Due to liberalist policies alienating Australian's as the pollies appeal only to rich bankers and such, voter have been forced to vote for candidates be the Independant or from a minor party. I won't call them 'minority' as the major's represent only the elite minorities.

As the major party's face stiffer competition, new rules of counting votes and new ways of marking the ballot paper come forth such as the 'Two Party Preferred' which saw the major's votes being counted ahead of other's even though the major's preference vote was lower.

Now, we see the Howard Government doing whatever it can to eliminate the competition where party after party is excluded from the democratic race. Abusing political apathy in this way is nothing short of being a dictator.

There is no such thing as democracy in Australia but a choice between two corrupt Kings who crave to wreck their Kingdoms. Democracy does not equal freedoms unless people force it.

Now that the ball has started in banning political competition, it will be interesting to see which one or two party's exist when the ball stops.

Well spider The Australian peoples Party isnt going away and will be standing for the people.

A party by the people for the people.
looking for members and candidates

www.tapp.org.au

Firstly, I would suggest that a more accurate term for 'other-than-major' parties is "alternative" parties. The reference to 'minor' parties only serves to brand and entrench positions and is propagated largely by so called 'major' parties.

Secondly, identifying the Australian Greens as being to one end of the left/right spectrum with no link to the centre is a little mischievous. Whilst I dare not speak for the Greens, it seems to me that it is the only party that has the opportunity to say I told you so when it comes to climate change, workplace reform, foreign policy, electoral reform and political donations and so on. Apparently, humans do not like the messenger, even when the message was right!

Once you wade through the prejudice and blind party allegiances, the Greens policies present as the most family friendly and middle of the road. Naturally some nonsense creeps into their policy, but that is actually quite normal across all parties. It is just that the Greens are perceived as the greatest threat to the status quo and, to a gleeful media frenzy, are negatively targeted on typically trivial and inconsequential policy outcomes.

For the record, I am a Greens member. I also maintain links with other alternative and 'major' party politicians, as a means to progress a more sustainable urban development agenda(read - the achievement of a more balanced economic, social and environmental urban conurbation).

Justin Wells
Sustainable Brisbane

Justin Wells wrote - Firstly, I would suggest that a more accurate term for 'other-than-major' parties is "alternative" parties. The reference to 'minor' parties only serves to brand and entrench positions and is propagated largely by so called 'major' parties.

Well said Justin - "ALTERNATIVE" PARTIES.

There is too much polarisation of the political spectrum in Australia

The Media seem to hone in on these two "opposites" and when seeking an "alternative," it seems they onl;y see the "greens." I am quite tired and discouraged by this, and a lot of ordinary "punters" outy here in teh real world are too.

Sorry justin, but I disagree emphatically that the Greens are the "most family-firendly" party - if they ever got into power we would see how "un-friendly" and how "poverty-making" they really are.

Most Aussies saw the Democrats as a REAL alternative - Don Chipp "keeping the B...'s honest." Post-Meg Lee the Democrats seem to have lost almost all the goodwill that once existed.

Most Aussies might vote for one or the other of the Two Major Parties but they liked Don Chipp and they liked to distribute preferences the Democrats way - to keep the Big Boys honest - especially in The Senate - THE HOUSE of REVIEW.

Australians were, once, well educated, politically aware - they saw and believed in appropriate Checks and Balances. Now we can see what apathy breeds - when a Govt controls both Houses - TOTALITARIANISM.

We have had 3 decades of an Education system that has "dumbed down" the people, and a neo-conservative Thatcherite Economic and Workplace Relations system that has people so flat out working, or looking for work, no one has the time or energy to think much about politics anymore.

Anyway, that's my considered, though synical, take on things.

I have been a paid up member of both Major Parties in years gone by and have experienced first hand the ignorant, blinkered Trade Unionists, the Elite Boslheviks above them and, of course, the "Born to Rule" Hob-Nob mob at the other end of the spectrum.

Charles Flesfader