Campaign Committee

Scope

1. The Constitution of the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria provides for the establishment of an Electoral and Continuous Campaigning Committee in Section 53. This By-law governs the operation of that Committee.

Functions

2. The name of the Committee shall be the Campaign Committee, but it may also be cited as the Electoral and Continuous Campaigning Committee.

3. The functions of the Campaign Committee include those set out in the Constitution, as follows:

   ℹ️Constitution Extract

   53.1. Reporting to State Council, the formulation of state-wide AGVAustralian Greens Victoria electoral and continuous campaigning policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do and the management of its application will be the responsibility of the Electoral and Continuous Campaigning Committee created as a Standing Committee of State Council under this Chapter. 53.2. The Electoral and Continuous Campaigning Committee is responsible for:

   1. developing electoral and continuous campaigning policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do with state-wide cover for local government and state parliamentary elections, and managing such campaigns;
   2. liaising with regional electoral and continuous campaigning committees and Branches to facilitate the goals of this Chapter;
   3. collaborating with relevant Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) bodies to develop national electoral and continuous campaigning policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do;
   4. reporting to State Council on all other matters referred to it by State Council;

4. Without limiting the operation of clause 3 above, the Committee is responsible for the general management of electoral and related campaigns within the resources allocated to it by State Council or otherwise; and for the implementation of:

   1. Applicable decisions of State Council regarding State electoral and related campaign matters;

   2. Applicable decisions of Branches and Regions and of State Council in respect of local government elected and related campaigns;

   3. Applicable decisions of State Council and the Australian Greensthe Australian Greens (The Greens) Incorporated, incorporated under the *Associations Incorporation Act 1991* (ACT) with association number A02626 in respect of national electoral and related campaigns;

   but not so as to give it control over the resources of any other Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) body.

5. The Committee must recommend to State Council for adoption, a Campaign Strategy Statement, of no more than 500 words, that covers a nominated prospective period, and which is to include (but need not be limited to):

   1. Strategic objectives;

   2. priority policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do issues;

   3. the general approach to the content and method of campaigning;

   4. approaches to organisational and communication questions;

   5. Lessons from past experience; and

   6. How the strategy will maximise the participation of party members.

6. Wherever State Council adopts a campaign Strategy Statement, the campaign Committee must in performing its functions be guided by that Statement, or if it departs from that guidance, must note that in its minutes and report this to the next State Council.

7. Prior to the expiry of the period covered by a campaign strategy statement, the Committee must recommend and present to State Council a further Strategy Statement.

8. Except on a pro-tem basis with the approval of the State Executive, and subject to such conditions as the State Executive may prescribe in any circumstance, the Campaign Committee may only authorise expenditure pursuant to a budget approved by State Council, after its consideration by the Standing Committee responsible for Finance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, total expenditure may exceed that provided for in the budget provided that (and only provided that);

   1. the Standing Committee responsible for Finance, on the recommendation of the Treasurer; or the Executive; has approved this increase on the basis of a determining that there is sufficiently certain basis to increase a corresponding income or revenue budget line within the Committee’s budget; or

   2. the Executive has allocated other funds to cover the increase in expenditure.

9. When a budget has been approved by State Council, the Campaign Committee may amend the budget provided that the following conditions are met:

   1. there is no increase in total expenditure (except as provided for in 6 above);

   2. any proposal to reduce an allocation of the funds to be controlled by to any Branch, Regional Council, Branch-based or Region-based election campaign committee, as compared to the budget approved by State Council or any amended budget approved by the Committee, must not occur unless the Convenor or (if the Convenor appears to be unavailable) some other appropriate person from each of these bodies has been invited to the meeting and given the opportunity to be heard; and the reduction has then been then approved by the State Executive; and no such reduction shall have effect if any such body would be unable to meet its commitments solely because of such a reduction.

   3. Any such amendment is not contrary to any decision of State Council (other than the decision to adopt the budget itself)

10. Wherever it appears to the Convenor of the Campaign Committee or to the Treasurer, that in connection with an election, there will be significant additional funds available to spend on campaign related expenditure in connection with that election then, subject only to there being sufficient time available before the relevant election having regard to the urgency of making decisions, the Campaign Committee shall, prior to allocating such additional funds, the Convenor or (if the Convenor appears to be unavailable) some other appropriate person from each Branch, Regional Council, Branch-based or Region-based election campaign committee having responsibility for the conduct of a relevant election, shall been invited to any meeting which is to consider that allocation, and shall be given the opportunity to be heard.

11. In addition to any other obligations under this bylaw, the Campaign Committee must not less than once every four months, and;

    1. within ten days of the dissolution of the State or Federal Parliament (or a House thereof);

    2. between 4 and 6 weeks prior to a date on which local government elections are to be generally held across the state;

    hold a meeting of the Campaign Committee to which all the Convenors or (if the Convenor appears to be unavailable) some other appropriate person from each Branch, Regional Council, Branch-based or Region-based election campaign committee having responsibility for the conduct of a relevant election campaign shall been invited to that meeting. Such a meeting may be held in conjunction with any special meeting of State Council held because of the calling of an election.

12. The Campaign Committee is responsible for determining the pre-selection process for Senate pre-selection and for directing the implementation of that process. Moreover, the Campaign Committee has the responsibility to ensure that other party bodies are carrying out pre-selection decisions, and for settling the date by which such decisions must be taken. Where it appears that the situation requires it, the Campaign Committee may do any actthe Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 or thing necessary, or authorise a person to do any actthe Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 or thing to ensure that there is a candidate for a specific State or Commonwealth parliamentary election, in circumstances where:

    1. A decision has been made that the Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) is to have such a candidate;

    2. For any reason no candidate has been selected, or a candidate has been selected and for any reason is no longer to be the candidate; and

    3. Under the relevant procedures applicable, it is not reasonably practicable for the Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) to select a candidate, and the relevant Branches and campaign committees are consulted.

