Labor heartland of Balmain hosts caucus ONE of two places merited with the birth of the Australian Labor Party more than a century ago will be the venue for an historic decision by the federal caucus. Rather than flying to Canberra, the caucus will meet at Sydney's Balmain Town Hall on July 22 to debate Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's proposal to allow grassroots party members a 50 per cent vote on the parliamentary leadership. Historians are divided over whether Labor was founded at Balmain's Unity Hall Hotel in 1891 or under the Tree of Knowledge in the central-western Queensland town of Barcaldine. Mr Rudd is expected to win support for a caucus rule change which would ensure the vote for the parliamentary party leader is split 50-50 between Labor MPs and grassroots members. He has already received backing from the ministry over the move, which Mr Rudd says is just one part of a broader push for internal reform. Some union bosses argue the British model should be adopted, splitting the vote three ways between unions, the caucus and ordinary members. Under the rule change a ballot for leader would automatically be triggered if the party lost an election. An election for leader could also be called if a leader resigned, at the request of the leader or if at least 75 per cent of the members of the caucus signed a petition. Candidates for leader would have to be nominated by a minimum of 20 per cent of the caucus. Mr Rudd believes the party must change its structures if it is to boost membership and win back voters.