Latest news with #GeorgiePurcell
The Guardian
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Australian election 2025 mini and micro party guide: how to avoid a Senate vote you might regret
The most recent federal election proved politics is no longer a two-horse race, with a record 16 independents and minor parties elected to the crossbench, as well as 10 in the Senate. This time around the teals are no longer unknowns, and there are plenty more independents hoping to make a mark in lower house contests. But the Senate ballot paper remains the true home of the most optimistic, idiosyncratic and, in some cases, extreme parties. From Clive Palmer's rebrand to a party pushing for legal cannabis, there's something for everyone. Here's a quick rundown of the lesser-known parties running candidates in the 2025 Australian federal election on 3 May, and what they stand for. With state representatives in New South Wales and Victoria, including the high-profile Georgie Purcell, the party says it is the only one dedicated to 'ensure laws are created and enforced to achieve genuine justice for animals', including representing the 'needs, capabilities and interests' of farm animals, native wildlife and pets. They are campaigning for a federal animal protection body, the prevention of animal poisoning and protection of native species, as well as the declaration of a climate emergency. Running in: the Senate in all states besides the Northern Territory, as well as lower house seats in most states. A socially conservative and Christian-conservative party that wants to 'defend life, faith, family and freedom'. It campaigns on an anti-abortion platform, opposes euthanasia and 'coercive vaccine mandates' and wants to 'protect religious freedom in schools'. It also wants to reverse same-sex marriage and ban puberty blockers for minors. Running in: the Senate in NSW and Western Australia, as well as 10 lower house seats in WA. Founded in 1988 as the Citizens Electoral Council, the party is associated with the movement founded by the controversial US campaigner Lyndon LaRouche. It says its stands for 'restoring Australia's national and economic sovereignty' through a return to protectionist policies. It says 'corporations, banks and other lackeys of the City of London and Wall Street' have profited from exploiting Australia's natural resources. It is anti-Aukus and wants to end 'foreign policy subservience to the USA and UK', become a republic and repeal the prohibition on nuclear power, as well as returning electricity to state ownership. Running in: the Senate in every state and territory, as well as 19 lower house seats. Formed by the former Liberal politician Don Chipp to 'keep the bastards honest', it was once a major player in the Senate, but the party's presence has faded almost entirely. It describes itself as the 'people's watchdog', pursuing a small-l liberal platform of 'evidence based governance', ending rorts and political accountability. Running in: the Senate in Queensland, Victoria and WA and one lower house seat in NSW. The party was founded last year after Senator Fatima Payman resigned from the Labor party to become an independent due to a rupture over Palestine policy. A ceasefire in Gaza is a major pillar of its platform, as well as addressing the housing crisis, becoming a republic, establishing a 'Public Bank of Australia' and introducing supermarket divestiture laws. Running in: the Senate in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and WA. The conservative party was founded in South Australia in the early 2000s on a Judeo-Christian-right platform, to fight against 'radical anti-family attitudes' and for families, which it says are 'under threat from a radical left and libertarian right'. It is anti-abortion and wants to remove LGBTQ+ content from schools, ban gender affirmation surgery and make it 'attractive' for 'married couples' to have children. Running in: the Senate and lower house in NSW, Queensland, SA and Victoria. Commonly known simply as Fusion, the party was formed in 2021 through a merger of the Science party, Pirate party, Secular party, Vote Planet and Climate Change Justice party. It wants to address the climate emergency, invest in public education, healthcare and scientific research, and promote societal equity and liberty. Running in: the Senate in NSW, Queensland, SA, Victoria and WA and 13 lower house seats. A new party founded, as the name suggests, by the former LNP Queensland senator Gerard Rennick. People First wants to reduce income tax, make superannuation voluntary and pay childcare subsidy payments directly to parents. It is also advocating for the reinstatement of a public bank and for a federal infrastructure bank. Running in: the Senate in NSW, SA, Queensland, Victoria and WA and 19 lower house seats. First registered as the Involuntary Medication Objectors (Vaccination/Fluoride) party in 2016, Heart campaigns on a pseudoscientific platform against mandatory vaccination, water fluoridation, Australia's membership of the World Health Organization and the UN. It