrastructure Victoria and will report to Infrastructure Victoria and to the relevant Ministers.

Furthermore, State Conference calls upon the State Government to Introduce penalties in government contracts and tenders for providers and bidders who commit to local content, and then renege on those obligations.

Moved: Ben Davis (AWU delegate) Seconded: Shannon Threlfall-Clarke (AWU delegate)

No. 12. IMPORTED ASBESTOS

The Victorian Branch of the Australian Labor Party acknowledges that Tony Abbott’s 2003 ban on Asbestos Importation into Australia has failed.

Victorian workers are still the front line in detecting asbestos coming into our schools, kindergartens, child care centres, trains, tram substations, building and construction sites, hospitals and other government buildings.

This is putting working people and their families’ lives at risk. This year more than 700 people across Australia will lose their lives due to the exposure of Chrysotile Asbestos.

Construction companies and importers must come to understand that Victoria will not accept this deadly substance in our workplaces. There must be strong consequences for those who expose our community to harm, whether it be through ignorance or willful breaches of our laws.

This Conference calls on the Andrews Labor Government to:

 Direct WorkSafe Victoria to prosecute negligent companies who import asbestos and thereby breach the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Occupation Health and Safety Regulations and the Dangerous Goods Act;

 Direct WorkSafe Victoria to prosecute those companies who are found to have exposed their workers to any form of imported Chrysotile Asbestos; and

 Create an obligation on the owners and operators of buildings, components and infrastructure to remove and dispose of asbestos containing materials which have been commissioned or installed contrary to Victorian law.

Moved: Rob Graauwmans (CFMEU Construction & General Delegate) Seconded: Ben Davis (AWU Delegate)

No 13. RATE CAPPING

Since the introduction of the Andrews government CPI linked rate capping policy for local government, lower level council workers - such as garbage collectors, street sweepers, home carers, librarians and many others- have had to endure job cuts, cuts to pay and conditions.

Many councils have reviewed both the services they offer and the level at which these services are accessible to their community. In no council in Victoria have any of these reviews seen an increase in services. At all councils rate capping has caused a reduction in services and a reduction in the terms and conditions of employment of those workers providing these services.

In the meantime councils continue to spend vast amounts of money on consultants, useless councillor ‘pet projects’ and spend excessive sums of money on senior manager remuneration.

The stated intent of the Andrews government rate cap policy was to stop councils from wasting money, while leaving services and the employment of those workers responsible for delivering those services unaffected.

The rate capping policy has failed entirely to deliver this outcome.

And with the latest CPI figures at historic lows, there is tremendous fear within local government that the next rate cap due to be announced later this year will signal the death knell of a plethora of Council provided services across the state.

Accordingly, conference resolves to:

1. Oppose rate capping 2. Acknowledge the impact of, and condemns, the rate capping policy for its impact on local government job losses across Victoria 3. Acknowledge the impact of, and condemns, the effective freeze on wages rate capping has caused for thousands of front-line local government workers while executive salaries continue to rise 4. Acknowledge that councils have been forced to review their support for essential services, such as the SES, due to rate capping 5. Acknowledge that rate capping will exacerbate its impact on council’s financial viability, thus eroding their capacity to deliver services and community infrastructure, with each passing year. 6. Condemns the increase to rate payer’s bills caused by state government imposed levies such as the fire services levy, waste management levies and the possibility the state government will force councils to collect revenue on its behalf to fund the Metro rail project 7. Call on the Andrews government to immediately review the merits of its rate capping policy, with a view to its repeal 8. Calls on the Andrews government to not nominate a rate cap for the forthcoming financial year 9. Calls on the Andrews government to explore alternative ways to rein in council’s wasteful use of money on consultants, meritless projects and senior management remuneration

Moved: Richard Duffy Seconded: Michelle Jackson

No. 14. AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC SECTOR BARGAINING

State Conference condemns the Federal Coalition Government’s attack on the Commonwealth public sector workforce through bargaining that has seen public servants forced to take unprecedented amounts of industrial action to protect their current conditions and achieve pay outcomes that do not see them go backwards.

The men and women of the Australian public service are enormously committed to the work they do on behalf of the Australian community and making Australia a better place now and into the future. The Coalition’s vicious bargaining agenda means that after more than a thousand days of bargaining across the public sector around 75% of APS staff - more than 100,000 people - still do not have a new agreement.

State Conference condemns the Turnbull Government’s attack on the rights, conditions and pay of people working in the APS and its refusal to take any responsibility for resolving this dispute; and commits to supporting the industrial campaign of union members to keep their current conditions and not go backwards on pay.

Moved: Lisa Newman (CPSU PSU Group) Seconded: Stacey Harris (CPSU PSU Group)

No. 15. JOB LOSSES, UNEMPLOYMENT AND CO-OPERATIVE SOCIAL ENTERPRISES

STATE CONFERENCE URGES the state government to explore new, innovative ways of creating decent, sustainable jobs for Victorians – particularly with persistently high unemployment in some parts of Victoria, and accelerating structural economic change as exemplified by the tragic closure of the auto industry and the impending closure of Hazelwood power plant.

