The Western Australian Labor Party, officially known as the Australian Labor Party (Western Australian Branch) and commonly referred to simply as WA Labor, is the Western Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party. It is the current governing party of Western Australia since winning the 2017 election under Mark McGowan.

Western Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party (Western Australian Branch)
AbbreviationWA Labor[1]
LeaderRoger Cook
Deputy LeaderRita Saffioti
PresidentLorna Clarke
SecretaryEllie Whiteaker
Founded11–15 April 1899; 125 years ago (15 April 1899)[2][3]
Headquarters85 Havelock Street, West Perth, Western Australian
Youth wingWA Young Labor
Membership (2018)Increase ~ 7,000[4]
IdeologySocial democracy
Political positionCentre-left
National affiliationAustralian Labor
Union affiliateUnions WA
Colours  Red
Legislative Assembly
53 / 59
Legislative Council
21 / 36
House of Representatives
9 / 15
(WA seats)
Senate
5 / 12
(WA seats)
Local government
14 / 519
Website
www.walabor.org.au

History

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The Western Australian state division of the Australian Labor Party was formed at a Trade Union Congress in Coolgardie in 1899.[5] Shortly afterwards the federal Labor Party was formalised in time for Australian federation in 1901. The WA Labor Party achieved representation in the Western Australian Parliament in 1900 with six members, and four years later the party entered into minority government with Henry Daglish becoming the first Labor Premier of Western Australia.[5]

Governance

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There are five layers of governance in the WA Labor party. These governance layers are filled with people from the party's general membership, as well as delegates from affiliated unions to the party.

The five governance layers are:

  1. The Branches
  2. The Federal Electorate Campaign Committees (FECC)
  3. The State Executive
  4. The State Conference, and
  5. The Administrative Committee

Of these governance layers, the only level at which ALP members directly participate in their membership capacity is at the branch level. However, branch members are able to be elected as delegates to participate at FECC meetings; and FECC participants in turn may be elected to participate at the State Executive and State Conference. Members of the Administrative committee are at regular intervals during the annual state conferences.

Affiliated trade unions are allocated voting delegates to participate at the State Conference and State Executive layers. Due to these legal rules, the ALP is strongly influenced by its affiliated trade unions. Additionally, union members who are a member of the ALP are allowed to participate in their personal capacity at branch meetings and FECC meetings; which is another, albeit indirect, means of influence at State Executive and Conference.

Of the five governance layers, the State Executive is notable for having the primary responsible for candidate preselection. Mostly for this reason, its control is the primary objective of party factions attempting to exert their influence. As of 2023, it is dominated by the Labor Left.

Branches

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Members of the WA Labor Party usually belong to a single branch, chosen by that member.[6]

There are two types of branches; (1) Local branches, which are organised around a local geographic area, and (2) Direct branches, which are organised around a political issue or broader community group.

Branch members regularly meet to discuss political issues, socialise, meet ALP politicians, fundraise, and organise campaign activities. They also frequently pass resolutions, which act as public statements regarding the opinion of the branch on an issue.

Annually, each branch will elect a delegate to attend their relevant 'Federal Electorate Campaign Committee' this person will then vote on their behalf at FECC meetings. It is through this delegate that branch members have an indirect influence on ALP preselections.

Federal Electorate Campaign Committees

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Australia's federal electorates often contain multiple ALP branches within them. Each branch of the party elects a representative at their Annual General Meeting, and that delegate will attend the FECC covering their federal electorate.

FECCs meet regularly to discuss party issues. Each one elects delegates to represent it at the State Executive.[6]

State Executive

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The state executive of the party is a singular body made up of various delegates. It meets multiple times per year. It is the chief administrative authority of the party, and is vested with the party's power in-between the annual state conferences.[7] It is made up of 175 persons.

Its most noteworthy power is over preselections of ALP candidates for elections.

