Archive for July, 2010

Media Release: 31st July, 2010: Democrats bold move on preferences

30/07/2010

DARREN CHURCHILL

Australian Democrats Senate candidate

Media Release: 31st July, 2010

Democrats bold move on preferences

In a bold move that is likely to raise some eyebrows, the Australian Democrats will preference the Liberal Party for the Senate in the ACT.

“We have to act in the interests of Canberra and in the national interest!” announced Democrats Senate candidate, Darren Churchill.

“Canberra is taken for granted with two safe Labor seats in the House. Kate Lundy is likely to easily achieve a quota. Adding a Green to the mix would tip the balance too far towards the Labor/Greens alliance.

“Whilst I believe The ACT and Jervis Bay Territory would be best served by electing me as an Australian Democrat” said Mr Churchill. “Should that not come about, we need to balance things out another way.”

“The thought of a possible Tony Abbott Liberal government with a bunch of conservative nodding dogs in the Party Room is a little too scary to contemplate. Gary Humphries is at least a small “l” Liberal who could be a much-needed hand of restraint on Mr Abbott’s shoulder. He has demonstrated this in his preparedness to cross the floor in the interests of the ACT and his call for electoral reform to improve our democracy.”

“The Australian Democrats pride ourselves on not being beholden to any one interest group or ideology,” continued Mr Churchill. “As the voice of the progressive centre, we have some things in common with all the other main parties. Unfortunately, we all too often get perceived as simply a vote channelling exercise for the Greens.”

“The Australian Democrats have entered into a variety of preference arrangements across Australia. This clearly differentiates us from the Greens who are all too ready to only accept preference deals with Labor.”

“In this, like all decisions we make, we have considered the interests of the ACT and acted on the merits of the individual case” Mr Churchill concluded.

Darren Churchill

Australian Democrats Senate candidate for the ACT

darren.churchill@democrats.org.au

Tel: 0412 196 473

Posted in Federal Election 2010, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

MEDIA RELEASE: Election 2010: Friday, 30th July 2010

30/07/2010

MEDIA RELEASE: Election 2010: Friday, 30th July 2010

Jeanie Walker – National spokesperson

Womens’ policy: where are the other parties?

The Australian Democrats are advancing plans for women that go well beyond the debate over the past day or so over who said what about paid parental leave.

The party’s principal Senate candidate, Jeanie Walker of South Australia, has released her party’s plans in relation to important policies on domestic violence, work-life balance, health and equal pay.

“But I wonder where the major parties are on these issues.

“It’s sad that we still have to talk about equal pay: after all these years of striving for equality, on average women in Australia still earn 10% less than men.

“Because of that pay gap, and because family responsibilities take women out of the workforce and superannuation, the Democrats when returned to parliament, will introduce a Work and Family Act.

“We want parents to have the right to flexible working hours, and the right to return to work part-time. More accessible child care is needed, especially for the under-twos.

“Too many women with children are forced to flee the family home because of partner violence and the Democrats are calling for more housing options and better legal and service responses.

“Our health system does not appear to recognise that women are 2-3 times more likely to suffer depression than men, particularly as an increasing number are experiencing the triple whammy of running their own homes, holding down a job and looking after ageing parents or caring for grandchildren.

“We’ve come a long way baby, as they said in the 70s, but we still haven’t got there yet” said Ms Walker.

Further comment:

Jeanie Walker ph. 0427 076336

Darren Churchill ph. 0412 196 473

(Full copies of the Democrats’ action plans for the Status of Women and Women’s Health are available on request)

Posted in Federal Election 2010 | Leave a Comment »

MEDIA RELEASE: Election 2010: Thursday, 29th July 2010

30/07/2010

MEDIA RELEASE: Election 2010: Thursday, 29th July 2010

Democrats field Senate candidates in all states and territories

As proof of the revival of the party, the Australian Democrats are fielding Senate candidates in all states and territories.

The party’s National President, Julia Melland, says that with the close of nominations today she is delighted to reveal this.

“So many commentators have dismissed us, but we are back and once again giving that choice to voters of a party with progressive centrist policies, rather than the simple right wing choices of Labor and Liberal of the left wing choice of the Greens. We believe the people of Australia deserve better than that.

