Country Labor Dialogue - March 2012

8/2/2019 Country Labor Dialogue - March 2012

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Country Labor diaLogue

ConneCting Country Communities marCh 2012

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The Country Labor Policy

Caucus Executive introduced a

number o reorms to Country

Conerence, including expanding

the Conerence to three days,

to include an additional ull-day

Country Campaign Insight program;

introducing policy workshops

with panels o policy experts,community and industry groups;

and introducing a keynote address,

which was provided by Proessor

Tim Flannery, Climate Change

Commissioner.

Country Conerence endorsed a

comprehensive reorm program,

which included electing three

Country Members to the

Administrative Committee,

endorsing the changed ormat oCountry Conerence and a range

o measures to rebuild Country

Labor at a grassroots level. The

Country Labor Policy Caucus

Executive will also report back to

Annual Conerence on urther Rules

Changes, including the method o

election o the Country Labor Policy

Caucus Executive.

The Annual Country ConerenceDinner, held on the Saturday night

o Conerence, was well attended

by delegates and members.

Senator John Faulkners trivia quiz

provided great entertainment or

everyone.

The 2012 Bluey Rodwell Award

was presented to Je Condron,

our coordinator o the Country

Labor Inormation Oce in Port

Macquarie. Je was a key driver in

the establishment o the Oce in

1999 and has volunteered virtually

ull-time to keep the Oce running

since. The Bluey Rodwell Award is

the highest honour within Country

Labor and is presented at every

Country Conerence.

Thank you again to all the delegates

and members who attended to

make the weekend such a success.

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ProfessorTimFlannery,

ClimateChange

Commissionerprovidedthe

keynoteaddresstodelegates.

Boththe PrimeMinister Julia Gillard andthe NSW Leader

ofthe Opposition John Robertson gave LeadersAddresses

toCountry Conference.


2/8

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This years Bluey Rodwell

recipient was Je Condron rom

the Port Macquarie Branch o

Country Labor.

When presenting the award,

Leader o the Opposition, John

Robertson said he was surprised

that Je doesnt receive this

award every year. Many o you

will know Je as the coordinatorat the Port Macquarie Country

Labor Inormation oce, a role

that he has been wholeheartedly

dedicated to since 1999.

Volunteering rom dawn to dusk

or the last 13 years, Je was a

key driver in the establishment

o the Country Labor Oce.

Under his supervision the oce

was transormed rom a place toprovide inormation about Labor

policy, into a centre o support or

community members who need

advocacy and support.

Je has also led a number o

successul campaigns, including

the campaign to buy back

Port Macquarie Base Hospital

10 years ater Coalition State

Government sold it o.

Apart rom his work on

behal o the Port MacquarieCountry Labor oce, Je is

a requent contributor to the

local newspapers, is Chairman

o Kempsey Hospital, NSW

Regional Radio Committee and

the Kempsey Macley Tourist

Committee and well as President

o the Hastings Foundation.

He has received the Westpac

Award or Services to theCommunity on three separate

occasions and despite his many

commitments, has still made

time to actively participate in

branch lie since rst joining the

Cootamundra Branch in 1954.

For the last 17 years Je has been

a member o the Port Macquarie

Branch, serving on the branch

executive since 2004. Despite the

dicult political circumstances

o recent times, he has shown

devotion to keeping the party alivein an area dominated by National

Party voters.

We appreciate Jes unwavering

support and dedication to Labor

throughout his lie. We thank him

or his work in the Port Macquarie

Country Labor Inormation Oce,

his role over countless state,

ederal and council campaigns

and his persistence in keepinga strong Labor presence in

Country NSW.

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JohnRobertsonpresentstheBlueyRodwellAward

toJeffCondronfromPortMacquarie.


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In the 18 months that have that

have passed since, despite

everything thats been thrown at

us since that day weve got on

with the job, weve pursued that

Light on the Hill.

Weve not just talked about

reorm, we have delivered reorm.

Weve made a real dierence or

millions o Australian lives. Weve

put a price on carbon and weve

seized a clean energy uture.

Were putting in place a minerals

resource rent tax to better

share the mineral wealth, to

make sure that regions like

this one get inrastructure, that

working Australians get higher

superannuation, and that there

are lower taxes or Australian

small businesses.

Weve secured an historic

health agreement with every

state and territory, up and

running right now, delivering

real benets today.

Weve secured the structural

separation o Telstra, and weve

begun the roll-out o the National

Broadband Network to bring

jobs and opportunities and

better services to the regions

where you live, no matter where

Australians live.

Yesterday, I had the great delight

o launching the most recentversion o My School, part o

our great suite o education

reorms. More inormation than

any o us has ever had beore

on the perormance o Australian

schools.

Weve ensured too that the

lowest paid workers in this

country see rising living standards

and they will pay less tax.

