What are community independent candidates?

What are community independent candidates?

Answer

Anyone can run for election as an Independent, but there is a growing movement behind ‘Community Independents’ in Australian politics right now.

Community Independents genuinely represent their community, reflect the values and views of their electorates,  empower their communities through collaborating and partnering with them, have processes for their communities to actively participate in politics, and are co-creating with their communities real political change in Australia (source: Community Independents project). They are not party members or single-issue politicians. 

In the Federal electorate of Indi, Cathy McGowan was elected as an Independent in 2013 with a huge community volunteer campaign, taking a previously safe Liberal seat, and the community has kept the seat Independent for the last 4 federal elections. Their current member, Helen Haines, has continued to work closely with the community and has led the federal Parliament’s development of world-leading anti-corruption (ICAC) legislation. 

The so-called ‘teals’ are Community Independents, who are all working closely with the grassroots members of their electorates and upholding a high level of transparency. 

It is crucial that Community Independents truly represent community concerns, and pursue evidence-based policy, above their own career agenda or personal interests.