This Constitution was adopted at the Victorian Socialists Conference, January 2024
1. Aims
1.1 Context
We are socialists meeting on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, and we agree that:
1.1.1 The Commonwealth of Australia was formed as the result of British colonisation and the introduction of capitalism, which together caused the dispossession and genocide of this land’s Aboriginal peoples.
1.2 Capitalism
1.2.1 Capitalism subjugates and exploits both nature and the majority of people to generate profits for a minority capitalist class, and this requires a state whose legal and political structures uphold and extend the power of the capitalist class, locally and abroad. Consequently, so long as Australia is a capitalist nation, inequality, oppression, injustice, and ecological destruction are inevitable.
Therefore, our goal is to contribute to abolishing capitalism in Australia. To this end, we agree that
1.2.2 Because of their illegitimate origin and present-day function, the Australian economy and state cannot be reformed or managed to overcome capitalism or its consequences, but instead must be fundamentally transformed;
1.2.3 This can only be achieved by a working-class movement that leads the majority against capitalism and its defenders;
1.2.4 This movement must expropriate those whose wealth and power are dependent on exploitation and oppression, and abolish the economic, political, and juridical structures that preserve their hegemony.
1.3 Socialism
In place of capitalism, we are committed to creating a socialist republic in Australia. We believe that a socialist society should uphold the following principles:
1.3.1 Cooperation and economic democracy.
To ensure a classless society free of exploitation and coercion, socialism must:
a) Abolish all exploitative forms of property ownership and control, including private ownership of and control over the means of production, distribution, and exchange, as well as other exploitative property relations, like rent, speculation, etc.;
b) Institute social or collective ownership over the means of production, distribution, and exchange, to be managed on a democratic basis. Far from jeopardising personal property, this will enrich members of society, both collectively and as individuals;
c) End gross inequalities in wealth through progressive taxation and other redistributive measures, including the expansion of the public sector and the universal provision of goods including housing, welfare, healthcare, and education.
1.3.2 Freedom, democracy, and justice.
Socialism upholds the free development of each as the condition for the free development of all. Therefore,
a) Socialists uphold universal freedom and human rights, including freedom of speech, freedom to organise, freedom of conscience and religion, and freedom from fear, persecution, oppression, or discrimination enacted on the basis of economic status, ability, religious or political beliefs, racial, national or ethnic identity, migratory status, gender or sexual identity or any other personal criteria.
b) A socialist society ensures all political and civic institutions are subject to democratic control. A socialist democracy guarantees the right to recall elected representatives and gives elected representatives no special privileges. Socialists uphold political pluralism and the right to form new political parties in a socialist democracy.
c) Socialism guarantees genuinely universal justice by ensuring access to justice is completely independent of wealth or status. This is to be achieved by abolishing private court or legal fees, by prioritizing welfare and rehabilitation over harsh or retributive punishment, and by ensuring all law enforcement agencies are democratically controlled by the communities they serve.
1.3.3. Against oppression, for solidarity.
Socialists recognize that capitalism both relies on and reproduces specific forms of oppression including women’s oppression, racism, and the oppression of LGBTIQ people. As a result:
a) We stand in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples against the violence and racism of the Australian state and the businesses that exploit their lands for profit,
b) We stand in solidarity with refugees against Australia’s barbaric border-protection regime and with migrants, who are often denied rights, marginalised, hyper-exploited, and subjected to prejudice, abuse, and violence,
c) We fight against misogyny, which means ending the gender pay gap and ending gendered abuse and violence. A socialist society will redefine the family without reference to gender or sexuality as a free and voluntary private association, and will ensure that the burden of domestic labour does not fall on women by providing free and universal childcare and other measures,
d) We stand in solidarity with LGBTIQ people who endure oppression as a result of their gender or sexual identity
1.3.4. Anti-imperialism, self-determination, and internationalism.
Socialists are internationalists — we recognize the right to self-determination and oppose imperialism. We also recognise that our fate is tied up with the fate of human societies across the world. Consequently,
a) We oppose militarism, nationalism, and imperialism. Australian socialists oppose Australia’s participation in an international order predicated on the hegemony of the United States of America, or any other imperialist power, and affirm our opposition to all imperialist and colonial wars,
b) Socialists recognize the right of oppressed nationalities to national self-determination. We recognize Australia’s First Nations and affirm that a socialist society should not unilaterally impose its laws or sovereignty over Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Rather, a socialist society should recognize Aboriginal land rights and the right to self-determination for First Nations.
c) We support the fight for socialism and for the rights of workers and oppressed people in every country and consider that our struggle is bound up with every struggle against injustice.