In the context of this ongoing economic restructuring, there has been a renewed interest in the idea of defending and creating jobs through the development of co-operative social enterprises. Co-operatives offer a business model that is highly inclusive and an alternative basis for raising capital and risk sharing required for the development of new enterprises and the rescue of old ones. New ideas have involved moving beyond the traditionally separate: supplier, worker, or consumer-owned co-operatives towards more ‘whole of supply chain’ or ‘community-based’ cooperative ventures. The promotion of the co- operative social enterprise model has long been the basis for successful networked ventures around the world, notably the Mondragon region in Spain.

In Australia, the last few years have seen several attempts to establish co-operatives following the announcement of factory closures. Examples include the AMWU’s efforts to establish a worker co- operative after the announced closure of the Heinz factory in Girgarre and the NUW’s attempt to develop a worker co-operative after the closure of a poultry processing facility in South Australia. The experiences of these workers and their unions indicate that while they could have developed into sustainable co-operative social enterprises, they lacked an eco-system of support required to become established.

As a first step towards developing an ecosystem in which co-operative enterprises can flourish, STATE CONFERENCE CALLS ON the Victorian Labor Government to work with trade unions and employers to explore the viability of a co-operatives incubator. The government will commit resources to exploring:

A) How we might develop an ‘ecosystem’ in Victoria where co-operative social enterprises can thrive. This will involve exploring the viability of a Co-Operatives Incubator that would assist in the development of individual co-operatives and link in with existing co-operative enterprises, peak bodies and other stakeholders to help develop a fertile environment for co-operatives to grow,

B) Opportunities for workers and their representatives to establish co-operatives following the announcement of factory closures,

C) How the government might assist in the development of completely new co-operative social enterprises. In particular, to pursue opportunities to clone new technologies from the casualized so-called “gig-economy” such as Uber & AirBnB, to develop fair employment “platform co- operatives”, and

D) The need for good action research to prepare for, and assist the development of, an incubator – as well as giving unions, employers, banks and other potential investors a better understanding of what is required to establish successful co-operatives.

Moved: T Hale (AMWU) Seconded: D Cragg (AWU)

No. 16. PROTECT PAID PARENTAL LEAVE

The current Paid Parental Leave (PPL) arrangements that are currently in place, and which were introduced by the Rudd Labor Government in 2010, should not only be protected, but enhanced as we move forward.

The current PPL arrangements are designed to help maximise not only economic benefits for businesses, the community and working women; but most importantly it is designed to strengthen maternal and child health outcomes.

The PPL's 18 weeks of payments from the Federal Government at the National Minimum Wage for a new mum or primary carer, is economically and socially prudent, and based on the solid recommendations and advice of the Productivity Commission's Review into PPL in 2009. It improves employment security for working mothers, reduces costs on businesses for re-recruiting and re-skilling, and sends the message that it is ok for families to have time off to bond and care for each other.

Since its introduction in 2010, evidence has emerged about why the existing PPL should be expanded. The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has called for it to be expanded to 26 weeks and to include superannuation.

However despite Labor's strong record in the PPL space, we have seen the Liberal Government seek to dismantle and destroy it. The Turnbull Liberal Government has introduced a bill into the Parliament recently which if passed, would see new mothers prevented from accessing the Federal Government's 18 week PPL scheme, if their employer provides a more generous scheme. In its current form, the bill would commence in January 2017, and would negatively impact on women who are currently pregnant. This would have severe economic and social consequences for our economy and community.

Victorian ALP Conference 2016 moves to: 1. Commend the Labor Government's PPL scheme that was introduced in 2010. 2. Call on the Turnbull Liberal Government to withdraw its Fairer Paid Parental Leave Bill 2016 from the Parliament immediately. 3. Welcome the Shorten Labor Opposition for stating it intends to oppose the Fairer Paid Parental Leave Bill 2016 in the Parliament. 4. Call on the 9 Senate Cross-benchers to oppose the Bill, and to support the strengthening of current PPL arrangements. 5. To forward this motion to the Federal Shadow Minister for Families, Jenny Macklin, and the Shadow Minister for Women, Tanya Plibersek; and to the following Victorian ALP Policy Committees- Economics Committee, Commonwealth Affairs and Women’s Committee.

Moved: Anna Owens (Wills Delegate) Seconded: Mimi Tamburrino (Wills Delegate)

No. 17. COMMONWEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING

The Victorian ALP conference condemns the failure of the Turnbull Government to support Victorian infrastructure, in particular in relation to Melbourne's growth areas. Conference is deeply concerned at the negative impact of this neglect on liveability, productivity and sustainability.

In particular, Conference condemns the Turnbull government for only allocating 9% of Commonwealth infrastructure funding to Victoria, and for failing to meet its commitments owed through its own asset recycling scheme.

