Australian Cyclists Party Launched!

[Omar@Go-Alliance]

Yes, we have 600 of the 750 minimum in NSW, 340 of the 500 in Vic. We want to push through with an extra 150 in hand in each for any the electoral commissions invalidate for incorrect address, lack of response to their mailing, etc.

[Mulger bill]

I'll start throwing marsupial faeces about if it's likely to help...

[The 2nd Womble]

Still no idea on what issues the ACP seem most interested in tackling at this point Omar. With 1000 members already, surely the powers that be be didn't simply start the ball rolling with a collective "bicycle good, ugg".
Many also want some assurance that state orgs will have no involvement in the political process moving forward. They're waist deep in it already with their respective state governments and cyclists are suffering as a result.

[Omar@Go-Alliance]

Safer cycling - and all that implies in proportional speed limits, road conditions, road behaviour change, cycleways, shared paths, rail trails, skills training, motorist testing, roadway design, signal and flow efficiency, town planning standards, consistent national road standards... I can keep going but I think the list can be as comprehensive as you want it... cycling is just not a priority in most decisions that are made today that affect us and in fact affect our communities.

As I said in the SBS piece we are the check box, the afterthought, the consultation that has no impact on outcomes. We are marginalised, politicised and incited as a fringe element rather in than being who we are - people in the mainstream of society looking to improve our lives and the communities we live and work in.

I spoke to several hundred cyclists over the last two weeks and without fail a sense of outrage and frustration for not feeling safe or looked after on their bicycle is what they all think is in desperate need of attention for themselves and their families. Many spoke of things beginning to slip backwards, of being threatened and objects thrown at them. These were middle aged mums!

The single statement "smiles on our faces and fear in our eyes" is what captures the idea for me and I think many others.

As for state orgs, they see us as another voice but do not endorse any party - certainly not at this stage. As it should be. Advocacy and Policy are clearly linked but the roles are quite different.

[clackers]

The only way a party representing a divided group can get off the ground is to pitch to what the factions have in common. Call it gutless, or call it pragmatic.

[The 2nd Womble]

So glad to see this thread so excessively censored.

[AUbicycles]

A post (and quotes / responses) was removed as it was from an angry person who decided that flaming is better than mature discussion.

As a forum we accept and encourage debate and respect differing views - a courtesy that everyone should extend to fellow forum members even if it means respectfully and politely disagreeing.

I am sorry womble if your post become collatoral damage (it was edited a few times so I don't know what it originally said) though a few posts from this thread is not excessive.

Unfortunately it is the case of the 1% ruining it for everybody else who has a genuine interest. For the benefit of the 99% I will leave this topic open but now request that the Mandatory Helmet Law debate in this thread is dropped from all further discussion as it has been done to death, a response has been provided and I can't see further advantage. MHL discussions are of course welcome in the dedicate MHL thread.

[The 2nd Womble]

Sorry Chris, I just thought that what these families have been through as well as my own personal experience might provide a reality check to so many who deem it necessary to to so waste the time of so many. It has been added to the SCA FB wall for the morbidly curious.
The edits were mostly the usual typos.

[wombatK]

The only way a party representing a divided group can get off the ground is to pitch to what the factions have in common. Call it gutless, or call it pragmatic.

The last Federal parliamentary term demonstrated factions at their worst, and ought to provide ACP members with salient lessons on its futility. Pitching to what cycling factions have in common is taking the wrong perspective - it's the electorate that you have to pitch to if you want to get members elected.

To do that, you need to recognize that politics in Aus is dominated by two major parties, that deploy tactics similar to what sailors in 12 m yachts (and other match-racing) use. They carefully match most of their policies and minimize their area of differences.

The challenge for ACP members is to work out how they can best match the major parties while advancing a cycling agenda that is moderate enough to win electoral support from those who are a bit sick of the stifling blancmange of two-party match races.

[Omar@Go-Alliance]

Great insight WombatK,

However, we concluded that before you can sail with the big boys you need to solidify a base of support (in your terms, the crew) to ensure we can even get to the starting line. Getting to a large enough common base of support is in fact essential to getting registered especially with time being so short (in NSW). Perhaps unless you are the PUP and can finance your way through!

You are correct in assuming that our current base of support is coming from many who would not appear to be so different from the supporters of the major parties. This was initially a surprise but then when you see who is cycling today, this just makes sense and is a healthy sign for us.

[clackers]

They carefully match most of their policies and minimize their area of differences.

This is the strategy for dominant parties, not up and comers, Wombat.

If you know you're going to get less than one percent of the vote your deals should be with the preference wonks from other parties rather than the voters.

But then the 'purity' of what you stand for can be questioned - a cycling party that even cyclists shouldn't vote for.

[Scarfy96]

The key to winning a senate seat is two fold.
1) Targeting your core supporters and making sure you get enough primary votes to put you well up the pecking order and not at risk of early removal

2) Doing enough preference deals with the other minor parties (ignore the majors) so that as they get eliminated you pick up their preferences. It then usually falls to one of the "bigger" parties and what way they lean. eg Greens, Fred Nile etc that draw a solid core support. If you can get in front of them and then be preferenced above the other remainders then you shoot to the top few on the multi levelled preference deal.