“We are particularly pleased to be fielding a team of two in Tasmania when we were unable to field anyone in the 2007 election,” said Ms Melland.

The Senate line up is:

ACT

#1 Darren Churchill

#2 Anthony David

Northern Territory

Duncan Dean

NSW

#1 Fiona Clancy

#2 Jen Mitchell

Queensland

#1 Paul Stevenson

#2 Jen Cluse

South Australia

#1 Jeanie Walker

#2 Andrew Castrique

Tasmania

#1 Paulene Hutton

#2 Tim Neal

Victoria

#1 Roger Howe

#2 Rick Westgarth

Western Australia

#1 Paul Young

#2 Matthew Corica

Further comment:

Phone Julia Melland 0431 357 585

Phone Darren Churchill 0412 196 473

Posted in Federal Election 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Media Release: 23rd July 2010: ACT Democrats Senate team complete with announcement of No. 2 candidate

30/07/2010

ACT Democrats 2010

Media Release: 23rd July 2010

ACT Democrats Senate team complete with announcement of No. 2 candidate

The Australian Democrats in the ACT today completed their Senate team when they announced their latest Senate candidate for the 2010 Federal election.

The No. 2 Senate candidate is Anthony David. Anthony is an IT specialist who has lived and raised his family in Canberra over the last 29 years. He has participated in the community life in Canberra in areas such as local area planning, reconciliation, transport and the environment. Anthony is particularly concerned about the failure of the Federal parliament to put a price on carbon emissions. He has recently graduated with honours from the ANU, modelling ocean carbon response over ice age cycles.

Anthony joins Darren Churchill as an endorsed candidate to complete the Australian Democrats ACT Senate team.

The Australian Democrats are finalising their candidates nationally.

“The past two years have shown the Senate is in need of the Australian Democrats” declared Anthony David. “I want to restore a voice of common sense and constructive legislative scrutiny to the upper house of our country.”

“My passion is to see a fair Australia, a sustainable economy and a social structure that looks after the vulnerable and enables its citizens to achieve their potential. Australia needs the revocation of the “NT Intervention” and the implementation of the recommendations of the “Little Children are Sacred” inquiry.”

“Being mindful of Australia’s disproportionate carbon emissions, we need an urgent investment in modern transport infrastructure.” said Anthony “I am also pleased that mental health has become a prominent issue in the media. I want to see an effective response by the next government and I will support innovative programs to improve our understanding and response to mental health issues.”

“Effective education at all ages is the cornerstone of our civil society. I am particularly concerned about the shortage of science and mathematics teachers. I want to see people trained in these fields take up the profession, especially primary teaching where the foundations are set. The Federal government has a vital role in the development and deployment of these resources.”

I want to work for the good of Canberrans and the people of the Jervis Bay Territory.” Anthony concluded.

Anthony David

Australian Democrats 2nd Senate Candidate for the ACT

anthony.david@democrats.org.au

Tel: 0414 581 385

Darren Churchill

Australian Democrats No.1 Senate Candidate for the ACT

darren.churchill@democrats.org.au

Tel: 0412 196 473

Anthony David No.2 Candidate for the Senate

Anthony David, 51, is an IT specialist who has lived and raised his family in Canberra over the last 29 years. He has participated in the community life in Canberra in areas such as local area planning, reconciliation, transport and the environment. Anthony is particularly concerned about the failure of the Federal parliament to put a price on carbon emissions. He has recently graduated with honours from the ANU, modelling the ocean carbon response over ice age cycles.

Anthony is a long-term member of the ACT Democrats, running as the No. 2 candidate for the Australian Democrats in the 2007 Federal election and was on the ticket for Ginninderra, which saw Roslyn Dundas elected to the ACT legislative assembly in 2001.

Over the past 13 years, Anthony enjoys playing Rugby with the ACT Veterans.

Anthony is proud of the Australian Democrats’ 31 years of legislative experience in the Senate, and will continue the same process of working for good legislative outcomes and offer practical, balanced solutions from the progressive centre.

