Structure
The structure of SA First consisted of local branches electing a governing State Conference, which in turn elected an administrative State Executive.
The Party was notable for allowing each MP a conscience vote on each piece of legislation before Parliament.
The annual State Conference consisted of delegates elected by the branches and was the governing body of the party, with the power to determine policy, preselect Upper House candidates and elect the State Executive.
The State Executive was an 11-member body elected largely by the Conference. There were positions of President, Vice-President and State Secretary, elected by a preferential majority of Conference for a two-year term. It followed the Labor Party model of political power lying in the hands of the Secretary rather than the President; the President directed debate and the State Secretary directed the everyday operations of the Party. There were six General Members elected by proportional representation for a one year term. The positions of Youth Representative and Parliamentary Leader were ex-officio.
The state was divided up into branches, based around one to nine electorates. Each branch was allocated delegates to State Conference based on one delegate per 10 members (with a cap of 7 delegates to help prevent branch stacking or undue influence by one branch). Branches had an equal say in the preselection of candidates, with a 50% weighting of the vote with State Conference. (cf. Australian Labor Party where the branches have only a 25% weighting, and the Liberal Party where the SEC/FEC preselection college has a 100% weighting).
Youth Members (25 and under), in addition to being members of their local branch, were also automatically members of SA First Youth, which elected delegates to Conference based on its membership and elected a member of the State Executive directly. This 'double representation' helped youth membership and participation within the wider party immensely, with almost 1/3 of delegates from the youth wing of the party as well as 1/3 of the State Executive members.
There were also standing committees such as the Policy Committee, which drafted policy under the direction of a Policy Convener appointed by State Conference.
Read more about this topic: SA First
Famous quotes containing the word structure:
“Science is intimately integrated with the whole social structure and cultural tradition. They mutually support one other—only in certain types of society can science flourish, and conversely without a continuous and healthy development and application of science such a society cannot function properly.”
—Talcott Parsons (1902–1979)
“Who says that fictions only and false hair
Become a verse? Is there in truth no beauty?
Is all good structure in a winding stair?
May no lines pass, except they do their duty
Not to a true, but painted chair?”
—George Herbert (1593–1633)
“What is the structure of government that will best guard against the precipitate counsels and factious combinations for unjust purposes, without a sacrifice of the fundamental principle of republicanism?”
—James Madison (1751–1836)