The Changing Philosophy of Political Parties and Voting Trends
Article Submitted by John Slack-Smith, Past President, One Nation (Queensland Division)
The Labor Party :
Labor for many years
was and certainly up to the 1950's was the party that workers look to for reform
and support, and
many of these Parlimentary
representatives came from working backgrounds, such as shearers, engine drivers,
retail workers, people who had done the hard yards, in other words had practical
experience.
The Philosophy of the
Party has moved from State ownership to one supporting Private Enterprise, but
getting deeper into Socialism, by handout of taxpayers
money
more readily.
Recently Senator John Faulkner (at right) summed up where Labor has gone wrong and in order to win back support they must go back to some of their old Principles.
The Liberal Party :
The Liberal Party was
formed at a conference on Friday 13th October and Monday 16th October 1944, the
brain child of
Sir Robert Menzies.
(at right) The Philosophy of the party was supporting free enterprise, smaller
governments encouraging people to support themselves by tax deductions and
totally opposed to socialism.
Since the early 1990's this Philosophy has changed. They still support free enterprise, have forgotten to help people help themselves by tax deductions and are racing towards socialism faster than the Labor Party, by taxing the low to middle income earners more and then giving rebates to offset any hardship.
I was a member of the Liberal Party for 25 years up until 1997, and was told by a Federal politician 1995 this new found socialism was the way to go.
Country and National Party :
They claim to be the
one party, but their Philosophy is so different, it is like chalk and cheese.
The Country party was a party that supported patriotism, and tariffs to protect our industry, while the Nationals, (they change their name every few years to try and gain support), don't believe in patriotism, and sell us out to overseas interests, in the name of free trade.
I was a
member of the Country Party, until after they became the National Party, and was
told by a friend they didn't want any small farmer holding positions in the
party at branch level.
They only wanted the big graziers to hold these positions. Being a farmer all my life, when the Nationals have been in power, their policies have cost me money too.
The Nationals are a dying political party, in the 1950's they held 18 seats of the 124 seats in Federal Parliament or more than 10% of the national vote. At the Federal election on the 21st August 2010, they polled 3.87% and hold 7 seats in a house of 147. Some still think they are National but were elected under the LNP badge, they have lost their identity by staying in coalition with the Liberals.
The Greens :
The policies of the Greens would destroy the fabric of Australian society, but are totally irresponsible, and would take us back to the laws of the jungle and Tarzan. But no politicians, particularly the coalition ones, have come forward with the facts and figures to show how dangerous this party is to our way of life.
Pauline Hanson and One Nation :
Pauline is a person I
have had the pleasure to know over the past fifteen years. She will not
compromise her principles, and to find another politician with the same
integrity you will have to look more than 30 years into Australia's past. I have
had many discussions with Pauline, and she believes in treating people the same
as I would, on the level, and equal to all humans, face, skin colour or worldly
possessions no barrier, that is not a racist.
One Nation was launched by Pauline and because of her popularity drew a large following. Many were moles to destroy the party, others thought they knew more than Pauline, some just saw it as a gravy train. I just say one thing, if One Nation want to rebuild, get back to the policies she stood for, and don't try and distance the party from Pauline.
Bob Katter :
Bob Katter is a lone ranger, many of his policies are the same as One Nation, New Country Party and others. By starting another party, he is just splitting the vote further, and these parties with similiar policies should be working together in order to make a difference.
Voting Trends :
Before the 1980's the primary vote to the Labor and Coalition parties was over 90%, since then the percentage has steadily declined and at the 2010 Federal Election the combined primary vote for the two major parties was 81.6%, while the minor parties polled 18.3%, I can see this trend continuing.
Preferential Voting
:
Seventy percent of people I have spoken to over the years I have said, I am only interested in No 1, I couldn't care less about No. 2, 3, 4 or so on. Why should a No. 2 vote have as much power as a No. 1 vote? I believe it should have half the power, and political parties should not have the power to allocate preferences for voters, as is the case with voting above the line in the Senate. This is undemocratic Preferential voting and party politics is why we have so many idiots as Politicians.
The
Future :
From
what I see and hear, the greatest percentage of the Australian population, are
patriotic, want to preserve what our pioneers have worked for, our soldiers
fought for, our Christian beliefs, and the younger generation have a greater
value for Australian Culture, than past generations. One Nation's future is to
convince voters that they fully support a society with this culture, and are
prepared to maintain it at all costs.
Conclusion :
We have a great nation, let's keep it that way, and don't sell it to overseas interests or allow it to be infiltrated by people from outside our shores.