Editing Australian Labor Party (section)

=== National executive and secretariat ===
The [[Australian Labor Party National Executive]] is the party's chief administrative authority, subject only to Labor's [[Australian Labor Party National Conference|national conference]]. The executive is responsible for organising the triennial national conference; carrying out the decisions of the conference; interpreting the national constitution, the national platform and decisions of the national conference; and directing federal members.<ref name="Australian Labor Party-2015">{{cite web|title=ALP National Platform 2011. |url=http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/australianlaborparty/pages/121/attachments/original/1365135867/Labor_National_Platform.pdf?1365135867 |website=Australian Labor Party |access-date=9 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923182841/http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/australianlaborparty/pages/121/attachments/original/1365135867/Labor_National_Platform.pdf?1365135867 |archive-date=23 September 2015  }}</ref>

The party holds a national conference every three years, which consists of delegates representing the state and territory branches (many coming from affiliated trade unions, although there is no formal requirement for unions to be represented at the national conference). The national conference decides the party's platform, elects the national executive and appoints office-bearers such as the national secretary, who also serves as national campaign director during elections. The current national secretary is [[Paul Erickson (trade unionist)|Paul Erickson]].
The head office of the ALP, the national secretariat, is managed by the national secretary. It plays a dual role of administration and a national campaign strategy. It acts as a permanent secretariat to the national executive by managing and assisting in all administrative affairs of the party. As the national secretary also serves as national campaign director during elections, it is also responsible for the national campaign strategy and organisation.