The State executive comprises

  • The State President, who presides and is allowed a casting vote
  • All fourteen members of the party's Administrative Committee
  • Eighty "political delegates":
    • One delegate from the FPLP
    • One delegate from the SPLP
    • 78 Delegates elected by the FECCs
  • Eighty "union delegates" (allocated proportionally according to union membership numbers)

The current composition of the WA Labor State Executive is not publicly available information.

In recent history the WA State Executive has been dominated by the labor left faction, however, this is not always so. Decisions of the State Executive are often determined by whichever ALP factional combination is able to dominate the floor at a given point in time.

State Conference

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The party meets annually at its State Conference. It is the ultimate governing body of the State Party. The conference comprises delegates from Branches, affiliated unions, and ALP Parliamentary representatives.[7] As the ultimate governing body, it has the power to overrule decisions of the State Executive, although this rarely occurs in practice.

The State Conference floor comprises

  • The State President, who presides and is allowed a casting vote
  • All fourteen members of the party's Administrative Committee
  • 150 "political delegates":
    • One FPLP Delegate
    • One SPLP Delegate
    • The remainder being delegates from the various ALP branches, allocated proportionally based on the membership numbers of each branch. However, every branch with at least 30 or more members is entitled to at least one of the delegates
  • 150 "union delegates" allocated by the State Executive in proportion to annual membership of each union in the previous calendar year

The composition of the State Conference floor for 2023 is not publicly available information.

In recent history the WA State Conference floor has been dominated by the labor left faction, however, this is not always so. Decisions of the State Conference are often determined by whichever ALP factional combination is able to dominate the floor at a given point in time.

Administrative Committee

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The party's administrative committee is ultimately responsible for the party's management and administration. The committee has 15 members, if the State President (who must preside) is included. At least 50% of committee is reserved for women.

Meetings of the committee are presided over by the State President. The position of State President is elected every two years through a mail-ballot of the party membership. This distinguishes them from other members that are decided instead at State Conference. At meetings of the administrative committee, the president is only allowed a casting vote.[8]

The State Treasurer must attend all meetings but does not vote.

Therefore, meetings of the administrative committee are attended by

  • Ten members elected annually at State Conference
  • Both the State Secretary and the Assistant State Secretary, each of whom are separately elected triannually at State Conference; one of whom must be a woman
  • The leader of the State Parliamentary Labor Party[Note 1]
  • A representative of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party
  • The State Treasurer (who does not vote)
  • The State President (who merely presides, and is allowed a casting vote)

As of 2023, committee meetings are attended by people in the table below. Because of various factional affiliations, the administrative committee is currently dominated by the Labor Left faction.[9]

Role Name Note
State President Lorna Clarke Councillor, City of Bayswater
State Secretary Ellie Whiteaker WA Labor Campaign Director
Assistant State Secretary Lauren Cayoun former advisor to Mark McGowan, former Councillor City of Belmont[10]
State Treasurer Naomi McLean former electorate officer to Amber-Jade Sanderson[11]
Leader of SPLP Roger Cook WA Premier
Representative of the FPLP Fatima Payman Senator for WA
Member Brad Gandy Australian Workers Union State Secretary[12]
Member Jon Phillips Public Sector Union Regional Secretary[13]
Member Steve McCartney Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union State Secretary[14]
Member Dominic Rose United Workers Union National Political Coordinator[15]
Member Stephen Catania CFMEU WA Legal Coordinator[16]
Member Katrina Stratton MLA for Nedlands
Member Margaret Quirk MLA for Girrawheen
Member Jill Hugo Australian Services Union Assistant Branch Secretary[17]
Member Carolyn Smith United Workers Union State Secretary[18]
Member Hannah Beazley MLA for Victoria Park

Policy committees

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The party's policy committees are responsible for the party's development of the party platform between state conferences and elections. The committees are composed of elected convenors who are tasked with facilitating policy development at the party member level and secretaries who work at the parliamentary level.[19]

