Jenny McAllister
Candidate Statement
As Labor’s current National President, I’ve worked hard to deliver a serious response to the reforms proposed in Review 2010.
Over the last six months I’ve spoken with hundreds of Labor members across Australia. You’ve told me of your hope that the party will revitalise its membership, its campaign practices, its values and its culture.
I’m running again for National President because we owe it to the cause of Labor to take this task on.
At the ALP National Conference in December delegates will be asked to vote to give members more of a say in their Labor Party. Many will want to keep the status quo and maintain the failed practices of the past. I want to be there as your National President to make the case for real reform of the Labor Party.
It’s time members had a real say in the Labor Party again.
Labor’s future lies in our ability to grow our party; deepening member’s involvement in developing and campaigning for our agenda, and consolidating our position in Australian public culture as a large, diverse and democratic institution.
But to get there, we need a strong voice for members, willing to challenge the idea that the ALP can run without a membership.
I have always argued that the following five principles should underpin Labor’s renewal:
- a party true to its social-democratic values
- a large and democratic party
- a campaigning party built on members not money
- a party that campaigns in the community
- a party that embraces new ideas.
My personal experiences have taught me how powerful these approaches can be in building powerful political organisations.
In 2003 I established the Labor Environment Activist Network. As one of the LEAN’s first convenors, I built a new organisation which drew ALP members into campaigns — working together on issues they cared about. I had never doubted that Labor could deliver on the issues I care about. But LEAN taught me that there are practical things we can do together to make good the political promise of ALP membership.
I’ve also been involved in many campaigns, as a volunteer, a candidate and a campaign director. I’ve seen how values based candidates can motivate large communities, and how effective they can be in an electoral campaign.
In my professional life I’ve specialised in climate change and water policy. I’ve had the good fortune to work in both public and private sector teams where a culture of ideas has thrived. There are many insights we could apply to our own organisation about how to collaborate around developing our ideas, and how to reward those in our party who bring ideas to the table.
Labor’s National Conference presents us with a chance to start the process of renewal. Implementing reform in the years that follow will be the real test.
I am deeply committed to seeing this change through. I know Jane Garrett and Claire Moore who are also candidates in this election share this commitment.