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A.C.T. Now! , the inaugural community forum hosted by the Community Alliance Party, has raised the bar for local political parties that claim to listen to the community. In order to formulate well-justified, evidence-based policies across the broad spectrum of issues that shape our life in the A.C.T. we must take democratic engagement with the community to a new level.
“What an indictment to find that so many of our local experts and peak bodies have never been consulted by any other political party in the formulation of their policies, or by the Government to inform their decision making”, says Jane Tullis, President of the Community Alliance Party. “No wonder legitimacy for many of our A.C.T. Government’s decisions is lacking. Without the wisdom and humility to seek advice from those who have dedicated their working and voluntary lives to the Canberra community, but choosing instead to rely on ‘yes men’ and over-paid ‘consultants’, any government will lose its way.”
Saturday’s successful A.C.T. Now! Conference demonstrated the effectiveness of holding open forums to expand the arena for public debate on the governance of our territory. With speakers of the calibre of Malcolm Mackerras, Jack Kershaw, Trevor Cobbold, Don Allan, Jenny Stewart, and Mike Crowther, to name but a few, the Conference identified a wide range of problems confronting the A.C.T. community, including the justice system, education, budget, energy, population growth, waste management, tourism, transport, the voting system, and many more. In a concluding session on ‘the Way Forward’, discussion centred on the concept of ‘community rights’ as a potential solution to many of these challenges.
In October 2012, the CAP will be contesting the next ACT election. As a small and still relatively unknown party we intend to take the initiative and challenge the current Government (and all members of the Legislative Assembly) to listen to the views of our community that are all too often ignored.
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