Motions from Conference 05
Motions carried at the National Labor Women’s Conference (23-25 April 2005, Melbourne, Victoria)
Resolution 1
1. That the ALP National Executive, through the NLWN Executive, initiates a set of basic principles and actions to be enacted by each state branch, in relation to state support and information for women members. That ALP national office recommends to each state secretary that they ensure the resources are provided to ensure this can occur.
Moved: Lisa Rayner (Qld)
Seconded: Christine Czajtika (NSW)
Resolution 2
1. That the National Executive develops strategies on how we are going to:
a) engage women to vote for and join the party.
b) engage disadvantaged, ethnic communities by employing translators to produce advertising material in other languages.
2. That the National Labor Women's Conference endorses the needs based education funding principles, the universality of Medicare, bulk billing and affordable housing.
Moved: Caroline Staples (NSW)
Seconded: Lea Moroney (NSW)
Resolution3
- That the ALP publicly recognises that abortion is a health issue and a decision for women in consultation with their doctor. It should be available via unconditional medicare funding.
- While this National Labor Women’s Conference recognises that ALP rules provide for a conscience vote, any decision making on Medicare funding is a health issue, and should be treated as such.
- That the ALP does not give preference to Family First arising from their family charter which includes an anti-choice position.
Moved: Leesa Vlahos (SA)
Seconded: Joan Kirner (VIC)
Resolution 4
That the National Labor Women's Conference regards the conscience vote on issues like abortion an anachronism and calls on all state labor branches and the National Labor Conference to delete reference to the conscience vote from party rules.
Furthermore, remove specific reference to termination of pregnancy from the State Crimes Act such that termination of pregnancy is only subject to the same laws as other medical or surgical procedures.
Moved: Sandra Nori (NSW)
Seconded: Helen Westwood (NSW)
Resolution 5
1. That the ALP give reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples the highest priority of the party, in order that all Australians can live in this land without the shame that comes from the injustices meted out against the Indigenous peoples of Australia.
2. That each state branch decides on an approximate quota based on population for Indigenous representation. If there are not that percentage of Indigenous candidates pre-selected for winnable seats by the next federal election then the national executive be empowered to intervene in the pre-selection process. State branches to pass similar affirmation action rules.
3. That the National Labor Women's Conference calls for
a. Serious efforts to be undertaken to pre select Aboriginal and Torres Strait women in winnable Labor seats at both the state and federal level.
b. That the National Executive has the right to intervene if state Indigenous candidates are not selected.
c. That at both the state and federal level, the ALP enshrines self determination for Indigenous people as the founding principle of all Indigenous affairs policy development.
d. That Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander policy/network be a mandatory part of our party structure, for example the ALP Queensland Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander reference committee.
e. That the National and State Secretaries establish an ongoing and real dialogue with Aboriginal women within the party.
f. That Federal Labor facilitates a national gathering of Aboriginal members with the aim of developing Labor's response to the direction being taken by the Howard Government Indigenous agenda.
g. That all states of ALP to set up an Indigenous advisory group
h. That all future Labor Women Conferences hold a session on Indigenous women. And, in addition, a separate half day conference is held prior to National Conference commencement.
i. That the conference sends a message of support to NT Minister Marion Scrymgour and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
j. That the ALP must push the reconciliation agenda.
4. That this National Labor Women's Conference request that EMILY's List establishes an improved process to support diverse women candidates, including Indigenous women, ethnic women, gay women, young women and women with disabilities, to better understand the impact of racism.
5. That sitting members participate in cultural awareness training, particularly to better understand the impact of racism.
6. That the NLWC call on the ALP to establish a federal reference body/representative group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the ALP, to ensure that the voices of Indigenous people are heard at all levels of the party.
7. That NLWC call on all state branches to ensure that they have established similar statewide groups by 2008.
8. That policy committees at all levels of the party be required to make provisions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to participate in their discussions and actively seek input from Indigenous members.
9. That each state branch adequately fund an Indigenous Women's Conference every second year.
Moved: Karen Mow (ACT)
Seconded: Linda Burney (NSW)
Resolution 6
That the National Convenor of LWN, on behalf of this conference, convey our best wishes for continued success to Clare Martin on the upcoming NT election.
Moved: Trish Crossin (NT)
Seconded: Linda Burney (NSW)
Resolution 7
1) That each State and Territory Office conducts Campaign Training, at least once a year. The selection of participants must conform with the affirmative action rulings. That the campaign training needs to be State specific and be open to a broad range of ALP party members
2) That debriefing from each State or Territory Head Office office for unsuccessful election candidates is held within a month of election day.
Moved: Susan Davies (VIC)
Seconded: Jenny Beales (VIC)
Resolution 8
1) This meeting of Labor women condemns the tobacco industry for perpetuating the 'light' and 'mild' cigarette fraud, continuing to target women, and for killing 6,000 women every year. We urge all State and Health and Consumer Affairs Ministers to pressure the ACCC. We urge federal caucus to pressure the ACCC to undertake the following:
- All labeling such as 'light' and 'mild' and alternative descriptors and packaging which indicates similar perceptions should be prohibited;
- Investigation of a ban on filter ventilation, which is the principle means by which this fraud is being perpetrated;
- Removal of FTC/ISO yields on the side of cigarette packets because they are not only meaningless, but misleading;
- A large scale national education campaign, funded by the tobacco industry, but managed by governments or health organizations, to counter the misleading of consumers over light cigarettes.
Moved: Kathy Barnsley (Tas)
Seconded: Lisa Singh (Tas)
Resolution 9
This Conference requests the National Executive to require regular annual Affirmative Action Reports from Branches and the National Office in a consistent format which includes the following:
- Women as a % of ALP membership
- Sitting members (Male, Female, %Female) in each State/Territory parliament for each house
- Pre-selections (Male, Female, %Female) for all winnable seats (defined as all held seats and marginal seats to –5%) for the most recent Federal and State elections
- Office bearers/officers and staff in all Branch offices and National office (Male, Female and % Female)
- Office bearers of Local branch and federal electorate councils (Male, Female and % Female)
- Measures in place to ensure 40/40/20 rule will be achieved at the next round of pre-selections
- Women in Ministerial/Shadow Ministerial positions
Moved: Hutch Hussein
Seconded: Lori Faraone