This is how the "Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party" got in in Victoria. 17000 primary votes with 0.03 of the votes required to get in. They were high enough up to pick up "shooters and fishers", "Family First", "DLP" which got them above Palmer and then ultimate got his votes. Palmer started with 123,000 votes the motoring enthusiasts with 17,000 but with better preferencing the latter jumped the former for the final spot!

[wombatK]

Doing enough preference deals with the other minor parties (ignore the majors) so that as they get eliminated you pick up their preferences.

That's a once-off strategy. At best, gets you one term, and then only if you look so gormless that other parties preference you in the belief you are not a threat.

Cycling issues will take more than one term to address, so trying to fluke it in on preference deals is not a winning way.

[Xplora]

I would strongly disagree that it's a once off given that multiple states threw up minor parties and it has been worse - random parties getting in via obscure deals or plain silly things like the donkey vote. I don't expect this will happen again because ballot reform will happen, it appears to be in the interest of the major parties. (I actually think that numbering all boxes above the line would make hings a LOT harder for the majors, it brings the rising protest vote even more power).

The blatant discrimination that cyclists face is enough to gain representation. We can't fix transport with more roads, and we can't fix attitudes without legislation.

[Scarfy96]

Definitely not a one off strategy.

Key to any political power is having the general population acknowledge that you can achieve something. Getting into power and forcing some reform and getting that acknowledged will generate more votes from those inclined. Getting in the first time is the hardest thing, once you are there then you have to prove to everyone your credentials for another term and remember that senate votes are for 2 terms of house of reps so you do have time on your side there to get some reform.

[AUbicycles]

Omar Khalifa has kindly agreed to an inteview and this has just been published on Bicycles Network Australia:

Interview with Omar of The Australian Cyclists Party

Forum members who are interested will remember that I did ask for input so if your question has not been answered then it means that you didn't forward it to me but may be lucky if Omar is able to answer within this discussion. And for confirmation, the aim of this is to provide information about this cycling relevant topic which was not (or may not have been) available however is not an official endorsement rather each person should make their own decision.

[Omar@Go-Alliance]

Today the Australian Cyclists Party membership in NSW topped 750 - providing us with the minimum required number for registering a party! This is a huge milestone on our journey but far from where we still need to go to make the difference our members are hoping for.

Vic still needs 134 to qualify and the other states and territories are now building up numbers as well providing us with a sense of momentum that would have been unthinkable when we began just 3 weeks ago.

[AUbicycles]

Thanks for sharing. Joining a political party is not something I expect most people would take lightly so a a big milestone.

[mikesbytes]

Interesting that NSW has beaten VIC to the minimum numbers considering that cycling is about 3 times as popular in Victoria than NSW.

Perhaps its a reflection on how cyclists see their safety?

[Omar@Go-Alliance]

Could be but I think it is mostly fuelled by circumstances as we launched in Melbourne - well, more like set up a table and poster at a bike event - and were just warming for our Sydney gig when the SMH and others ran the story and gave us a major jolt. We rode that right into the cycling expo at Homebush and got a big boost followed by the Gong ride... meanwhile more radio and more articles have helped build on that in NSW whereas we have not done another event in Vic as of yet.

While the NSW members deadline is nearly upon us, Vic will allow registrations right through most of next year so we have time there. Of course Vic goes to the polls before NSW and a respectable showing there will be very important for our chances in NSW. I just wish I had one of those interactive zoom-in, zoom-out motion screens and do a Youtube explanation of that...

[Omar@Go-Alliance]

Just a quick update to say that we are now well past the 750 minimum target and heading for 850 and 1400 across Australia. Our numbers are now sufficient to also apply to the AEC to be qualified to contest for federal elections.

[Aushiker]

Just a quick update to say that we are now well past the 750 minimum target and heading for 850 and 1400 across Australia. Our numbers are now sufficient to also apply to the AEC to be qualified to contest for federal elections.

Does this mean you have an interest in contesting the WA Senate election assuming a new one is held?

Regards
Andrew

[Omar@Go-Alliance]

Andrew, this means we want to keep our options open at this point until we decide. The by-election for Griffith is also one we will now need to consider. And just a couple of weeks ago we thought we had lots of time on our hands before we would need to consider federal elections!

[The 2nd Womble]

You do know Omar that the ACP is simply serving to further fracture advocacy for cyclists in Australia don't you? Maybe if you recruit a certain board chairman and rename yourselves Mark Texas And The Banditos you can get this thing back on track.
Oh and use more orange. Everyone respects orange.

[Aushiker]

You do know Omar that the ACP is simply serving to further fracture advocacy for cyclists in Australia don't you? Maybe if you recruit a certain board chairman and rename yourselves Mark Texas And The Banditos you can get this thing back on track.
Oh and use more orange. Everyone respects orange.

Nasty

Andrew