Committee Convenor Secretary
Community & Social Gabrielle Inga Lorna Harper MLC
Conservation, Environment & Climate Change Harriet Brooke Jane Kelsbie MLA
Economics, Industrial Relations & Regional Development Tim Dymond Shelley Payne MLC
Education & Training Mary Monkhouse Sandra Carr MLC
Health David Goncalves Lisa Munday MLA
International Affairs Hugo Seymour Simon Millman MLA
Law, Public Administration & Community Safety Tomas Fitzgerald David Scaife MLA
Transport, Roads, Infrastructure & Planning Eloyise Braskic Jessica Stojkovski MLA

Historical tables

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Legislative Assembly - election results

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Election Leader Seats ± Votes % ±% Position
1897 No official leader
1 / 44
 1 383 4.38%  4.38 Crossbench
1901
6 / 50
 5 9,658 25.88%  21.50 Crossbench
1904 Robert Hastie
22 / 50
 16 28,122 42.57%  16.70 Opposition
Minority government (from 10 August 1904 – 25 August 1905)
Opposition
1905 William Johnson
14 / 50
 8 18,364 35.07%  7.50 Opposition
1908 Thomas Bath
22 / 50
 8 28,325 37.80%  2.73 Opposition
1911 John Scaddan
34 / 50
 12 47,558 52.64%  14.73 Majority government
1914
26 / 50
 8 40,205 42.12%  10.42 Majority government
Minority government (from 18 December 1915 – 27 July 1917)
Opposition
1917 Philip Collier
15 / 50
 11 20,867 24.79%  17.33 Opposition
1921
17 / 50
 2 35,829 36.81%  11.99 Opposition
1924
27 / 50
 10 39,679 40.39%  3.58 Majority government
1927
27 / 50
 0 63,687 45.33%  4.94 Majority government
1930
23 / 50
 4 52,824 38.44%  6.89 Opposition
1933
30 / 50
 7 82,702 45.48%  7.04 Majority government
1936
26 / 50
 4 57,055 42.33%  3.15 Majority government
1939 John Willcock
27 / 50
 1 92,585 45.02%  2.63 Majority government
1943
30 / 50
 3 77,567 43.28%  4.00 Majority government
1947 Frank Wise
23 / 50
 7 64,377 39.38%  3.90 Opposition
1950
23 / 50
 0 94,055 41.85%  2.47 Opposition
1953 Albert Hawke
26 / 50
 3 93,157 49.76%  7.92 Majority government
1956
29 / 50
 3 116,793 49.70%  0.07 Majority government
1959
23 / 50
 6 117,861 44.92%  4.78 Opposition
1962
24 / 50
 1 129,757 44.41%  0.51 Opposition
1965
21 / 50
 3 128,025 42.64%  1.77 Opposition
1968 John Tonkin
23 / 51
 2 145,605 45.35%  2.71 Opposition
1971
26 / 51
 3 230,653 48.91%  3.56 Majority government
1974
22 / 51
 4 248,395 48.10%  0.81 Opposition
1977 Colin Jamieson
22 / 55
 0 257,730 44.22%  3.88 Opposition
1980 Ron Davies
23 / 55
 1 270,165 45.95%  1.73 Opposition
1983 Brian Burke
32 / 57
 9 342,536 53.16%  7.21 Majority government
1986
32 / 57
 0 416,805 53.00%  0.16 Majority government
1989 Peter Dowding
31 / 57
 1 341,931 42.46%  10.54 Majority government
1993 Carmen Lawrence
24 / 57
 7 338,008 37.08%  5.38 Opposition
1996 Geoff Gallop
19 / 57
 5 345,159 35.82%  1.26 Opposition
2001
32 / 57
 13 382,308 37.24%  1.42 Majority government
2005
32 / 57
 0 448,956 41.88%  4.65 Majority government
2008 Alan Carpenter
28 / 59
 4 390,339 35.84%  6.05 Opposition
2013 Mark McGowan
21 / 59
 7 392,448 33.13%  2.70 Opposition
2017
41 / 59
 20 557,794 42.20%  9.07 Majority government
2021
53 / 59
 12 846,116 59.92%  17.72 Majority government

