Young Liberal Movement Structure

An Introduction to YLM Structure

Membership of the Young Liberal Movement is open to young people between 16 and 30 years of age.

Young Liberal Branches exist in all areas of rural and metropolitan Victoria.

The Victorian YL State Executive is composed of a President, three Vice Presidents, (Policy, Administrative and Development), a Finance Director and 8 elected Executive members. The State Executive is the administrative wing of the Movement.

The Policy Committee, which is chaired by the Policy Vice President, has an elected Deputy Chairman, and 7 elected members. The main role of the Committee is to formulate detailed policy papers for discussion and debate. Each member of Policy Committee is also responsible for encouraging policy development within the branches.

Movement Council is our peak policy making forum and is the body which annually elects the officebearers of the Movement Executive and Policy Committee. Movement Council also considers amendments to the Young Liberal By-Laws.

Each Young Liberal Branch of 10 or more members elects three delegates to attend Movement Council, the governing body of the Young Liberal Movement in Victoria. Each Young Liberal Branch with 20 or more members is entitled to elect two extra delegates for the Movement Council. In addition to this, each Young Liberal Branch of 20 or more members elects two delegates, (one male, one female) to attend the State Council of the Liberal Party. These two State Council delegates are automatically Movement Council delegates.

Both the State Executive and Policy Committee are elected by the members of the Movement Council and are accounable to it.

Although the basic structure of the Victorian YLM is set out in the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Victoria, there exists a set of By-Laws which further govern the conduct of the Young Liberal Movement and its branches.

Young Liberals are actively represented at all levels of the General Party. Apart from Young Liberal Branch delegates to State Council, the President of the Movement is an ex-officio member of the Administrative Committee and the Policy Assembly of the Liberal Party, and four additional positions are reserved on the Policy Assembly of the Liberal Party for Young Liberals. Electorate Councils include Young Liberal representatives, and Young Liberals have full representation on Pre-Selection Conventions. Movement Council also elects a delegate to the Central Council of the Women's Section of the Victorian Liberal Party.


Young Liberal Branches

The Young Liberal Movement, like the Victorian Liberal Party, is based upon many individual branches geographically based throughout the State. Between October 15 and December 15 each year, each Branch is required to hold an Annual General Meeting to elect its officebearers for the following 12 months. All financial members of a branch are entitled to vote and stand for office at an Annual General Meeting.

Committee Positions

At its Annual General Meeting, each Branch elects:

  • a President
  • a Male Vice President
  • a Female Vice President
  • a Secretary
  • a Treasurer and

Most branches also elect:

  • a Political Convenor
  • a Membership Convenor
  • a Social Convenor and
  • a Sporting Convenor.

to co-ordinate that Branch's activities in each respective area.

Barring extraordinary circumstances, Committee members hold office until the following Annual General Meeting.

Delegateships

Branch delegates to various bodies are also elected at the AGM. Branch Members, generally need to have been members of the YLM for 3 months to be elected delegates of the various fora.

Each Branch with over 10 members elects:

  1. Three primary delegates to the YL Movement Council. (1 Male, 1 Female, 1 Either)

Each Branch with over 20 members elects:

  1. Two secondary delegates to the Young Liberal Movement Council
  2. Two State Council delegates (one male and one female)
  3. Four delegates to the local Federal Electorate Council (two male and two female)
  4. Four delegates to the local State Electorate Council (two male & two female)
  5. Four delegates to the local State Province Electorate Council (two male & two female)
  6. One delegate to the local Area Finance Committee

Barring extraordinary circumstances, Branch delegates take office on the 1 January following their election, for a twelve month period

Movement Council

Membership

  • 3 Delegates from each Young Liberal Branch or 5 delegates if 20+ members
  • 4 Delegates from Policy Assembly (who are not YL's)
  • Members of State Executive
  • Members of Policy Committee
  • 2 Delegates from Central Council Women's Sections
  • Leader of the State Parliamentary Party or his/her representative
  • Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Party or his/her representative
  • Immediate Past President of the Victorian YLM
  • All Victorian Federal YLM Officebearers

Duties

The governing body of the Movement, Movement Council, debates policy resolutions and is also responsible for the establishment of rules to guide the activities and affairs of the Movement. At its Annual General Meeting, usually held in November, Movement Council elects the State Executive and Policy Committee and also 5 delegates to the Federal Council of the Young Liberal Movement of Australia who, together with the 6 State Presidents, meet in January each year to elect the YLM Federal President and Vice President.