promotes allied health practitioners using 'holistic and natural treatment alternatives' and wants to increase the consumption of organic food. Running in: the Senate in the ACT, NSW, Queensland and Victoria and the lower house in Canberra and three NSW seats. Featuring all-Indigenous candidates, the grassroots party was formed in 2020 by Barkandji and Malyangapa man Uncle Owen Whyman to place First Nations voices in parliament. It wants to address Indigenous incarceration rates and the forced removal of children, and take Indigenous control of Indigenous school education. It is also lobbying for the protection of sacred sites including the Baaka river. Running in: the Senate in NSW, Queensland and Victoria and the lower house in Durack (WA), Lingiari (NT) and Parkes (NSW). The Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie wants to 'give a leg up to the little guy' and improve her representation in parliament. The party is lobbying to 'clean out Canberra corruption', boost local manufacturing to 'Make Australia Make Again', start an inquiry into Chinese foreign interference and enact the findings of the royal commission into veteran suicide. Running in: the Senate in NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania. Queensland senator Bob Katter says his party is the only one 'with the guts to fight for what really matters'. His election platform this year is heavy on crime, including tougher youth crime laws and the introduction of 'Castle Law' so homeowners have the right to use lethal force in self-defence without legal repercussions. He also wants to loosen firearm laws, reduce crocodile numbers and cull flying foxes. Running in: Queensland. You guessed it – the party wants to legalise, tax and regulate cannabis, treating it in a similar way to alcohol and tobacco. It wants a moratorium on arresting users and allowing consumers to grow cannabis at home. It also advocates for civil liberties, privacy and anti-discrimination protections. You may remember its lead Senate candidate for Victoria, Fiona Patten, as the founder of Victoria's Reason party. Running in: all states and territories. Formerly known as the Liberal Democrats, the party supports civil liberties and minimum government intervention. Its policy platform is to 'prioritise prosperity, protect families, and defend freedom', including raising the income tax-free threshold, abolishing the education department and enshrining free speech into the constitution. Running in: NSW, Queensland, SA, Tasmania and Victoria. The rightwing populist party famously founded by Hanson in the 1990s wants to abolish various government departments as well as the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, reverse abortion laws and drastically reduce immigration. Running in: all states and territories. The broadly conservative party is a backer of mining, manufacturing and agriculture. It wants more self-reliance in defence, increased funding for remote and regional schools, expanded recreational fishing and federal legislation enshrining the rights of law-abiding hunters and fishers. It also holds 'rational skepticism' towards climate change. Running in: NSW. Wanting to 'give a voice to working-class struggle', the party is campaigning to 'create a democratic socialist society focused on meeting the needs of people and the planet'. It wants to place immediate sanctions on Israel and end arms exports, withdraw from Aukus, reach net zero by 2030 and give permanent protection to all refugees. It is also calling for First Nations treaties, the abolition of all anti-union laws and a wealth tax for the 'super rich'. Running in: the Senate in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and WA and six lower house seats. Formed in 2010 in opposition to a large population, it advocates 'sustainable solutions' to address Australia's economic, environmental and social issues, including a universal basic income for all, the slowing of immigration, ending the housing crisis and diversifying the economy. It also wants to offer free university and Tafe and end multinational tax avoidance. Running in: all states and territories. The successor to the United Australia party (UAP), Clive Palmer's pet project is back, blanketing the country with yellow ads upholding 'democracy, individual freedoms, free speech [and] reducing government intrusion'. It wants to introduce a Trump-like Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), cut immigration, impose 'one culture, the Australian culture' and get the 'woke agenda' out of schools. Running in: all states and territories in the Senate and almost 100 lower house seats. Running on a similar 'revolutionary' platform to the national Socialist Alliance, the party has gained widespread media attention thanks to its Victorian Senate candidate Jordan van den Lamb, AKA purplepingers, who has campaigned hard on the housing crisis. It wants to 'stand for renters', tax large corporations and the wealthy, and reverse privatisation. It is also anti-war and pro-climate action and union rights. Running in: Victoria.