Anthony David

anthony.david@democrats.org.au

Tel: 0414 581 385

Posted in Federal Election 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Media Release: 23rd July, 2010: We’re here and we’re campaigning!

30/07/2010

Media Release: 23rd July, 2010

We’re here and we’re campaigning!

The Australian Democrats have chosen their lead Senate candidates in Victoria and South Australia to be their principal spokespersons for the party in the Federal election.

They are Roger Howe who leads the Victorian Senate team and is a software engineering manager, and Jeanie Walker, who leads the South Australian Senate team and is an Aboriginal youth support worker, qualified chef and well-known animal rights activist.

“As the progressive centre of politics, the party intends to field Senate candidates in every state and territory, plus some House of Representatives candidates” said Ms Walker.

“Australia has been sold short since Democrat representation ended in the Senate. Had the Democrats been there when the legislation was being debated, Australia would have had an emissions trading scheme in place by now.”

“We have a proud tradition of working with governments to improve legislation rather than blocking” said Mr Howe.

“We have been rebuilding the party over the past three years, have increasing membership numbers and growing enthusiasm.

“We will be campaigning in this election on the major issues of climate change and energy, education, population and asylum seekers, infrastructure and water, health and taxation.

“In the coming weeks we will be releasing our action plans on these and many more issues” said Mr Howe.

Further comment:

Roger Howe ph.0431 527 845

Jeanie Walker ph. 0427 076336

Darren Churchill ph. 0412 196 473

Posted in Federal Election 2010 | Leave a Comment »

MEDIA RELEASE: Monday, 19 July 2010: Labor/Greens preference deal shows the bias

19/07/2010

MEDIA RELEASE

Monday, 19 July 2010

Labor/Greens preference deal shows the bias

The Australian Democrats say the Greens/Labor preference deal is a message to voters that if they want a genuine balance of power party in the Senate they won’t get it if they vote for the Greens.

ACT Senate candidate, Darren Churchill, said that The Greens have shown this bias for many years, but it is time the spotlight was really shone it.

“Voters must know that if they vote 1 for The Greens their preferences will go to Labor whether they like it or not.

“It reveals that The Greens are fundamentally a left-based party.

“The Australian Democrats have always encouraged voters to make up their own minds and we intend to maintain that approach in this election.

“We have almost always registered a split ticket with the Electoral Commission, and our how to vote cards clearly advise voters that they can make their own choices.

“This grubby deal shows that if voters want a party that will consider legislation on its merits to represent them in the Senate then the Australian Democrats, as the progressive centre of Australian politics, should be their choice,” Mr Churchill said.

Further comment: Darren Churchill ph. 0412 196 473

Posted in Federal Election 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Media Release: 15th July 2010 ACT Democrats announce 2010 No. 1 Senate candidate

15/07/2010

ACT Democrats 2010

Media Release: 15th July 2010

ACT Democrats announce 2010 No. 1 Senate candidate

The Australian Democrats in the ACT today announced their No. 1 Senate candidate for the 2010 Federal election.

The No. 1 Senate candidate is Darren Churchill.  Darren is President of the ACT Democrats and stood as a candidate in the 2008 ACT Legislative Assembly elections and for the seat of Fraser in the 2007 federal election. He has lived most of his life in the Canberra region. He has worked as a secondary teacher, in the music industry and is now a casual relief teacher and occasional fitness instructor. Darren’s main policy interests are sensible Economic policy, Human Rights and Civil Liberties, and policies that give ordinary people a “fair go.”

Darren was endorsed late last year by a party ballot, in the biggest voter turnout for some time. Darren Churchill (ACT) joins Roger Howe (Victoria) as the first two endorsed Australian Democrats Senate candidates.

The ACT Democrats are currently pre-selecting their No. 2 Senate candidate and other Divisions are expected to announce their candidates shortly.

“The Australian Democrats are ready for the challenge and believe voters are also ready for a change away from the unworkable obstructionism that currently exists in the Federal Parliament, and want to restore the ‘balance of reason’(1) in the Senate!” declared Darren Churchill

“We want to work with whoever is in government to ensure good legislative outcomes and fair legislation.” said Darren. “The Australian Democrats have 31 years of federal parliamentary experience to draw on. We are the natural party of the crossbenches, the negotiators – we are a party of the possible, not the party of “No!””

