President Jack Boyd Headquarters Canberra, Australia Mother party Australian Labor Party | Founded 1926 Ideology Social democracy | |
International affiliation International Union of Socialist Youth | ||
Australian Young Labor is the youth wing of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) representing all ALP members aged 14 to 26. Former presidents of AYL have included former NSW Premier Bob Carr, Federal Minister for Agriculture Tony Burke, Special Minister of State Senator John Faulkner, former Australian Workers Union National Secretary and current Member for Maribyrnong and Federal Labor Leader Bill Shorten as well as dozens of State Ministers and MPs. The current National President is Jack Boyd, from New South Wales.
Contents
Formation
The Labor Guild of Youth was established in Victoria in 1926. The first provisional meeting of the ALP's Youth Council was held in 1948. Australian Young Labor (AYL) was included in the definition of the ALP in 1973.
Ideology
Young Labor emulates many of the functions of the senior party. National conferences are held in Canberra, as well as conferences at a state level, where policy is submitted and debated by elected delegates and members of Young Labor.
Activities and roles
Young Labor is most active during state and federal elections, campaigning in marginal seats. The youth wing of the party may organise members to door knock an electorate or set up a stand in shopping centres to hand out political party notes. Members are often also asked to 'letterbox' party advertising.
Each year Australian Young Labor holds a conference in Canberra. The conference is held at the Australian National University and typically features guest speakers from the ALP.
At the conference several positions are elected by delegates chosen from state branches. Fifteen executive positions are also elected. The National Young Labor President is a non-voting representative on the Australian Labor Party National Executive.
Office bearers include:
* Provisionally elected pending approval of position creation by ALP National Executive.
Organisation
Each state has its own branch of Young Labor, functioning as a party unit (referred to as New South Wales Young Labor, Victorian Young Labor, etc.). Nationally, the branches are federated to the National organisation, which has its own President and executive.