Yesterday, too, I was very proud

to join some o the 150,000

social and community services

workers who will see more

recognition and reward or their

incredible hard work, because o

this Labor Government.

Weve achieved all o this whilst

making the hard decisions, to

get the budget back to surplus

in 2012-13 and at a time when

we have kept creating jobs so

we can now proudly say to each

other, there are more Australians

in work today than ever beore

under this Labor Government.

We are making sure that

wherever you live in this vast

nation o ours, you are getting

your air share.

That is how Labor governs this

country, governs the country we

love. Its how we govern it now

and its how we will campaign in

country Australia in 2013.

The Labor Government I am so

proud to lead has secured great

Labor reorms. But we didnt do

it alone. We couldnt have done

it without you when we had to

raise the fag o Labor during that

toughest o election campaigns

in 2010.

Thank you or your aith then,

keep that aith now, and Ill

see you on the campaign trail

in 2013, when we deeat Tony

Abbott.

These are extracts from Julia

Gillards speech. You canwatch or read the full speech

at www.countrylabor.com.au/

countryconference.aspx

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ThePrime Minister, Julia Gillard spoke tothemediaafteraddressingtheCountryConference.


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One year later, the results are in.

Barry OFarrell is making things

worse. As he ails to invest in

regional jobs; as he slashes the

public sector; privatises electricity

and very soon CountryLink. And

makes lie harder or oster carers,

pensioners, preschool students andthe disabled.

Barry OFarrell was entrusted with

Government and a big, bloated

majority. Its made his members

think they can cut ethical corners.

Within six months the Nationals

Member or Clarence was orced to

resign in disgrace. In the November

by-election that ollowed, Country

Labor achieved a historic 17%

swing the largest ever recorded

against the Nationals.

Labor can recapture support i

we run strong local candidates,

draw sharp dierences and give

people a reason to believe. I want

to pay a special tribute to Peter

Ellem, Country Labors candidate in

Clarence.

In under 12 months, theGovernment has turned the $1.3

billion budget surplus let by

Labor into a projected our-year

string o decits. But the OFarrell

Government has delivered a

decit with nothing to show or it

especially the Hunter which

is reeling rom the loss o 250

aluminium smelter jobs with an axe

hanging over the head o hundreds

more.

The Governments 5000 public

sector job cuts have seeped like

slow-acting poison across rural

and regional NSW. Weve seen the

closure o NSW Industrial Relations

oces rom Wagga Wagga to Cos

Harbour.

Regional hospital unding strippedto the bone. The Coalition promised

multi-million-dollar hospital

upgrades at Tamworth, Parkes,

Forbes, Maitland and Cessnock.

Instead they were tossed an

insulting bit o loose change.

The Nationals claim to represent

rural and regional NSW. But will

they support Barry OFarrell as he

moves to privatise rail services?CountryLink carries two million

people annually to 365 destinations

across our states. Only Labor

will vote to save regional rail.

The Nationals are pushovers or

privatisation who will all into line

behind the Liberals every time.

There are two urther issues on

which country people are counting

on Labor. The Governmentsdecision to overturn the 25-

year bipartisan ban on uranium

exploration is a stunning betrayal.

Labor will oppose any attempt

to mine uranium.

Its also time to hit the pause

button on coal seam gas mining

in NSW. The plain truth is that

governments o all persuasions

have rushed too ar ahead o the

community on coal seam gas.

Beore the Government decides

coal seam gas exploration can

proceed, it needs to prove to the

community that it is sae.

In 2015, we must be ready

because time and again, it has

allen to Labor to make the big

changes that carry this State

orward.

We are the architects o regional

and rural NSW. We ght or the

rights o workers, communities

and the environment.

We build this State or the

prosperity o all. 2015 matters

and together we can do it.

Lets go out there and get to work.

These are extracts from John

Robertsons speech. You canwatch or read the full speech

at www.countrylabor.com.au/

countryconference.aspx

The NSW Leadero theOpposition, John Robertson

addressed Country Conerenceorthe frst time.

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Sophie Cotsis MLC hosted

a panel o guests about the

opportunities available or

candidates or Local Government

to run grassroots campaigns.

Mick Veitch MLC and BlueMountains Councillor and

WESROC President, Alison

McLaren shared their unique

perspectives about campaigning

in rural and regional areas.

Country Organiser, Courtney

Roche and Organiser

(Communications and Training)

Kaila Murnain presented to

participants seminars aboutthe political environment,

developing your strategy, theme

and message and how to run

a low cost campaign, and also

introduced the new online Labor

phoning module to prospective

candidates.

Graeme Kelly, Secretary o the

United Services Union presented

on the Union Campaign to getmore progressive candidates

into Local Government and how

candidates can ensure they get

elected by making the most o

the shortalls o the OFarrell

Government.