The Australian Democrats Senate candidates have at time performed quite well in the ACT. Norm Sanders (1990) and Rick Farley (1998) were both strong candidates. Before that, John Gorton was an independent candidate in 1975 backed by both the Australian Democrats predecessor parties, the Australia Party and the Liberal Movement.(2)

“It is a great honour and privilege to follow in the footsteps of some great Australian Democrats and my hero Sir John Gorton. These were people of the progressive centre, who were looking to the future – a better, fairer future. If elected as an Australian Democrats Senator for the ACT, I will continue the Party’s process of working for good legislative outcomes, specifically in policy areas that benefit Canberra and Canberrans and the Jervis Bay Territory.” Darren concluded.

Darren Churchill

Australian Democrats Senate Candidate for the ACT

darren.churchill@democrats.org.au

Tel: 0412 196 473

(1) The ‘balance of reason’ was a term coined by Australian Democrats founder, Don Chipp to show that holding the ‘balance’ in the Senate is more than just about exercising a ‘balance of power.’

(2) In 1977, the Australia Party and the remnants of the Liberal Movement (the New LM) merged to become the Australian Democrats. They had approached John Gorton in 1974 to lead them, eventually finding Don Chipp in May 1977.


Candidate for the Senate

Darren Churchill

Darren Churchill, 45, 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 also works casually as a group fitness instructor and fitness consultant. 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 has been outspoken on matters of privacy, civil liberties and drug law reform.

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 Australian Democrats values of honesty, tolerance and compassion. If elected, Darren will would give: support for the construction of a Very Fast Train system to link Canberra to Sydney and Melbourne; support for low carbon energy sources to give us a clean reliable sustainable energy future, and support for increased investment in high tech export products from the ANU, the CSIRO and local manufacturers, to help give Australia an alternative to agriculture and mining exports.

Darren will bring the Australian Democrats’ 31 years of legislative experience back to the Senate, continue the same process of working for good legislative outcomes and offer practical, balanced solutions from the progressive centre.

Darren Churchill

darren.churchill@democrats.org.au

Tel: 0412 196 473

Posted in Federal Election 2010, Senate Campaign 2010, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

MEDIA RELEASE: 7th July, 2010: Statement on asylum seekers

07/07/2010

MEDIA RELEASE

7th July, 2010

Statement on asylum seekers

The National Executive of the Australian Democrats has voted to strongly oppose the offshore processing and demonising of asylum seekers and calls on the Gillard Labor Government to:

· Acknowledge that seeking asylum from violence, war, famine, torture and persecution is legal under international law;

· Stand up against the misinformation that the Abbott Liberal opposition is peddling about asylum seekers and not to bow to political pressure to reverse the ALP’s commitment to our human rights obligations;

· Ensure that Australia lives up to its obligations under United Nations Conventions on Human Rights and Refugees;

· Provide an assurance that no asylum seeker will be sent back to an environment that will endanger their lives or result in persecution, torture or other harm;

· Ensure that the process of assessing claims for asylum is open to public scrutiny, including temporary detention of asylum seekers on the mainland for health and security assessment purposes and opening up the detention centres to NGO scrutiny and monitoring of the standards of living and compliance with human rights;

· Ensure the efficient and expedient processing of claims and limiting of detention to a short period whilst health and security assessments are made. Once it is determined that there is no health or security risk, move asylum seekers to community based accommodation whilst their claim is finalised providing financial and case work assistance until an outcome has be reached;

· Ensure a transparent appeals mechanism to ensure procedural fairness to those asylum seekers appealing against the refusal of their claim for refugee status;

· Ensure that those who are found to be legitimate refugees are given adequate financial and resettlement support including but not limited to Medicare and Centrelink benefits, Job seeker assistance and Education and Training support.

Further comment: National President, Julia Melland ph. 0431357585 or Australian Democrats Human Rights Spokesperson, Sandra Kanck, ph 08 8336 4114 or 0417 882 143

Posted in Asylum Seekers, Human Rights, Justice | Leave a Comment »