Labor and Liberal working together to win the election

Banana RepublicThe decision of the Labor and Liberal parties to double the fees for candidates in the run-up to the federal election is an outrageous travesty of democracy.

One report in the media says that “The changes means that a minor party will have to stump up $32,000 rather than $16,000 – to run “above the line” Senate candidates using a party’s banner in each of the states and territories.”

This action is clearly designed to stop legitimate candidates from entering into the elections and to financially hamper those who do actually enter.

Such a move on the part of the Labor-Liberal parties will obviously have a negative impact on minor parties. In fact, it has already been reported that one party has estimated that its impact will be to reduce their number of candidates by one-third! Coming up with thousands of dollars is no problem to the Liberal-Labor parties, who are backed by millionaires, billionaires, and big business, but it is a problem for ordinary working Australians.

The Labor Party, which styles itself as the party of the workers (sadly, no longer the case), knows that any ordinary working man or woman will find it hard to stump up thousands of dollars to become a candidate, especially when it already costs thousands to run an election campaign, what with delivering thousands of leaflets to householders, newspaper advertising, etc.

The Labor Party knows this move is destructive of the democratic process, and the Liberal Party knows it too, but they don’t care. The Liberal-Labor parties continuously get given millions of dollars from big business (and the Labor Party gets millions from the unions as well; something that would probably change if the ordinary union members were allowed to have a union referendum on the issue).

One could ask why big business gives so much money to the major parties. Is there influencing of politicians going on? And why do some businesses give money to both parties? The whole process is extremely dubious.

Isn’t it odd how Liberal and Labor hardly ever agree on anything, but manage to become best buddies on an issue when it helps to ensure that they stay in power, and keep their snouts in the trough for a few years more?

The Liberal-Labor parties have established a range of rules that hamper small political parties from engaging in the political process. This is just one of them. More and more, it feels like we are living in a Third World Banana Republic.

It is time to get rid of Liberal and Labor, who are ruining our democracy and destroying Australia.

Reference:
Australia’s minor political parties are upset at sudden increase in fees for fielding electoral candidates”, Daily Telegraph, 21 May 2013 (Luke Cooper and Steve Lewis, News Limited Network)

Comments

  1. Wake Up Australia says

    Do people still actually believe we live in a democracy. Democracy is a myth perpetuated to make us feel like we participate in the policy making procedures that steer the country. Every few years the political powers stage elections to create the illusion of democracy. But it’s all a facade. We really live in a Corporate Dictatorship. It does not matter which party has parliamentary majority. Money is god and the Corporate Dictators will determine what we have, how we live, who we live with, who we fight against, who will win, who will lose

  2. Hi
    I support an immediate end to immigration and deportation of hard line Muslims but am not pro gun in any way! That stops me from joining.

  3. They must be afraid that there is party out there that will give them a run for their money. eg. APP & RiseUp. Not very democratic

  4. The g Factor says

    They’re ensuring it’s another Tweedledee and Tweedledum election.

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