ACT Branch Update

Following the open forum with members (our own 2009 Summit!) earlier this year, the ACT branch has identified key focus areas for the next year. The objective was to set an agenda for the branch that ensured we engaged better with members and the community. From a wide range of suggestions the branch will focus on the following:

Trial daytime meetings

ACT will run a trial of a daytime meeting at lunchtime, especially in winter, with a social activity (morning or afternoon tea) and update on Branch activities. This will be in addition to the regular monthly meeting and aims to provide an alternative for members who for various reasons are unable to attend night-time meetings. The date for the first daytime meeting will be Tuesday 17 June.

Speakers at meetings

We plan to have speakers at alternate monthly meetings, with the first of our guests being Professor John Molony, talking on republicanism in Ireland and Australia at the 5 May meeting. Other speakers are being lined up for later months, including the ACT Liberal Opposition Leader, Zed Seselja, who recently joined the ARM.

ACT election in October and ACT politicians (including federal)

A small group from the Branch will work to get across ARM views to ACT election candidates. The group will meet candidates, conduct a survey of candidates and write to the ACT Chief Minister expressing our desire to have solid progress towards a republic. It will also seek the views of ACT election candidates and encourage them to declare their support for the republic.

Foster ARM activities in the local region

The branch aims to engage communities in areas of regional NSW, close to the ACT, such as Queanbeyan, Goulburn, Yass, Cooma, and Batemans Bay. It was agreed that initially we focus on Queanbeyan, with the aim of establishing an active republican group in that city by the end of the year.  It was decided as a first step to set up a community meeting in Queanbeyan, in conjunction with local federal MP Mike Kelly and state MP Steve Whan . The aim would be to attract the interest of local republicans and support them in establishing a forum in the city.

In addition to these initiatives, the ACT branch is also referring the following member suggestions to the National Committee for consideration:

• ACT input into national activities – establish contacts list within the federal Ministry and among staff in Parliament House
• ARM to compile list of politician and CEO of companies who were prepared to be champions and named as supporters on ARM website
• Actions on students to include TAFE students
• ACT Branch support for National Office – additional support for volunteers ,for example, paying for parking and setting up a telephone tree to get information around quickly; working bees out of the office to members’ homes (less distance to travel; easier to park; etc).

Terry Fewtrell

ACT Convenor