Moved: Andrew Giles Seconded: Tim Watts

No. 18. HAZELWOOD

Pre-amble The closure of Hazelwood power station and mine, an employer of nearly 1,000 people, marks a critical point for the Latrobe Valley. The Andrews Labor Government is to be commended for acting quickly in response: establishing the Latrobe Valley Authority and committing funding of more than a quarter of a billion dollars to support workers and their families and attract new jobs, including setting up a special economic zone. It is disappointing that the Federal Government has not made comparable commitments to this community. The Latrobe Valley has a proud history, but has suffered in recent decades. Minimal intervention by governments has failed to redress a deep malaise. With the closure of Hazelwood, the Latrobe Valley is once again facing economic upheaval and all of the social consequences that accompany it. Such a scenario is undeserving of a community which for close to one hundred years has powered Victoria, allowing our state to grow and prosper. It is important that strategies for the Latrobe Valley are sustained until significant change is realised. Focussing the efforts of government on residents of Latrobe City will target the people who will most feel the economic and social costs of this transition. It may take a decade or more of sustained effort, but Victorian Labor believes the Latrobe Valley can once again be the prosperous and well community that it has been in years gone by.

MOTION: State Conference recognises the impact of the closure of Hazelwood power station and mine on the Latrobe Valley and calls on the Victorian Labor Government to: (a) Take a long-term approach to supporting those most-affected residents of the Latrobe Valley; (b) Arrest the decline and intergenerational disadvantage in the Valley, measuring achievement against social and economic targets indicative of a prosperous and socially-well community; (c) Help meet the future employment needs of Hazelwood workers by working with unions and employers to identify like for like job opportunities; (d) Investigate opportunities to grow the public sector workforce in the Latrobe Valley; (e) Invest in community infrastructure and take a proactive approach to attracting new employers and industries to the region; (f) secure a comparable commitment from the Turnbull Government.

Moved: Onno Van den Eynde (Gippsland FEA) Seconded: Nick McLennan

No. 19. PAPER BILLING OPTION

The ALP Victorian Branch condemns moves by banks, financial institutions, telecommunication companies, utility companies and other service providers to financially penalise consumers who choose to receive bills on paper often with price gouging that attempts to force consumers into digital only communications. This burden falls heavily on senior citizens and those unable to acess electronic billing due to poor health, low education, disability, unstable housing, poverty and other factors.

Further, the ALP Victorian Branch commends the AMWU, CFMEU, CWU and others in our community for helping to establish the “Keep Me Posted” campaign. Conference calls on the Andrews Labor Government to ensure Consumer and all other relevant laws provide protection to all consumers giving them the right to choose how they receive communication, at no cost to them, and in particular, but not limited to, the most vulnerable groups, as outlined above.

Moved: Tony Piccolo AMWU Print Division Seconded: Cindy Shelley CWU Vic Postal and Telecommunications Branch

No. 20. ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS – TREATY, TRADITIONAL OWNERS SETTLEMENT ACT AND CULTURAL HERITAGE ACT

The Victorian Labor Government has been outstanding in progressing human rights and the addressing of injustice for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Victorian’s. We congratulate the Premier and Victorian Labor Government for its progress in focussing on Self- determination and it landmark work in progressing a Treaty for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Victoria.  Victorian Treaty Development –

We applaud the Victorian Labor government’s efforts in regard to self-determination and Treaty negotiation processes with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Peoples of Victoria.

In response to this, we ask that the Victorian Labor Government continue its practice of fully engaging and informing Aboriginal Victorians of the progress of the Treaty and continue to apply self- determination principles in its development of a treaty with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians. Victorian Labor supports the development of a new relationship with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians and the empowerment of Aboriginal communities to achieve generational change and improved outcomes for the entire Victorian community.

We further congratulate the Government on the following-  The Amendments to the Traditional Owners Settlement Act- streamlining the process for authorising traditional owners to access and use natural resources by using the natural resource agreement, ie the right to hunt wildlife and game, fish, and gather flora and forest produce, without further administrative processes; The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal will have greater power to resolve disputes by making enforcement orders to protect traditional owner rights on Crown land when non-compliance with the Act occurs; ensures that all existing leases, licences and other interests on Crown land are preserved after a grant of Aboriginal title is made, in order to protect essential public interests.  The Amendments to Cultural Heritage Act- earlier processing and compliance requirements in the planning process, Cultural heritage management plans (CHMP) moving from guidance to approval process, and standing on their own, Traditional Owner engagement in absence of RAP to be streamlined and legislated, easier fine tuning of CHMPs and greater liability for breaching the Act, increased motivation for voluntary CHMPs, the process no longer to be in confidence rather a public process, expanding access to Vic Aboriginal Cultural heritage register, Aboriginal heritage officers with power to impose 24 hr stop notices, introducing controls in relation to intangible Aboriginal , heritage ie oral traditions, visual arts, ritual and social practices.

