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This week came the news that the rumours are true. Two of the community independents in the federal parliament announced they have formed a party with the awkward and forgettable name “Community Strong Australia”.
It’s a bold move, and Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender are the first and, so far, the only two politicians to join. Perhaps they could have run a competition to name the party – could that have come up with something like “The Anti-Party Party”?
It is undoubtedly a political risk for both of them, so what motivated them to make this move?
Probably, the change to electoral donation laws introduced by the Albanese government that was designed to advantage parties and nobble independent campaigns by restricting their ability to raise funds was a factor. Forming a party is a way of bypassing these restrictions, particularly for candidates who are not already MPs.
There is also the issue of staffing. It is the prime minister’s decision to allocate staff numbers to MPs, and one of Anthony Albanese’s first moves after he was elected was to reduce independent parliamentary staff from four to just one per MP. I can tell you from experience that the workload is massive, and the limits on staff for independents would be highly restrictive. Joining forces will enable sharing of resources such as policy development and research on upcoming legislation. Having an “above the line” presence at the next Senate election could also become a factor.
We don’t yet know if other independents currently in the parliament will join the new party. Some have already declined. Others are keeping their powder dry, wisely watching that space to see what their electorates think.
One of the big questions is “What can a microparty achieve?” A microparty, a minor party, or a group of philosophically aligned independents can influence government policy, but the only real power comes if there is a balance-of-power situation. This is where no party or coalition of parties has a majority of seats and the crossbench can determine not only who forms government, but where contentious legislation has to be negotiated.
But a microparty can, in time, grow into a significant political force. We are seeing that right now with the momentum behind Pauline Hanson and One Nation.
I experienced the potential for a group of aligned independents and microparty MPs when I was elected to represent Wentworth in 2018 on a wave of frustration with the two-party system, and the prospect of “politics done differently”. That byelection caused the government of Scott Morrison to lose its parliamentary majority. The independents on the crossbench held the balance of power. For the first time in more than 70 years the government suffered a defeat on the floor of the House of Representatives after we negotiated support for the landmark medevac legislation to provide urgent transfer of refugees held in indefinite offshore detention to get the medical attention they needed.
A centrist party with the balance of power might have been very handy in improving the recent federal budget. The wrinkles are still being ironed out after the legislation we were promised was not going to happen was passed, in haste, without a mandate from the electorate and with inadequate consultation before it was waved through parliament.
Another question which is being put to me as a former independent MP is whether the electorates these new party members represent will approve of the move, or whether there will be an electoral backlash. That remains to be seen.
But clearly, there are issues that need to be worked through. Will the party have a set of binding policies or a statement of principles? Importantly, how will the party manage significant policy conflicts on contentious areas like foreign policy, national security, tax policy or industrial relations? What will be the preselection and vetting procedure for new candidates? Will that be centralised or community-based? Who has the final word? What other party functions will be community-based and what will be managed by a centralised organisation? How will preferences be directed at elections?
Community-based organisations will rightly demand answers to these questions before putting their time and energy into the next campaign to support current or aspiring new Community Strong Australia candidates.
Growing a centrist movement that reflects the values of the communities they represent, developing evidence-based policy and encouraging constructive grassroots political engagement could represent the change we need to see. Time will tell.
Kerryn Phelps was the independent member for Wentworth from October 2018 to May 2019.
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Sydney doctor Kerryn Phelps was the independent member for Wentworth in 2018/19.From our partners
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