Victorians, I need your help. We need another 300 Victorian Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) members to register our party for the State election in November. You can be a non-voting member for free.
Hit this link for the form.

A free society means a stronger economy, more jobs and greater prosperity for all.

Liberal Democrats Results

The Liberal Democrats did vastly improved their result in this election. While we did not win a seat our vote went from 0.1% to 1.67% share of the vote (this translates from 3,000 votes to 55,000 votes). This may have something to do with the fact that our name changed from “Liberty and Democracy Party” to the “Liberal Democratic Party.” Or it could be some people a slowly learning about the party and our message on freedom, low taxes and small government. We can’t be certain.

Here are the results across the nation for the LDP:

NSW: 2.06%

VIC: 1.67%

QLD: 2.07%

WA: 1.22%

SA: 0.52%

TAS: N/A

Effect on How To Vote Flyers

Printing How to Vote Flyers is can get expensive. Thus, it is an interesting exercise to see if it is actually worth, spending time and money on handing out these on election day.

I visited four booths on election day: 3 in the seat of Bruce; 1 in the La Trobe. In this analysis, I needed a baseline for comparision, so I decided on using two:

1. State vote (1.67%)

2. Seat vote (Mount View, Silverton, Mulgrave were in Bruce = 1.94%, Berwick South was in La Trobe = 1.24%)

As you can see, our best swing was in Mount View and Silverton. I visited these in the morning during the early rush. In particular, Silverton had long queues and people were more receptive in receiving the flyers. Berwick South was interesting. While we didn’t have a swing compared to the state vote, we did improve compared to the seat vote. Mulgrave was the worst performing, probably because it was at the end of the day, was cold and rainy and voter volume was very low. Overall, I do think that handing out flyers does make a small difference to the overall vote and next time will try to engage in more volunteers to man more booths in the future.

Great Experience

All in all, it was a great experience running for the senate. I learnt a lot, met some great people and was pushed out of my comfort zone (which is a good thing). I am pleased that the LDP have improved their share of the vote and will give us good momentum into the future. Thank you to all that helped with the campaign, especially my family.

Why am I running for the senate?

Australia is a great country. Built on the frontier spirit and on the back of a hard working and “have a go” mentality. It is a nation of people with dreams of achieving the best life possible for their family and friends.
Over the last decade, I believe, we have forgotten what has made Australia a prosperous, confident nation. We take for granted the reason for the wealth and standard of living that is the envy of the world. That reason is freedom.

• The freedom to live your life as you see fit, provided you do not harm or stop others from doing the same.
• The freedom to work, to earn and enjoy the fruits of your labour.
• The freedom to take risks and bear its consequences.
• The freedom to create your destiny.

For every dollar spent by government, it is one less dollar we get to choose how to spend ourselves. For every rule and regulation imposed on business, means more time business owners grapple with paperwork and less time building and expanding their enterprises. For every draconian law and tax designed to “shape our behaviour”, another fleck of freedom shaved off our souls.
I believe we need to have free markets, free speech, low taxes and free enterprise with low levels of government intervention if we want to Australia to continue to be a prosperous and confident nation.

If elected to the senate, I will vote for any proposal that:

a) Increases citizen’s individual liberties
b) Decreases the burden of taxation for citizens and business.

The Liberal Democratic Party

It was my honour to accept the endorsement from the Liberal Democratic Party to run for the senate seat in the great state of Victoria for the upcoming 2010 Federal Election.
The Liberal Democratic Party is the political party that is most aligned with my life’s philosophies of freedom and personal responsibility. You can read more about their policies and philosophy on their website (www.ldp.org.au).

How to Vote for Me (if you live in Victoria)
Below the Line: You will need to fill in all boxes (eg. 1, 2, 3 until all boxes have been filled). Put a “1” where my name (Graeme Michael Klass) and fill in the rest of the boxes.

How to Vote for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)

Above the Line: If you do not want to fill out all of the boxes below the line you will see on the above the line “Liberal Democratic Party”. Place a “1” in the box.

Ways to keep in touch with my campaign

1. Twitter: www.twitter.com/graemeklass
2. Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Graeme-Klass-for-Senate-2010/118764688171204
3. Blog: www.graemeklass.com and click the link “Graeme Klass for Senate 2010”.
4. Email: senator@graemeklass.com

Ways you can help

There are a number of ways you can help:

1. Campaign donations can be done via the Liberal Democratic Party website (www.ldp.org.au, then click Get Involved, Then Donate). Please put in Graeme Klass Senate Campaign as the purpose of your donation. Donations less than $1,500 are tax deductible.
2. Volunteers at polling booths. If you would like to hand out election material on Election Day, let me know.
3. Any in-kind donation, eg. printing, advertising space etc.
4. Forward this email on to your friends, family and colleagues if you think it will they will be interested in our policies.

Politics, Family and Friends

My family and friends are very important in my life. It would be naïve for me to assume that you will agree with my philosophies and the LDP’s policies. I sincerely hope that my decision to run will not harm our relationship and we can continue to share a meal, a beer or a coffee no matter what our political leanings.