1.3.5 Positive freedom, recognition, and a flourishing life for all.
Socialism should guarantee to all its members the means required to live a good life, in a flourishing society with a sustainable relationship with a thriving natural environment.
a) In addition to basic human needs, society must guarantee to all the means required for an active personal, civic, political, and cultural life. Socialists respect whatever needs, values and lifestyles individuals and groups define for themselves, insofar as these don’t conflict with others or entail exploitation or oppression.
b) Socialists recognise that human life depends on non-human life and the natural environment. A socialist society will regard the long-term sustainability of our relationship with the natural environment - on a local, national and global level - as more valuable than short-term profit or resource extraction. It will devote society's resources to achieving full sustainability and a thriving natural environment.
c) Instead of subordinating life to economics, socialism subordinates economics to life — this means a socialist society will support all significant human pursuits, including leisure, science, culture, art, and intellectual or spiritual development.
1.4 Means
To these ends, we affirm the following means:
1.4.1 Workplace organisation and workers’ struggle.
We stand in unconditional solidarity with workers against employers and we defend trade unions,
1.4.2 Community organisation.
We participate in and support progressive community campaigns and work alongside other left-wing activists regardless of their party affiliation or worldview,
1.4.3 Political organisation.
We have formed a political party — Victorian Socialists — for the purposes of developing our understanding of the tasks that flow from these aims, of communicating socialist ideas, of contributing to and leading progressive campaigns, and of contesting elections,
1.4.4 Party democracy.
We understand that it will take a party of committed and responsible members to achieve these aims, and that this requires a commitment to party democracy, freedom of debate and the principle of “one member one vote.”
2. Membership
2.1 Applications for Membership
2.1.1 Anyone who agrees with the aims of the Party is eligible to apply for membership;
2.1.2 The Secretary will give consideration, or ensure consideration is given, to all applications for membership;
2.1.3 The Secretary may either accept a membership application, or refer it to the Executive Council;
2.1.4 The Executive Council may accept or reject any application for membership put before it;
2.1.5 The Executive Council may overturn any membership approval issued by the Secretary;
2.1.6 Once a membership application has been accepted by the Secretary, the applicant is a member and has the full rights and obligations of membership. This applies until and unless a successful membership application is overturned by the Executive Council, which can occur any time within 3 months of the membership approval.
2.2 Membership list
2.2.1 The Secretary shall keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained, a full and up-to-date membership list.
2.2.2 The Secretary will make every effort to ensure the membership list is kept secure and members' personal data is kept private.
2.3 Rights and obligations of members
2.3.1 Members have the right to participate in the activities of the Party, including but not limited to the right to stand for preselection to be a candidate, the right to vote in all Party elections, the right to nominate for election to any Party body or position, the right to speak at and vote at non-delegated Party meetings, the right to stand as a delegate for any such meetings, the right to access documents published for members only, and the right to participate in Party campaigns;
2.3.2 Members are obliged to uphold the aims of the Party, to abide by the Constitution and Party rules, to pay membership fees in a timely manner, and to refrain from any action that brings the Party into disrepute or harms the interests of the Party;
2.3.3 Financial Members are those Members who make payment of Membership Fees within 3 weeks of them falling due. Where the Party has not received payment of Membership Fees from a particular Member within 3 weeks from the date on which it is due, that Member shall be deemed to be unfinancial, thus forfeiting the membership rights outlined in 2.3.1 until they regain Financial Member status.
