How to pick REAL Independents
By Jane Salmon
Thank you to The Sydney Morning Herald for bridging the information gap when it comes to Council elections.
The guide offered is comprehensive.
With so many candidates, the choice can still seem overwhelming.
Many candidates claim independence but then caucus within a Council as party members.
How to pick REAL Independents:
They are not selfish or encouraging self-interest.
They have a profession and financial strength.
Someone local knows them for their volunteering.
They understand politics but have not recently resigned from a major political party simply in order to stand.
They have been scrutinised by their community peers.
They listen.
They have a specific field of knowledge relevant to broad public good.
They are driven to take action on a key area of community interest.
They are strategic and will do more than grandstand.
They have insight when you grill them on legislation or Council regulations.
It is not actually “all about them”.
They are supported at polling booths by more than just family.
They are usually efficient and relaxed.
They don’t seem star-struck by leaders of major parties.
Nor do they mimic foreign electioneering slogans.
They use social media competently to discuss issues, not just share selfies.
They comprehend regional as well as local context.
Happy voting!
Some of the 1635 candidates (image from The Sydney Morning Herald)
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3 comments
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Roswell
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wam
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A Commentator
Return to home pageHandy info, Jane.
I’m sure this would apply for candidates across all level of government.
The Darwin council was free to argue the points in the chamber, without political party involvement till 2010,
Then a loonie was elected and she took the loonie position.as decided outside the council meetings.
We have adopted a proportional system and now we have party people and party votes.
The real problem with independents is that (beyond 2 or 3 issues) we have no idea what they stand for.
I split my time between the city and coast, but I’m on the Kooyong electoral roll.
Our independent doesn’t even bother to answer questions about her position on the majority of policy areas.
If you vote for a political party, you at least know what their starting point is, even if they stray away from it.
My independent doesn’t state a position on the range of deeply concerning foreign policy issues, or on taxation policy, she comments on HECS but says nothing about federal funding of private schools.
There is no apparent policy on trade, or the economy.
It’s a platform that is made up as she goes.