Care

There is just so much to care about that we sometimes become overwhelmed by what the media dishes up daily. Sadly the media cares more about stirring up feelings of ill-will between the public and their politicians. We could all believe, indeed that “the sky is falling in”.

It must be obvious to those who care, that our government is simply incapable of running the country of 28 million people.  Many of us have totally different priorities. Take consolation that history shows it has always been thus.

But there is one major difference for us. Today in Australia we live in the most responsive democracy on Earth. It is a paradise for those who care about their fellow Australians and themselves. Approached in the right way and at the right time our politicians do care deeply about doing what the people want. But there are nicer ways of presenting our wishes than by  marching on the Harbour Bridge or protesting outside Parliament House to show how hopeless our politicians are. That just makes the government defensive. Diplomacy works many more miracles.

If we care about the Members of Parliament who have been kind enough to represent us in Parliament, they will care just as much about us. The concept of treating MPs the way we would like them to treat us is not such a bad idea.

Dare

They are extraordinary powers that democracy confers on us when we work through our MPs. They are the most powerful people in the country. For some reason many of those Australians who care deeply about social issues do not dare speak out for fear of retaliation by government. I have never experienced even the slightest indication of that. On the contrary the politicians have been most helpful. What I have learned in 40 years of doing this is that government is pleased to have voter input if delivered in the right way. Why not? It can save them a lot of work if they know what the community wants. Dare to speak up because if you don’t, the parliament cannot possibly know what you want done.

Share

It is for that reason that the Voters Network was established decades ago. Democracy requires a Voters’ Circle of Safety around our Parliament and government. It can observe, monitor, report and suggest improvements. People join to share their views in discussion groups on such topics as Public Schooling, Public Hospitals, Domestic Violence, Aboriginal justice or Taxation. They can examine problems, uncover the underlying causes and develop potential solutions. Then they can vote on which solutions they like best. They would then usually share with the Parliament, the solutions which received 80% support from those voting on them. We Aussies make a lot more progress by giving Parliament some solutions, than by just giving it problems. Who wants more problems?? Nobody!

Politicians love helping voters and they take voter feedback seriously. Quite obviously with 28 million people, 18 million voters to please, the MPs cannot know what everyone wants or what every city, suburb or town needs. We can share those details with them because we live in the community they serve.  Sharing information and working together is a lot better than standing back criticising each other. What we have learned is that by going to every Member of Parliament, they are mostly happy to do what is good for the community. Some actually thank us for sharing with them the views from outside their own electorates and political parties. When you dare to share your views with them, you are helping them to govern wisely.

Voters Network is owned by the voters. We have no desire to empower ourselves. Power, as Lord Acton once said “tends to corrupt”. We empower you and others like you. When the mass of Australians use the power they have been given to influence their parliaments, that tends to eliminate corruption by diversifying power. We are always looking over their shoulders. They are always sharing their intentions with us. That is how democracy is meant to work, so let us make it work well in Australia first.

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