 The raising of the Aboriginal flag at Victorian Parliament  The Welcome to Country instigated at the opening of Victorian Parliament  The remodelling, including the handing over of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander housing stock to Aboriginal Housing Victoria, and the additional funding to Aboriginal Housing.  Specific funding for Aboriginal families in response to the recommendations of the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence.

Moved: Sheena Watt (FSU) Seconded: Darren Dwyer (AMWU – Manufacturing & Food)

SUNDAY

No. 21. SAFE SCHOOLS

That State Conference resolves to congratulate the Andrews Labor Government for its staunch support and advocacy for equality and the welfare of all Victorian students through its support for the Safe Schools Program.

Safe Schools saves lives. Due to the stress of pervasive prejudice the incidence of depression, suicide, and mental illness is significantly higher amongst same sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse students.

Working with schools to create safer and more inclusive environments is of the utmost importance, and this conference condemns the Turnbull Liberal Government for its disgraceful attacks upon it.

The Victorian State Conference recommends to National Conference that the national platform for the next federal election should fully support the safe schools program at all schools nationally.

Moved: Steve Brown Seconded: Cath Davis

No. 22. REGIONAL CAMPUSES

The ALP Victorian Branch notes:

- The ongoing withdrawal of course offerings by other universities at regional and outer suburban campuses by Higher Education providers. - Changing patterns of enrolment since the introduction of demand-driven funding at the Federal level. - The challenges to access and equity caused by a geographically concentrated higher education sector.

Labor recommits to providing tertiary education to all Australians, regardless of where they live. Victorian Labor calls on the relevant Federal and State portfolio holders to review regulation and funding models for Universities to reverse the trend of Universities abandoning lower socioeconomic communities.

A new regional tertiary education funding model must ensure financial sustainability for regional campuses across Australia.

Universities which have been granted land for regional and outer suburban campuses should be supported and held accountable for the tertiary education outcomes of the communities they serve.

Moved: Daniel Gerrard (CEPU) Seconded: Jacinta Ermacora (Wannon)

No. 23. TURNBULL COALITION GOVERNMENT’S CUTS TO NEEDS BASED FUNDING

The Victorian ALP State conference condemns the Turnbull Coalition Government’s cuts to needs based funding.

Under the Coalition’s funding regime, Victorians stand to lose almost 1 billion from our local schools.

Labor understands not only the value but the importance placed on needs-based funding for all Australian schools. Supporting our schools, students and teachers through the implementation of Gonski needs-based funding will lead the way to a more equitable system where every child is afforded the opportunity of a world class education.

Moved: James Merlino Seconded: Andrew Giles

No. 24. PREPX STUDY – PREVENTING HIV INFECTION

That State Conference resolves to congratulate the Andrews Labor Government on its work to help eliminate HIV infection in Victoria.

In August of this year the Health Minister, the Hon. Jill Hennessy MP, announced that the state government would provide pre-exposure prophylaxis medication, commonly known as PrEP, to prevent HIV infection in people who are at high risk.

This treatment saves lives. Victoria is now providing it to thousands of people at high risk of HIV infection.

This is part of a scientific study that is expected to reduce new HIV infections in Victoria by up to 30%, with an estimated 77 new HIV infections averted through the study over a 12 month period.

This is despite the appalling failure of the Federal Turnbull Liberal Government to list this drug on the PBS. This is a callous and disgraceful act, and this conference condemns it.

Conference congratulates the Andrews Labor Government for taking action to ensure those high risk Victorians can access PrEP free of stigma or discrimination, when they need it.

Furthermore, the Victorian State Conference recommends to Labor’s National Conference that it amend the national platform for the next federal election to list the lifesaving drug PrEP on the PBS and in line with the best available scientific evidence continue to work to eliminate HIV infection.

Moved: Steve Brown Seconded: Jamie Gardener

No. 25. MEDICARE COST CUTTING

Victorian Labor condemns the Turnbull government’s latest Medicare cost cutting proposal dubbed ‘healthcare homes’ where the aim is to reduce the universality of an individual’s access to their GP via Medicare by targeting those with chronic illnesses.

We urge Federal Labor to develop a package of meaningful proposals that would assist people deal effectively with chronic illness to take to the next Federal election to demonstrate as we did at the last federal election the vast difference between our deep and ongoing commitment to Medicare versus the PR spin of the Coalition.

Moved: Rosemary Barker Seconded: Trung Doan

No. 26 VICTORIAN RENEWABLE ENERGY MANUFACTURING JOBS

In light of the closure of Victoria’s Hazewood Power Station it is vital the Andrews Labor Government consider a new renewable energy manufacturing jobs plan for the South East of Melbourne & the Latrobe Valley.

In the recent ‘Before the Flood’ Film Leonardo DiCaprio visits Elon Musk at Tesla to discuss the transition to a renewable energy economy, and Elon Musk stated that if we build 100 Tesla Gigafactories like the Tesla Factory being built in Nevada, USA, we can supply 100 per cent renewable energy to the entire world.

