Community Alliance Party

Address to the official launch of the Community Alliance Party
Thursday June 12th, 2008
Albert Hall

The Choice for the Future

NORVAN VOGT
Candidate for Molonglo

Introdution:

Good evening one and all. It's great to be among people who are passionate about our Territory's future.

This year, Canberrans will face an important choice: a choice between the future and the past.

Today the case I put before you, the people of the ACT, is that if we are to secure the future for our families, for our communities and for our City - the government of the ACT must now change. When we vote on October 18, we are choosing, not only a Government, but who will watch over that Government.

I am excited, and honoured, to be a part of this launch, and I want to tell you why the Community Alliance is a unique party with a lot to offer.

We are new alternative
As Dr Stewart states - It's clear: the Canberra public is turning away from a 'two dogs barking', style of territory politics. The old Parties want to play big party State politics, government by ministerial decree. We want to strengthen the committee system within the ACT legislative assembly and have real public input to decision making. We are not a state like NSW or Victoria, We are unique, we are a territory, and we have the opportunity to carry out our State responsibilities in a more community focused way. This requires a paradigm shift; a government that is prepared to spend more time on community issues than on state grandeur. With a community focus we can do better, better Roads, better Rates, better Rubbish. Better health services better Education

Our territory has fantastic opportunities

Leveraging our knowledge institutions, such as the universities and the CSIRO, we can build Australia's principle knowledge economy. We need to broaden our business base so that Federal Government change causes us less economic pain.

By working with our colleges across the border we can develop a strong regional economy. We need to have the same business environment in things like payroll tax and stamp duty and land tax as they do in Queanbeyan.

To address the issues that Mr Powell raised - At the community level the CAP will;

1. In the area of housing, by engaging the community, we will tackle Housing needs by catering to students, the homeless and emergency housing.
2. We will catch up with our neglected public transport by investing more in public transport infrastructure.
3. We want to make the ACT's business environment more competitive by lowering cost of doing business through a reduction in red tape.

Canberra deserves representation from a party that is focused on the triple bottom line: economic sustainability, environmental protection and social justice.

We are a good alternative

We are not tied to any wealthy power base - big unions, big business or powerful industrial and professional groups. We are tied to our communities. If other parties were engaging the needs of our communities, and providing us with outcomes, then we would not have formed Save our Schools or a Phoenix Association. The Community Alliance has brought the power of this community force together under a unified banner. And in the election later this year we will bring the full force of this power to bear on those who have let us down. The CAP are not under the thumb of a national body, we believe your community counts

We are your alternative
The CAP has a different approach to democracy to any other party. For the CAP, democracy and politics should not be a contest to win hearts and minds, it must be about opening hearts and minds. We are different, not just in our policies but the way we practice politics. We care about communities. Fundamentally, I will work for genuine public participation, not just a 'tick the box' approach but actually listening to the community's voice, and responding to it with real results

I believe in getting things done.

Through my representation on the National Youth Round Table I established the Apprenticeships code of conduct legislation.

I helped to establish the Salvation Army Street Van tackling youth alcoholism in Canberra.

And I have lead a project team that rebuilt a school in the remote Chirripo mountains of Costa Rica.

I will pursue practical, positive solutions and I am prepared to negotiate and to work hard to bring them about. This is what Change Politics is about: good ideas and positive outcomes, not just scare tactics and insults.

Ending

Finally, I think Canberrans want more than they have been getting from their elected representatives.

We are a new alternative, We are a good alternative, We are your alternative.

We are the Community Alliance party, Your community counts!