The Guardian
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Australia's mini and micro-parties: how to avoid a vote you might regret in the Senate
The most recent federal election proved politics is no longer a two-horse race, with a record 16 independents and minor parties elected to the crossbench, as well as 10 in the Senate. This time around the teals are no longer unknowns, and there are plenty more independents hoping to make a mark in lower house contests. But the Senate ballot paper remains the true home of the most optimistic, idiosyncratic and, in some cases, extreme parties. From Clive Palmer's rebrand to a party pushing for legal cannabis, there's something for everyone. Here's a quick rundown of the lesser-known parties running candidates in the 2025 Australian federal election on 3 May, and what they stand for. With state representatives in New South Wales and Victoria, including the high-profile Georgie Purcell, the party says it is the only one dedicated to 'ensure laws are created and enforced to achieve genuine justice for animals', including representing the 'needs, capabilities and interests' of farm animals, native wildlife and pets. They are campaigning for a federal animal protection body, the prevention of animal poisoning and protection of native species, as well as the declaration of a climate emergency. Running in: the Senate in all states besides the Northern Territory, as well as lower house seats in most states. A socially conservative and Christian-conservative party that wants to 'defend life, faith, family and freedom'. It campaigns on an anti-abortion platform, opposes euthanasia and 'coercive vaccine mandates' and wants to 'protect religious freedom in schools'. It also wants to reverse same-sex marriage and ban puberty blockers for minors. Running in: the Senate in NSW and Western Australia, as well as 10 lower house seats in WA. Founded in 1988 as the Citizens Electoral Council, the party is associated with the movement founded by the controversial US campaigner Lyndon LaRouche. It says its stands for 'restoring Australia's national and economic sovereignty' through a return to protectionist policies. It says 'corporations, banks and other lackeys of the City of London and Wall Street' have profited from exploiting Australia's natural resources. It is anti-Aukus and wants to end 'foreign policy subservience to the USA and UK', become a republic and repeal the prohibition on nuclear power, as well as returning electricity to state ownership. Running in: the Senate in every state and territory, as well as 19 lower house seats. Formed by the former Liberal politician Don Chipp to 'keep the bastards honest', it was once a major player in the Senate, but the party's presence has faded almost entirely. It describes itself as the 'people's watchdog', pursuing a small-l liberal platform of 'evidence based governance', ending rorts and political accountability. Running in: the Senate in Queensland, Victoria and WA and one lower house seat in NSW. The party was founded last year after Senator Fatima Payman resigned from the Labor party to become an independent due to a rupture over Palestine policy. A ceasefire in Gaza is a major pillar of its platform, as well as addressing the housing crisis, becoming a republic, establishing a 'Public Bank of Australia' and introducing supermarket divestiture laws. Running in: the Senate in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and WA. The conservative party was founded in South Australia in the early 2000s on a Judeo-Christian-right platform, to fight against 'radical anti-family attitudes' and for families, which it says are 'under threat from a radical left and libertarian right'. It is anti-abortion and wants to remove LGBTQ+ content from schools, ban gender affirmation surgery and make it 'attractive' for 'married couples' to have children. Running in: the Senate and lower house in NSW, Queensland, SA and Victoria. Commonly known simply as Fusion, the party was formed in 2021 through a merger of the Science party, Pirate party, Secular party, Vote Planet and Climate Change Justice party. It wants to address the climate emergency, invest in public education, healthcare and scientific research, and promote societal equity and liberty. Running in: the Senate in NSW, Queensland, SA, Victoria and WA and 13 lower house seats. A new party founded, as the name suggests, by the former LNP Queensland senator Gerard Rennick. People First wants to reduce income tax, make superannuation voluntary and pay childcare subsidy payments directly to parents. It is also advocating for the reinstatement of a public bank and for a federal infrastructure bank. Running in: the Senate in NSW, SA, Queensland, Victoria and WA and 19 lower house seats. First registered as the Involuntary Medication Objectors (Vaccination/Fluoride) party in 2016, Heart campaigns on a pseudoscientific platform against mandatory vaccination, water fluoridation, Australia's membership of the World Health Organization and the UN. It promotes allied health