Accordingly, to ensure the South East of Melbourne & the Latrobe Valley continues to be an energy producing precinct for Australia, the Andrews Labor Government should reach out to companies such as Tesla in the USA, Anwell Technologies in Hong Kong, Zen Energy in Australia and other renewable energy manufacturing companies to see if they are interested in building a Gigafactory in Victoria to create new manufacturing jobs.

We wish to commend the Andrews Labor Government on its renewable energy targets. The Andrews Government will ensure that at least 25% of the state’s electricity will come from Victorian built renewable generation by 2020, and 40% by 2025. This will see up to 5400 megawatts of new renewable energy generation capacity. Achieving Victoria’s targets will see around $2.5 billion invested in the Victorian renewable energy sector. By 2020, this policy will mean over 3000 additional jobs in the Victorian renewable energy sector. At the peak of construction, it is estimated that there will be over 4000 additional people employed in the construction and operation of new Victorian renewable energy projects.

Renewable energy is a vital component in fighting climate change. It is also crucial to the renewal of Victoria’s economy, with the potential to create many thousands of new jobs in the development, manufacture, installation and management of renewable energy technologies like wind and solar. Accordingly, we encourage the Andrews Labor Government to consider building a major renewable energy Gigafactory to manufacture the renewable energy products for Victorians that will reduce power bills and create thousands of new manufacturing jobs in the South East of Melbourne & the Latrobe Valley.

Moved: Daniel White (Melbourne FEA) Seconded: Nick McLennan (La Trobe FEA)

No. 27. S.A. / VICTORIAN BORDER FRACKING BAN

Conference calls upon the Victorian Government to co-operate with the South Australian Government and Federal Shadow Ministers to introduce a permanent ban on unconventional gas exploration and extraction (fracking) in the areas of South Australia that adjoin the Victorian border where a permanent ban is already in place.

Moved: Marg Lewis Seconded: Steve Brown

No. 28. PROTECTING OUR HERITAGE – JUSTICE FOR THE CORKMAN

That State Conference resolves to condemn the recent illegal demolition of the heritage protected Corkman Hotel (Carlton Inn).

This was not just an illegal act of vandalism against a protected site, but grossly negligent towards neighbouring residents, workers and passers-by.

This Conference moves that it be the Platform of the Victorian Branch to radically increase the penalties for similar acts.

Moved: Steve Brown Seconded: Cath Davis

No. 29. PLASTIC BAGS

The State Conference calls on the Andrews Government to legislate to reduce the proliferation of single use plastic bags in Victoria by way of a levy, ban or regulation.

Mover: Joel Kennedy Seconder: Linda Condon

No. 30. ASYLUM AND REFUGEES

Victorian Labor congratulates Premier Dan Andrews on the leadership he has shown through the following: - Offering a home in Victoria for the 267 people seeking asylum who were brought to Australia from Nauru for medical reasons - Providing $15 million for 3,000 training places in the Vocational Education & Training (VET) sector for people seeking asylum who hold Bridging Visa E and for refugees holding Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEVs) - Providing $11 million for health and mental health support services for refugees and people seeking asylum.

That this Victorian State ALP conference expresses its deep concern at the physical and mental suffering endured by asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island. We therefore urge the Shadow Cabinet to adopt a position that would commit Australia to:

1.lifting its refugee intake to the per capita OECD average, being approximately 50,000 per annum and ensuring this intake of refugees takes place without lengthy delays. 2. closing the Manus and Nauru asylum seeker detention centres and arranging the transfer of refugees to either Australia or another genuinely welcoming country 3. establishing and financially supporting a cooperative UNHCR-administered regional asylum seeker processing arrangement with Southeast Asian neighbors to ensure the quick, efficient and humane processing of asylum seeker claims in accordance with the policy adopted at the 2015 ALP National Conference.

Moved: Ilia Vurtel, Wills Delegate Seconded: Pauline Brown, Bendigo Delegate

*Footnote: The figure of 50,000 was taken from the average of all OECD countries, weighted by population and adjusted for per capita GDP.

No. 31. OFF-SHORE DETENTION

That the Victorian State Conference note the concerns of Colac ALP Branch regarding the current situation of indefinite off-shore detention of people who have been granted refugee status and who have not been charged with any criminal offences.

The current policy of "turn back the boats" is already acting as an effective constraint on people smugglers and is avoiding deaths at sea.

The morally corrupt and inhumane use of indefinite detention as a deterrent is therefore unjustified and a blatant use of vulnerable people for political gain.

These people have been used as political pawns for far too long. To live without hope is psychological brutality and to inflict this on those fleeing persecution is a gross violation of human rights.

Moved: Steve Brown Seconded: Samantha Towler

No. 32. POVERTY IN AUSTRALIA

Conference notes with alarm the findings of the Poverty in Australia Report 2016, released by the Australian Council of Social Service.

