Pirate Party Australia deplores the recent political violence in Brazil

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The Pirate Party unreservedly condemns all violent attacks on democratic institutions. In particular, organised sieges [1] such as we have seen recently in Washington and Brasilia, undermine the ability of democratic institutions to maintain the smooth transition of power essential to the continuity of democratic governance.
The Pirate Party applauds the swift action of the judiciary to prevent both a coup and the concomitant violent escalation by those taking part in the armed uprising against the elected government [2].

We note the grave danger of violent actions such as those seen in Brasilia in January spreading globally, in the wake of the January 6, 2021 events in Washington DC, USA, and that the violence in Brasilia in January was fomented by actors also involved in fomenting the Washington riots [3].

The Pirate Party recognises the deep frustration of voters whose interests are not well represented by the major parties (In Brazil, the Liberal Party and the Workers Party). But we always encourage effective political organising and peaceful protest; never violence. In particular, the Pirate Party wishes to call out, in the wake of these fatal riots which threatened an elected government, the ongoing dangers of political manipulation in the current environment of media concentration and poorly regulated transnational social media conglomerates. Fascist imagery [6]; baseless but repeated claims of multiple voting and hacked voting machines; fake electoral maps; and localised narratives from QANON sources [4] all played a part in legitimising the violence unleashed after the election, and echo the narratives last year when “anti-vaccine mandate protesters, sovereign citizens and conspiracy theorists… gathered outside the governor-general’s official residence in Canberra.” [5].

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/08/world/americas/brazil-election-protests-bolsonaro.html
[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/01/12/brazil-riot-asset-freeze/
[3] https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2023/01/09/the-american-politics-of-brazils-insurrection-00077131
[4] https://gnet-research.org/2022/11/04/social-media-conspiracies-and-brazils-presidential-transition/
[5] https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7609920/protesters-surround-government-house/
[6] https://www.plenglish.com/news/2022/11/04/germany-condemns-use-of-nazi-salute-during-protests-in-brazil/

Joint statement with Pirate Parties International on Russia and Belarus

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Pirate Party Australia endorses the following statement from Pirate Parties International:

Due to the military actions of the Russian and Belarusian regimes against the democratic state of Ukraine and its citizens, PPI expresses with this open letter its full support, sympathy and solidarity with our friends, colleagues, and the people of Ukraine.

Cooperation, dialogue, tolerance, mutual support, and democracy are firmly believed in within our community of pirates. We condemn the brutal invasion of Ukraine, the killing of its citizens, and the imprisonment of protestors in Russia and Belarus. As a global community committed to fully developing human freedoms, we stand for human rights, freedom, and democracy and call on all parties concerned to do the same.

We offer all possible assistance in this situation to the Ukrainian pirates, as well as to all people of Ukraine who are suffering from war and fighting for freedom. Our thoughts are also with our colleagues in Russia and Belarus, who are forced to watch but are powerless to help in the face of government-initiated aggression against their and our principles.

We are free people, but the current situation affects all of us, both citizens of Europe and members of the PPI family. Sadly, we have to admit that the current situation does not allow us to continue our activities in cooperation with Russia and Belarus at the national representative level. PPI will no longer organize events in Russia or Belarus, and PPI board members will not accept invitations to speak or participate in events organized by governments of these countries.

As a democratic organization, PPI understands that Russian/Belarusian aggression causes collateral damage to all people of goodwill worldwide. Therefore, PPI will not hinder individual assistance to Russian and Belarusian colleagues in accessing critical information or freely sharing knowledge. We trust that our friends and colleagues in Russia and Belarus who condemn this war will understand and support PPI’s approach.

With this statement and our actions, we show solidarity with friends, colleagues, and families affected by this terrible humanitarian tragedy. We join others in calling for an end to this war and respect for democracy and international humanitarian law.

National Congress 2022 — member ballots are out!

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Hi Pirates,

National Congress was last weekend and tonight the member ballots are going out!

Summary

  • All proposals were approved on the floor (some with small amendments) and proceed to member vote.
  • Seven out of nine National Council positions were filled – more on a by-election soon.
  • Both Dispute Resolution Committee positions were filled.
  • Minutes are here: https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Pirate_Congress_2022/Minutes

Voting

By the time you receive this email, you should have already received two others detailing your credential and password for the voting system. (These are not the same thing.)

You will need the credential to access the “voting booth”, and then the password to finalise casting your vote. The link in either email will work to get to the booth.

Earlier tonight we sent another email with a broken link (containing the infamous 127.0.0.1) — please disregard that one.

You will be asked to vote Aye, Nay or Abstain on each of the five proposals.

Details of all five proposals can be found here: https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Pirate_Congress_2022/Motions

Voting closes at 23:59 (Perth time) on Sunday 7th August.

FAQ

These ballots are for Full Members of the party only. If you have received this email but not a ballot email, it’s likely that you don’t currently have active party membership. Contact [email protected] if you have questions about membership, or [email protected] if you have questions about the voting process.

Kind Regards,
Alex Jago
Secretary
Pirate Party Australia

National Congress 2022 — You’re invited!

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G’day Pirates,

I hereby invite you to Pirate Party Australia’s 2022 Annual National Congress!

The National Congress is an opportunity for members to propose and debate new policies and constitutional amendments, hear nominations for Party Officials, and meet Pirates from around Australia.

It is the paramount decision-making body of Pirate Party Australia.

Date: Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th of July, 2022

As befits a digital-rights party, Congress is held entirely online! You can attend from anywhere by video call and text chat.

Watch parties and Friday night meetups are a distinct possibility! If you’d like to meet up with your local pirates, drop me an email at [email protected]. With any luck, I’ll be able to put you and a mate or two in touch! Better yet, make a post on the forums for more visibility.

I urge everyone – this means you – to consider running for National Council. As always – we’re a party for everyone and we want people from all walks of life in our leadership team.

Details of the National Congress, including the agenda, new policies, nominations, constitutional amendments and details on how to participate online are available on the Wiki:  Pirate Congress 2022

The National Congress is followed by a seven day online voting period to ratify the substantive motions passed at Congress. This voting is open to all Full Members, who will be emailed ballot information. Ensure your party membership is up-to-date!

There are a number of dates and deadlines and procedures to follow if you wish to submit items to the National Congress or declare candidacy for positions.

Constitutional Amendments:

  • The deadline for amendment proposals is Saturday 25th June 2022 09:00 am (AEST)
  • Email your proposals to [email protected]

Policies and Policy Amendments:

  • It would be appreciated if policy proposals could be submitted at least 10 days before National Congress so that they can be allowed for in the agenda.
  • Email your proposals to [email protected]

Nominations:

  • Positions up for election are all nine National Councillors, the Policy Development Officer, and two positions on the Dispute Resolution Committee.
  • Nominations can be accepted up until the relevant agenda item at National Congress.
  • Nominations for electable positions can be made by following the instructions here: Pirate Congress 2022/Nominations

We thank you for your continued support!

Please feel free to discuss National Congress or any other matters in our discussion forums at https://discuss.pirateparty.org.au/ or on our Discord.

Yours sincerely,

Alex Jago
Secretary
Pirate Party Australia