practitioners using 'holistic and natural treatment alternatives' and wants to increase the consumption of organic food. Running in: the Senate in the ACT, NSW, Queensland and Victoria and the lower house in Canberra and three NSW seats. Featuring all-Indigenous candidates, the grassroots party was formed in 2020 by Barkandji and Malyangapa man Uncle Owen Whyman to place First Nations voices in parliament. It wants to address Indigenous incarceration rates and the forced removal of children, and take Indigenous control of Indigenous school education. It is also lobbying for the protection of sacred sites including the Baaka river. Running in: the Senate in NSW, Queensland and Victoria and the lower house in Durack (WA), Lingiari (NT) and Parkes (NSW). The Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie wants to 'give a leg up to the little guy' and improve her representation in parliament. The party is lobbying to 'clean out Canberra corruption', boost local manufacturing to 'Make Australia Make Again', start an inquiry into Chinese foreign interference and enact the findings of the royal commission into veteran suicide. Running in: the Senate in NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania. Queensland senator Bob Katter says his party is the only one 'with the guts to fight for what really matters'. His election platform this year is heavy on crime, including tougher youth crime laws and the introduction of 'Castle Law' so homeowners have the right to use lethal force in self-defence without legal repercussions. He also wants to loosen firearm laws, reduce crocodile numbers and cull flying foxes. Running in: Queensland. You guessed it – the party wants to legalise, tax and regulate cannabis, treating it in a similar way to alcohol and tobacco. It wants a moratorium on arresting users and allowing consumers to grow cannabis at home. It also advocates for civil liberties, privacy and anti-discrimination protections. You may remember its lead Senate candidate for Victoria, Fiona Patten, as the founder of Victoria's Reason party. Running in: all states and territories. Formerly known as the Liberal Democrats, the party supports civil liberties and minimum government intervention. Its policy platform is to 'prioritise prosperity, protect families, and defend freedom', including raising the income tax-free threshold, abolishing the education department and enshrining free speech into the constitution. Running in: NSW, Queensland, SA, Tasmania and Victoria. The rightwing populist party famously founded by Hanson in the 1990s wants to abolish various government departments as well as the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, reverse abortion laws and drastically reduce immigration. Running in: all states and territories. The broadly conservative party is a backer of mining, manufacturing and agriculture. It wants more self-reliance in defence, increased funding for remote and regional schools, expanded recreational fishing and federal legislation enshrining the rights of law-abiding hunters and fishers. It also holds 'rational skepticism' towards climate change. Running in: NSW. Wanting to 'give a voice to working-class struggle', the party is campaigning to 'create a democratic socialist society focused on meeting the needs of people and the planet'. It wants to place immediate sanctions on Israel and end arms exports, withdraw from Aukus, reach net zero by 2030 and give permanent protection to all refugees. It is also calling for First Nations treaties, the abolition of all anti-union laws and a wealth tax for the 'super rich'. Running in: the Senate in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and WA and six lower house seats. Formed in 2010 in opposition to a large population, it advocates 'sustainable solutions' to address Australia's economic, environmental and social issues, including a universal basic income for all, the slowing of immigration, ending the housing crisis and diversifying the economy. It also wants to offer free university and Tafe and end multinational tax avoidance. Running in: all states and territories. The successor to the United Australia party (UAP), Clive Palmer's pet project is back, blanketing the country with yellow ads upholding 'democracy, individual freedoms, free speech [and] reducing government intrusion'. It wants to introduce a Trump-like Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), cut immigration, impose 'one culture, the Australian culture' and get the 'woke agenda' out of schools. Running in: all states and territories in the Senate and almost 100 lower house seats. Running on a similar 'revolutionary' platform to the national Socialist Alliance, the party has gained widespread media attention thanks to its Victorian Senate candidate Jordan van den Lamb, AKA purplepingers, who has campaigned hard on the housing crisis. It wants to 'stand for renters', tax large corporations and the wealthy, and reverse privatisation. It is also anti-war and pro-climate action and union rights. Running in: Victoria.
