People Power Party
Encyclopedia
People Power is a populist
political movement in Australia
that was Federally registered as a political party in March 2006. The party contested its first election in the Victorian state election, 2006
.
People Power released their anti-gambling policy on 4 September 2006 which aims to attack the social problems associated with compulsive gambling
. The policy aims for an end to the commercial use of Poker Machines
in Victoria by 2012. Under the policy, the Commonwealth Government would provide incentives for State Governments to ban the installation of poker machines.
People Power released their Public Schools policy on 13 September 2006 which aims to target what it calls "one-size-fits-all schooling" in Victoria. The plan includes the abolition of Public School fees and independent reporting and monitoring of school performance.
and Crikey
founder Stephen Mayne
, only to be suspended at the end of 2001. It was then re-established in 2004 and registered in 2006.
that was caused by the sudden resignation of Mark Latham
from parliament. However, People Power did not have official party status at the time and she was required to stand as an independent candidate. She received 3.1% of the vote, placing her 9th out of 16 candidates.
On 19 September, the party's election preparations were interrupted by the resignation of lead candidate Jack Reilly
and reports in the media that there were irregularities in their party registration.
The party did not win a seat in either house of Parliament.
Notable former candidates:
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
political movement in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
that was Federally registered as a political party in March 2006. The party contested its first election in the Victorian state election, 2006
Victorian state election, 2006
An election for the 56th Parliament of Victoria took place on Saturday, 25 November 2006. Just over 3 million Victorians registered to vote elected 88 members to the Legislative Assembly and, for the first time, 40 members to the Legislative Council under a proportional representation system...
.
Policies
The party's mission statement is to act in the interest of families, consumers, small businesses and others "who are currently disempowered or invisible in our political system".Policies for the Victorian election
- A Pokies-Free Victoria Policy
People Power released their anti-gambling policy on 4 September 2006 which aims to attack the social problems associated with compulsive gambling
Compulsive gambling
Problem gambling is an urge to continuously gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others, rather than by the gambler's behavior. Severe problem gambling may be diagnosed as clinical...
. The policy aims for an end to the commercial use of Poker Machines
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
in Victoria by 2012. Under the policy, the Commonwealth Government would provide incentives for State Governments to ban the installation of poker machines.
- Stopping the Drift to Private Schools Policy
People Power released their Public Schools policy on 13 September 2006 which aims to target what it calls "one-size-fits-all schooling" in Victoria. The plan includes the abolition of Public School fees and independent reporting and monitoring of school performance.
History
The party was first established in 2000 by Vern HughesVern Hughes
Vern Hughes is an Anglican social commentator and writer and a leading commentator on civil society. He is the Director of the Melbourne-based Centre for Civil Society...
and Crikey
Crikey
Crikey is an independent Australian electronic magazine comprising an open access website and an email newsletter available to subscribers. Well known in Australian political, media and business circles, Crikey was described by former Federal Opposition Leader Mark Latham as the "most popular...
founder Stephen Mayne
Stephen Mayne
Stephen Mayne is an Australian journalist, local government councillor and self-described shareholder activist. Mayne is also considered “serial runner”, continually running for elected office and election onto company boards, more often than not in futile attempts, or just to make political...
, only to be suspended at the end of 2001. It was then re-established in 2004 and registered in 2006.
Werriwa by-election
A member of People Power, Deborah Locke, was one of the candidates for the 2005 Werriwa by-electionBy-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
that was caused by the sudden resignation of Mark Latham
Mark Latham
Mark William Latham , an author and former Australian politician, was leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from December 2003 to January 2005....
from parliament. However, People Power did not have official party status at the time and she was required to stand as an independent candidate. She received 3.1% of the vote, placing her 9th out of 16 candidates.
Victorian state election 2006
People Power contested the Victorian state election in November 2006. The party fielded candidates for seats in both houses of Parliament.On 19 September, the party's election preparations were interrupted by the resignation of lead candidate Jack Reilly
Jack Reilly (footballer)
John "Jack" Reilly is a former football goalkeeper. He was a member of the Australian 1974 World Cup squad in West Germany and represented Australia 35 times between 1970 and 1977 and also represented Victoria.Reilly learnt his goalkeeping skills while playing in the reserves team of Hibernian in...
and reports in the media that there were irregularities in their party registration.
The party did not win a seat in either house of Parliament.
Notable candidates
- Former Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(ALP) member for BenallaElectoral district of BenallaBenalla is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. The electorate covers a rural area of 17,120 km², and includes the towns of Benalla, Bright, Eildon, Euroa, Mansfield, Mount Beauty, Murchison, Myrtleford, Nagambie and Violet Town...
Denise AllenDenise AllenDenise Margaret Allen is a former Australian politician.Born in Alexandra, Victoria to Jack Donald and Bette Doreen Boote, she attended local public schools before graduating in 1970. She was a professional model from 1972 to 1994 before becoming a motivational speaker...
contested the Northern Victoria Legislative Council seat.
- Crikey'sCrikeyCrikey is an independent Australian electronic magazine comprising an open access website and an email newsletter available to subscribers. Well known in Australian political, media and business circles, Crikey was described by former Federal Opposition Leader Mark Latham as the "most popular...
Stephen MayneStephen MayneStephen Mayne is an Australian journalist, local government councillor and self-described shareholder activist. Mayne is also considered “serial runner”, continually running for elected office and election onto company boards, more often than not in futile attempts, or just to make political...
, who founded the original version of the party with Vern Hughes, announced in July 2006 that he would contest the Victorian Legislative Council seat of Southern Metropolitan Region in the Victorian state election, 2006Victorian state election, 2006An election for the 56th Parliament of Victoria took place on Saturday, 25 November 2006. Just over 3 million Victorians registered to vote elected 88 members to the Legislative Assembly and, for the first time, 40 members to the Legislative Council under a proportional representation system...
as a People Power candidate.. But later decided that his profile as an independent journalist was preventing the party from receiving the media attention that it desperately needs. A short time later, he decided to contest for People Power after all.
Notable former candidates:
- The party's lead candidate for the Victorian legislative election was former Australian Football (Soccer) representative Jack ReillyJack Reilly (footballer)John "Jack" Reilly is a former football goalkeeper. He was a member of the Australian 1974 World Cup squad in West Germany and represented Australia 35 times between 1970 and 1977 and also represented Victoria.Reilly learnt his goalkeeping skills while playing in the reserves team of Hibernian in...
who was slated to contest the Legislative Council seat of Northern Metropolitan. He resigned from this position on 19 September 2006. There have been contrary reports regarding his decision to resign with Stephen Mayne blaming it on the political website The Other Cheek run by Andrew LanderyouAndrew LanderyouAndrew John Clyde Landeryou is an Australian political blogger, and online business consultant. In recent years, he has attracted attention initially through his blog "The Other Cheek: Andrew Landeryou's Blog of Freedom" and more recently VEXNEWS.-Background:Landeryou is the son of Bill Landeryou,...
. Landeryou ran a story claiming to reveal some of Reilly's alleged business activities prior to Reilly's decision to quit. While Mayne and the Party President Vern Hughes offered different explanations initially, in an interview on ABC Radio Mayne later blamed Landeryou's claims as being the "last straw" for the party leader.