Michael Borowick bids for ALP National Conference

Trade unionist Michael Borowick has launched a campaign to be elected as a delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference in Adelaide this July, pledging to fight for Israel and against the BDS movement.

The ALP National Conference is the supreme policy-making body of the ALP and carries particular weight while the party is in government.

Borowick, who served as an Assistant Secretary of the ACTU from 2010 to 2018, is convener of Jewish Labor and National President of Australia Israel Labor Dialogue (AILD).

A central plank of his campaign is a push to have the ALP’s National Platform address the BDS movement, which exclusively targets Israel. He has moved to refer the matter to the National Policy Committee, the body responsible for drafting the National Platform. The motion will be debated at the March meeting of the ALP Caulfield Branch.

It comes amid growing concern about BDS activity in Australia. In 2025, industry superannuation funds HESTA and Vision Super divested from some or all of their Israeli investments. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is on record as opposing BDS.

Borowick told The AJN he anticipated new challenges at the conference following the adoption of Palestinian state recognition into the National Platform at the past three conferences.

“It’s expected that delegates antagonistic to Israel will have a set of new claims that they intend to pursue,” he said.

As a delegate, Borowick would participate in behind-the-scenes discussions and hold the right to move, second and speak to motions, giving him a direct voice in shaping party policy. The postal ballot is open to eligible Victorian ALP members who have held membership for at least two years. It closes in April.

Borowick said the response to his campaign had been encouraging, with support from both Jewish and non-Jewish party members.

Results are expected to be announced in April.