News.com.au
21-04-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Victorian MP Georgie Purcell calls out hospital act
A politician has called out hospital staff who refuse medical treatment based on their religious beliefs. Georgie Purcell, a Victorian MP from the Animal Justice Party, recently opened up in parliament about the fact she needed her copper IUD, a birth control implant, removed. It had lodged itself in her uterus wall, and had created a risk of perforating it. 'In order for it to proceed, I had to have the procedure at a non-religious hospital,' she said. 'All over Victoria, there are hospitals conscientiously objecting to all reproductive healthcare services for women and gender diverse people.' She said the institutions were receiving taxpayer funds but legally could deny those services. Ms Purcell, who initially shared her personal experience and frustration with the medical system in February, said in a recent social media video that since sharing her experience she has been contacted by people in 'droves' including many with 'similar experiences'. 'Women who were denied contraception after giving birth. Women who had to terminate wanted pregnancies for medical reasons forced to seek out another hospital to accept them,' she said. 'Women who are hospitalised for emergencies and denied their prescription birth control while in the hospital bed, in the public system where patients can't choose their provider or are literally zoned to them due to location. Hospitals should not be allowed to deny essential, and sometimes life saving healthcare services. 'In fact, medical care should never be shaped by any imposed religious faith. I reiterate the need for the Victorian government to end institutional conscientious objections and ensure fair, equal and compassionate access to healthcare for every Victorian across our state.' Ms Purcell's video struck a chord with Victorians, with many sharing their own stories and opinions. Many were shocked that this was even a reality in Australia. 'As a religious individual, religious beliefs have no place in healthcare. Hospitals should provide all healthcare, not just religious-specific healthcare,' one social media user said. One commented: 'This is absolutely insane and NOT OK!!!' 'Now THIS is a topic that would change my vote. Free, accessible, healthcare for all. Not $50 for a GP visit, not hospitals denying care, not even non-cosmetic dental costing a cent. Is any party actually backing this,' one said. Another added: 'Hospitals that receive ANY public funding should not have any religious affiliation at all. Ever.' 'A doctor wouldn't give me the pill at my appointment because of her religion if I'd known I would have booked another doctor,' one shared. One social media user commented: 'Ridiculous in Australia. If they get government funding they should give equal care … but as women we don't know our bodies so men need to decide don't they?' 'Wow this is happening in Australia, I really thought the start of the video was going to be another country. Religion shouldn't be involved in healthcare or politics,' one said.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alarm as koalas in national park shot from helicopters following devastating blaze
Victorian authorities have made the difficult decision to use aerial and ground-based shooting to 'euthanise' koalas in a national park following a devastating bushfire. Around 2,200 koalas are understood to have been assessed, and approximately 600 – 700 have been euthanised due to concerns about injuries and access to food. That number is expected to climb. The blaze was sparked by a lightning strike in early March at Budj Bim National Park in the state's remote northwest, scorching 2,200 hectares. Concerned about the welfare of wildlife, Victoria's department of environment (DEECA) assessed the landscape and found it will likely be inaccessible for weeks. Its primary concern was that koalas could have been left to unnecessarily suffer and die, prompting the decision to visually assess unreachable animals via helicopter instead. Because the canopy has been burned away, DEECA maintains its 'highly skilled professionals' are able to hover over the koalas to get a clear line of sight. 'An experienced vet has assessed the situation and has recommended this approach as the most humane. The approach has been made in consultation with leading animal welfare experts nationwide,' a DEECA spokesperson told Yahoo News. While large brumbies and deer are routinely shot in Victoria and NSW from the air, Yahoo understands it's not a common way of euthanising injured koalas. Utilising the method has sparked some alarm among animal welfare advocates, with many saying more scrutiny of the program is needed and that the public should have been informed earlier. With bushfires likely to become more severe and frequent due to climate change there are fears aerial culling could become more commonplace. Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell told Yahoo News she understands the need to euthanise injured koalas, however she has concerns about aerial shooting. 'I think absolutely everybody should be alarmed at the method being used. Aerial shooting programs are known to be unreliable ways to appropriately kill animals using a single shot, and it can lead to further injuries that result in ongoing suffering,' she said. 'Given this is happening in a remote area away from public view, it can be really hard to assess whether or not it was the right method. It would have been my preferred option if they consulted with other groups who might have put in the time and the effort to individually euthanise the koalas instead of blasting them from a helicopter in the sky,' she added. Lisa Palma, the CEO of Wildlife Victoria told Yahoo the priority for Wildlife Victoria in all cases is that the animals are humanely euthanised. 'Whatever method of euthanasia is utilised for wildlife impacted by bushfires, our strong view is the method must have optimal welfare as its primary focus. That would mean a fairly instant and humane euthanasia,' she told Yahoo. Wildlife rescuer Jessica Robertson said the euthanasia method had left her 'gobsmacked'. 'My mind is blown. How could they possibly ethically euthanise a koala from a helicopter?' In a statement, DEECA said it is doing its utmost to ensure the koalas are humanely euthanised. 'Reducing the amount of suffering being endured by wildlife is the overriding priority with this course of action,' a spokesperson said. 'All other methods are not possible given the urgency of the situation, the remote location of animals, the extremely difficult and dangerous terrain and in consideration of the safety risks of working in a fire affected area. 'The burnt canopy cover has provided clear visibility and allows the helicopter to hover at tree level permitting a clear line of sight. 'Operations are delivered by highly skilled professionals and protocols are in place to confirm death to the best of the crew's ability. An accredited agency aircrew member is also in the aircraft to ensure safe and compliant operations.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
The Guardian
14-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Labor gifts duck hunters longer shooting season in Victoria, allows 50% more birds to be killed
Wetland bird hunters in Victoria will have a longer duck shooting season and can take home more birds under new rules. The Victorian duck hunting season will begin on 19 March and run for 83 days until 9 June, up from 56 days in 2024. Hunters can bag nine ducks a day, up from six, with seven duck species allowed. But the blue-winged shoveler is off the list this season, and lead shot cannot be used for quail hunting. New shooters seeking a licence must undergo online training, including Aboriginal cultural awareness training, as part of promised safety and sustainability measures. Outdoor recreation minister, Steve Dimopoulos, said duck hunting was a legitimate activity that could be done sustainably and responsibly. 'Our wounding reduction action plan will improve animal welfare and is a significant step to make sure recreational hunting can continue sustainably in Victoria,' he said. But Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell slammed the government over the 'most reckless season' in over a decade. Purcell said the decision to go through with another duck hunting season would condemn 400,000 native waterbirds to 'ruthless' slaughter. 'This is an unpopular decision by an unpopular premier who continuously cowers to the shooting and gun lobby,' she said. Waterbird populations have dropped almost 50% in the past year due to drought conditions, according to the Eastern Australian Waterbird Survey. An estimated 391,900 ducks were hunted in the state in 2024, about 22 per cent higher than average, Game Management Authority figures show, despite bag limits and a shortened season. More than 455,000 stubble quails were harvested – almost triple the long-term average. Those figures followed the Victorian government ignoring a parliamentary inquiry which recommended a ban on duck hunting in 2023. Instead of a total ban, the government in 2024 shortened the season, implemented a bag limit of six a day and pledged to introduce adaptive harvest management, hunter education and training and waterfowl wounding reduction measures. Wildlife Victoria criticised the state government's 2025 move, calling for 'the abolishment of duck hunting in Victoria'. 'This has gone on for far too long,' the group said in a statement. 'The ignoring of the recommendations of the 2023 inquiry is completely reckless and has ignored the overwhelming majority of Victorians who want to see this practice banned.' Duck hunting has long been banned in Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.
