Labour's Reconnection: Review Seeks Grassroots & New Blood

Monday, 27 February 2012, 2:19 pm
Article: Mark P. Williams

Today the Labour Party Leader David Shearer and Party President Moira Coatsworth held a press briefing on the forthcoming organisational review. They outlined the overall intent and direction for the review and then took questions on the record.

Starting next week, the review will commence with a nationwide schedule of meetings and online and paper responses. In May/June it will got to regional conferences for a second round of consultation. Recommendations will then be taken to the Labour Party Annual Conference in November.

The main purposes of the review are to reconnect with grass roots, and improve voter turnout. Both Labour Leader David Shearer and President Moira Coatsworth emphasised that the review is concerned to appeal to expand Labour's appeal beyond its traditional base. The review will seek to engage with groups such as non-union workers, Maori voters and young people.

The scope of the review will cover

• Party organisation and processes


• Campaigning


• Party communications


• Fundraising and finance

David Shearer ruled out the review dealing with policy. He emphasised that policy formation was to be outlined within a planned three year programme.

Questions covered include:

• Whether the review would cover the Labour Party Constitution


• Whether new Members would take on more prominent roles as a consequence of the review


• If the role of Union membership within the party would change


• What outside experts would be consulted and what kind of advice sought

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