To:

The Hon. Tony Abbott MHR; Leader of the Opposition

CC:

The Hon. Barry O'Farrell MP; Premier of NSW, Minister for Western Sydney

Senator Arthur Sinodinos AO; President of the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division)

Senator the Hon. Bill Heffernan

Mr Mark Neeham; State Director of the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division)

Dear Mr Abbott,

On 4 June 2012 you sent me a letter asking me to renew my membership of the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) for the 2012-2013 financial year. As a current member of the Young Liberal Movement I cannot in good conscience meet your request and encourage other party members to do the same. I cannot encourage other prospective members to join and get involved in the Liberal Party if the undemocratic, unconstitutional and unfair actions conducted of the Young Liberal Executive are allowed to continue.

Young Liberal Executive has:

- Made the determination to freeze entitlements for the purposes of the Young Liberal Council AGM to be as at 30 June 2011 and not the more practical 30 June 2012 cut-off.

- Failed to give 7 days clear notice to the Young Liberal Movement for the Young Liberal Council this coming Thursday.

- Conducted the Young Liberal Council AGM in a timetable that was never sighted by the NSW State Executive.

By calculating entitlements for Branch Delegates to Young Liberal Council to be based on Financial Members with Voting Rights as at 30 June 2011, Young Liberal Executive is disenfranchising hundreds of members who have joined since the March 2011 State Election and August 2010 Federal Election - every single person that has become a member of the Movement since the last AGM cannot actively take part in the AGM that is being pushed through by Young Liberal Executive.

The NSW Young Liberal President Simon Fontana issued a reminder on Sunday for 'Young Liberal Council Presidential Speeches' this Thursday. If this event is a Young Liberal Council then it is in breach of the constitution as it fails to give 7 days clear notice as required. if it is not a 'Young Liberal Council' and is instead simply a gathering for speeches then it is still unconstitutional as such acts are required to be heard at a Council of the Young Liberal Movement. Quite simply, how can you issue a reminder to a body for something which you did not give prior notice?

How can I be expected to respond to requests to renew my membership, assist in the Young Liberal Flying Squad, donate to the Party and get active in the Movement if I am not being afforded my democratic right to have a say and my Branch is being denied the right to participate?

I represent the age demographic that traditionally gravitates to the non-Liberal side of politics. How do you expect me to continue supporting the Liberal Party if Young Liberal Executive freezes entitlements as if the current year did not happen at all?

Our leaders need to be aware that there is an attempt to disenfranchise a large membership of the Young Liberal Movement.

I ask that you intervene to ensure that we have fair process in the Young Liberal Movement by ensuring that the current Young Liberal Council is cancelled and a new one is reconvened in due course in accordance with the regulations in our constitution. 

Kind regards,