Participants then enjoyed a lunch

hosted by the Country Labor

Policy Caucus Executive at

Pedens Hotel in Cessnock.

Ater lunch, Party President,

Michael Lee gave the keynote

address o the day. Having served

as a Federal Minister and Member

in a marginal Federal seat as

well as a Councillor on Sydney

City Council, Michael stressed

to candidates that campaigning

needed to begin now.

Owner o Jeries Printing and long

time Party Activist, Baden Kirgan,

presented to participants on how

to ensure candidates get the

best out o their printers and our

Party Senior Vice President and

Secretary o United Voice (Liquor

and Hospitality Division), Tara

Moriarty outlined ways candidates

can ensure their material

communicates the right message

to the broader community.

In the aternoon, Lucy Muirhead,

Senior Media Advisor to

Opposition Leader John

Robertson and Sally Foley,

NSW Labors Digital Campaigns

Coordinator spoke to participantsabout the need to utilise ree

media and social media, and how

to avoid common mistakes when

dealing with such media outlets.

During the day, participants

were given kits to help them

campaign on the ground,

including the NSW Labor Photo

Guide, the NSW Labor Material

Guide and the NSW LaborSocial Media Guide.

We would like to thank the

speakers who participated in

the training day or their insight

and rank advice or prospective

candidates and their Campaign

Directors.

All participants will be receiving

a certicate o participation or

completing the seminar.

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Over70membersanddelegatesparticipatedinourfrstFridaytrainingat

CountryConerence.


7/8

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1. aDministratiVe

Committee

rePresentation

Country Labor Conerence

will elect 3 Administrative

Committee representatives.

This will give country

members a greater voice

in the administration and

operation o our Party.

2. maKing ConFerenCe

more engaging

In 2012, weve made Country

Conference more engaging for

members than ever before by

offering:

Training opportunities:

Expanding Country

Conerence to 3 days to add

a new, dedicated Country

Labor training session.

This specialised training will

ensure country membershave access to the latest

campaigning techniques

to take back to their local

communities.

Policy workshops:

A new, interactive policy

workshop ormat was

introduced at Country

Conerence, where members

had the opportunity to hearrom and ask questions o

policy experts, as well as

debate policy motions.

There was still plenty o time

or the general Conerence

proceedings.

3. DeLiVering more

resourCes

Country members should

have more resources to

recruit and campaign in their

local communities. Thats why

we will:

Expand the successul

volunteer-based regional

oce model rom Port

Macquarie.

Actively develop local

recruitment plans to be

unded under the Local

Organiser program.

4. Creating neW Ways to

PartiCiPate onLine

To help bridge the tyranny of

distance, we will develop newways for country members to

participate online. Thats why

were:

Starting an Online Policy

Branch; and

Expanding Country

Labors website and

Facebook group.

5. reBuiLDing our

grass roots

Country Labor should

endorse tickets

or the 2012 Local

Government Elections.

This will provide a platorm

or members to organise in

their community and recruit

new members.

6. reCLaiming LaBor

Country Labor needs to

reclaim Labor voterswho are voting for

independents.

Although its important to work

with other non-conservatives

on councils and in government,

this should not come at the

expense o Labor voters.

7. Further ruLes reForm

In the lead up to the next Annual

Conerence, the Country Labor

Policy Caucus will explore

opportunities to give country

members a greater voice within

NSW Labor, including electing

the Country Labor Policy

Caucus at Country Conerence.

This will be done with a view to

making country members more

engaged with the broader NSW

Labor Party, not separated romthe broader NSW Labor Party.


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PoLiCy WorKshoPs

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Health Regional Development Primary Industries Transport & Inrastructure Education

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heaLth

ell Lw Manager o

Rural Medical Services Initiatives,NSW Rural Doctors Network

r m NSW Nurses Association

ow tp National E-Health

Transition Authority

regionaL DeVeLoPment

s oB Assistant Secretary,

Public Service Association

g h Commercial Manager,

Manuacturing Company United Group

t a Secretary, Australian

Manuacturing Workers Union (NSW Branch)

Primary inDustries Why FooD

seCurity is a LaBor issue

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NSW Farmers Association

D C e mP, Minister or Trade

K B local winegrower

transPort & inFrastruCture

K Bl, Centennial Coal

Jl Fzbb mP, Chair o the

Prime Ministers Country Taskorce,

Federal Member or Hunterg Kll, Secretary,

United Services Union

eDuCation

W W NSW Teachers Federation

mk n Independent

Education Union

V F Chie Executive,

Public Education Foundation

s X Principal, Francis

Greenway High School.

ConFerenCe Day By Day

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Friday: Local Government Country Campaign Insight Training Friday Night: Welcome barbecue

Saturday morning: Leaders Addressses Saturday morning: Policy Workshops

Saturday aternoon: Conerence Debate Sunday: Conerence Debate

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Country Labor Dialogue - March 2012

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