PRIME MINISTER THE HON.

TONY ABBOTT MP

PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES THE HON. BARRY OFARRELL

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

REFORM OF THE NSW DIVISION OF THE LIBERAL PARTY
Strengthening our party is vital to the future of our organisation and the future ability of the party to provide good government for the state and for the nation. We must ensure that the Liberal Party in NSW has an organisational structure that supports a greater say for members, improves connections to the community, and motivates a wider base of people to actively engage with the party in candidate selection and policy debate. To continue the process of reform, the State Executive has agreed to immediately establish a Reform Blueprint Expert Panel of senior party leaders who will examine the party's processes for preselection of candidates. The Hon John Howard OM AC has been appointed as Chair of the Expert Panel. The Hon Philip Ruddock MP, Mrs Chris McDiven AM and the Hon Dr David Kemp will be the other members of the Expert Panel. The Expert Panel will deliver a blueprint for reform to State Executive and State Council in March/April 2014, after which the members of the Expert Panel will spend a period of months engaging with party members and conducting regional forums to discuss their reform proposals. It is our hope that this process will culminate in a proposal for constitutional change being brought to State Council by the end of the third quarter of 2014. There is no person better placed to lead this process of reform than the Hon John Howard OM AC, Australia's greatest Prime Minister since Sir Robert Menzies. 23 November 2013

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