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Constitution

The constitution outlines the vision, aims, agenda, character, the candidates, and the strategy of the AIC

The vision:
What is needed is "a new style of politics that moves beyond political spin and blaming others to a vision of personal responsibility for the nation and for the world.”

The aim:
Inside Parliament “all legislation will be reviewed on the basis of the five tests: does the process have integrity, is it fair, is it sustainable, have the underlying historical injustices been addressed, and does it build community.”

Outside Parliament “there are issues that can only be accurately discerned through relationships of trust that have been built with people in the community over time.”

The agenda:
“A vision of the kind of society we want 50 years from now – economically, environmentally, socially, culturally, politically.”

The character:
“The AIC is open to everyone to support it on the basis of its purposes and spirit.”
“It is important to stress that the function of the AIC is not to get any particular person into Parliament, but to heighten the sense of political responsibility in all people."”

The candidates:
The candidates “will act with integrity in all matters, public and private” and “are free to vote according to their informed conscience, but not against the spirit of the AIC constitution."”

The strategy:
In the AIC “all members through the use of the web will be invited to participate and share their vision and concerns, and offer practical suggestions for the way forward.”

The Vision

Needed – a new style of politics

The desire to stay in power has often reduced politics to attacking the ‘opposition’, playing on our fears to win votes. A new vision is needed, a new style of politics that moves beyond political spin and blaming others to a vision of personal responsibility for the nation and the world.

The ‘Australian Independents Coalition for Political Integrity’ (A.I.C.) represents a grassroots initiative interested in establishing integrity in political culture through encouraging direct participation by ordinary Australians in the political process.

Of course, politicians of integrity as well as ability are needed, free from having to compromise and operate through deals. There is also a need for policies architected by people who have vision and conviction as well as technical skills, and for leaders who can inspire people to greater achievement rather than simply imposing policy as if by right.

There are however, no political messiahs. Politicians and political parties of themselves cannot effectively handle the issues facing Australia.

Perhaps the single most important discovery that needs to be made is what the ordinary person can do - the power of one. The way the environmental movement has given a vision, and then made clear how each person has an important part to play – however insignificant they may feel their part is – needs to be replicated in all areas of national life.

In 1984 Vaclav Havel, then President of Czechoslovakia, wrote out of personal experience, “It is becoming evident that a single seemingly powerless person who dares to cry out the word of truth and to stand behind it with all his person and all his life, has surprisingly greater power, though formerly disenfranchised, than do thousands of anonymous voters. It is becoming evident that truth and morality can provide a new starting point for politics and, even today, have an undeniable political power”.

The political role then is far wider than Parliament, and concerns the whole way we view ourselves as citizens, the realisation that we are not powerless to bring change for the greater good. The force for change as the creative talents of the silent majority begin to be tapped would be undeniable and unstoppable, giving once again a positive outlook and direction for the future.

The Aim

Important role for Independents with integrity

Inside Parliament

In Australia the two party system has meant Members of Parliament argue and vote along party lines. This ideological stance stifles genuine debate. Clearly parties with policies are needed, but also clearly there are limitations to the two party system, seen particularly in the disregard for the function of the upper house of Parliament, the Senate.

Almost by definition, the Senate as the House of Review should have representatives of independent thought and allegiance. The people need the assurance of knowing:

that legislation is being reviewed by persons of integrity whose only obligation is to support the best laws for the people of Australia;
that their views can be considered honestly by an elected member of Parliament who who is free to think and act without party censorship;
that such members are prepared to stand publicly by what they think and say privately;
that all legislation will be reviewed on the basis of the five tests: does the process have integrity, is it fair, is it sustainable, have the underlying historical injustices been addressed, and does it build community.

The concept of a Coalition of Independents for the Upper Houses of Parliament is entirely consistent with this. Our aim is to stand candidates for the Australian Federal elections in 2007.

