Bob Hawke & Neville Wran
The blueprint for Labor Party reform
Today we handed down the report of the ALP national committee of review to the party's national executive.
The recommendations are geared towards making the party more participatory and democratic, more attractive to potential members, and more in step with the attitudes and aspirations of the Australian electorate.
The report is the result of a rigorous consultation program spanning nine months and involving more than 2000 branch members, who attended party forums in every state and territory.
We also met with community leaders, premiers and chief ministers, past and present members of parliament, national union leaders, women's groups and academics from around the country.
The committee of review relied on the sentiments expressed during these meetings, and the ideas contained in the almost 700 written submissions received.
Our overwhelming impression, throughout Australia, was of the passion held by so many members and supporters: for the party's successes, its reputation, its standing in the community and its place at the heart of Australia's life and hopes.
We submit this report to the party in the same spirit of encouragement, confidence and solidarity that was demonstrated at all levels of the party at all stages of its preparation.
The report is now in the hands of the ALP national executive, who are expected to appoint a rules sub-committee to turn the recommendations into proposed rule changes. These will then be debated at the special national conference announced by Simon Crean and to be held in Canberra 5-6 October this year.
The Hon Bob Hawke AC was Prime Minister of Australia from 1983 to 1991, and the Hon Neville Wran AC QC was Premier of New South Wales from 1976 to 1986. You can download a full copy of the report as an Adobe PDF by going to the Australian Labor Party's site.