Quorum: One quarter of eligible delegates


State Executive

Membership

  • State President elected by & from Movement Council
  • 3 Vice-Presidents (Administrative, Development and Policy) elected by & from Movement Council
  • Finance Director elected by & from Movement Council
  • 8 Members elected by & from Movement Council

Duties

General administration and management of the activities and affairs of the Movement, other than policy formulation, subject to direction of Movement Council

Quorum: 7

Standing Committee

State President

The most important officebearer of the Movement, the State President is the YLM's public face. The State President is a member of the Party's Administrative Committee, the Joint Standing Committee on State Policy, Policy Assembly, the Young Liberal Federal Council and Federal Executive and the State By-Laws Committee and Policy Committee. The State President chairs State Executive and Movement Council and is responsible for the proper administration of the Movement.

Policy Vice President

The Policy Vice President (PVP) is regarded as the most senior Movement officebearer after the State President. The PVP is responsible for the administration of the 'policy' portfolio, namely the generation and debate of policy and the organisation of political events and activities. The PVP is Chairman of Policy Committee and the Agenda Committee and is a member of the Federal Young Liberal Policy Committee.

Development Vice President

The Development Vice President (DVP) is responsible for the membership of the Movement - the Movement's advertising campaign, seeking new members, chasing up renewals, overseeing the establishment of new branches and the closing down of ineffective branches. The DVP monitors the development of branches and assists in certain branch administrative affairs.

Administrative Vice President

The Administrative Vice President (AVP) is responsible for organising the Movement's state sporting and social calendar - The Young Liberal Sporting Competition and major events such as the Commencement Function and the Young Liberal Ball. The AVP also produces the Commencement Report and the Annual Report of the Young Liberal Movement to mark the beginning and the end of each YL year.

Finance Director

The Finance Director (FD) is responsible for keeping the Movement's financial records in order. The FD liaises with the other Senior Officebearers at the beginning of each year to produce a State Budget and tries to keep the Executive on track. The FD puts together the YLM's Annual Financial Statement for the State Secretariat.


Other State Executive portfolios

The 8 General Executive members elected at the AGM are each allocated convenorships by the State President for the duration of the year.

Political Convenor:

Is responsible for the running of the Movement's political events and political education of the general membership. The Political Convenor reports directly to the Policy Vice-President.

Sporting Convenor:

Responsible for the organisation and running of all Young Liberal sporting events, reports to the Administrative Vice President.

Social Convenor:

Responsible for the organisation and running of all Young Liberal social functions at State level, reports to Administrative Vice-President.

Branch Development Convenors:

Responsible for the development of branches and the assistance of branches in need. Report to Development Vice-President.

Communications Convenor:

A new position on State Executive in 1999. Is Responsible for media releases, the internet presence and any other external communication. Reports directly to the president.

Libleader Editor (Can be Off-Executive)

Is responsible for the preparation of the Young Liberal Movement's monthly magazine. This convenor reports directly to the President.

Other portfolios and responsibilities may be assigned as need arises.


Policy Committee

Membership

  • Policy Vice-President (Chairman)
  • A Deputy Chairman elected by Movement Council
  • Movement State President
  • 7 Members elected by Movement Council

Duties

To review new and existing policy for consideration by Movement Council. To oversee Movement policy development and ensure as far as possible, that Movement Council debates as wide a range of issues as possible. The by-laws also give the Policy Committee the task of reviewing the Movement Council Agenda and suggesting changes to movers of motions.

Quorum: 5


Agenda Committee

Membership

  • Policy Vice-President (Chairman)
  • Deputy Chairman of Policy Committee
  • 4 Members elected by & from Movement Council

Duties

To establish the Agenda of Debate for Movement Council.

Quorum: 3


By-laws Committee

Membership

  • Movement State President (or Nominee)
  • 4 Members elected by & from Movement Council

Duties

Responsible for keeping an up to date set of the By-Laws and distributing them to interested members of the Movement. Acts as a focus for the discussion of the By-Laws and potential changes thereof.

Quorum: 3