13. The Campaign Committee is responsible within its powers, for ensuring that campaign communication infrastructure is effective.

14. By force of this By-law, and subject to any specific decision made from time to time by State Council, State Council delegates its powers under Sections 56.1, 56.2, 56.5 and 56.8 (Preselection Processes), to the Campaign Committee.

Composition

15. The Campaign Committee shall in “full session” consist of:

    1. The Committee Convenor.¹

    2. Three general members elected for a term of up to two years which may be expressed as a period of time or as related to an event (for example, until two months after the next federal election), as determined by State Council from time to time (or in default of a decision, one year).

    3. The State Treasurer, or if the Executive so decides, the Assistant State Treasurer.

    4. One member each of the Parliamentary Membership of the party (if any) at State and Federal level nominated by each of the relevant party leaders or failing that agreed between the relevant (Victorian) members in each case; or a nominee of each State and Federal group of parliamentarians, for a term of office determined by the relevant parliamentary group, not being less than one year.

    5. A party member who is or has been a local government councillor, selected by the current Greens local government councillors, for a term of office decided by them, not being less than one year.

    6. The most senior staff memberState Director of the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria, who shall not have a vote.

    7. Up to three members nominated by the Campaign Committee from time to time (after general advertisement to party members), selected by the committee having regard to ensuring the inclusion on the committee of a balance of members with necessary expertise, knowledge or experience.

16. The persons holding office on the Campaign Committee under Clause 15, Part “d” above shall not have the right to vote if they are on the Campaign Committee in their capacity as a staff member of the party or a politician, and subject to direction in the performance of their work by the Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) or a politician.

17. Each of the following persons shall have the right to attend, and shall be advised of meeting times and agendas, if not otherwise a member of the Campaign Committee:

    1. The Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) Office Bearers

    2. The Convenor of the Policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do Committee

    3. Each of the nine members of State Council mentioned in Section 40.5 of the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria State Constitution.

    4. AGVAustralian Greens Victoria delegates to any national campaign committees or national campaign working groups

Campaign Management Team

1. The Campaign Committee may also meet in the form of the Campaign Management Committee, which shall consist of :

   1. The Convenor the Campaign Committee (or if the Convenor is unable to attend, they may nominate one of the two members of the Campaign Committee elected by State Council to attend in their place);

   2. The most senior member of the AGV staffState Director.

   3. Between 2 and 4 AGVAustralian Greens Victoria members appointed by the Campaign Committee from time to time.

2. The quorum for the Campaign Committee shall be at least half of its members.

3. The State Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) Convenor, if not otherwise a member, shall be entitled to be advised of a meeting of the Campaign Management Committee, and shall be entitled to attend or to appoint a member of the State Executive to attend in their place. The State Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) Treasurer shall be entitled to attend and advised of the time of meetings. The most senior member of the AGV staffState Director acts as the Secretary of the Campaign Management Committee.

4. The Campaign Management Committee shall have all the powers of the Full session Campaign Committee, except the following:

   1. Amending the Campaign Committee budget to increase total expected expenditure;

   2. Reducing the allocation in the budget to any Branch, Regional Council, Branch-based or Region-based election campaign committee having responsibility for the conduct of a relevant election;

   3. Acting in a manner inconsistent with an explicit decision or direction of the Campaign Committee;

   4. Exercising any of the delegated powers of State Council under Section 56 of the Constitution.

5. In performing their functions, each of the Campaign Committee (full session) and the Campaign Management Group shall be mindful of the intention of State Council in establishing these two bodies:

   1. In many circumstances, the day to day political pronouncements of the Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) are necessarily those of the Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1)’s elected representatives, and there should be maximum co-operation between the Committee and those representatives. Nevertheless, the campaign resources of the Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) should at all times be directed in support of positions consistent with Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do, and the Campaign Committee has a responsibility to ensure this is the case.

   2. The Campaign Committee’s (in full session) primary functions are the recommendation to State Council of overall strategy, ensuring that strategy is being implemented, amending strategy when necessary, financial compliance, budget management, selection of major contractors such as advertising agencies, proper governance, and effective communication within the Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1). While it will be required to exercise its political authority where controversy arises within the Partythe incorporated association referred to in clause 40(1) about day to day management issues, the Campaign Committee oversees but does not participate in the day to day management of Campaign issues. In light of this, it would be expected that the Campaign Committee would meet monthly, and more often during an election campaign period.

   3. The Campaign Management Group is responsible to the Campaign Committee in full session for making day-to decisions about the content of campaigns and the allocation of resources under the control of the Campaign Committee. It would be convened by the Campaign Committee Convenor whenever the need arises, and it would be expected to meet at least several times each week during an election campaign period. It must report all of its decisions to the Campaign Committee and these must be included in the minutes of the next Campaign Committee meeting. The Campaign Management Group can direct the day-to-day priorities of the Campaign Staff through the most senior staff memberState Director.

¹ The procedure for the election of the Convenor of the Campaign Committee is outlined in Clause 54.1 of the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria State Constitution and is a ballota secret ballot that uses a single transferable vote quota-preferential voting system, allows the option of not allocating further preferences, uses Robson Rotation, and provides an option of voting to ‘Seek Further Candidates’ of all members of the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria.

Modification History

Action	Body	Date
Approved	State Council	2012-06-23
Amended	State Council	2019-06-01
Amended	State Council	2019-10-02