2.4 Termination of Membership
Membership of the Party shall be terminated:
a) By the death of a member;
b) By written resignation of a member;
c) By expulsion from the Party;
d) By being removed from the membership list a minimum of 12 weeks subsequent to becoming unfinancial.
3. Party Officers
3.1 There shall be four Officers of the Party; specifically:
1. Secretary
2. Treasurer
3. Campaign Director
4. Communications Director
These Officers, subject to directives of the Executive Council and Conference, are individually and collectively responsible for the day-to-day work of the Party and its political activities.
3.2 Secretary
3.2.1 The Secretary shall be elected by Party Conference. If Party Conference does not elect a Secretary, or the Secretary resigns during their term of office, or the Secretary is removed by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Council, the Executive can appoint an interim Secretary until the next Party Conference.
3.2.2 The Secretary shall:
a) Convene all Party Conferences and meetings of the Executive Council;
b) Keep or cause to be kept minutes and records of the business of the Party;
c) Conduct the business and correspondence of the Party on behalf of the Party;
d) Safeguard the registration and legal status of the Party;
e) Sign leases, contracts, and agreements on behalf of the Party;
f) Communicate and where appropriate come to agreements on behalf of the Party with other political parties and interest groups;
g) Manage the membership of the Party;
h) Establish and maintain departments and committees, including the appointment of individuals to responsible roles, accountable to the Secretary, that take charge of different aspects of Party infrastructure, including but not limited to:
- Strategic Planning
- Tech, Systems, and Data
- Legal and Administrative
- Policy Development
- Community and NGO outreach
- Fundraising
i) Ensure the proper administrative functioning of the Party during election periods, including authorisation of Party materials, ensuring compliance with electoral regulations, administering candidate nominations, Party endorsement of candidates, and administration of funds;
j) Act in accordance with directives of the Executive Council.
k) Provide reports to the Executive Council.
3.3 Treasurer
3.3.1 The Treasurer shall be elected by Party Conference. If Party Conference does not elect a Treasurer, or the Treasurer resigns during their term of office, or the Treasurer is removed by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Council, the Executive can appoint an interim Treasurer until the next Party Conference.
3.3.2 The Treasurer shall:
a) Receive or cause to be received all moneys on behalf of the Party and pay all moneys received on behalf of the Party into a financial institution;
b) Issue receipts for moneys received;
c) Ensure all moneys of the Party are used to further the interests, aims and objectives of the Party;
d) Account for all expenditures of the Party;
d) Have charge of the financial books and bank statements of the Party;
h) Ensure the Party has an appropriate suite of policies dealing with the financial management of the moneys of the Party and that such policies are properly abided by;
i) Lodge disclosure returns and funding applications with the Victorian Electoral Commission and the Australian Electoral Commission;
j) Act in accordance with directives of the Executive Council;
k) provide reports to the Executive Council.
3.4 Campaign Director
3.4.1 The Campaign Director shall be elected by Party Conference. If Party Conference does not elect a Campaign Director, or the Campaign Director resigns during their term of office, or the Campaign Director is removed by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Council, the Executive can appoint an interim Campaign Director until the next Party Conference.
3.4.2 The Campaign Director shall:
a) Along with the Executive Council and other Officers, develop strategic plans for Party campaigns in federal, state and local elections and by-elections;
b) Plan and coordinate campaigns for elections contested by the Party;
c) Plan and co-ordinate ongoing non-electoral campaigning;
d) Maintain and expand Party member and activist networks;
e) Co-ordinate efforts to involve members in Party campaigning and activities;
f) Establish, as needed, committees, working groups, and departments to carry out the campaigns of the Party, including appointing individuals, accountable to the Campaign Director, to carry out specific tasks and manage areas of work;
g) Act in accordance with directives of the Executive Council;
h) Provide reports to the Executive Council.
3.5 Communications Director
3.5.1 The Communications Director shall be elected by Party Conference. If Party Conference does not elect a Communications Director, or the Communications Director resigns during their term of office, or the Communications Director is removed by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Council, the Executive can appoint an interim Communications Director until the next Party Conference.
