The “We Are Not Them“ (WANT) movement embraces the below policy positions, initiatives and strategies:
Australia’s energy sources from 2022 onward – With the growing international tensions and the impact of global supply chains from COVID, the sources of energy within Australia must be secured in the immediate term. It is regrettable that the most efficient forms of energy are those with the greatest emissions, but with the global situation arising in 2022 and the clear regional territorial ambitions of Putin and the Chinese Communist Party, Australia must source more resources from within, or from free nations. This is not to suggest that investment in cleaner technologies should cease, as the future world will require these after the threat of war has passed, but for the sake of keeping Australia operational and less reliant on global energy markets, the short term pain of exploring, extracting and using fossil fuels or nuclear fuels should be pursued.
Properly funded Australian Defence forces – Australia’s security relies upon a well-funded, well-equipped and well-staffed military. Serving in the military is a privilege, and only the best, most proud Australians should be accepted to ensure the efficacy and lethality of our defences.
Disbandment, dissolution, and complete shut down of any “Ministry of Truth” and the repealing of any laws that are parallel to these aims – It is not the Government’s role to determine what is “truth” or even what is “disinformation”, or “misinformation”. This is discovered by having more speech in the public square. Any Government that wishes to impose some kind of law, department or office to determine what is permissible speech is a Government that is not interested in the rights of the people.
Government largesse – a thorough audit of all financial spending of Government departments over the past five years, identifying cost centres that have shown a pattern of large spending on technology or other one-off purchases toward the end of the financial year. This will identify sections of government that embrace the “spend it or lose it” culture that has saturated the public service, and ensure they are properly funded with the savings returned to Treasury. Other systems to encourage rewarding responsible budget management will be investigated.
Indigenous people and self-determination – Existing systems and structures have, over time, proven to be ineffective at best and harmful at worst. Despite investment into Aboriginal programs the community continues to face barriers and struggles that prevent them from achieving prosperity. WANT speculates that a failure of Government management and a lack of sympathy for Aboriginal culture (instead grafting their own values to the programs rather than catering sympathetically to the cultures of Aboriginal people) has resulted in ineffective programs that are perpetually funded by spineless Government ministers, leading to a culture of complacency that has no incentive to succeed. WANT will seek to discuss a new structure for Aboriginal people that allows them to prosper while still preserving their unique and numerous cultures. As entities and groups claiming to represent Aboriginal people have successfully negotiated existing systems to grant themselves power – and such groups have failed – WANT would seek to talk with regular everyday Aboriginal people to discuss their ideas, free from pressures from self-interested activist groups or individuals. The aim would be to create a system for Aboriginal people to self-govern.
Properly funded and resourced Forestry – In addition to being able to supply Australia with timber for its many applications, Australia has potential issues surrounding the amount of dry organic fuel that is on the ground. A properly funded Forestry industry with less regulation and more staffing should be able to properly manage fuel and thereby limiting potential for major bushfires.
Surveillance of private citizens – under no circumstance should any Government introduce or seek to endorse any law that permits the surveillance of individuals without warrant or probable cause.
Internet anonymity – under no circumstance should any Government introduce or seek to endorse any legislation that seeks to remove anonymity from internet users. Free expression requires maximum participation in debates, and anonymity allows for ideas to be freely expressed.
Data retention – Internet service providers are under no obligation to capture data on what people are consuming on the internet. Current legislation requires ISPs to log user data, and the WANT party would seek to repeal such legislation, with the pledge to have properly funded law enforcement – as this initial legislation was proposed under the guise of security and law enforcement.
Conflicts of Interest – Reviewing legislation and closing loopholes that would allow politicians or their families to invest in companies that might benefit from up and coming legislation.
Superannuation equality – Politicians and senior Government executives enjoy generous superannuation benefits that are far greater than those offered to regular staff members. Politician superannuation benefits should be equal to that offered to ordinary public servants.
