33-426: Labor (53) Opposition (6) National (3) Labor (21) Opposition (9) Liberal (7) National (2) Crossbench (6) Legalise Cannabis (1) Greens (1) One Nation (1) The Parliament of Western Australia is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Western Australia , which constitutes
66-468: Is able to dominate the floor at a given point in time. 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
99-555: Is compulsory for all resident Australian citizens—and eligible British citizens (i.e., those permanently resident and on the electoral roll prior to the passage of the Australia Act )—who are over the legal voting age of 18. The Western Australian Legislative Council was created in 1832 as an appointed body. In 1870 the then colony was ruled by a governor and an advisory Legislative Council made up of appointed officials and elected members. The Western Australian Legislative Assembly
132-670: Is dominated by the Labor Left . Members of the WA Labor Party usually belong to a single branch, chosen by that member. 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
165-451: 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 . The State Treasurer must attend all meetings but does not vote. Therefore, meetings of the administrative committee are attended by As of 2023, committee meetings are attended by people in
198-633: Is evidence of any strong or widespread feeling in the country against this assent being given." Royal Assent was given on 3 March 1922, and the Act was proclaimed in the Government Gazette 20 days later, abolishing the Council. Labor's view was summed up in 1980 by Labor politician and historian Dr Denis Murphy , who claimed the "dominance of wealth and property over the Queensland parliament"
231-545: 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. 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. As the ultimate governing body, it has
264-636: Is the Civil Court of Western Australia (1832) act, an act for establishing a Court of Civil Judicature, assented to on 10 February 1832, under the first Governor of Western Australia, James Stirling . It predates the Parliament of Western Australia and was passed by the Western Australian Legislative Council instead. All up, ten acts were passed in 1832. Since 1832, acts have been passed in every year but 1890,
297-615: Is the only unicameral state Parliament in Australia. Two territories, the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory , also maintain unicameral parliaments. Most of the early members of the Council came from wealthy families, were well educated and were born in England. Absenteeism was a problem in the early years, with some members returning to England, being absent for several years. The Legislative Council
330-638: 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 . The Western Australian state division of the Australian Labor Party was formed at a Trade Union Congress in Coolgardie in 1899. Shortly afterwards
363-476: The 1970s.) Several independents have at various times supported the reintroduction of an upper house. The Queensland Greens support the reintroduction of an upper house elected by proportional representation. Neither major party currently supports the reintroduction of an upper house. Since 2012, there has been support from some politicians for the reintroduction of the Legislative Council in
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#1732764872973396-495: 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
429-616: The Council voted itself out of existence; the members who voted for the abolition were known as the "suicide squad". The Council rose for the last time at 8:37 p.m. the next evening. The non-Labor parties petitioned the British Government, but the Colonial Secretary , Winston Churchill , concluded that the matter was "essentially one for determination locally", and the Governor felt "unable to say that there
462-693: The Governor. The party or coalition commanding the support of a majority of the members of the Legislative Assembly is invited by the governor to form government. The head of government holds the office of Premier of Western Australia . Currently, the Legislative Council has 36 members elected for four-year terms from multi-member constituencies by proportional representation, and the Legislative Assembly has 59 members, elected for four-year terms from single-member constituencies, using preferential voting. As with all other Australian states and territories, enrolment to vote and voting for both Houses
495-606: The Legislative Assembly, was appointed to be the Lieutenant Governor. Shortly after this, on 19 February 1920, Lennon appointed 14 new members to the Legislative Council, all of them members of the Labor Party. By this means, Labor then had sufficient members within the Council to vote for its own dissolution. The abolition bill was eventually passed by the Assembly on a 51–15 vote on 24 October 1921. The bill
528-643: The Legislative Council and an additional 3 in 1919. Even with these additional members it was not guaranteed that the Council would vote itself out of existence, given the results of the Referendum. So, in 1920, the Government under Premier Ted Theodore changed tack. He firstly asked the Governor of the day, Sir Hamilton Goold-Adams to appoint additional members to the Legislative Council. The Governor declined but, because of ill health, he retired in 1920 and on his recommendation, William Lennon, then Speaker of