3.5.2 The Communications Director shall:
a) Construct and maintain a Communications Team to coordinate Party communications, social media presence, and production of political and campaign materials. This can involve the appointment of individuals, accountable to the Communications Director, to responsibility for specific areas of work;
b) Be responsible for determining the political focus and emphasis of Party communications, in line with the aims and policies of the Party, and subject to direction from the Executive Council;
c) Coordinate responses to inquiries about the Party from the media, or in the social media space;
d) Liaise with Party campaigns, Officers and committees to ensure a coherent and effective messaging in line with the Party’s aims, policies, and strategic objectives;
e) Work with other Party Officers and committees to coordinate communications and materials during election campaigns;
f) Act in accordance with directives of the Executive Council;
g) Provide reports to the Executive Council.
3.6 Registered Officer and Party Agent
3.6.1 The Registered Officer of the Party, for the purposes of the Electoral Act (Victoria) and the Electoral Act (Commonwealth), shall be the Secretary.
3.6.2 The Deputy Registered Officer of the Party, for the purposes of the Electoral Act (Victoria) and the Electoral Act (Commonwealth), shall be the Treasurer.
3.6.3 The Party Agent, for the purposes of the Electoral Act (Commonwealth), shall be the Treasurer.
4. Party bodies
4.1 Party Conference
4.1.1 Party Conference is the supreme decision-making body of the Party.
4.1.2 A Party Conference is to be held at least once every two years, and shall be called by the Secretary with a notice period of at least 4 weeks.
4.1.3 If the Secretary receives a petition containing the signatures of at least 100 Financial Members requesting that a Party Conference be held, they must convene a Conference to be held within 8 weeks. The petition may also stipulate specific items to be debated by the Conference that the Secretary must include in the agenda.
4.1.4 Party Conference may carry out some or all of the following:
a) set the Party’s political platform and Party activities.
b) elect Party Officers.
c) elect members to the Executive Council.
d) consider amendments to the Constitution, which require a 2/3 majority vote to pass.
e) consider disciplinary matters.
f) consider other matters of importance to the Party.
4.1.5 Party Conference can be attended by all Financial Members. Until such time as Party growth makes it necessary to hold delegated conferences, all members have speaking rights, the right to move motions, and the right to vote at Conference.
4.2 Executive Council
4.2.1 Executive Council shall consist of the Officers of the Party and 9 Ordinary Members of the Party elected at a Party Conference.
4.2.2 The Executive Council shall, subject to this Constitution, and subordinate to the Party Conference, be the governing body of the Party.
4.2.3 In the event of the resignation or removal of an Ordinary member of the Executive Council, a new member may be appointed by a 2/3 majority vote of the Council.
4.2.4 In the case of serious misconduct, a member of the Executive Council can be removed by a 2/3 majority vote of the Council.
4.2.5 The Executive Council is responsible for approving or amending recommendations from the Preselection Panel for candidates to stand as endorsed Party candidates for public office.
4.2.6 The Executive Council is responsible for determining the political line of the Party, determining policy positions between conferences, and, when needed, providing direction for the Communications Director on policy questions.
4.2.7 The Executive Council is responsible for determining the strategic orientation of the Party, and approving or amending strategic plans developed by Party Officers.
4.2.8 The Executive Council is responsible for oversight of Party Officers and members holding public office.
4.2.9 The Executive Council is responsible for issues regarding membership of the Party.
4.2.10 The Secretary will maintain a communications channel for the distribution of documents and reports and discussion between members of the Executive Council.
4.2.11 The Executive Council may pass resolutions and make decisions in between meetings where a matter is time-sensitive.
4.3 Responsibilities of members of the Executive Council
4.3.1 Attend meetings or provide apologies.
4.3.2 Review all reports and materials tabled for discussion.
4.3.3 Be available for discussion and decision-making on urgent matters that arise in between scheduled meetings of the Executive Council.
4.4 Preselection Panel
4.4.1 The Preselection Panel shall consist of 3 members appointed by the Executive Council.
4.4.2 The role of the Preselection Panel is to recruit, appraise, and vet potential candidates to stand for public office on behalf of the Party.