Cryptocurrency and systems of trade – Citizens have every right to invest their money into alternative currencies, and utilise their skills as methods of trade without Government over-complicating matters. Government, political appointments or other major organisations that have influence over monetary control (such as Reserve Banks) shall use their abilities or introduce any laws that could limit the citizens’ rights to invest their owned or earned money into any investment class they wish. Citizens can also freely exchange their services in exchange for any compensation they deem properly compensatory to their work, and Government should not introduce any law or regulation that would inhibit a citizen’s right to do so. Capital gains on Cryptocurrency could potentially be taxed only when exchanged for Government fiat, and not when paying for fees or services – prices of any goods purchased with Cryptocurrency are liable to sales tax, and the currency itself should not be taxed for the transaction. In short, cryptocurrency is an analogue of currency.
Right to Be Forgotten – Where Big Tech companies can harvest data that can be monetised or could result in people receiving unsolicited emails, phone calls or other forms of harassment, people should invoke their Right to Be Forgotten, which would compel companies to delete all records and information on individuals, which includes information given voluntarily and information drawn from assumptions about their data.
Ideas-based debate – Politicians pledge to argue merits of ideas solely on the idea itself, and without seeking to grandstand on the basis of their opponent’s identity. Ideas are ideas to discuss. Ideas are not somehow poorer (or stronger) because of the identity of the person who says them.
Media accountability – Any corrections that media has to make needs to be published with the same prominence, font and font size of the original published article. For example, if a newspaper has a front page article that is later proven to be false, or misreported, then the correction should be published on the front page, on a day that is not one known to have lower circulation. ie a media outlet cannot publish a correction on a weekend in order to minimise news of their mistake.
Ending of gender quotas in Government – The best people for the job should be employed, with the truth being that in-group cronyism and nepotism far surpasses sexism in terms of promotions and job selection. The same notion that Government is a “boys’ club” is false, and the idea that women need quotas so that they can succeed is insulting to women. Women are just as capable as men, and if any “boys’ clubs” exist, then grievances about discrimination should be investigated by inspecting the relationships between those making job selections on a case-by-case basis. If cronyism or nepotism is found to exist, then jobs must be readvertised for applications.
Anti-discrimination legislation to be inclusive in language – It is not okay to discriminate against anyone – truly anyone – on the basis of their age, race, gender, religion or personal politics. Ideas that identity groups of “higher power” exist and therefore cannot be discriminated against creates an environment where permissible discrimination can exist, and where “power” is a subjective term that can be defined by activist groups.
Ban on mask mandates for purposes of managing COVID-19 – The data on mask usage and the suppression of COVID-19 has been sketchy at best. At the point of writing (1 January 2022) COVID-19 is in the Omicron variant which has proven to be significantly less deadly across the board, so adopting a Floridia-style policy of banning mask mandates (note, not a ban on masks themselves) to prevent the compulsion of mask wearing for individuals would be the best position.
No COVID-19 vaccine or mask mandates – Government has no business compelling its citizens to undertake a medical procedure if they have genuine apprehensions about a treatment that has been rushed to market and has no major longitudinal studies to show its long-term efficacy or harms. This is particularly true for a treatment that appears to be politicised, in where major political figures showed apprehension to the treatment when they were campaigning, but are suddenly in favour of the treatment once they had attained their position of power. The people should be able to assess their own health risk with regard to the pandemic (and future pandemics).
Trade with China – Australia should seek greater trading agreements with other Asian nations and limit trade with China until the governing party of China increases their diversity, accepts refugees from any conflicts, achieves tangible carbon emission reductions, and agrees to completely cooperate with any and all investigations into the origins of COVID-19, offering no roadblocks or impediments to such an investigation.
Transgenderism – Any doctor that performs surgeries on a minor, and any counsellor that counsels a minor onto a pathway of transgenderism, if the individual who undergoes the surgeries and counselling later regrets (at any time in their life) having the treatment is deserving of immense monetary compensation from every individual who was involved and complicit in the many acts of affirmation. This includes any and all parents, counsellors, teachers, surgeons, doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists who affirmed the non-biological gender which then sent the individual onto the path they regret.
Rich People Laughing 