On Saturday 26 May 2007, a senior Australian Labor International Projects team delivered targeted training on political campaigning strategies to representatives of Timor-Leste’s major political parties.

Date:  19 July 2007

The program, delivered under the Australian Political Parties for Democracy (APPD) scheme, continues Labor’s record of practical support to Timor Leste’s political parties in the lead up to the June 2007 legislative elections. The seminar was open to all the major parties contesting the elections. A number of non-partisan observers were also present.

Led by George Thompson, Chief of Staff to former federal Labor Leader Kim Beazley, the Australian Labor team represented decades of experience in state and federal politics; from grassroots campaigning to high-level strategy. Also on the program were Gavin Ryan, from the Office of Senator Gavin Marshall, Neville Conway, Campaign Manager for Kevin Rudd’s Griffith Electorate Office and Jim Chalmers, former Principal Political Adviser and Senior Strategist to Kim Beazley, and now general manager of CPR Brisbane.

The program focused on the fundamentally democratic process of the political campaign. The campaign is the process that energises party structures and brings meaning to policy debates. The training featured strategies for building strong and disciplined campaign teams, organising volunteers, contrasting approaches to campaign strategy and tactics, messaging and values, and political communication.

The participants reported that the dividends of long-term cooperation between the Australian Labor and Timorese parties would be greater knowledge and exchange and the strengthening of parties in both countries.

Providing technical assistance on campaigning strategies is a crucial framework for our engagement with Timor Leste and other recipient countries. Through Labor’s International projects, we will continue to observe developments in Timor Leste politics and assist Timor Leste’s parties as they strive for better outcomes for their people.