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Alfred Deakin |
In fact the Liberal party derives its electoral and government successes from its broad base of ideas and subsequent electoral support. From the earliest liberals who founded Australia's federation George Reid and Alfred Deakin, through Australia's longest serving Prime Minister Robert Menzies and later Malcolm Fraser, liberalism has always been successful at bringing together people from all walks of life and political thought.
Today's Liberalism under John Howard has successfully embraced and represented mainstream Australian expectations, values and goals.
Shayne's Liberalism is characterised by the following core tenets:
- Personal freedom with accompanying responsibilities
- Obligations towards self-improvement
- Acceptance and understanding of others
- Freedom of speech with personal responsibility
- Minimal government interference in our day to day lives
- Free trade and minimal taxation
- Strong independent Parliamentary democracy
- Freedom of press
The Liberals offer a platform for debate and policy development based on the core values of individualism and an equal opportunity for all Australians to achieve their best in life whilst pursuing prosperity and personal happiness without undue interference from government or others and most importantly the responsibility to have a say in how their country is governed.
Unlike single issue parties such as the Greens and the Democrats, the Liberals do not bow to the whim and influence of any one special interest or protest group. The Liberals are also not tied at the hip to any specific organisations such as the Labor party is to the Trade Union movement. Liberals take a broader responsibility from the parliaments to the global stage and seek leadership past their own neighbourhood fences unlike most protest and self interest driven Independents. In this, the Liberal party is the only political forum in Australia that truly represents the concerns and aspirations of the broadest cross section of the Australian people.
Inner City Liberals
Prime Minister John Howard at Sydney Town Hall |
At the local level in Sydney , inner-city Liberals are working to address issues that confront their families, businesses and community in their local area. These can be quite distinct to those of primary concern to the day to day lives of people in greater Sydney and Australia at large. The inner-city landscape and social environment concentrates many of the problems of mainstream Australia to the point of day to day confrontation. Issues such as drug and alcohol addiction, homelessness, mental illness and crime are in the faces daily for inner city communities. Liberals continue to work towards progressive and creative approaches across a broad range of community and social issues confronting the inner city.
Liberals support policies for an achievable and genuinely sustainable City of Sydney that supersedes derisive left wing green rhetoric and reinforces responsible economic management, sustainable growth, and environmental responsibility and delivers ongoing prosperity and advancement for its citizens.
Liberals continue their traditional support for business and the arts by encouraging more variety in small businesses and opportunities to develop cultural diversity in the visual arts, theatre and music. Liberals hold as a core value the right to own private property and enjoy profit, but not the right to unfettered exploitation of property. Liberals believe that development of property should be responsible and reflect excellence and sustainability.
Inner city communities are generally more tolerant and accepting of diversity and differences in their community. Inner city Liberals reflect this and strongly support equality and non-discrimination policies as a core plank to inner city Liberalism. Yet like most traditional Liberals they strongly oppose imposed affirmative action and positive discrimination policies as erosive of individual initiative and achievements.
One of the criticisms of the major political parties today is that they no longer listen to local communities. That they have become arrogant and out of touch. This perception of ‘top-down' politics has given rise to many independent politicians including those on the City of Sydney . Shayne Mallard and the inner city Liberals have headed this message with policies to empower communities and to reach out so that all the voices of the community can have a chance to be heard. Policies that reward initiative and encourage the rolling up of sleeves to get the job done.
For more information on Liberalism and the Liberal Party go to links.
