A new branch of the ALP in the ACT is being formed with more flexible meeting times, on the of the conveners said yesterday (saty). The branch would be Braddon Central and the administrative committee of the ACT branch council is to look at a full submission on the formation of the branch on September 15, according to Peter Conway who is co-convener with Warwick Priestly and Pat O’Connor of the Dickson branch.
Mr Conway said the traditional late evening meetings did not suit many people. A doorknock around the Braddon area said different times would suit retired people and people with families and would result in more people joining the party. He hoped one monthly meeting could be at breakfast time, the next at lunch and the next two at 6pm or 6.30pm and then cycle.
Mr Conway said he was confident the new branch with flexible meeting times would be approved.
“”The traditional 8pm meeting doesn’t suit a lot of people,” he said. Also, many guest speakers were reluctant to come at that time. With breakfast and lunch meetings, there would be greater opportunity to attract people for fund raisers.
The ACT branch has between 20 and 30 branches, the great majority dominated by the left. Just how a branch with different more flexible meetings times would affect a left-right balance is uncertain. Perhaps it would work against the hard-line, committed left-wing of the party whose members would turn out no matter how inflexible or inconvenient the meeting times. With more flexible meeting times their numbers might be diluted.