561-551: The Queensland Parliament. Federal Greens senator Larissa Waters , independent MPs Peter Wellington and Liz Cunningham , One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and One Nation MP Stephen Andrew have all publicly supported the return of the upper house, believing that both constituents and political parties would benefit with fairer representation. However, LNP premier Campbell Newman and Labor premier Annastacia Palaszczuk have both publicly rejected
594-536: 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
627-507: The calls for the upper house to be reestablished. On 11 May 2021, a petition was tabled in parliament which was submitted by Kallangur resident Daniel Boniface and sponsored by Member for Mirani Stephen Andrew requesting a referendum be held on the issue of reinstating the Legislative Council. The petition was signed by 940 people. In a letter addressed to the Clerk of Parliament on 11 June 2021, premier Annastacia Palaszczuk responded that
660-586: 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 . There are five layers of governance in the WA Labor party. These governance layers are filled with people from
693-703: The legislative branch of the state's political system. The parliament consists of the King (represented by the governor ), the Legislative Council (the upper house) and the Legislative Assembly (the lower house). The two Houses of Parliament sit in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth . For a bill to become law, it must be passed by both the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly, and receive royal assent from
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#1732764872973726-406: 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. Australia's federal electorates often contain multiple ALP branches within them. Each branch of
759-548: The parliamentary level. Queensland Legislative Council The Legislative Council of Queensland was the upper house of the parliament in the Australian state of Queensland . It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May 1860. It was abolished by the Constitution Amendment Act 1921 , which took effect on 23 March 1922. Consequently, the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
792-468: 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. 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
825-421: The party's general membership, as well as delegates from affiliated unions to the party. The five governance layers are: 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
858-583: The party, and is vested with the party's power in-between the annual state conferences. It is made up of 175 persons. Its most noteworthy power is over preselections of ALP candidates for elections. The State executive comprises 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
891-527: The power to overrule decisions of the State Executive, although this rarely occurs in practice. The State Conference floor comprises 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
924-492: The table below. Because of various factional affiliations, the administrative committee is currently dominated by the Labor Left faction. 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
957-836: The year the Western Australian Parliament was formed. The last act to be passed prior to the establishment of the Parliament was the Electoral Act 1889 , assented to on 26 June 1890. In 2023, the Western Australian Parliament passed 34 acts. Senate House of Rep. Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Assembly Assembly 31°57′06″S 115°50′49″E / 31.95167°S 115.84694°E / -31.95167; 115.84694 Australian Labor Party (Western Australian Branch) The Western Australian Labor Party , officially known as
990-585: Was broken. However, some scholars and political commentators have argued that the abuses of the Bjelke-Petersen regime (1968–1987) in Queensland were only possible because of the absence of an upper house, and that the problem was not the Council itself but its existence as a nominated rather than elected body (Legislative Councils in all other states were fully elective by 1900, except in New South Wales where some nominative features lasted until
1023-557: Was created in 1890 when the then colony attained self-government . The first premier was John Forrest , who held office until 1901. On 3 November 2011, the government introduced fixed four-year terms for Parliament, with elections being held every four years on the second Saturday in March. The 2013 state election was the first election under the fixed date system. The oldest recorded act of Parliament in Western Australia
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1056-576: Was seen by the Labor Party as undemocratic and a tool of patronage , and upon the establishment of a secure Labor majority in the Assembly in 1915 , Labor sought the house's abolition. Bills for this purpose were rejected by the Council itself in 1915 and 1916, and a referendum failed on 5 May 1917 on a vote of 179,105 to 116,196. In 1918 on the recommendations of the Labor Government, Sir Hamilton Goold-Adams appointed 13 Labor Members to
1089-494: Was then introduced to the Council by the leader of the Government in the Council, Alfred James Jones , who remarked, "Until we had a majority here, [the Council] was obstructive, and now that we have a majority here it is useless." However, Opposition councillor Patrick Leahy protested that the abolition of the chamber would result in the Assembly being "able to do what it thinks fit" and becoming unaccountable. On 26 October 1921,
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