Outside Parliament

Members of Parliament have a wider leadership role in advocating long-term concerns taking priority over the short term, and sacrifice for the national good taking priority over personal gain.

There are issues however that can only be accurately discerned through relationships of trust that have been built with people in the community over time. Common sense can otherwise be over-ridden by the conflicting demands of pressure groups. There is often the need for honest brokers, not so much to help strike a compromise, but to develop the spirit of trust in which a win-win plan can emerge. This uniting role in practice may well be easier for broad-based independents than for members of parties with set policies or those with a single-issue agenda.

There is then a vital role for Independents to play outside Parliament. Instead of engaging in party politics over issues, they are free to establish the truth behind an issue, and then to formulate policies appropriate to that truth.

Whilst independents do not have the weight of party numbers behind them, this force of truth and integrity remains their main source of impact.

The Agenda

Coalition of Independents Platform

Although a coalition of independents cannot be committed as a body to detailed policies there are basic concepts which will guide their approach to issues and help determine which ones should be of priority. These concepts embrace:

A vision of the kind of society we want fifty years from now – economically, environmentally, socially, culturally, politically;
The encouragement of participation in the political process by the ‘silent majority’;
The encouragement of democratic processes in Parliament, seeking not to block legislation, but to enhance it;
The issues of conscience which influence the moral and spiritual fabric of our nation;
The support for legislation that promotes the greater stability and enriched quality of the family community;
The support for legislation that confronts current injustices and corruption;
A responsible role in world affairs, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, seeking involvement at the grassroots level;
The support for policies which enhance the sense of national identity and belonging especially amongst the young;
The affirmation of every person’s birthright to food, shelter, and meaningful work;
The encouragement of each individual’s sense of responsibility at all levels, creating structures that are open and inclusive so creative input can be made by the formerly disenfranchised;
The encouragement of grassroots solutions to local, national and international problems, avoiding legislating solutions wherever possible;
The drawing on expertise of those outside politics, acknowledging the inability of any parliamentarian to be competent in more than a few policy areas.

The Five Tests

All policy will be screened according to the following five tests:

Does the process have integrity?
Is it fair?
Is it sustainable?
Have the underlying historical injustices been addressed?
Does it build community?

Coalition Guidelines

In addition to the above the AIC will, in each policy area, compile guidelines for future directions. These will be formed by contributions from the membership and other interested persons through web forums.

Such guidelines will not represent fixed policies and may rather present possible alternatives. Members of Parliament will refer to such guidelines in reference to all issues before Parliament, but are not bound by them. They remain guidelines only.

The Character

Philosophy

As a coalition of independents seeking representation in the Upper Houses of Parliament the AIC believes it is important not to appeal to, or represent, any sectional interest. Misuse of Parliament in this way by independents with a single issue agenda and the major parties has diminished Parliament’s function.

The AIC is open to everyone to support it on the basis of its purposes and spirit. The more universal its character the wider will be its appeal and the richer its contribution. Bearing in mind the social, ethnic, religious and racial make-up of Australian society, it is only appropriate that support be drawn from a variety of different communities and from all sections of the social spectrum. In particular indigenous Australians need to be listened to and included.

The AIC seeks the support of all who are disillusioned with current political options, who feel somewhat remote from our parliaments and political processes, and who would respond to a new force in politics which offers independence and integrity.

Membership

The AIC is not another party. Membership carries no fixed duties or financial obligations and primarily is an expression of support. Members of the AIC are free to belong concurrently to any other political group. As the AIC does not pursue detailed policies but rather seeks to enhance the political process, the effect for some members will be to encourage them to get actively involved in the party of their choice. Membership of the AIC does not carry any sense of exclusivity, or of being ‘against’ any currently existing political grouping or organisation.

