Preferences/HEMP Party

We emailed all minor parties stating our intent to preference transparently and democratically, each party was invited to reply with an invitation to Pirate Party members to preference their party. Explanation of our request, intent and the email we sent, is available in our press release here: https://pirateparty.org.au/2013/07/18/pirate-party-leads-the-way-with-transparent-preferencing/

Email response from the HEMP Party (Dated 15 July 2013)

The HEMP Party has a numbers of parallel aims with the Pirate Party. We too seek freedom of culture, speech and the inalienable right to liberty and privacy. This includes ending unwarranted government interference in, and criminalisation of, our private lives and behaviours. The internet is one of the few media left where there is anything approaching a free and frank exchange of information, but even that is threatened by an apparent government mistrust of the people. Surveillance and information gathering are rampant. Many of us feel we live in a demockery. The large parties are trying to squeeze out and invalidate smaller parties, but when an issue is not addressed by the existing system, then one of the few ways left open to gain a voice is the formation of a party to champion that issue. Government should not merely represent the voice of business and the status quo. It should try to represent all of its citizens. We, the HEMP Party, like the Pirate Party, also seek to change national and state laws, reform perceptions and contribute to worldwide change. We seek these freedoms democratically, through media, protest, parliamentary elections and lobbying of existing governments.