According to this report, in 2014 the 50 per cent of median income poverty line for a single adult was $426.30 a week ($343.00 for income after housing costs), and for a couple with children it was $895.22 a week ($720.22 after housing).

The report finds there were nearly three million people living under the poverty line in Australia, or 13.3 per cent of the general population. Worse, 731,300 children under the age of 15, or 17.4 per cent of all children, were living in poverty. This is an increase of 2 per cent over the decade 2003-04 to 2013-14.

Children in lone parent families are sadly most at risk, and are three times likely to be living in poverty (40.6 per cent) than those from couple families (12.5 per cent). The poverty rate for children in lone parent families has increased from 36.8 per cent to 40.6 per cent since 2012.

The poverty rate for Australians receiving Youth Allowance rose from 50.6 to 51.8 per cent, and those receiving Parenting Payment rose from 47.2 to 51.5 per cent. Poverty remains very high (61.4 per cent) for unemployed households.

This is a disgrace, and one the Australian Labor Party should not stand for.

Australia is a prosperous country, and it is an indictment on our society that we could allow this to occur.

Motion State Conference: • Condemns the failure of successive governments of all levels to address this epidemic • Condemns the Turnbull-Abbott Government’s attempts to cut support for the most needy members of our society • Notes that all members of our community, including unions, business leaders and government have a commitment to resolve this important issue • Commends the Andrews Labor Government’s efforts to reduce unemployment and increase housing opportunities, noting there is much more to do

Moved: Xavier Smith (Aston FEA) Seconded: Dimity Paul (Chisholm FEA)

No. 33. DURING UNCERTAIN GLOBAL TIMES; AUSTRALIA MUST REMAIN A GOOD INTERNATIONAL CITIZEN

Victorian Labor Conference moves to:

1. Call on the Shorten Labor Opposition to continue advocating the Turnbull Coalition Government to ensure Australia remains a good international citizen through proactive global diplomacy in relation to the economic, diplomatic, strategic and social issues currently being experienced across the world. 2. Encourage the Australian Government to seek a renewed commitment from the global community and relevant partners to the United Nations, UNHCR, APEC, ASEAN, G20 and other relevant international forums to foster maximum opportunity for nations to negotiate, discuss and seek resolutions to existing differences. 3. Encourage the Turnbull Liberal Government to take a leadership role by beginning in our own neighbourhood; and adopt the Shorten Labor plan to negotiate a Regional Resettlement Framework to improve the situation for asylum seekers. 4. Welcomes the Shorten Labor Opposition's commitment to rebuilding Australia's foreign aid program, in light of the cuts it has suffered by the Liberal Government, and call on Australia's foreign aid budget to be utilised to promote peace, prosperity and stability throughout the globe. 5. Encourage the Australian Government to ensure appropriate investments are made to secure and modernise the assets, resources and personnel of the Australian Defence Forces, so Australia maintains modern and agile defence capabilities that can support our allies and our interests in the event of increased tensions around the globe, humanitarian disasters and to protect, maintain and promote peace. 6. Forward this motion to the Federal Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, Federal Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong, the Federal Shadow Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, and to the Victorian ALP Commonwealth Affairs and Federal Relations Policy Committee.

Moved: Anthony Cianflone (Wills FEA Delegate) Seconded: Daniel White (Melbourne FEA Delegate)

No. 34. PALESTINIAN CHILDREN

This ALP State Conference

1) acknowledges that: a) Around 500-700 Palestinian children are arrested, detained and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system each year. b) Human Rights Watch reported in April that arrests of Palestinian children by Israeli forces had doubled in the preceding six months c) That Defence of Children International research, based on 429 affidavits from Palestinian children, indicates that 97% of children had no parent or legal counsel available during interrogation; and 75% endured some form of physical violence following arrest. d) The US State Department's 2014 human rights report on Israel states that military courts have more than a 99 percent conviction rate for Palestinian defendants. e) That UNICEF have reported Ill-treatment in the Israeli military detention system remains “widespread, systematic, and institutionalized throughout the process f) Australia raised concerns with Israel about the treatment of Palestinian minors in 2011 and 2014. However there has been little improvement to the treatment of Palestinian Children by Israeli forces.

(2) calls on the Government and all Labor members to:

(a) Raise concerns with the Israeli Government about the treatment of Palestinian children at all opportunities; and

(b) Supports our Labor Federal MP’s who have moved an equivalent motion in the Federal Parliament.

Moved: Paul Caruso (Calwell FEA) Seconded: Hiba Marhfour (Melbourne FEA)

RESOLUTION ARISING OUT OF ADNMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE REPORT

Victorian Government Ministerial Offices

This Conference notes the importance of the Victorian Labor Party maintaining Labor values both in opposition and in government and commends the Victorian Labor Government for its delivery of many major Labor public policy achievements.