4.4.3 In the lead-up to an election for public office, the Preselection Panel is charged with making recommendations to the Executive Council regarding candidates that the Party should stand for election.
4.4.4 The Executive Council shall be responsible for determining the candidates preselected to stand for public office on behalf of the Party.
4.5 Local and issue-based campaign committees
4.5.1 Local or issue-based campaign committees can be set up by a group of members either at the behest of or with the permission of the Campaign Director.
4.5.2 Local or issue-based campaign committees can, in collaboration with the Campaign Director, develop their own campaign initiatives, while at the same time working to assist in implementing the overall campaign priorities of the Party.
4.6 Special Party Meetings
4.6.1 In the event of there being a particular issue that Party members wish to discuss, a Special Party Meeting may be called by the Executive.
4.6.2 A member or group of members may petition the Executive to call such a meeting.
5. Internal groupings
Internal organisations, tendencies, caucuses, groupings, and factions are permitted and have rights within the Party.
It is to be expected that such groupings will exist in a socialist party, and the Party has no explicit or implicit criticism of the existence of internal groupings.
5.1 Conditions
Internal groupings are an accepted part of Party life under the following conditions:
5.1.1 They are declared. Any group of members who wish to access the rights of an internal grouping must notify the Secretary and give a general outline of the parameters of the group. It is not necessary to provide a list of Party members who are members, sympathisers, or otherwise aligned to the grouping.
5.1.2 A grouping which has been external to the Party that wishes (in part or in total) to join the Party must declare themselves prior to their supporters seeking membership.
5.1.3 The Executive Council has the right to accept or reject an external grouping’s request to obtain membership of the Party.
5.1.4 Failure of an external grouping to declare itself prior to joining the Party can reasonably be considered an act of bad faith resulting in supporters of that grouping being ejected from the Party.
5.1.5 Members of other VEC Registered Political Parties (RPPs), or aligned groupings, or organisations attempting to attain RPP status in Victoria, are not permitted to join or continue membership of the Party.
5.1.6 Members of other political parties registered federally with the AEC who stand candidates in seats contested by Victorian Socialists, or groupings aligned to such parties, are not eligible to join or continue membership of the Party.
5.2 Rights
Internal groupings have the following rights:
5.2.1. To promote their views to the membership of the Party, using their own resources, plus the official avenues for debate and discussion in the Party such as the internal discussion section of the website and at conferences and leadership meetings, and members’ meetings.
5.2.2. To promote their views outside of the Party.
5.2.3. To use commonly-held Party resources, such as Party offices, to hold meetings of their grouping, and to distribute material advocating the views of their grouping. The holding of events in Party spaces by internal groupings such as meetings, reading groups, activist committees, working bees etc. are permitted, so long as they do not conflict with broader Party events or priorities as determined by the Secretary.
5.2.4. To enter into agreements with the Party regarding the sharing of any resources, insofar as this is in the interests of the Party as a whole.
5.2.5. There is no requirement for internal groupings to dissolve other than in circumstances where the Party considers the grouping to have put itself outside the Party by in either theory or practice rejecting the aims of the Party, or acting against the interests of the Party.
6. Parliamentarians and Councillors
6.1 Where a Party Member is successfully elected to a seat in either a state or federal parliament, or as a councillor in a Local Government Area (LGA), that member is obliged to vote in accordance with the positions and directives of the Party.
6.2 Party Members elected to a state or federal parliament shall be subject to the specific direction of a “Parliamentary Committee” appointed by the Executive Council, and to the Executive Council itself.
6.3 Party members elected as a Councillor in an LGA are subject to the direction of the Party. The precise method of oversight will be determined by the Executive Council in coordination with the Secretary.
6.3 The Party does not give its members the right to exercise a conscience vote.
6.4 Upon successful election, all Victorian Socialist parliamentarians must donate any part of their salary that exceeds a regular public sector wage (for example that of a nurse or a teacher) to a special fund established to assist community campaigns and workers’ industrial struggles.
6.5 Due to the public role that elected politicians occupy, Party members in such positions will be under a particular obligation to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the aims of the Party, and in a way that ensures that the Party is not brought into disrepute.
