Politics. No, seriously.

Hi guys, I need to rant.

Our Prime Minister here in Australia, Tony Abbott, is in the papers today talkin' 'bout how he feels too many of Australia's forests are protected, and how he feels they should be opened up to industry (after years and years of successful petitioning by the public to see the opposite happen). He even called the logging companies "conservationists", and made clear his mandate (from 'God') to destroy nature for profit.

In short, he wants to cut the forests down for 'the economy'.

Now I've talked about the economy a few times before. It's an invisible infinipus (like an octopus but with infinite tentacles), that reaches into every house, business, computer screen, smart phone, and wallet in the world. You can't see it, but it can ruin your life or make it more fun, at the whim of grey faced people in suits you will probably never meet.

The economy should serve us, but we all know it only serves a few. And far too much importance is placed on unsustainable things (population growth, environmental degradation, etc...), in order to feed its voracious appetite.

Doing anything for the sake of the economy is bad. We're told it's good, because a healthy economy equals more jobs and higher wages and holidays overseas with better exchange rates so you can suck more ladyboy cock when you're in Thailand. Sounds amazing, I know, but there's a downside.

You need more and more people to live in your city to keep this beast spiralling upward, and less and less environment. And I'm not talking about greenie/hippie bullshit here, I'm talking about how we're continuing to fund coal-based energy projects in Australia within close proximity to residential housing; while the coal pit fire in Morwell looks set to burn for centuries. We're talking air pollution that destroys property values and community health, tourism, all manner of things that are important to every day people. We're not educated on newer and safer advances in nuclear technology that should be at least explored as an alternative to coal.

We're talking dumping three million cubic metres of dredge spoil into the Great Barrier reef to save big (coal again) business the expense of dumping it on land or (heaven forbid) treating it to remove the contaminants before dumping it on land. And further to that, the Minister ignoring all expert advice on the contrary, and EVEN FURTHER TO THAT, GRANTING HIMSELF RETROACTIVE IMMUNITY SO HE CAN'T BE CHARGED FOR HELPING TO DESTROY ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S MOST BEAUTIFUL NATURAL ATTRACTIONS IN THE NAME OF PROFIT.

Any four year-old has the requisite ethics and conscience to know this is wrong. Greg Hunt is giving his buddies in big business a free pass to save millions and ruin the reef, so Greg Hunt can cultivate favours and kickbacks.

The saddest fact about all of this is- it's nothing new. It's business as usual. We're not even shocked any more- we actually expect it.

In the last Federal election though, a funny thing happened.

The Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party ran on a platform of very, very little. The objective of the party was to force Government to consult motorists more when making decisions that affected motorists. Sounds fair enough. They support the rights of Australians to modify their vehicles to a safe standard, promote the ability to go off-roading or camping on public land, and are committed to improving roads.

The funny thing, was this:

Apparently a small but significant percentage of the population are so disenfranchised with the two-party political change illusion (please follow that link, it contains my thoughts on voting, that they actually voted a member of the party into the Senate! 

I'm surprised for two reasons.

1. The party is a joke, seriously. And as soon Senator Ricky Muir entered the Senate, he struck a deal with Clive Palmer who has a personal fortune of $895 million, and is the definition of a corporate fat cat. (He is fat. I'm saying he's fat and making a pun about it. About his fatness.) I mean, if you want someone to represent the interests of big business in Australia, someone who will rip the mineral riches of the country from the ground and sell it all to overseas interests while not paying you (the person who owns it) anything at all, then he's totally your man.

2. It's actually amazing that there are people out there who came to the conclusion that vacillating between Labor and Liberal parties is pointless, and who voted for anybody else. THIS IS A REALLY GOOD THING.

There is so much pointless emphasis placed on wealth in our society. We are rich in Australia. And this whole buying investment properties thing is utterly, utterly evil; because while it's great for the economy, it means property prices are inflated due to the inflated demand, and young people can't buy houses any more.

 The Economy.

We are accumulating wealth instead of letting everyone live better- it's dog eat dog. And while that's nice if you're a big dog with a full belly, it sucks when you're a chihuahua (which is what we will call young first home buyers from now on).

So what happens?

You get an entire generation of young people totally disenfranchised with voting. They see it doesn't change anything, so they just ignore it and focus on celebrities instead. At least, until Ricky Muir became elected.

Instead of being Australians without a country, we became Australians with a shot at getting justice. Instead of not owning a piece of our own Nation to live on, we see a way to change things up, to make them fairer. Instead of allowing politicians and their friends in big business to rape our resources and pay themselves millions for the privilege, we see the chance to fix this contemptible state of affairs once and for all.