However, Conference also notes that without serious efforts being made by the Party as a whole, the ministerial stratum of the Party can become populated with a disproportionate percentage of policy professional who do not hold core Labor values. The logical corollary of this is that Labor in Government will shift away from its core values and fail to deliver public policy that, at its core, prioritises the protection and support of the most vulnerable in our society.

Conference notes with concern that there are currently ministerial offices that harbour advisors with deeply anti-union sentiments, some who have a history of anti-union actions. To guard against this, it is essential that Labor Government ministerial staff are at the same time, members of their relevant union as well as the Labor Party, and that all of those staff contribute their tithe to the Labor Party.

In addition to membership of their relevant union and the Labor Party, Conference notes the payment of tithes directly contribute to our collective re-election effort. Conference notes that were all ministerial staff to pay their tithe, this would dramatically increase Labor’s ability to run marginal seat campaigns that are urgently required to ensure a second term for the Andrew’s Government. The payment of tithes by ministerial staff at both a state and federal levels has been an important factor in previous state and federal Labor government’s funding marginal seat campaigns.

Motion:

Conference urgently calls upon the Premier to direct all Labor ministers to audit the organisation of their ministerial offices in order to assess the number of ministerial advisors who are members of both their union and the Labor Party as well as establish how many of their ministerial staff are currently paying their tithe to the Party. Conference in turn calls upon the State Secretary work with the Premiers office to conduct a review of all ministerial offices and to provide a report to the February 2017 meeting of the Administrative Committee on the following: 1. The number of ministerial staff who are not members of their relevant union 2. The number of ministerial staff who are not members of the Labor Party 3. The number of ministerial staff who are not paying their tithe to the Labor Party

Moved: Ralph Edwards Seconded: Jane Calvert

RESOLUTION ARISING FROM ATSI POLICY COMMITTEE REPORT – IN PRINCIPLE RESOLUTION TO START THE DISCUSSION.

INTRODUCING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDERS

Since 1788, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia have been continuously and consistently disenfranchised. Although the last restrictions on Aboriginal and Torres Islander voting were removed in 1965, this has not seen a marked increase in political representation. Throughout Australia’s history, there has been only 38 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders who have been elected to an Australian Parliament. In its 160-year history, there has never been a member of the Victorian Parliament who has identified as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Nor has there ever been a Victorian member of the Federal Parliament who has identified as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

The Australian Labor Party has made recent efforts to increase the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in public office positions the Party holds. Such efforts have seen the additions to the Federal Parliament in Linda Burney, Patrick Dodson and Malarndirri McCarthy. These recent efforts have also been demonstrated by the inclusion of clause 23 in Chapter 12 of the ALP National Platform, which has empowered State Branches to make affirmative action rules for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the preselection of public officers.

This Victorian ALP State Conference supports the principle of affirmative action rules for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the preselection of public officers and the election of party positions.

This State Conference resolves that the President of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Affairs Policy Committee and the Secretary of the Rules Revision Committee be directed to convene a working group tasked with drafting rule changes to the Victorian ALP Branch Rules to implement affirmative action rules for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the preselection of public officers and the election of party positions. This working group will consult with the Victorian Indigenous Labor Network, the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Affairs Policy Committee and the Rules Revision Committee. The working group shall present its proposed rule changes to a later Victorian ALP State Conference.

Mover: Sheena Watt (FSU) Seconded: Sheldon Oski (CFMEU FFPD)

URGENCY RESOLUTIONS REFERRED TO OTHER COMMITTEES

Establishment of an Inner Melbourne City Campaign Taskforce - Referred to Administrative Committee

In the Victorian local council elections on 22 October 2016 the Australian Greens experienced a substantial surge in their level of support in inner city Melbourne with an increase in their total number of Councillors from 17 to 29. The growing political support of the Greens can no longer be ignored. We believe that urgent action is required from the Victorian ALP State Office to redefine the way Labor campaigns in inner city areas to ensure our Party is well placed to continue to retain and grow its own support within inner city electorates.

Background: The Australian Greens currently retain the seats of Melbourne and Prahran in Victoria’s 88 seat Legislative Assembly. Based on the results from the Federal Election this year and the strong support the Greens received in the recent Council elections, it appears the Greens are positioned to challenge for an additional three seats in the inner city areas at the next State election; namely Richmond, Northcote and Brunswick. Longer-term other State seats may also be contention between Labor and the Greens political party.

Should the ALP in Victoria wish to continue to govern in its own right in the medium-to-long-term, without having to rely on Australian Green party support in the Legislative Assembly, it is vital the Party address the changes in electoral support it is receiving in inner city electorates. In order to do this the ALP needs to differentiate its branding and campaigning in inner city areas from the broader campaign it runs across the State level against the Liberal and National Parties.

We believe that the Victorian ALP State Office should immediately establish a dedicated taskforce to work through this challenge and examine how the ALP should optimally campaign in inner city Melbourne. The taskforce will need to consider how the ALP can successfully differentiate its campaign in an inner city context without compromising its overall State campaign against the Liberal Party.