(This was an email I sent to friends and family)

I was at the Meet Your Candidate Forum run by the Australian Christian Lobby, supporting fellow Liberal Democrat, Shem Bennett. Here is his excellent speech:

I’m going to be brutally honest. When I was first invited to the Australian Christian Lobby’s forum I wasn’t sure I should even come. After all, I’m a gay, I’m an atheist and the Liberal Democrats support legalising same-sex marriage and voluntary euthanasia. I wasn’t sure what I’d really have to offer Christian voters. I was raised in a strict Christian faith, though. So I thought back to my childhood and the kinds of things that I was taught back then. I came to realise the Liberal Democrats actually have a lot to offer Christian voters despite how different my personal beliefs are to the beliefs of those here.

You see, the Liberal Democrats believe first and foremost in freedom for individuals from government intervention. We don’t believe it is the role of government to try and legislate morality. Individuals should follow their own conscience, their own beliefs and make their own moral judgements. I believe this free agency and freedom of choice is essential in a healthy society. And in my Christian upbringing this free choice seemed to underpin a lot of teachings, too. Humans are granted the freedom to sin, or to follow God’s teachings, as they will. God does not prevent us from sin; He lets us make our own choices. And since even God doesn’t try and stop us from being immoral, why should government try to?

That said there is a big role for government to play in preventing crime- for example: stopping murders, assaults and theft. These are violent and coercive acts that have a significant impact on others. But while most Christians I know are morally opposed to lying, none support a law against lying. And that is how the Liberal Democrats believe should it be for other moral questions such as homosexuality, fornication, voluntary euthanasia and abortion. A good Christian will never agree with such things- but I do think it’s possible for Christians tolerate those things being legal.

Turning to the issue of marriage, though. The Liberal Democrats understand that many Christian faiths have strongly held opinions about traditional marriage. We would never seek to undermine those views by forcing a church to marry two men together. But we do believe gay couples should have the right to determine what level of commitment they want in a relationship and government should keep a legal register of those relationships. We also understand, however, that some Christians want a stronger form of legal commitment such as a covenant marriage so they can protect the traditional idea of marriage as being for time and all eternity. People who want to enter into stronger forms of marriage that exclude “no-fault divorce”, etc should have that right and the government should provide them with legal recognition. We believe it is the right of individuals to determine what form their relationships take and government’s only duty is to keep a register of these relationships.

You see- unlike the Greens, Sex Party or other groups that support same-sex marriage we aren’t anti-Christian, we’re just not pro-Christian either. We aren’t in favour of gay marriage itself, we’re in favour of freedom. And that includes the freedom for Christian churches and schools to have all-Christian staff. That includes the freedom to wear religious symbols in public. That includes the freedom of elected officials to pray in parliament. And that includes the freedom for schools to make decisions about staffing and curriculum and for parents to make choices about their children’s own education.

The Liberal Democrats’ schools policy specifically seeks to empower parents and principals. We seek to decentralise authority for school curriculum, staffing and class sizes from bureaucrats in Canberra down to the local level. Schools- even public schools- should be able to have scripture class, employ school chaplains and teach creationism if that is what parents wish. We also believe that education funding should follow the students, not the schools, and should exist across the public and private school sectors. Parents, especially those on low incomes, shouldn’t be penalised for choosing a religious, special-needs or selective school environment for their kids. Parents that choose to home school their children shouldn’t be penalised, either.

The Liberal Democrats also support a stronger role for private charity in providing for the needs of people. Charities such as the Salvation Army and Anglicare do a great job of helping those in need. As a result, the Liberal Democrats would never seek to remove tax-exempt status from Christian charities. We’d also try to shift the burden of welfare away from government organisations like Centrelink and more towards private charities.

So you see- it shouldn’t matter to Christians that I’m a gay atheist or that my party supports gay marriage and voluntary euthanasia. We have different beliefs and I’m not even going to try and convince you that my beliefs are right. But I hope I’ve shown that the Liberal Democrats do have something to offer Christians. Not you because you are Christians but because you are individuals.

We believe individuals should be free to pursue their own lives to the best of their abilities and should be free to make their own moral judgements, regardless of their beliefs. If you share that belief then perhaps you’ll consider voting for this gay atheist on Election Day this Saturday.

I will be at the Meet Your Candidates Forum tonight supporting fellow LDP Candidate for La Trobe, Shem Bennett:

When: Monday 16 August, 2010, 7:30pm.

Beaconsfield Baptist Church,

7 Desmond Court, Beaconsfield 3807

(Melway 214 A1)

Made by a kind supporter:

Both Kinds of Politics sent me a questionnaire and is now posted on their site. Here is my response to their questions. Feel free to add to the comments here.

What are your thoughts on asylum seekers?

Australia has a responsibility to assist people who are fleeing political persecution, for two reasons: 1) for compassionate and humanitarian reasons and 2) to demonstrate to the world the attraction of a free, democratic nation.

The best way to describe the Liberal Democrats process for handling asylum seekers is to quote their policy from their website:

“It is necessary to do preliminary health and security checks on all people coming to Australia. Unfortunately, it is not possible to do these checks on unauthorized arrivals before they come to Australia. It is therefore necessary to detain unauthorized arrivals temporarily until basic health and security checks can be completed.

