I think the easiest way to handle it is to start a new thread if one theme starts to dominate, like you did with the tax issue. A general thread about a bunch of policies is always going to wander a bit.

freediver wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2007 at 9:09am:


I am interested in your Sustainability Party. Email address is gregsplants@eftel.net.au

Quote:


I am interested in their being a voice in parliament that draws the links between the issues of the day.

We have the Greens who are strong on environment but fail to see the impact of an unrestricted immigration policy on the environment and ustainability.

We have the Liberals who don't want to have open slather on immigration but think that the economy and business are the only important issues.

We have labour who also don't want to have open slather on immigration. They are stronger on environmental issues but still see it as a secondary issue to the economy and jobs. Their mantra of sustainable growth is utter bullshit as the two terms 'growth' and 'sustainable' are mutually exclusive.

None of the current political parties see growth (economy and population) as the root cause of all our environmental problems and developing social problems like housing affordability.

Thanks Greg, you're on the list. Might be a while till I send anything out. Oh, and welcome to OzPolitic. What state are you from, if you don't mind me asking? I may need this for registering with the electoral commission. I think it is done on a state by state basis.

Policies are issues, issues need discussion and then they need a decision!

Party's take issues, make issues then distort them to their own ends.  Sure the nobility of appealing to sustainability makes the party premise appealing. It also makes it an issue based block with a particular focus and bias in it's approach.

Who knows, perhaps war, violence, mayhem and murder may in fact be necessary human traits for the long term sustainability of this planet?  Not particularly sustainable practices for us humans but crikey wouldn't the planet love a few million less of us!

Sustainability is a great issue, it needs discussion, it needs action; not a party!

If you want to do something really useful help change the entire parliamentary system, it's possible.

Me, I'd love to.

meow.

In response to this on the other thread. I didn't want to sidetrack the name discussion:

freediver, you have to listen or you freak people out mate.   It's pointless talking to a wall.

http://ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1177562543/10#10

It's not that I don't listen to people, it's that I think they are wrong. I don't expect the party to appeal to more than a minority of citizens. Anything more would be naive. I don't expect to change people's minds either. At least, not personally. I expect most supporters to find the party appealing based on it's core themes alone: lower total taxes, green tax shift and electoral reform. Most potential supporters will intuitively see the benefit in lowering taxes and getting rid of the more wasteful handouts. This should especially appeal to traditional coalition supporters. The green tax shift may take a bit more convincing. The electoral reform stuff is very far off and the party will probably only play a role in publicity for the idea for many years. Everything else just details and I am open to suggestions that fit in with the broader goals. While I will argue the merits of the goals, I am obviously not going to seriously entertain the idea that they are not good for the country. That's like asking the greens to entertain the idea that the environment really isn't worth protecting. This is not a 'hey come and join because we need some policy ideas' party. This is not a 'voice of the regular people' party. This is a party with a firm 'ideological' territory already staked out. It is a slightly unusual combination of economic rationalism and environmental protection, but i think it's time has come.

Yes this will freak out people who don't support the core goals of the party, but they are not the target audience anyway. I am not going to personall 'create' supporters, I am just going to give the supporters who already exist a strong voice. I do not want it to be a 'one man band.' I expect that once you get these people together it will have enough momentum so that just about anyone with a few basic skills could keep it going. Given the appeal across the political spectrum, it will only take a small minority to get the major parties to pay attention.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21650439-601,00.html

TWO-THIRDS of Australians want a tax cut in next week's budget, but half would forgo the tax cut if it threatened to push up interest rates.