There will be opposition- the status quo will do everything it can to keep young people complacent and away from the polling booths. It will cry loudly that property values will plummet (which they would), to enrage those who worked hard to make them high in the first place. But property shouldn't be about how much you can sell it for! It should be a place for you and your family/friends/all of the above to LIVE ON. It should be affordable for everyone, and if it were possible, it should damn well be free.

So here's what I propose:

A political party.

Mission: To engage through social media with disenfranchised voters, and to show them the benefits of registering to vote, and voting for us.

The benefits: Affordable housing, total Governmental transparency, much higher regulation of the banks/finance sector, A National Federal bank that turns profits into National revenue (and thereby dropping taxes by billions a year, and forcing the 'Big 4' into actual competition), absolute freedom of the media, higher funding for Education and health, State-owned power and utilities companies- again, feeding profits back into the National economy, higher mandatory sentences and removing Magistrates/Judges discretion in sentencing, removing alcohol/drugs/bad childhoods as a mitigating circumstance in sentencing, mandatory life sentences for murder and rape, massive sentences for 'coward punhes' and glassings, removing the glass ceiling for female employment, banning land sales to non-Australians and legislating mandatory acquisition of all land sold to overseas interests, cutting the cosy ties with big business, absolutely shutting down the lobbying industry that has paralysed the USA, destroying the culture of campaign contributions and multi-million dollar taxpayer funded advertising campaigns, criminalising party contributions by big business, making Government much more (criminally and financially) accountable in perpetuity and retroactively- (Greg Hunt, be very afraid), but most importantly these two things-

1. Lower wages and perks for politicians. If we win enough seats, if we gain enough influence, we will shred the budget for extravagant pay and unnecessary trips/allowances/concessions for MP's. Serving should be a privilege, not a windfall. Wages should be fair, and any rises should be approved by public referendum only.

2. Absolute control over the legislative process by the public. Instead of voting in a party you hope will serve your wishes, and being disappointed when they sell you out; every internet connected home and smart phone will have access to an account for each person of voting age. Every town/community centre will have a terminal for those that don't have internet access. Every person in Australia will be provided access to, education about, and the means to, vote on every bill that passes through Parliament. Majority wins. Referendum, every time. 

All of the facts/studies/conclusions/opinions for each bill will be linked to and posted accordingly. 

If you want to have a direct say on culling of sharks, gay rights, and climate change, here's a way.

We will encourage a better educated, fully connected, highly engaged society that holds the keys to its own future. If people don't wish to participate, they don't have to. But every person who wishes to vote will have their voice heard, and they will determine the course for their own country. And in doing so, we will utterly destroy the disproportional representation we are experiencing now, where those few with the most money or influence make the rules for everyone. No more Government/Opposition party bickering. Just action. And if the opposition want to sling mud and complain about the decisions made, they'll just illustrate that they don't want the populace to control its own country.

And the Government will change from being power brokers and decision makers, to public servants whose role it is to represent their peoples wishes, and to provide every bit of information and access to that information that is possible; as well as being accountable for the provision of balanced reporting of information.

Senator Ricky Muir has shown us that votes CAN count (look at that, I was wrong, and I'll happily admit it), and the majority of us that aren't happy with the way things are can damn well change it, and there is nothing that big business can do about it.

Also the change from the attitude in the 80's where "poofter" was the most popular derogatory invective and there existed a genuine fear that gay people would infect us all with their AIDS, to the current support of our gay friends and relatives and their right to marry each other, shows us that things really are changing. 

We're making smarter decisions. And in the same way that masses of people are removing their support from the Catholic church over its handling of paedophilia and refusal to support the use of condoms in Africa, or the fact that everyone can see plainly how corrupt politicians are, and how indebted they are to business interests instead of the community, public perceptions have shifted to a point where change is universally recognized as necessary (by the majority).

So. I have a lot of readers that never comment. I want to know what you think about this. I want to know, because if it's a worthy idea outside of my own mind, then I will pursue it. I will form a party, look for members, crowdsource funding, engage potential voters, and seek to represent Victoria and Australia in the Federal elections (unless the public wishes someone else to front the Party, which is always a valid concept).

I want to return the power to the public. We are so connected now, there's no excuse for the Government to continue to make our minds up for us, especially when it is perpetually demonstrated that those decisions benefit business interests and lobby groups, not the people who live in this country.

Please share your thoughts, please link to this blog in your blogs, on Twitter, Facebook, everywhere. Spread the word, because the word can become a voice for you in determining your own future, of influencing policy, and of making this country more yours than it has ever been before.

This can actually happen, but it needs you to do your part. I look forward to your thoughts and contribution to this concept...