Steve Saunders for Launceston Council

29/02/2024

Here is a great article that shows how far party politics has degenerated into self-interest and self-preservation, overiding public interest. Look for reputable and honest independent candidates to vote for in your electorate.

The Tasmanian Labor Party’s rationale for abandoning its amendments to the government’s weak and much-delayed political donations bill is profoundly flawed and could signal its waning appetite for backing needed changes even if it were to form the government after the next election.

22/02/2024

Nothing stays the same and this article indicates a hopeful trend away from concentrated power and political games, and towards more citizen participatation. If you want a fairer and more equitable society to live in, you have to GET INVOLVED and demand it!

For almost a decade there was no substantial policy debate for young voters to unpack. Now, we're deciding elections.

06/12/2022

There are many ways that local government councils can take action on the rental shortage. In this article, Hobart comes out as the least affordable city in Australia. Launceston is not far behind the big cities. It is not just about building more houses, it is about using the housing stock we have more efficiently. Not leaving houses empty for years with no good reason, Not reducing the housing stock by turning it into short-term accommodation. Local councils can introduce incentives to maintain a minimum vacancy rate of 2% - 3% which would make more houses available, reduce rents, improve the quality of houses and give the homeless a chance of renting housing affordable to them, from which they have been squeezed by better-off people being willing to pay higher rents.

Annual Rental Affordability Index shows more than 40% of low-income households now in rental stress

17/11/2022

'Change Politics' is one of the organisations promoting government integrity and citizen participation. They are having a webinar interview with Art O’Leary - Former Secretary General to the President of Ireland, giving a case-study presentation on the 2012 Irish Constitutional Convention that brought MPs and citizens together in one assembly, in Ireland for major issues including reproductive-rights and marriage equality - and they worked! In Roman Catholic Ireland of all places!

Citizens' assemblies and other deliberative democracy methods need to be part of our political systems if we are to achieve fairness in political participation beyond elections. What existing practice can we draw on in this new era of Australian politics where communities are using their voices to d...

16/11/2022

Here is an event I'll be participating in next week. There'll be some newly elected independent councillors and ex-candidates, like myself, who will be discussing some of the bad stuff that happened during the council elections and what we can do about it.

It's in Hobart, so if my friends there read this, please pass this on, and it'd be great to see anyone I know there. There is going to be a strong push for a shake-up on the electoral scene here in Tas in the lead-up to the next state and federal elections.
Cheers, Steve

16/11/2022

Hi all, and thanks to all those who supported me in this run for council. This is a bit late but I really need to acknowledge the people who thought I could be a good influence in council and who put effort and time into trying to make that happen, as well as those that voted for me. It has been an interesting experience.

I congratulate those who were elected and hope they will bring original and progressive ideas to council, and not just support the status quo. We live in extraordinary times and we will need extraordinary thinking to keep the world livable.

I will continue to be a political activist and will keep this page alive, but with a new direction. I will be working to bring about a new, more participatory democracy to Australia, along with others who are promoting building a better democracy.
This is the emerging answer to the right-wing authoritarianism that has established itself around the world. Democratic reform is already here in fact, and on this page I will be posting articles and links to information and events that support this new movement.

Reasons to be positive:
1. The results in the US mid-term elections and decline of Trump.
2. The removal of Bolsanaro as Brazilian president (but not by much)
3. The rise of true local independents on the Australian political scene - let's see what happens in the Victorian election happening right now.

I will try to post several times a week. Watch this space!
Steve

25/10/2022

For those of you who are wondering (like me!), when the election results are out, this might not be definitively decided until next week. Although an indicative result might be out Wednesday evening. From The Mercury:
"Counting will begin on Wednesday, with votes to be tallied first for mayor and deputy mayor.
“Hand counts of mayors and deputy mayors will happen on the Wednesday
“We’ll start in the morning for the mayoral counts and in the afternoon for deputy mayor,” Mr Hawkey (Tasmanian head of the AEC) said.
“We hope to have figures for all mayors and deputy mayors on Wednesday (tomorrow). The result for councillors will likely be a longer wait.
“It will take days, maybe a week for councillors, which is why we put the indicative figure out on Wednesday,” Mr Hawkey said
“We’ll have a small proportion, maybe 20 per cent of councillors ballots papers council which will give us an indicative figures, it will give us an idea of where things sit,”
It's a waiting game!

23/10/2022

The ideas need to trickle up from the people on the front line that are living with adversity, and those assisting those who are being left behind. Council needs to ensure they are listening to these ideas, and enabling those that are committed to this work.

Last week, I had the privilege of meeting with Kirsten from Strike It Out Inc Tasmania, and Louise from Shekinah House Inc - They both lead organisations that provide vital services for those doing it toughest in our community. I was humbled by the selflessness and dedication of the people volunteering with these organisations.

Since running for council I have become acutely aware of how important this issue of housing is, and how we are all affected if we don’t fix it. I don’t have all the answers, but I am willing to listen and do what I can.

23/10/2022

In Launceston, we have only scratched the surface of possibilities when it comes to creating a sustainable society. Of the seven options listed, most people are only familiar with recycle because it’s the only one we’ve been shown.

Increasing the awareness of the other options, and supporting initiatives that prioritise rethinking and repairing/re-purposing goods before throwing them away needs to be a priority for council.

22/10/2022

The ideas need to trickle up from the people on the front line that are living with, and assisting those who are being left behind. Council needs to ensure they are listening to these ideas, and enabling those that are committed to this work.

Last week, I had the privilege of meeting with Kirsten from Strike It Out Inc Tasmania and Louise from Shekinah House Inc . They both lead organisations that provide vital services for those doing it toughest in our community. I was humbled by the selflessness and dedication of the people volunteering with these organisations.

Since running for council I have become acutely aware of how important this issue is and how we are all affected if we don’t fix it. I don’t have all the answers, but I am willing to listen and do what I can.

22/10/2022

For an informative and entertaining explanation of citizen’s assemblies, grab a cup of tea and give this a gander...

Some of Ireland’s most contentious referendums passed with the backing of citizens’ assemblies. Could this work for Australia?

21/10/2022

There is an increasing distrust in Governments to make informed decisions that benefit society and rightly so. We all deserve a chance to have input into the decisions that affect our lives and not just on our ballot box every 4 years.

One way to get better outcomes and increase citizen participation is through citizen’s assemblies. Positive results in both Ireland and France have proven this is an effective way to make decisions. It’s great to see the concept getting the media attention it deserves.

If elected, this is an avenue I’d like to explore so that we can get outcomes for our city that work for people from all walks of life.