The membership will play an essential role in the political process. They will determine selection of AIC candidates, and stand as resource persons for reviewing legislation, and will be kept included on all issues before the Parliament. The membership also contirbute to the policy guidelines for the AIC

Local debate and initiative is fundamental, and is really democracy in action. It is important to stress that the function of the AIC primarily is not to get any particular person into Parliament, but to heighten the sense of political responsibility in all people. As such, it is hoped local initiatives will be taken at the grassroots level outside the Parliament in addition to any initiative inside the Parliament. The parliamentary initiative is to serve more as a focus for such aspirations; it is not to be seen as an end in itself.

The Candidates

Selection

Any member will be eligible to stand as a candidate. A candidate’s nomination will be accompanied by the signatures of ten other members. Candidates will be selected by ballot by the membership. Every member is eligible to vote. Each member has one vote only, and the candidates are elected ‘first past the post’.

The Member of Parliament

The following points offer the framework of accountability within which the selected member will operate whilst in Parliament.

Framework of Accountability

Members of Parliament:

will act with integrity in all matters, public and private;
are free to vote according to their own informed conscience, but not against the spirit of the A.I.C. constitution and policy guidelines;
will seek to be informed on all issues before the Parliament;
will seek out expertise from within the membership, and from the general public, whatever their background or view;
will keep the membership informed of issues before the Parliament;
will seek to work as a team with other A.I.C. Members of Parliament;
will endeavour to seek solutions outside the Parliament wherever possible;
will be prepared to act as a spokesperson for the basic aims and philosophy of the A.I.C. in whatever forums are open;
will not serve for two consecutive Upper House terms.

Causes for Dismissal

Any members of Parliament who are disenfranchised of A.I.C. support should then resign. All A.I.C. parliamentary candidates will be required to make a written undertaking to this effect.

Grounds for such disenfranchising must relate to one or both of the following:

a refusal to work within the above ‘framework of accountability’;
voting against the spirit of the A.I.C. guidelines.

The Strategy

In the community

The web makes possible a wholly new grassroots involvement. The strategy in the community is to use the internet to discuss and encourage local initiatives in the various policy areas, as well as forward recommendations to the Parliamentary representative. Implicit in this strategy is the acknowledgement that the integrity and stability of our democracy resides in the awareness and involvement by ordinary Australians in the political process, inside and outside Parliament. This proposal is part and parcel of the A.I.C. way of working. All members and others who are interested will be invited to participate and share their vision and concerns, and offer practical suggestions for the way forward. This represents a radical shift in current political culture, which ideally should be replicated by all parties, and generally across the nation.

This process will continue after the election of Members of Parliament. Individuals and groups who continue to discuss and comment on policy areas will be a feature of the A.I.C.

This strategy is reflected in the A.I.C. mottos:

Democracy starts with me;
What the ordinary person can do – the forgotten factor;
It is not who/which party is right/best, but what is right/best.

For election

No sponsorship will be sought or accepted. The A.I.C. at all times will remain completely independent of any ties to any organization or institution or individual for any reason. Donations will be accepted with this principle always in mind.

The strategy for election is ‘grassroots’, and has two components. The first is local and the second is State and nation-wide.

(i) Local

Locally, any A.I.C. member, but primarily the candidate, will seek to inform his/her local area. This may take the form of letter-box drops, door-to-door campaigning, local meetings and/or using the local media. Any member may do this since such actions will benefit the person who is standing. At the individual level the strategy is ‘3x3’ – i.e. each person will endeavour to let three others know. In such ways the election of any A.I.C. independent will always be a team effort.

(ii) Nation-wide

Australia-wide the ‘grassroots’ element is again important. The focus for a less intensive broader campaign would be the local media – newspapers and radio and the use of the internet. The appeal of such a campaign is that it attempts to work locally, even when the whole country is the target. This is consistent with A.I.C. philosophy, and presents a new role and vision for local media and the web in politics. This is not to say that other approaches will be rejected. Rather, it must remain clear in any media undertaking that the local concern is a distinguishing characteristic.