Liberal Party: Joe Tannous emerges as a key figure in party’s women’s branch
A member of the Liberal Party’s branch historically known as just for women has complained after discovering a man was deciding who joined.
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A Liberal Party “women’s branch” is telling prospective members they must be endorsed and approved by party powerbroker and lobbyist Joe Tannous if they want to join.
The bizarre edict was spelled out in an email by the Strathfield Women’s Branch, in which the president explained she was so worried about branch stacking she only lets people she knows, and who are vetted by Mr Tannous, join.
The rule has sparked fury from party members, incensed that a male party powerbroker appears to have been given the authority to vet members of the so-called women’s branch.
It also exposes the extent of branch stacking paranoia in the party.
“The only people we let into our own branch at this stage are people we know AND who are approved and endorsed by Joe Tannous. Sorry I don’t have better news for you on this occasion,” president Liana Allan wrote in an email dated July 16.
In response, the member, a general citizen, escalated the concerns to the Liberal Party’s women’s council president Mary-Lou Jarvis.
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“(She) said I would have to be endorsed by someone named ‘Joe Tannous’,” the member complained in an email to Ms Jarvis.
“I don’t know who this is or why I would need to be endorsed by that person. It’s not as if he’s a woman and should be allowed to endorse women to join a women’s branch.”
She also noted that she had previously been rejected by the branch.
The branch accepts male as well as female members, but is historically known as the “women’s branch”.
Liberal Party rules state branches can control who does and doesn’t join their ranks.
Mr Tannous is the local president of the Strathfield electoral conference but not the president of the branch in question.
A Liberal MP said: “You can’t achieve the party’s aspirational target of 40 per cent women in local government if you don’t attract female talent into the branches.”
A branch meeting agenda, scheduled for Wednesday evening, lists Mr Tannous as the guest speaker.
Ms Allan did not respond to a request for comment.