7. Conduct of Elections
7.1 In the lead up to a Party Conference a Returning Officer shall be appointed by the Secretary.
7.2 The Returning Officer shall be responsible for the conduct of elections in the lead-up to and at a Party Conference.
7.3 Elections to the offices of Secretary, Treasurer, Campaign Director and Communications Director shall be determined separately in accordance with a single-candidate-elected optional preferential system.
7.4 Election to the positions of Ordinary Member to the Executive Council shall be determined on a multi-candidate-elected quota basis in accordance with an optional preferential system.
7.5 Nominees for any Officer position shall have been a continuous Financial Member of the Party for not less than 6-months preceding the submission of the nomination;
7.6 A Member may not nominate for more than one Officer position.
8. Expulsion and sanction
8.1 A member may be expelled or sanctioned by the Executive Council, or by Conference.
8.2 Sanctioning may involve censure, suspension, curtailment of certain membership rights, imposition of conditions on membership, or other measures determined by the Executive Council or Conference.
8.3 The Secretary has the right to suspend a member, pending a further determination of action by the Executive Council.
8.4 Members facing expulsion or sanction have the right to natural justice.
8.5 Bona Fide members of Victorian Socialists, who genuinely agree with the aims of the Party, and who have not acted in any fundamental way against the Party, have the right to continue being members.
8.6 Notwithstanding 8.5, the Party reserves the right to expel or sanction any member for:
a) Gaining membership of the Party by deceit
b) Providing aid to opponents of the Party
c) Acting counter to the aims of the Party, or its Constitution
d) Bringing the Party into disrepute
8.7 Members expelled or sanctioned by the Executive Council have the right:
a) to move to overturn their expulsion or sanction at a Party Conference, at which they will, in the session determining their membership status, be given the status of a member in good standing, except in extreme circumstances which have to be agreed by the conference by a two-thirds majority vote to be of an extraordinary nature.
b) to solicit support for a petition of Members to call a Party Conference to overturn their expulsion or sanction.
c) to submit a document in their defence that will be made available to Members.
9. Grievance Procedure
9.1 Where a Party Member or Party Members hold/s serious concerns about the behaviour of another Member of the Party, they may raise this concern with the Secretary.
9.2 Concerns or grievances thus raised shall set out the issue.
9.3 Upon receipt of such a complaint or concern, the Secretary will, if appropriate, establish an investigation into the matter or cause it to be investigated by a body established for same.
9.4 At the conclusion of an investigation, the Secretary or other investigative body will submit a report to the Executive Council for ratification and consideration of further action.
9.5 If the Secretary or any member of the Executive Council is the subject of the complaint, an investigation will be conducted by an independent body appointed by the Executive Council. The subject of a complaint will recuse themselves from all discussions and decisions pertaining to the complaint. Any such appointed body should have regard not only for avoiding actual conflict of interest, but also the appearance of conflict of interest.
9.6 A complainant or subject in this process has the right to appeal any decision to the next Party Conference, even where the disciplinary action involved was expulsion.
9.7 At all times during the investigation process the following principles will be applied:
a) Natural justice / procedural fairness.
b) All allegations against the subject of the investigation will be presented to the subject of the investigation and an opportunity to respond will be provided.
c) All relevant documentation will be provided to both the complainant and the subject of the investigation, unless there is a compelling reason why such documents should remain confidential.
d) Decision-making will be free from bias and the reasonable perception of bias.
10. Constitution
10.1 The Constitution of the Victorian Socialists may only be amended by a 2/3 majority at a properly constituted Party Conference.
11. Dissolution
11.1 The Party may be dissolved by a Special Party Meeting convened for this purpose.
11.2 If the Party has properly determined to dissolve itself, the Secretary must take immediate steps to distribute all assets of the Party in a fair and reasonable manner. All such assets are to be allocated to any organisation having aims and objectives consistent with those of the Victorian Socialists.
11.3 The Party is not considered to be dissolved until such time as all assets are distributed in accordance with this Constitution.