Archive for July, 2008

Media Release: Darren Churchill: Candidate for Ginninderra

27/07/2008

Darren Churchill Candidate for Ginninderra

Darren Churchill has lived most of his life in the Canberra region. Originally from Goulburn, he now lives in Kaleen. Darren has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Newcastle and a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Wollongong. He has taught in secondary schools in both NSW and the ACT and is a registered relief teacher.

Darren has also worked in the music industry doing sound and lighting, and in the early 1990s was a band manager. Currently, Darren works part-time as a group fitness (Boxfit) instructor. As a Christian (Anglo-Catholic), he has strong views on human rights, equality, social justice and inclusiveness. In the long tradition of the Australian Democrats, he stands with the voiceless the marginalised and the oppressed in the fight for justice and equality.

Darren is a vegetarian and is greatly concerned about animal welfare and food labelling. He was active as a volunteer in the campaign to reinstate South Sydney Rabbitohs to the NRL, and was active in the Canberra Cosmos and Belconnen Blue Devils Supporters Groups. He supports the proposal for an A-League team for Canberra.

Darren stands for getting the balance right in legislative decisions. The result needs to be the right mix for the environment, the economy and social justice. He is a straight talker who represents the core Democrats values of honesty, tolerance and compassion. If elected, Darren will address transport, health, energy and planning in ways that will lead to a sustainable Canberra and a better future. He will take immediate action to develop an overarching transport plan that provides availability, accessibility and environmentally sustainability to cater for the ACT’s needs well into the future.

Managing our schools and quality education is high on his agenda, including adequate resources for public education and support for teachers. He will increase the availability and improve the management of public housing. Darren will provide for medical services and keeping people in the medical professions (especially nursing) and including women’s and mental health, and will immediately act to reform ACT electoral laws and accountability in government.

Darren will bring the Australian Democrats’ 31 years of legislative experience to the Assembly and offer practical, balanced solutions from the progressive centre. He will “Keep the Bastards Honest!”

Darren Churchill
Darren.Churchill@act.democrats.org.au
Tel: 0412 196 473

Posted in ACT Election 2008 Campaign | Leave a Comment »

Media Release: ACT Democrats Candidate Announcement: 25 July 2008

27/07/2008

ACT Democrats

KEEP THE BASTARDS HONEST!

The ACT Democrats have announced their first three candidates for the October ACT elections.

The candidates are:
Molonglo: Greg Tannahill, 28, whose interests include affordable housing, education, public transport and our videogame censorship laws.
Ginninderra: Marilyn Kay Dennis, 61, whose interests include public transport, low-income families and arts and culture.
Ginninderra: Darren Churchill, 43, the party President, whose interests include general transport, education, sustainability and governmental reform.

The federally registered party will contest the election in the Ungrouped column, as it is not registered in the ACT, and because the ACT’s electoral law will not allow it re-register in the same electoral cycle as when it lost registration.

The Democrats endorsed all three candidates last week and expect more to come on board as the election gets closer.

“We’ve got a good mix of candidates, a variety of ages, male and female, all with different backgrounds” Mr Churchill said.

The ACT Democrats first became active in Canberra politics in the ACT’s old House of Assembly, with Gordon Walsh and Ivor Vivian being strong advocates of ACT Self-Government from 1979 to 1985. The Democrats have contested every election since self-government, with Roslyn Dundas elected as member for Ginninderra from 2001 to 2004.

“The Democrats have 31 years of parliamentary experience to draw on. We are the natural party of the crossbenches, the negotiators. Four years of majority government in the ACT has been a disaster. Labor has been able to rush through any legislation it chooses. A Liberal majority government would be no better.”

“When there was a Democrat in the Assembly (Roslyn Dundas) from 2001 to 2004 things were different. We intend to make that difference again.”

“The only way to ensure fair legislation and make whoever governs accountable is by electing the ACT Democrats to Keep the Bastards Honest!” concluded Mr Churchill, emphasising the Democrats mission statement.

Darren Churchill
ACT Democrats President
darren.churchill@act.democrats.org.au
Tel: 0412 196 473

Posted in ACT Election 2008 Campaign | Leave a Comment »

Media Release: ACT Democrats – ACT Electoral Act: 16 July 2008

17/07/2008

Darren Churchill – ACT Democrats

Democrats Highlight Flaws in ACT Electoral Act 16 July 2008

ACT Democrats President, Darren Churchill has questioned flaws in the ACT Electoral Act.

The Democrats are expected to make an announcement on how they will participate in the October ACT election during the forthcoming week. But the federally registered party faces some unusual obstacles.

“We were deregistered when our membership declined last year” said Mr Churchill. “But now, even if we had 500 members, we can’t reregister until after the election unless we are prepared to change our name”

Section 99 of the ACT Electoral Act states that:
“(1) If the registration of a registered party (the cancelled party) is
cancelled-
(a) the cancelled party; or
(b) another political party that has a name that so nearly resembles
the name of the cancelled party that it is likely to be confused
with or mistaken for the cancelled party;
is ineligible for registration until after the next general election after
the cancellation.
(2) In this section:
name includes an abbreviation of the name”

“It’s a very strange law that prevents us from using our own name!” declared Mr Churchill

“There is also the interesting situation where Section 115 of the Electoral Act was amended in May this year to prevent like minded candidates grouping together in a column. So, independents have to form themselves into a party to get a column. And a hotchpotch of conflicting vested interest groups can call themselves a party and get a column. But the federally registered Australian Democrats can’t re-register without making our name different from our national organisation. The Electoral Act is seriously flawed!” Mr Churchill pointed out. “It’s farcical!”

“The benefits from having party status should be extended to all candidates – grouped or ungrouped.” claimed Mr Churchill

“The Democrats believe that a party which is registered nationally should automatically be registered for ACT elections.” Mr Churchill stated. “And the prohibition of like-minded candidates being able to be grouped together to achieve their democratic objectives is nothing short of an electoral gerrymander weighting the entire electoral system in favour of Liberal and Labor.”

“The Hare-Clark system with Robson Rotation has some extremely democratic aspects to it. But the ACT version turns this democracy on its head because of the other aspects of the Electoral Act I’ve just mentioned”. “The ACT Democrats will continue to fight for fair and democratic electoral laws!” Mr Churchill concluded.

Darren Churchill
ACT Democrats President
0412 196 473
darren.churchill@act.democrats.org.au

Posted in Electoral Reform | Leave a Comment »