The Australian Sex Party has welcomed today’s announcement by the ACT Electoral Commission of its registration in the ACT in preparation for next year’s Territory election.
Steven Bailey will be the first President and Deborah Avery will be the party’s first Registered Officer.
A general meeting will be held early next year where all members will get a chance to raise issues and propose policies.
The Party’s national President and Victorian Upper House member, Fiona Patten, said the party would shake things up in the ACT with a number of bold policy initiatives. “The Sex Party has been at the forefront of a number of social policy issues in its first year in the Victorian Parliament’, she said. “Abortion, drug law reform, dying with dignity, censorship and planning issues have all been part of our legislative push. We’ve been successful in introducing new laws around abortion clinics and in initiating parliamentary enquiries around dying with dignity and drugs”.
Steven Bailey said the ACT branch of the party would be equally dynamic and would surprise all the major parties with its ACT platform. “The ACT branch will run a strong and creative campaign in numerous electorates in the lead up to the 2016 ACT elections, and is currently in the process of attracting the best and brightest candidates to represent the party”, he said. “As the party that champions civil liberties, the role of the Australian Sex Party ACT is to be bold and inspire Canberrans outside of the small paradigms of the three major parties.”
Ms Patten, who occupies a balance of power position in the Victorian Legislative Council said that the party was hoping to achieve a similar position in the ACT. “We’re not trying to make government here. We just want to make sure that the major parties make the ACT the most modern place to live in Australia and having a healthy cross bench populated with progressive and youthful minds is the best way to do that. The ACT has a history of voting in a strong and varied cross bench to hold the major parties to account and we hope to continue that tradition.”
Steven Bailey: 0400419404
Fiona Patten: 0413 734 613
