MY FELLOW LIBERALS

HISTORY DOES NOT REPEAT ITSELF. HISTORY IS MADE.

IN THE LAST YEAR, THE LIBERAL PARTY HAS SEEN A LOSS OF PARLIAMENTARY SEATS AS WELL AS GOVERNMENT.  THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME, THIS WILL NOT BE THE LAST TIME. BUT LET US RESOLVE TO NEVER AGAIN LOSE TO SUCH A CONTEMPTIBLE MOB.

IN 1952 THE PARTY LOOKED AT WHAT COMPRISED ITS CORE PRINCIPLES. SIR WILLIAM ANDERSON, IN HIS ADDRESS “THE LIBERAL WAY” SAID THE PARTY HAD A DUAL RESPONSIBILITY, THE FIRST WAS TO REMAIN STEADFAST TO THE VALUES OF LIBERALISM AND THE SECOND TO DEVOTE ALL OUR ENERGIES TO FIGHT FOR THESE VALUES IN OUR NATION.

IF THESE PRINCIPLES ARE STILL RELEVANT THAN I BELIEVE WE NEED TO BE: CAMPAIGN READY, REPRESENTATIVE, AND DEMONSTRATE INTEGRITY.

INTEGRITY HAS TWO PURPOSES.

THE FIRST ARE THE PRINCIPLES ON WHICH THE PARY WAS FORMED.  MENZIES WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY LEADERS AND THEIR ORGANISATIONS MET AND ESTABLISHED THE PARTY AS A COMMUNITY

IT WAS ALWAYS CONSIDERED THE REPSONSIBILITY FOR THE ‘GRASS ROOTS’, TO BRING THE COMMUNITY’S CONCERNS INTO THE PARTY.

THE SECOND WAS TO PRESENT TO THE COMMUITY AS AN ORGANISATION WITH INGERITY.  AN ORGANISATION THAT IS WORTHY OF MEMBERSHIP, OF BEING ASSOCIATED WITH.

IT MEANS OPERATING WITH RELEVANCY, A STRUCTURE THAT ADDRESSES COMMUNITY CONCERNS.  THIS REQUIRS A WELL ADMINISTERED PARTY THAT GETS THINGS DONE.

THE ORIGINAL PARTY CONSTITUTION HAD SIX PAGES.  HAS ANYONE ELSE HERE NOTICED THAT THE MORE PAGES WE ADD TO OUR CONSTITUTION THE WORSE WE SEEM TO DO?

IT FOCUSED ON BRANCHES THEN STATE COUNCIL.  LONG BEFORE TWITTER THIS DIVISION WAS ORGANISED SO THAT BETWEEN STATE COUNCIL PAPERS BEING DELIVERED AND THE MEETING BRANCHES WOULD CONVENE.  THIS IS HOW SIR JOHN CARRICK ADMINSITERED THE DIVISION.  

THE PARTY’S GRASS ROOTS HAD A REAL ROLE.

PARLIAMENTARIANS AND DELEGATES MET TO DEBATE POLICY IDEAS AT THE JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON POLICY.  THE PARLIAMENTARY PARTY HAS ALWAYS HAD THE FINAL SAY ON POLICY, BUT NEVER ACTED WITHOUT EXPLANATION.

IT WAS REPRESENTATION WITH INTEGRITY.

CAMPAIGN READY IS ABOUT SKILLS AND REPRESENTATIONAL PRINCIPLES.  THESE BRING VOLUNTEERS, THE COMMUNITY AND THE CANDIDATES AND EVERYTHIG ELSE CAMPAIGNS REQUIRE.

DEFEATS DO NOT JUST BRING CRISIS, THEY ALSO BRING OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND ADAPT.

IF YOU THINK THIS IS BAD, LET ME TAKE YOU BACK TO A DARK TIME – I SPEAK OF THE 1970S.  I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING, IT SOUNDS DYSTOPIAN.  BACK THEN IF YOU WANTED TO KNOW WHO WAS CALLING YOU ON THE PHONE, YOU HAD TO ANSWER IT.

AUSTRALIA HAD JUST ENDURED THREE YEARS OF AN ENLIGHTENED PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT – THE WHITLAM GOVERNMENT.

WE WEREN’T AS DIVIDED BACK THEN.  WE WERE ALL UNITED IN OPPOSITION TO GOUGH.  INFLATION WAS HIGH, EMPLOYMENT WAS LOW AND HOPE WAS NOWHERE.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT, DON’T WORRY UNDER ALBO YOU WILL SOON.

IN THE UNITED STATES ONLY 18 PER CENT OF PEOPLE IDENTIFIED AS REPUBLICANS.  

AT THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION, GERALD FORD, HAVING JUST BEEN NOMINATED, LOOKED OUT ON THE CROWD AND SEES AN OUT OF WORK 65 YEAR OLD ACTOR AND BECKONED HIM TO THE STAGE.

THAT NIGHT RONALD REAGAN GAVE A SPEECH FOR THE AGES.  HE ENDED BY SAYING THAT THIS IS THE CHALLENGE EACH OF US IN THIS HALL FACE.  WE GOT STOP TALKING TO OURSELVES ABOUT OURSELVES AND LEAVE HERE MORE UNITED THAN EVER BEFORE.  AND TELL THE PEOPLE THAT WE MAY BE FEWER IN NUMBER THAN WE HAVE EVER BEEN BUT WE HAVE THE MESSAGE THAT THEY ARE SO DESPERATELY WANTING TO HEAR.

THREE YEARS LATER, MARGARET THATCHER, REAGAN THEN WINS 44 OUT OF 50 STATES, INFLATION WAS BEATEN, EMPLOYMENT ROSE, HOPE RETURNED, PROSPERITY SPREAD, THE COLD WAR ENDED AND FRANCIS FUKUMA DECLARED THE END OF HISTORY BECAUSE LIBERAL DEMOCRACIES HAD WON.

I WONDER IF THOSE PEOPLE LISTENING TO RONALD REAGAN THAT NIGHT REALISED THAT IN LESS THAN 15 SHORT YEARS THE WORLD WOULD CHANGE FOREVER?

REAGAN AND THATCHER KNEW THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE.  THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE WAS TO MAKE IT.  

TOGETHER I THINK WE CAN DO THE SAME