Charter

Purpose

VoF exists to strengthen democracy in the electorate of Franklin, Tasmania, and Australia as a whole. We follow in the footsteps of the Voices movement that helped elect Cathy McGowan (2013, 2016) and Helen Haines (2019, 2022) in the Victorian federal seat of Indi.

The ‘community independents’ movement has now grown considerably around Australia with more independents elected, particularly to federal parliament.

Core principles

The Voices movement is an alternative the political party system, which we see as continually failing communities and the nation over a long period. We prioritise five things:

1. Increasing participatory democracy – citizens have more say

2. Social justice – far less inequality

3. Evidence-based policies rather than political and economic ideology

4. Ethics and human rights

5. Respectful behaviour.

These five principles, if followed, would lead to a significant increase in general wellbeing and are essential for a more sustainable society.

Core principles in more detail

Increasing democracy: 

this can be achieved by a range of parliamentary and electoral reforms, including greater transparency; strong anti-corruption bodies; capping political donations; restricting lobbyists; truth in political advertising; stopping the ‘revolving door’ of post-ministerial appointments; whistle-blower protections; citizen juries; plebiscites; and so on.

Social justice: 

this can be achieved by providing or strengthening universal basic services (like Medicare); a job guarantee; progressive taxation; restricting foreign ownership of real estate; public ownership of essential services; a publicly owned bank; and ending subsidies to harmful industries.

Evidence-based policies: 

this means designing policies in accord with science and other evidence rather than flavour-of-the-month economic ideology. Deregulated market-based economic policies, in particular, have failed the community.

Structure

VoF is an informal group run by a core team of volunteers. As at 2024, we are working towards being a registered association with members. We have volunteers in the three LGAs of Clarence, Huon Valley and Kingborough that collectively form the electorate of Franklin.