Issue # 1400      25 February 2009

Communist Party of Australia announces new leadership

The Central Committee of the Communist Party has announced a new Party leadership, with Dr Hannah Middleton elected unanimously as the new general secretary. The position became vacant following the death of comrade Peter Symon on 18 December last year.

Dr Middleton, renowned for her political activism, particularly in the peace movement, had already served in the position of CPA president for 16 years and is now the first woman to be elected general secretary of the party.

West Australian trade union official Vinicio (Vinnie) Molina was elected the new party president. Mr Molina was born in Guatemala and moved to Australia in 1995. Apart from his strident union activism Mr Molina has worked tirelessly in solidarity with the peoples of Latin America and currently holds the position of president of the West Australian branch of the Australia-Cuba Friendship Society.

The Central Committee also elected Denis Doherty into the new position of party organiser, and Warren Smith as Central Committee chairperson.

Hannah Middleton, Vinnie Molina, Warren Smith and Anna Pha were elected to the Secretariat of the Central Committee.    

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