Elections – Page 5 of 7 – Pirate Party Australia

Pirate Party crowdfunds to field candidates in WA Senate campaign

Posted on February 24, 2014

Pirate Party Australia is using Pozible, a crowdfunding website, to raise $10,000 in order to wage a strong campaign and field candidates in the upcoming WA Senate election[1].

“Crowdfunding is a model that has worked well for us in the past, raising over $1,000 in about one hour to have a freedom of information request fulfilled,” said Simon Frew, President of Pirate Party Australia. “Our election campaigns have been very low-cost so far, and there is plenty of support for us out there. We’re confident we can reach the goal of $10,000 for this campaign.”

The Pirate Party has launched its democratic preselection processes, which will conclude this weekend. All Western Australian members will decide who will be the candidates, and in which order they will appear on the ballot. The Party is also progressing its preference discussions and preparing to continue with its transparent, democratic preference model where the resulting preference order and deals are voted upon and determined by the relevant body of members (in this case, the WA membership).

In light of the Party’s results in the 2013 Federal Election and the Griffith By-Election earlier this month, where the Pirate Party achieved 0.31% (national average across all states and territories) and 1.5% respectively, the Western Australian Senate Election will be the first indication of how much electoral support the Pirate Party has in the state of Western Australia. The election will be even more interesting given rising distrust of opaque and undemocratic preference deals, which the Pirate Party has deliberately avoided.

Pirate Party attains fourth position in Griffith by-election

Posted on February 10, 2014

Current results for the Griffith by-election indicate that the Pirate Party’s candidate, Melanie Thomas, has secured a very credible fourth place, behind the Liberal Nationals, Labor, and Greens, finishing ahead of all other minor and micro parties[1]. This was Pirate Party Australia’s first attempt at contesting a House of Representatives seat.

“It is encouraging that despite the Labor and Liberal Parties dominating the political arena, an increasing number of voters are willing to break out of the major party duopoly and put their support behind an alternative voice like the Pirate Party,” Ms Thomas commented. “Those voters are sending a powerful message that Australians need someone to stand up for civil and digital liberties, and to protect our country from a range of threats such as warrantless dragnet surveillance, mistreatment of refugees, climate change, governmental secrecy, corruption and cronyism.”

“As more and more Australians see that the Pirate Party is a party backed by a serious platform of evidenced-based policies, we firmly believe that positive inroads can and will be made to stop major parties taking the voting public for granted. We are a party that practices what it preaches and we have shown what a party based on transparency, democracy, and participation can achieve.”

As per the preliminary count as at Sunday evening, Pirate Party Australia has achieved the greatest swing toward any party in the by-election. The current swing of +1.54% to the Pirate Party in Griffith is three times greater than the Party’s result in Queensland for the Senate at the last federal election in September 2013[2]. It also represents a doubling of first preference votes when compared to the Party’s polling in Griffith for that same Senate election, where the Party received 0.7% of the vote[3].

Unstoppable boats — Pirate Party is Abbott’s worst nightmare

Posted on January 29, 2014

Melanie Thomas, a media professional from Brisbane, is Pirate Party Australia’s first House of Representatives candidate, following the successful registration of the Party last January and its first federal election in September 2013.

Pirate Party Australia continues to lead the way for transparency in Australian politics by using its democratically decided Senate preferences from the previous election as a basis for its how-to-vote cards for the Griffith by-election. The final list was determined by the Party’s Election Committee that consists of all interested members of the Party, resulting in only minor divergence from the original Senate preferences.

“We used the same list as we did for the Senate last year, with slight adjustments to accommodate for Independents and changes in the political climate. The original list was decided by a party-wide vote,” said Ms Thomas. “We use online meetings for the majority of our organising, meaning that all members right across Australia have the opportunity to get involved in the day-to-day running of the Party.”

“This is what the Pirate Party offers for Australia and especially the people of Griffith — a commitment to government transparency and participatory democracy. The community must be involved in the decision-making process and informed of what their representatives are actually doing. Too much is occurring behind closed doors and under veils such as ‘national security’ or ‘in our best interests’.”

Although transparency and participation are key parts of the Pirate Party’s platform and principles, the Party has policies on many other issues.

“We have a wide-ranging set of policies that cover issues of vital importance to Australia, including energy, the environment, taxation, welfare, and asylum seekers and refugees,” Ms Thomas continued. “We’re providing a viable alternative to everyone who is sick and tired of the behaviour of the larger parties. All our policies are built firmly on a basis of evidence.”

Pirate Party sets sights on former PM’s seat

Posted on January 15, 2014

Pirate Party Australia’s Deputy President, Melanie Thomas, will compete in the Griffith by-election for the seat of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in early February. The Australian Electoral Commission confirmed Thomas’ nomination this morning.

The Pirate Party, which competed its first Australian Federal Election in September 2013, stands for civil liberties, intellectual property reform, and increased transparency in government. The Party also has detailed policies on areas of vital importance for Australia, including education, taxation, welfare, asylum seekers, energy and marriage[1].

“Australian politics is in an appalling state at present. It has become mired in issues that shouldn’t be politicised: asylum seekers, climate change and same-sex marriage are just three major issues that have been taken by the current Government and distorted for political gain,” said Melanie Thomas. “Matters that are of major national importance are being kept secret from the public — the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement is being negotiated with disturbing secrecy, and the Government hides behind “national security” to avoid answering difficult questions about the extent of surveillance in Australia. We have a Government that is proving itself to be both reckless and self-serving.

“I intend to shine a light on these issues and bring balanced values back to the political table. A vote for the Pirate Party is a vote for a compassionate, progressive and independent Australia. It is a firm statement from the electorate that they want Government to be accountable and honest and that policies steeped with rhetoric are not good enough. The Pirate Party’s policies are grounded firmly on evidence and the Party is dedicated to democracy and transparency.”

‘Get A Warrant’ — Pirate Party makes election pledge

Posted on September 5, 2013

Pirate Party Australia is proud to launch ‘Get A Warrant‘ — a website dedicated to the Party’s pledge to wind back the ever-increasing surveillance powers of Government agencies, while outlining positive policies to take Australia forward.

While both major parties whip up hysteria to paint the other as untrustworthy and economically incompetent, their similarities run deep. An issue they have both artfully avoided is the bipartisan support for attacking civil liberties in Australia through growing warrantless surveillance regimes.

“We are pledging to ensure that all Australians have the right to privacy,” said Brendan Molloy, lead Senate candidate for NSW. “We are calling for an end to treating citizens as suspects, and Get A Warrant outlines our promise to the Australian people. If we are elected, we will push as hard as we can to promote a society free from the fear that the Government is always looking over our shoulders.”

“We will fight for a society free of unreasonable censorship regimes, and for a transparent government. A vote for the Pirate Party is a vote to pressure the Government to respect our right to privacy, and recognise their obligation to being transparent.”

‘Get A Warrant’ was launched against the backdrop of continued revelations of secret surveillance programs operated by the United States and its allies, including Australia. Pirate Party Australia has set out in plain terms what it will do to protect Australians’ privacy and roll back clandestine spy operations, while offering positive change to take Australia forward, such as legislative protection for human rights and civil liberties.

“Privacy is a fundamental right, one that is necessary for a free and democratic society to function. The assault on privacy supported by both major parties is a threat to our freedom we are providing a positive alternative,” Mr Molloy continued. “Get A Warrant highlights our pledge to defend and extend civil liberties, where Labor and the Liberals both utterly fail.”

A vote for Pirate Party Australia is a vote for privacy, a vote for liberty, and a vote for transparency. Visit http://getawarrant.org.au for more info!