Branch organises 2025 Christmas Hamper Appeal

Members of the Annerley Branch recently got behind the annual Micah Projects Christmas Hamper Appeal, by once again donating much needed funds and food items. The Christmas Hamper Appeal is an annual tradition that brings people together to support members of our community who are doing it tough. For many years, Micah Projects has partnered with schools, community groups, businesses and individuals to bring festive cheer to the families and individuals they support.

Annerley Labor has been proud to have supported the appeal every year, and this year was no exception with not only a donation of funds to help purchase items, but also a collection of food items to help put together the hundreds of hampers that are distributed by volunteers on Christmas Eve.

This year, Federal Member for Griffith, Renee Coffey and State MP, Barbara O’Shea (both pictured) were on hand to help hand over this years donation.

Annerley Labor supports CSIRO petition

The Annerley Branch has expressed its strong support behind the CPSU petition calling on the federal government for additional CSIRO funding to save jobs that have been targeted to be cut.

Since the petition was launched, the Albanese government announced that the CSIRO will receive an additional $233 million in funding, but will still proceed with up to 350 job cuts indicated last month.

The CSIRO Staff Association, a part of the CPSU, has stated that they “will continue to advocate for a permanent increase to CSIRO’s funding to secure the future of the CSIRO, its work and its staff”.

“Unfortunately, CSIRO scientists across the country are still heading into Christmas not knowing if their job and research will be next to go under the announced cuts, but this investment must save jobs”.

The Branch has conveyed its support of the CPSU petition to the Federal Science Minister, Senator Ayres..

Seasons Greetings!

With 2026 almost here, the Annerley Branch would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe, prosperous and Happy New Year. We look forward to continue working with everyone within the Australian Labor Party, the labour movement and our local community to make our World a more sustainable, liveable, caring and compassionate plave to live.

The 60th ALP State Conference wrapped up recently, cementing a number of important policy platform changes as Queensland Labor prepares for the 2028 state election.

The Conference, the first since the election loss last year, was an important opportunity to amend the state platform since it last met in 2023. In addition to a wide range of policy changes, several key resolutions were also adopted by delegates.

Some of the big-ticket items receiving support included:
• establishing a State-owned insurer to better protect regional Queenslanders who are at greater risk from natural disasters.
• committing Labor to truth in political advertising reform.
• ensuring that the Labor Party invests in recruiting and retaining young women.
• opposing the sale of government assets and any outsourcing of public health services,
• supporting Queensland state school teachers and the QTU campaign for an agreement that provides for safe and fair workplaces, addresses the teacher shortage crisis and provides salary increases that value the profession.
• recognising the increasing risks to teachers and other staff from occupational violence and harassment
• expanding TAFE in regional and rural areas, as well as recognising the importance of a quality arts education.
• supporting paramedics to receive an increased superannuation rate.
• exploring an expanded workers’ compensation scheme for health workers.
• recognising housing as a human right.
• strengthening penalties for real estate agents that do the wrong thing by tenants.
• committing to reversing the LNP’s shameful attacks on people living in public housing.
• supporting stronger regulation of AI to protect workers’ rights.
• standing in solidarity with Torres Strait Islanders in their fight against climate change.
• recognising wildlife carers and supporting their work.
• committing to a just transition to a renewable energy future.
• ensuring water security measures consider climate change.
• supporting the rights of intersex people to bodily agency, self-determination, and autonomy.
• calling for the urgent expansion of the rollout of full-sized, fully enclosed driver safety barriers on the public bus network,
• ensure culturally and linguistically diverse Queenslanders have the right to an interpreter when accessing government services.
• commiting to a youth justice system that is focussed on early intervention and is culturally appropriate, particularly for young First Nations people.
• calling on the federal government to ensure aid flows to Gaza and to pressure Israel to stop using starvation as a weapon of war.
• making it easier for regional Queenslanders to access the care they need, including voluntary assisted dying.

The Conference also adopted a resolution commiting to further Party reform, the first for over a decade, with a view to making the Queensland ALP more democratic, participatory and transparent. The process to transform the State Branch into a mass-based political organisation will commence in 2026. Part of the reform process will be further overhauling the platform by making it election ready, reflecting Labor values and

The 2026 ALP State Conference will be held August in Brisbane.