This Is Our Moment: A Call to Reclaim Democracy and Secure a Better Future for all Australians

The two-party system has failed us. It’s time for people-powered politics to deliver a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable future for everyone.

Jan 02, 2025

I don’t know where you are right now and how you are feeling over the 2024-2025 Christmas New Year break, but I know where I am and what I am feeling—watching, once again, as the forces of authoritarianism, climate denial, and corporate greed tighten their grip on our democracy. Feeling the weight of yet another existential crisis, I find myself asking: How did we get here? And what can we do now?

The truth is, we got here because the two major parties—the Liberals and Labor—have failed us. Both have shown themselves to be beholden to vested interests and incapable of addressing the urgent issues of our time. Peter Dutton and the Liberal-National Coalition would have you believe they offer a "better path," but their track record tells a different story. Labor, too, has squibbed its chance to lead on climate, kowtowing to the same interests that have held us back for decades.

If we want real change—if we want a future that works for all of us, not just the powerful few—we need to break free from the stranglehold of the two-party system.

False Promises and a Record of Failure

Peter Dutton’s platitudes, like "choosing a better path" or "getting back on track," are nothing more than empty words designed to lull Australians into a false sense of security. Let’s be clear: the Liberal-National Coalition cannot be trusted.

With the release of the 2004 cabinet papers, John Howard’s government, often romanticised by the Coalition and mainstream media as ‘the better economic managers’, sowed the seeds of many of the crises we face today. Take housing, for example. Howard’s policies in the early 2000s—like generous tax breaks for property investors—ignited the housing affordability crisis that has locked generations out of the Australian dream of homeownership. His industrial relations reforms, like WorkChoices, stripped workers of rights and protections, undermining wages and job security.

And let’s not forget their environmental record. The Howard government’s resistance to meaningful climate action set us back decades, and the Liberals have continued this legacy under leaders like Morrison and Dutton. Their inaction during the 2019-2020 bushfires, when Australia literally burned while Scott Morrison vacationed in Hawaii, is a chilling reminder of their priorities.

And isn’t it ironic that John Howard, often seen as a staunch conservative, refused to approve nuclear energy during his tenure, yet Peter Dutton is now dragging this outdated and divisive policy back into the spotlight, clinging to a relic of the past while ignoring viable renewable solutions for Australia's energy future?

Labor, while better on some fronts, has also faltered. Their climate policies, though a step up from the Coalition’s inaction, remain insufficient to meet the scale of the crisis. For instance, their support for the continued expansion of fossil fuel projects, like the Beetaloo Basin gas development, undermines their commitments to net-zero emissions.

On housing, Labor’s Housing Australia Future Fund was a promising initiative, but its modest scope—targeting just 30,000 new social and affordable homes over five years—barely scratches the surface of the housing crisis. Meanwhile, skyrocketing rents and property prices continue to push Australians into housing stress.

These examples highlight that while Labor may offer incremental improvements, they remain constrained by their ties to vested interests and a reluctance to deliver the bold, systemic reforms we desperately need.

The Two-Party System Is Broken

For decades, Australians have been told that the only viable choices are the Liberals or Labor. But this system no longer works. It’s outdated, out of touch, and incapable of addressing the complex challenges of the 21st century.

We see the consequences of this failure everywhere: the housing crisis, stagnant wages, a worsening climate emergency, and growing inequality. Both major parties are more interested in maintaining power than in serving the people.

Community Independents: A Clear Alternative

The antidote to this broken system is people-powered politics. Community-backed independent MPs like Zoe Daniel (Goldstein), Helen Haines (Indi), Monique Ryan (Kooyong), Sophie Scamps (Mackeller), Allegra Spender (Wentworth), Kylea Tink (North Syndey), Kate Chaney (Curtin) and senator David Pocock (ACT) have already shown what’s possible when representatives put their communities first. These independents are not beholden to party machines or corporate donors. They are accountable to the people who elect them, and they deliver real results.

In May 2022, Australians made history by electing a wave of community independents. These leaders have proven that politics can be done differently—honestly, transparently, and with integrity.

Imagine what we could achieve as this movement expands in 2025 with nearly 30 community independent candidates running at 2025 federal election. Imagine a parliament filled with representatives who truly reflect the values, hopes, and aspirations of their communities. Here’s the latest count:

Taking Action Together

This isn’t just a fight for young people or older generations—it’s a fight for all of us. We must stand together, across generations, to demand better from our leaders and take back control of our democracy.

Here’s what we can do:

Break the False Narratives: Challenge the lies and spin from major parties. Share the truth about their track records and call out their failures.
Support Community Independents: Visit Not Shit Candidates to find and support independents who are committed to serving their communities.
Mobilise Across Generations: Work together—young people bringing energy and innovation, older generations sharing wisdom and experience. Together, we are stronger.
Stay Focused: Don’t let those in power distract us with fear or apathy. They want us divided and disempowered. Let’s prove them wrong.

This Is Our Watch

Those in power want us to believe that we’re helpless—that the system can’t change and that our voices don’t matter. But we’ve already shown that isn’t true.

In 2022, we stood up and made history.

In 2025, we have the chance to do it again—but bigger, bolder, and better.

This is our moment, Australia. Let’s not waste it. Let’s fight for a democracy that works for all of us, for a system that prioritis es people over profit, and for a future that is fair, inclusive, and sustainable.

Because when we stand together—young and old, city and country, experienced and fresh—we are unstoppable.

The future is ours to shape.

Let’s make it one we can all be proud of.