Media release – Voices of Tasmania, 10 July 2023
NEW TASMANIAN VOICES TO REPRESENT COMMUNITIES IN THE NEXT STATE AND FEDERAL ELECTIONS
The new community-based democracy movement Voices of Tasmania (VoT) has begun its race to get more independents into parliaments in the coming state and federal elections.
The group says the time is particularly opportune at the Tasmanian state level to increase democracy for the people as there will be 10 new seats in the Lower House.
At the group’s first statewide meeting in Campbell Town on Saturday, VoT group Convenor Michael Roberts said that the community independents elected would represent issues important to Tasmanians without the constriction of party politics.
”We have been working for months listening to voices in the community, especially regional ones, who’s needs are just as important as those in the major urban centres,” he said.
“The highly successful community independents movement on the mainland has shown that when candidates really listen to people they will then trust you with their vote.
“We believe that under the party system, the processes of democracy are under threat. Good government has transparent processes, it respects dissent and seeks to understand, it works for the public good, not the powerful lobby groups and vested interests. Tasmania needs more candidates who will stand up and stop the rot.” said Mr Roberts.
“People want politicians to be accountable to their local community, not distant party rooms or corporate donors. We need to see a change in how diverse voices of Tasmania are brought to the table. This is why we are surveying over 5,000 Tasmanians to have their say.
“Community independents work differently to the major parties. Collaborative government is possible if we can elect more mature and respectful community leaders into parliament.”
The keynote address to the meeting was given by Voices of Goldstein’s Sue Barrett, who was also campaign manager for the successful Victorian community independent Zoe Daniel. She said independent candidates had been highly successful across electorates because they more closely represented local people’s values.
“Our electorates are fed up with not being represented by the major parties who are so preoccupied with internal issues,” said Ms Barrett.
Mr Roberts said “the steady decrease of votes at elections for major political parties puts everyone on notice that the community can no longer be taken for granted.
“It is clear to us that politics will never be the same again in Tasmania. And this is a good thing, because our parliament is now in a pickle of the parties own making.
“Tasmania needs elected representatives who are truly connected with the voices of Tasmanians. Turnover to fresh bright minds is needed to inject integrity and accountability to Tasmanian politics,” he said.
Ben Marshall
July 10, 2023 at 16:24
Both major parties will tell us we need ‘a strong, stable majority government’ – but the opposite is true. We actually need weak, unstable minority governments to persuade parliament, and the public, that the legislation or initiatives they propose really have merit.
A ‘strong, stable majority government’ will do as it pleases without regard for what the people need, and whether you’re a rusted-on Liberal or Labor voter, forcing governments to be more open and more representative by putting more Independents in office is a sound tactic if we truly do want better government.
Chief Editor TT
July 11, 2023 at 15:43
It often seems that it’s the business lobby calling for ‘certainty’… see here for example: https://tasmaniantimes.com/2023/07/willie-open-revolt-against-rockliff/
That’s code for ‘listen to your regular donors, not the public’.