Australian Independents

The Australian Independents was a political party in Australia formed in direct response to an Australian populace who, they argued, were increasingly disenchanted with the current options available to them. They felt that there were two major parties with little real difference between them, and voters who felt they were "wasting their vote" on two equally unsatisfying opponents who only sought the concerns of their constituents near election times.^[1]

Moreover, the Australian Independents arose to offer change, viable solutions, consistent checking-in with voters throughout the entire term in office, positive political conduct, focus on business development and enterprise, and better fiscal balance between social need and strong policy support for business nationwide.

History

The Australian Independents was founded in June 2012 by Patricia Petersen. It was registered with the Australian Electoral Commission on 16 July 2013.^[2] The party represents an attempt to organise independent-minded representation nationally.^[3] The Australian Independents were the only minor party to run Senate candidates in all states and territories in the 2013 federal election. It nominated candidates in five lower house seats.^[4] Its Senate candidates received a total of 45,441 first preference votes, 0.34% of the total votes cast.^[5]

The party was involved in Glenn Druery's Minor Party Alliance in 2013. However, Druery reneged on a preference arrangement, which cost Petersen a Senate seat. Petersen went public with Druery's "double-dipping", which culminating in the following voicemail from Druery: "Cease immediately or I will have a writ up your arse so quick you won't see the f***ing sunshine, lady".^[6]

The party was deregistered by the AEC on 4 February 2016, after failing to demonstrate the requisite 500 members to maintain registration.^[7]

Philosophies

All political representatives and parliamentarians should at all times attempt to represent their electorates.
All political representatives and parliamentarians should at all times demonstrate the capacity to shelve their own beliefs, views and policy priorities in order to accurately represent the wishes of their divisions/wards/electorates.
To provide an opportunity for constituents/voters to distinguish between genuinely independent candidates from those who are members of and or who are aligned with political ‘parties’.
To endorse genuinely independent candidates for Council, House of Representatives and Senate elections.
To actively encourage and promote community participation in policy development.
To push for community driven and directed policies to be embraced by local, state and federal governments.
To see elected, representatives who will provide strong opposition to government policies which are at odds with the wishes of the majority of constituents within their divisions/wards/electorates.
To push for politically disciplined, ethically oriented and community sensitive representatives to be elected at local, state and federal elections.
To promote and demand democracy.^[8]

References

Defunct political parties in Australia

Major parties	Commonwealth Liberal Country and Progressive National Democratic (1940s) Free Trade Liberal (WA, 1910s) Liberal and Country League Liberal and Country Party Liberal and Democratic Union Liberal Federation Liberal Reform (NSW) Liberal Union National Labor Nationalist Progressive (NSW, 1900s) Protectionist United Australia

Other parties represented in federal or state parliaments	A Better Future For Our Children Abolish Self Government Coalition Australia Party Australian Family Movement Australian Democrats Australian Liberal Australian Party Australian Progressive Alliance Centre (Tas) City Country Alliance Communist Country Progressive Democratic (1920s) Democratic Labor Emergency Committee Executive Country (WA) Hare-Clark Independent Illawarra Workers Independent Labor Group Independents Group Industrial Socialist Labor Labor (Anti-Communist) Labor (Non-Communist) Labor (NSW) Lang Labor Liberal (1922) Liberal Country Liberal Movement Liberals for Forests Majority Labor National Alliance National Liberal New Conservative Group New Country New Liberal Movement No Self-Government North Queensland Labor Northern Territory Nationals Nuclear Disarmament Progress Progressive (NSW, 1920s) Protestant Labor Queensland Labor Queensland People's Party Redistribution Liberals Reform the Legal System Residents Rally Revenue Tariff SA First Single Tax Unite Australia United Country Unity Victorian Farmers' Union Victorian Liberal Western Australian

Parties without representation in any parliaments	4Change (Climate Change Coalition) Abolish Child Support Advance Australia Aged and Disability Pensioners All for Australia League Australia's First Nations Political Party Australian Commonwealth Australian Independents Australian National Socialist Australians Against Further Immigration Bill of Rights Centre (NSW) Combined New Australia Commonwealth Commonwealth Centre Communist Alliance Confederate Action Conservative Conservative Nationalist Curtin Labor Alliance Deadly Serious Defence and Ex-Services Defence of Government Schools Defence Movement Democratic Association of Victoria Democratic Socialist Douglas Social Credit Earthsave Engineered Australia Plan Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy Ex-Service, Service and Veterans Family Law Reform Fishing Party Great Australians Grey Power Hear Our Voice Henry George Justice Hope Imperial British Conservative Independent EFF Indigenous Peoples Liberal Democratic (1940s) Liberal Reform Libertarian Lower Excise Fuel and Beer Marijuana Middle Class National Front National Humanitarian National Socialist Nationalist (1958) Natural Law No Aircraft Noise No GST One Australia Movement One Australia Party One Parliament for Australia Party! Party! Party! Pauline's United Australia Pensioner and Citizen Initiated Referendum People Power People's Party Progressive Conservative Progressive Labour Protestant People's Party Reclaim Australia: Reduce Immigration Referendum First Reform Republican Restore the Workers' Rights Save the ADI Site Services Services and Citizens Social Democratic State Labor Sun Ripened Warm Tomato Tasmania First Tasmania Senate Team Taxi Operators Political Service United Australia (SA) United Christian United Tasmania Group Victorian Socialist Party What Women Want Women's Party (1995) Young Australia National

Politics of Australia Politics portal List of political parties

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, April 29, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.