Western Australian Labor Party

The Western Australian Labor Party, officially known as WA Labor,^[a] is the Western Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). It is the current governing party of Western Australia since winning the 2017 state election under Mark McGowan.

History

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; four years later, the party entered into minority government with Henry Daglish becoming the first Labor Premier of Western Australia.^[5]

Governance

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

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

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

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

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

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^[b]
• 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 2025, 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]

Policy committees

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.^[17]

Party leaders

Electoral performance

Legislative Assembly

Notes

1. ^ The party was formally named the Australian Labor Party (Western Australian Branch). The party name was officially changed to WA Labor in 2023.^[18]
2. ^ Or a member of the State front-bench acting as their representative.

References

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 19 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
5. ^ "History of WA Labor". WA Labor. Archived from the original on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
6. ^ "Party Structure". walabor.org.au. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
7. ^ "Party Structure". walabor.org.au. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
8. ^ "Party Structure". WA Labor. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
9. ^ "Party Structure"
10. ^ Liu, Nelson (24 July 2017). "Amber-Jade Rides the Wave of Change". WAMN News. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
11. ^ "Bosses brought back to bargaining table by IR overhaul, talent gaps". Australian Financial Review. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
12. ^ Hastie, Hamish (30 May 2023). "The winners and losers of WA Labor's Gravitron leadership challenge". WAtoday. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
13. ^ "Address-in-Reply". 27 May 2021.
14. ^ "Contact". www.asu.asn.au. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
15. ^ "Your CFMEU WA Team". CFMEU Western Australia. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
16. ^ "Our Team". Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
17. ^ "Policy Committee Application". walabor.org.au. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
18. ^ "Applications and Notices – WAEC". elections.wa.gov.au. Western Australian Electoral Commission. Archived 14 January 2025 at the Wayback Machine.