Crazy policies of Australia’s minor parties vying for your vote at the federal election
From parties pushing an anti-vax agenda, to Marxist radicals and Islamic immigration objectors, here are the minor parties with unconventional policies that voters should be aware of.
Federal Election
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You might be disillusioned by the major parties - but is a minor party worthy of your vote?
The ballot paper can be a minefield for undecided voters on election day, filled with unfamiliar party names hoping for a “1” to be written in their box.
So, rather than heading to your local voting centre unprepared, it’s best to know what you might find in front of you.
From parties pushing an anti-vax agenda, to Islamic immigration objectors and those who want to radically overhaul the capitalist system, here are 10 minor parties to be aware of on election day:
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INVOLUNTARY MEDICATION OBJECTORS PARTY
This party is eager to push their anti-vax agenda, claiming they are giving a voice to thousands of Australians who oppose the government’s vaccination program.
The party uses the tagline “object to forced meds”, and their Facebook page is riddled with link to pseudoscience websites that support their stance against mainstream medicine.
Vehemently against the ‘No Jab No Pay/Play’ laws, the IMOP also rejects mass water fluoridation and fears the erosion of natural therapies choices.
Its spokesman, Michael O’Neill said in April: “We are a single issue party on any compulsory medication, such as fluoridation or vaccination. There could be more in the future, but these are the current issues that are experiencing compulsion.”
Look out for candidates in: NSW, QLD and WA
SUSTAINABLE AUSTRALIA
Endorsed by Dick Smith, Sustainable Australia hopes to capture the vote of those disillusioned by population growth and NIMBYS.
Operating under the slogan “Better, not bigger”, the party hopes to slash annual permanent immigration numbers, but also denies it is anti-immigration.
It also wants to quash overdevelopment in communities, and put a stop to foreign ownership of land and natural resources.
The party attracted just 412 ballot votes at the 2016 federal election.
Look out for candidates in: ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, WA and Victoria
CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Controversial reverend Fred Nile is behind the CDP, which aims to “advance the glory of God though the institution of parliament”.
It’s fair to say any elected candidates will target the same-sex marriage legislation after it was passed in 2017. Nile was opposed in the lead up to, and during the plebiscite process, and the party states its “carefully examining the full consequences” of the amendment to the Marriage Act.
The party opposes programs like Safe Schools and supports religious education classes. It claims current immigration rates are straining our society and economy, and supports the reinstatement of a government housing department to tackle property affordability.
L ook out for candidates in: Victoria, TAS, SA, QLD, ACT and the NT
HEALTH AUSTRALIA PARTY
Despite claiming it’s not pushing an anti-vax agenda, HAP opposes ‘No Jab, No Pay/Play’ policies and views water fluoridation as dangerous to our health. The party wants an equal playing field for natural and pharmaceutical medicines, and wants to boost funding for the former. Recognised natural therapies should also be covered by Medicare, the party says.
HAP supports sending immigrants to work in agricultural industries as a pathway to permanent residency, but doesn’t clearly state whether or not it supports offshore detention. It suggests anyone under 21 years old who hasn’t studied or worked for 12 months could be invited to join the national service, and supports giving pregnant women a right to choose how and where they want to give birth.
Look out for candidates in: NSW, VIC and WA
LOVE AUSTRALIA OR LEAVE
Love Australia or Leave has an unashamedly hard-line immigration approach and says no Islamic person should be allowed into the country. It is sceptical of multiculturalism, and wants to deport the 12,000 Syrian refugees the Australian Government recently allowed to settle in Australia. LAOL also wants immigration to be halted entirely until the budget is back in black.
The party wants a relaxation of gun laws including a right to bear arms, and calls for two years conscription at the completion of year 10 or 12 unless an individual pursues further education or full-time work.
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LAOL advocates for a ‘back to basics’ approach to education, and wants the Australian Constitution to be taught from primary school.
Homelessness is also a priority, and the party wants a boost to affordable housing and services for people doing it tough. It also supports the death penalty for sex offenders, paedophiles, murderers, drug traffickers and terrorists.
Look out for candidates in: QLD, NSW, and TAS
HEMP PARTY
The name speaks for itself.
The Help End Marijuana Prohibition party focuses on a single issue - to legalise pot.
It wants cannabis to be legalised and regulated for personal, medical and industrial use, and to establish a commercial hemp industry that could produce everything from food and textiles, to fuel.
HEMP would also release from jail people convicted for charges relating to cannabis alone, and remove all records of previous criminal cannabis convictions.
Look out for candidates in: Victoria, WA, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS and the NT
SOCIALIST ALLIANCE
This far-left party wants to radically overhaul the capitalist system.
Socialist Alliance want to raise Australia highest income tax bracket to 70 per cent and abolish the GST. Corporations are also in their sights, with the Marxists pledging to hike the corporate tax rate from 30 to 49 per cent, and tax heavy polluters. It advocates for a “massive” public housing project, and wants to boost the rental assistance welfare payment while introducing rental price controls.
The party would work to introduce universal access to childcare and preschool and reinstate free tertiary education. The fossil fuels sector would also feel its heavy hand, with Socialist Alliance pledging to rapidly phase out coal mining as it moves to source 100 per cent of energy from renewables within 10 years.
Look out for candidates in: WA, NSW and QLD
ANIMAL JUSTICE PARTY
While animals and the natural world are the AJP’s primary focus, it’s not their only schtick.
The party believes Australia should adhere to international treaties it has ratified in regards to asylum seekers, and calls for a compensation scheme to help those affected by severe vaccine reactions. It also supports voluntary euthanasia and plant-based food in the cafeterias of schools, universities and TAFEs.
On the animal front, the AJP wants cameras in slaughterhouses, and practices including talk docking, castration, dehorning and musling among others to be phased out.
Greyhound racing should also be banned, the party says.
Look out for candidates in: Victoria, NSW, SA, WA, QLD and Tas
DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY
Not to be confused with the Australian Labor Party, the DLP is more socially conservative.
It rejects “politically-imposed multiculturalism” and has a firm belief in the traditional family unit and definition of marriage.
The DLP calls for tighter foreign ownership laws, including restricting foreign entities or individuals to owning no more than 2 hectares of land which cannot be residential. It’s against educational programs like Safe Schools, but supports increases to TAFE funding and teachers’ salaries.
The party believes in decentralisation and boosting the population of regional areas and is against abortion and voluntary euthanasia.
Look out for candidates in: Victoria, QLD, NSW and WA
PIRATE PARTY
No, this group isn’t advocating that we start pillaging ships and selling the treasures to boost the budget bottom line.
The party’s focus is greater civil liberties and smaller government. In the Pirate Party’s words, it wants to “[open] up space for creative civil society rather than expanding the state”.
Advocating freedom of speech, the party wants to repeal section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, and repeal parts of the Border Force Act which permit prosecution of whistleblowers.
It wants an open, uncontrolled and free internet, and would repeal legislation that allows records to be created of internet use among the general public, and would ban the collection of metadata without a warrant.
The Pirate Party calls for a more compassionate approach to asylum seekers and refugees, but believes they should be settled in areas where jobs remain persistently vacant.
Australia’s welfare system should also be overhauled, according to the party, while the private health insurance rebate should be abolished.
It also wants a greater focus on the teaching of STEM subjects in schools.
Look out for candidates in: NSW, QLD, WA and Victoria
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