Following these checks the unauthorized arrival can then apply for PR either by paying the immigration fee, applying for an “immigration scholarship” or “immigration loan” or by applying for humanitarian consideration. The process of determining genuine refugee status will be limited to a tribunal of first instance and a single court of appeal. Both will be open to the public.

While awaiting a decision on humanitarian grounds, unauthorized arrivals can apply for temporary release, with bail conditions. Any individual or organization can offer to post a bail equal to the immigration fee. If the unauthorized arrival is denied entry on humanitarian grounds and they refuse to leave the country, then the bail money will be used to pay the immigration fee.”

What are your thoughts on public transport?

Mass transport can provide a useful and beneficial function in society provided that is not subsidized by the taxpayer. Public transport should be allowed to compete for customers as any other normal business would.

What are your thoughts on renewable energy?

Renewable energy is a good thing, provided that it can stand on its own feet, without government subsidization or special legislation to make it “competitive.” I believe that individuals should be free to choose to purchase their energy from renewable sources as they see fit at a price set by the free market.

Do you support or oppose the introduction of the R18+ rating classification for video games?

I support the introduction of R18+ classification for video games. The government (or any bureaucratic agency) should not dictate what consenting adults can and can’t watch, play or interact with.

Do you support or oppose the proposed internet filter?

Strongly oppose. The internet is the modern world’s most amazing system for spreading knowledge, culture, information at extremely low cost. A government (of whatever flavour) having a secret blacklist will slowly and by stealth impinge on the freedom of individuals to access information deemed “politically” sensitive.

In regards to the protection of children, it is up to parents to control the use of technology and internet use, as they see fit.

In regards to child pornography, it is obvious that this is a despicable crime. I would support more resources to the Australian Federal Police to track down the producers of child pornography and have the full weight of the law thrown at them.

Do you support or oppose gay marriage?

I believe that the role of government should have no say in how we define, control or sanction marriage. Marriage should be a decision between consenting adults, no matter their sexual orientation. Again from the LDP website:

“The LDP does not endorse or reject marriage – it simply regards it as a personal decision that anyone should be entitled to make free of government interference, irrespective of their sexual orientation or lifestyle choice. Thus the LDP preference is not to seek the granting by governments of equal rights for gay marriages, but the withdrawal of government so that it remains a private domain.

The LDP would amend relevant legislation so that marriage between two individuals had the same consequences irrespective of whether they were of the same or different gender.”

What are your thoughts on abortion?

I am against abortion as I think that every life should be protected. This is my personal view, but would not attempt to introduce legislation to limit the rights of women in the early stages to seek an abortion.

Do you support or oppose the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia?

I support it. A person owns their life. If they wish to end it and has consented to it (ie. without force, violence or coercion), then so be it. I do personally believe in value of human life, and if a friend, colleague or family member that wanted to go down this path, I would try my hardest, through reason and compassion (not through force), to convince them otherwise.

What are your thoughts on stem cells research?

I support private research institutions and companies undertaking stem cell research. I do not support public funding institutions undertaking stem cell research due to the fact that some tax payers do not support stem cell research and thus cannot voluntarily withdraw their funds from these institutions.

What are your thoughts on education?

Education is important to a well functioning society and economy. The question is: how can we achieve the best educational system in our society? I believe that we need to have market forces participating in education. This means greater competition, greater parental choice, flexibility of schools to adapt to local conditions and direct school vouchers that are redeemable at any accredited educational institution. The delivery of education is the responsibility of the states.

What are your thoughts on campaign finance disclosure?

Running for public office requires voters to know large financial backing from individuals and businesses.

What are your thoughts on climate change?

Being an engineer, I have looked at the evidence and am not convinced at the doomsday scenarios. I believe that man can influence the climate but its effects are largely insignificant.

However, I respect the opposing views that people have on this subject. What I do not respect is the top-down, government backed solutions to climate change that is being foisted upon us. When governments get involved in solutions, trouble always looms. It is far better for people who are concerned about their impact on the climate change to change their own behaviour themselves, rather than forcing legislation to change it for us.

What are your thoughts on water?

Water is obviously crucial to a country like Australia. Governments have completely mismanaged water resources and allocation by supplying water at a lower than market rates. This has led to shortages across many capital cities. My view is that water sources and water management be removed from government hands and put into the hands of the private sector. By letting the price of water rise, this sends a signal to companies to invest in new water sources, and tells consumers to cut back their water usage. Over time, we will see water shortages become a rate event.

Do you support or oppose standing order 50?

I oppose the reading of any prayer in parliament, as I believe in the separation of church and state. Religious faith should be a private matter for the individual.

Are there any local issues you are trying to highlight with your campaign?

Not particularly, although I believe having a low taxing, low spending federal government will in the long term help the people of Victoria.

Though group voting tickets have not been submitted yet, do you have an idea on where your preferences will be going?

The best resource I have found on the net is www.belowtheline.org.au to see where the Liberal Democratic Party preferences are flowing.