Independents’ Day: The rise of a new political paradigm?

Dr Monique Ryan, Independent Candidate for Kooyong and Simon Holmes à Court, Convenor of Climate 200, will speak to us about the reasons for the emergence of a number of independents who will be standing against sitting members in the forthcoming Federal Election.  Around the country, over 30 grassroots community groups have formed with the objective of supporting pro-climate, pro-integrity and pro-gender equality independents.

Monique says she is stepping away from her job as Director of Neurology at the Royal Children’s Hospital to run as an Independent for Kooyong. When asked why she would take this step she says “Like many of us, I can see that Australian politics is broken. This Liberal-National Government has had more than a decade to act on the enormous threat of climate change, and to create an economy that can benefit from that transition. But politicians don’t seem to answer to us; they won’t even implement basic measures to clean up corruption and the chronic mistreatment of women.”

Simon is a senior advisor to the Climate and Energy College at Melbourne University. Simon is also a cleantech investor, climate philanthropist and a director of the Smart Energy Council and the Australian Environmental Grant-makers Network.

While Climate 200 is supporting the independents financially, the rise of the ‘climate independents movement’, Simon says, was the result of growing dissatisfaction amongst voters with the failure of major parties to address the issues they see are a priority. The ‘climate independents’ movement was the product of grassroots community organising, with local community groups looking to replicate the successes of elected independents like Cathy McGowan, Helen Haines and Zali Steggall.

If successful, the movement could see a significant boost to the number of independents on the federal parliament – including the prospect that independents could have the power to decide which party forms the next government.

This important event is not just for the Kooyong electorate, it really looks at the Independent’s and their vision to challenge the system.