Mick Hidden, Cabarita Beach
Politics seems completely separate from what really matters in our day-to-day lives. It shouldn’t be this way. All of us should have our voice heard and have the values of our community represented in parliament.
Politics in Australia needs a major shake-up. For too long, our parliament has played out behind closed mahogany doors, shutting out communities and making decisions about people, without those people.
Our democracy should be the best tool we have to care for people, plan for the future and protect the environment, but it has to work for all of us. Right now, corporate influence in politics is getting in the way of progress on everything from tackling climate change to housing affordability.
Instead of delivering a better future for all of us, the Liberal, National and Labor parties take millions of dollars in donations from big corporations, hold private meetings, and organise cushy lobbyist jobs for ex-politicians, with no transparency or accountability.
They donate for a reason. In return for their donations, big agribusiness, property developers, the banks, gambling corporations and mining giants have received billions of dollars worth of favourable policy decisions from Liberal/National and Labor governments.
While the major parties continue to take money from big corporate interests, they will never be completely focused on what is good for our communities or our environment. From local decisions on the site of the new Tweed Hospital and water mining approvals, to national issues like Adani or the management of the Murray/Darling. It is clear that the major parties, and the National Party in particular, will put vested interest ahead of community interest every time. We deserve better.
