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The Forum > Article Comments > Will 'GetUp!' influence political debate? > Comments

Will 'GetUp!' influence political debate? : Comments

By Mark Bahnisch, published 24/8/2005

Mark Bahnisch argues 'GetUp!', the new Australian politics venture, is unlikely to set the world on fire.

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I bet this forum still has the edge over spam and I know my Senator for “poor farmers” has a patient lady who puts some my emails aside for his attention.

Considering the hundreds of emails we know they get today in any Polly office I reckon it’s still worth a chat over the telling bone. Some things don’t change.

Sorry Graham
Posted by Taz, Thursday, 25 August 2005 5:22:34 PM
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I’m a bit amused by the rush to predict whether Getup will be effective or not in achieving policy change. Like so many of the technology-based tools we’ve acquired in the past decade or so, there’s a lot of bedding-down which needs to take place before it will be possible to come to any real judgement.

In the meantime, attempts to establish new models of online lobbying should be encouraged, because there is potential to (a) broaden the sources of direct feedback to our lawmakers, (b) circumvent the role of pollsters in policy development, and (c) 'broker' a wider range of views (see Graham Young's article http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3728).

Every major political issue is accompanied by a group of people who are prepared to change their vote to achieve the outcome, and to a great extent, effective political activism depends on being able to convince a politician that there are x-number of votes riding on it. In fact, single issues don’t often decide elections – (swinging) voters balance up a basket of issues as they walk into the polling booth.

What I find most attractive about Getup, and why I have joined in, is that it provides a framework in which I can quickly pass on an opinion to our lawmakers without having to pretend that it will determine my vote. It’s a more nuanced view: it sends a message, not a threat.

On the issues that really drive me, I can and do write directly to a politician or a parliamentary committee. For the other times, when I just want to pass on some feedback, Getup is very useful (of course, this lack of complete commitment could end up being it's big failure).

Nonetheless, I suspect that it has already changed the political landscape, at least just a little. I too am interested to see how much influence it will have, but more importantly, I applaud the broadening of the sources of input to politicians which it represents.
Posted by jpw2040, Thursday, 25 August 2005 9:48:25 PM
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"GetUp" definitely is a bit like "MoveOn", and I'm sure they are well meaning folks which are trying to do what they think is best, and in a democracy, they should be applauded for speaking out.

However, like "MoveOn", "GetUp" won't have an effect. Polls show that many people hate John Howard and consider him a liar, but that they also view the Labour Party as whiny and ineffective and incompetent, and although I'm a Labour supporter, I have to admit that the new leadership looks less than impressive. "GetUp" might make the Liberals look evil, but they can't make Labour look good by merely bashing the Liberals on everything they do.

Oh, and thanks to the writer of this article for an interesting piece of writing. Thanks.
Posted by Unconquered_Sun, Friday, 26 August 2005 4:01:59 AM
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I might be a bit late getting in on this discussion, but being involved in Getup has given me an opportunity to get involved in issues that I care about, and for the first time I feel that I can make a difference. The last campaign I was involved with was the recent Asylum bill and I emailed and thanked four politicians who were involved in turning this bill around. I have had comprehensive replies from two politicians, with the following comment from one: "To know that so many people, like you, cared enough to have their voices
heard was very heartening and sustaining. During thirteen years in Parliament I have rarely experienced such overwhelming community concern and involvement in a single issue. It is an example of all that is good about our system of democracy, when people care enough to participate."
- and that is the crux of it. Ordinary people like me 'caring enough to participate'. I am sure Getup had substantial input into the RU486 debate also. Getup recently conducted a poll to ask us what issues etc we care about. They are fine by me and I will stick with them.
Posted by chooky, Friday, 22 September 2006 4:16:30 PM
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