Motion: We give notice that it is our intention to move that:

The Victorian ALP State Office immediately establish a dedicated taskforce to examine how the ALP should optimally campaign in inner city Melbourne electorates from a local government, state a federal perspective, in response to the growing support for the Australian Greens political party.

Moved: Rick Garotti State Conference Delegate (Proxy) Jagajaga FEA Seconded: Anthony Cianflone State Conference Delegate Wills FEA

REPUBLIC EARTH MUSIC FESTIVAL – NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE MCG -referred to the Culture, Sport & Tourism Policy Committee The Andrews Labor Government should consider creating a new multicultural Republic Earth Music Festival for Melbourne at the MCG on New Year’s Eve.

Up to 500,000 people come into the Melbourne CBD for New Year’s Eve festivities; however the people’s ground of the MCG is left vacant. To celebrate Melbourne being one of the most multicultural cities in the world the Andrews Labor Government should consider creating a Republic Earth Music Festival at the MCG on New Year’s Eve.

It is important to point out that more than a quarter of Melbourne's population was born overseas with Victorians speaking more than 260 languages and dialects, coming from 200 different countries and sharing 135 different faiths, and thus a multicultural music festival would be of great value.

In particular, the Labor for an Australian Republic Group believes creating a Republic Earth Music Festival would capture the imagination of the Australian people and advance the cause for an Australian Republic. The Republic Earth Music Festival would also encourage people around the world to participate in an online vote that would allow people to vote for their favourite song for that particular year, which would promote the virtues of music and democracy around the world. The event also aims to celebrate Australia’s multiculturalism, promote the virtues of democracy & the republic, become a counter violent extremism project and use music to unite the world at the end of the year.

The event aims to acknowledge the popular songs from each country in the world and invite singers for 36 songs to perform at the MCG from 6pm to 10pm on New Year’s Eve.

The Republic Earth Music Festival each year would acknowledge 216 songs that comprise of 206 songs from each of the IOC National Olympic Committee member states plus South Sudan, six of the world’s most popular songs via sales and online popularity, and four songs from different indigenous peoples around the world. Each song has to have been popular in the particular calendar year of the festival.

Prior to the Republic Earth Music Festival the Andrews Labor Government should consider holding a parade of singers with national flags similar to the AFL Grand Final Parade.

The Republic Earth Music Festival would be a significant global event that has the ability of having a large global television audience, as well as be streamed live online via Facebook, Youtube, Vevo & Twitter with a massive tourism exposure for Melbourne.

The Andrews Labor Government should always be considering adding to the list of great Melbourne Festivals and Major Events and the Republic Earth Music Festival would be a welcome new inclusion to Melbourne’s wonderful list of Major Events each year.

I encourage the Andrews Labor Government to fully consider the proposal for a Republic Earth Music Festival.

Moved: Daniel White (Melbourne FEA) Seconded: Nick McLennan (La Trobe FEA)

PARTY ACCOUNTABILITY - Referred to Rules Revision Committee Victorian Labor is a proudly democratic party, committed to open and transparent governance and to the highest standards of accountability and integrity.

Accordingly, state conference affirms that all decisions of party bodies directly affecting members' and affiliates' rights be accessible to all members.

Decisions involving the expenditure of party funds in excess of $1000 are also to be made accessible to all members. Exceptions will be granted in extenuating circumstances where the disclosure may adversely affect the campaigning operations and electoral success of the party.

Moved: Andrew Giles Seconded: Onagh Bishop

SENATE PRESELECTION - Referred to Rules Revision Committee That State Conference resolves that the Victorian ALP to take action by including a 50% rank and file component in Senate preselections, with the vote held by an optional proportional representation secret ballot. They also call on the party to ensure that the Administrative Committee of the Victorian Branch does not (for the fourth consecutive time) take away members' rights to vote in the imminent pre-selections of Legislative Council candidates for the next State election.

Moved: Max Ogden Seconded: Rosie Elliot

PRESELECTION - Referred to Rules Revision Committee The Albert Park Branch calls on the Victorian ALP to: 1. Adhere to the Party Rule that members have a direct vote with 50% weighting in the selection of candidates for public office (except Senators at the moment); and 2. Ensure that the Administrative Committee of the Victorian Branch does not (for the fourth consecutive time) take away member rights to vote in the imminent pre-selections of Legislative Council candidates for the next State election. The Albert Park Branch calls upon our state conference delegates to suppor the rule change proposal for the November Victorian Labor Conference of a 50% rank and file vote in Senate preselections, with the vote held by secret ballot.

Moved: Mary Delahunty Seconded: Joel Kennedy

WITHDRAWN Christmas Day Repetitive Planning Applications Support Australian Seafarer Jobs in Subsidised Industries such as Alcoa Eradicate Sham Contracting in the Maritime Industry and to amend the Partnership Act. Tippers

LATE Hate Speech