Party leaders

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Party leader Assumed office Left office Premier Reason for departure
Henry Daglish 8 July 1904 27 September 1905 1904–1905 Quit party
William Johnson 4 October 1905 27 October 1905 Resigned
Thomas Bath 22 November 1905 3 August 1910
John Scaddan 3 August 1910 10 April 1917 1911–1916 Quit party
Phillip Collier 16 April 1917 20 August 1936 1924–1930;
1933–1936
Resigned
John Willcock 20 August 1936 31 July 1945 1936–1945 Retired
Frank Wise 31 July 1945 26 June 1951 1945–1947 Resigned to be appointed Administrator of the Northern Territory
Bert Hawke 26 June 1951 31 December 1966 1953–1959 Retired
John Tonkin 31 December 1966 15 April 1976 1971–1974 Retired
Colin Jamieson 15 April 1976 21 February 1978 Lost party room challenge to Davies
Ron Davies 21 February 1978 18 September 1981 Lost party room challenge to Burke
Brian Burke 18 September 1981 25 February 1988 1983–1988 Retired
Peter Dowding 25 February 1998 12 February 1990 1988–1990 Lost party room challenge to Lawrence
Carmen Lawrence 12 February 1990 7 February 1994 1990–1993 Resigned
Ian Taylor 7 February 1994 12 October 1994
Jim McGinty 12 October 1994 15 October 1996 Resigned
Geoff Gallop 8 October 1996 25 January 2006 2001–2006 Retired
Alan Carpenter 25 January 2006 16 September 2008 2006–2008 Retired after 2008 election loss
Eric Ripper 16 September 2008 23 January 2012 Resigned
Mark McGowan 23 January 2012 6 June 2023 2017–2023 Resigned
Roger Cook 6 June 2023 present 2023–

Notes

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  1. ^ Or a member of the State front-bench acting as their representative

References

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  1. ^ "Registered Political Parties in WA". elections.wa.gov.au. Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC).
  2. ^ Oliver, Bobbie (2003). "Unity is Strength. A history of the Australian Labor Party and the Trades and Labor Council in Western Australia, 1899–1999". Papers in Labour History (28). Curtin University.
  3. ^ Sharp, Moya (14 September 2019). "First WA Union and Labor Congress 1899". outbackfamilyhistoryblog.com.
  4. ^ Burrell, Andrew (7 December 2018). "Pierre Yang brings 500 members to the WA Labor Party". The Australian. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b "History of WA Labor". WA Labor. Archived from the original on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Party Structure". walabor.org.au. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Party Structure". walabor.org.au. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Party Structure". WA Labor. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Party Structure".
  10. ^ "Lauren Cayoun – Assistant State Secretary & Deputy Campaign Director – Australian Labor Party (WA Branch) | LinkedIn". LinkedIn.
  11. ^ Liu, Nelson (24 July 2017). "Amber-Jade Rides the Wave of Change". WAMN News. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Bosses brought back to bargaining table by IR overhaul, talent gaps". Australian Financial Review. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  13. ^ "ACTU Directory". directory.australianunions.org.au. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  14. ^ "Our Team". Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  15. ^ Stephen Pratt (27 May 2021). "Address-in-Reply" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Parliament of Western Australia: Legislative council.
  16. ^ "Your CFMEU WA Team". CFMEU Western Australia. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Contact". www.asu.asn.au. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  18. ^ Hastie, Hamish (30 May 2023). "The winners and losers of WA Labor's Gravitron leadership challenge". WAtoday. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  19. ^ "Policy Committee Application". walabor.org.au. Retrieved 4 July 2023.