KEY OUTCOMES OF THE 96th ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE NEW ZEALAND LABOUR PARTY
622 registered delegates – the largest number at a Labour Conference since 1988
Over 50 significant Rule changes agreed, including:
• Introduction of the concept of regional hubs (groupings of General and Maori electorates) to focus on party vote activity and on-going campaigning.
• A relaxation of the rules around branch and electorate meeting regularity and content, to encourage flexibility, and a greater focus on organising
• Tighter requirements for gender equity among branch and LEC officers groups, and the Policy Council, and for planning processes by branches and LECs
• LECs to be obliged to have Youth Officers among their membership
• Introduction of registered supporters as a membership category
• Introduction of koha (donation-based) membership for the first time someone joins the Party; reduction of the annual fee for people who are unwaged to $5 per annum, and increase of waged and family categories of membership to $20 and $30 respectively.
• Clarifying the right of New Zealand Council to establish sub-committees and working groups with delegates responsibilities and tasks.
• New Zealand Council to meet at least five times annually.
• Policy Platform (permanent statement of policy) to be established by the end of Conference 2013; policy and the Election Manifesto to be based on and consistent with that Platform. The Policy Platform is binding on all Labour Party members elected as such to public office, MPs, NZCouncil and Policy Council.
• Policy inconsistent with the Policy Platform due to changed circumstances or coalition requirements must be approved by a 2/3 vote of the Policy Council, and reported to the next Annual Conference.
• Policy remits are replaced by Policy proposals.
• Strategic selection criteria to be developed for use in electorate and list selection processes.
• Election of the Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party – the Leader must be an MP; an election happens if there is a vacancy, or if requested by a simple majority of Caucus (at any time), or if the Leader fails to obtain the support of 60% plus 1 of the Caucus in a vote held within three months after a General Election (and in February 2013, as a one-off); the electoral college comprises 40% party members and 40% Caucus (both One Member One Vote), and 20% affiliates (varying voting systems); administrative rules to be developed by NZ Council in conjunction with the Caucus, by end 2012.
An Environment Sector Council was created, and encouragement given to the formation of more environment branches.
Policy - In twelve policy workshops, all policy remits up for debate were discussed, and a recommendation was made on support for or opposition to each one of them; then in plenary ten policy remits were debated and decided, the remainder being referred to the Policy Council for consideration in
the preparation of the Policy Platform.
Sixteen Spark (fringe) meetings were also held, and eleven sectors met face-to-face.
A copy of the revised Constitution and Rules of the Party will be circulated and on the website by the end of the year.
A new New Zealand Council was elected.
Download the final programme overview for Labour Party Conference 2012.
Highlights of Conference 2012 included:
- Labour Leader, David Shearer, outlined his vision for the country and a future of opportunity.
- The first session of our brand new Campaign College was held all day Thursday 15th. Click here to see more.
- Sector meetings were held mainly on Friday morning
- Judy McGregor, retiring Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Human Rights Commissioner and Nigel Haworth, Professor of Human Resource Development at Auckland University spoke on Friday night about new challenges and enduring values.
- Delegates attended a wide range of stimulating Spark sessions include Lessons from the Obama Campaign, Dangers of Corporatising NZ's Health System, 'So you want a Job?' discussion with Selwyn Pellet and John Walley
- Helen Kelly, President of the Council of Trade Unions, spoke about organisational change and the future for unions on Saturday
- Agreement our organisational reforms was done on Saturday and discussing, debating and voting on Labour's future policy on Sunday.
Ellerslie Events Center - 16th, 17th & 18th November 2012
Click here to download contact details of some convenient accommodation options.
View Labour Party Conference 2012 in a larger map.
The 2012 Policy Remit Book was prepared by the Policy Council for debate and voting at the Conference.
A huge number of remits, many thoughtful and of use, were submitted to the Policy Council from the six Regional Conferences and from the Labour Party’s sector councils.
It was difficult to choose which ones to forward to this Conference for debate.
The remits selected for debate were the ones that the Policy Council thought will spark lively debate at Conference, or those that propose a change to Party policy.
In twelve policy workshops, all policy remits up for debate were discussed, and a recommendation was made on support for or opposition to each one of them; then in plenary ten policy remits were debated and decided, the remainder being referred to the Policy Council for consideration in the preparation of the Policy Platform.
All of the other remits are being taken into account in these ways:
- In the development of the draft Policy Platform;
- In the development of detailed policy for the 2014 Manifesto;
- In the day to day work of spokespeople.
The Draft Policy Platform (UPDATED VERSION) was discussed at Annual Conference, but it is important to note that it is a draft working document and it was not adopted at this year’s conference. It will be finalised at Annual Conference next year.
WHAT IS THE POLICY PLATFORM?
At conference this year as part of the Organisational Review there were amendments to the constitution to create a policy platform. The platform will be an enduring document that covers the party's values, vision and priorities for policy. It will enable the perennial question, “what does Labour think about.....” to be answered at any time, not just in the year of an election.
Now that conference has approved the rules surrounding it, the Platform when it is finalised will be binding on the party, including the Caucus, and will only be able to be changed by Annual Conference. It will guide the creation of the manifesto for each election, and anything in the manifesto will have to be consistent with the platform.
Our Organisational Review identifies key changes for an effective modernised Labour Party organisation which is open, energised and connected to our diverse communities; well-resourced with money, members and supporters; and organising effectively to win votes and elections. It has been a busy year of discussion, consultation and feedback within Labour.
Read more about the review process here
The Final Remit Book for Conference 2012 was the agenda for one whole day of our Conference. It contains words which have come from many Party members, and covers how the rules of the Labour Party will change. There were many proposed changes which were robustly discussed and voted on in this important stage of our Organisational Review.
A copy of the revised Constitution and Rules of the Party will be circulated and on the website by the end of the year.
