Labor's rules authorise the formal method in which the leader is appointed.[2] Section K of the party's rules state that: "A ballot for Leader of the State Parliamentary Labor Party (SPLP) will be called if any of the following conditions are met:
- • a. a state general election loss
- • b. a casual vacancy where the leader resigns or becomes permanently unavailable
- • c. not less than 50% of members of caucus petition the State Secretary for a ballot."
After this, the party's Administrative Committee will call for nominations for SPLP leader and approve a timetable for elections on the advice of the General Returning Officer.[3]
If more than one candidate is nominated, an election will be held through three separate equal-weight ballots of the SPLP (state MPs, also known as the Caucus), rank-and-file party members and affiliated unions.[4][5]
The rules were reformed in November 2013 to give rank-and-file members and unions a direct vote in the leadership election, following similar reforms introduced by then-prime minister Kevin Rudd for the federal Labor Party in July 2013.[6][7]
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