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VoteClimate in the Victorian Senate for 2019

May 13, 2019 at 4:53 am John Englart Leave a comment

The power in the Senate is likely to be held by crossbenchers. The order of your preferences could be important for determining who is elected. Make sure you preference based on climate policy from strong candidates to weak. Preference at least 6. Voteclimate recommends to mark at least 16 boxes above the line to minimise your preferences being exhausted.

Senate voting

In the senate election for Victoria we have 31 groups, plus 4 ungrouped candidates. You are allowed to preference above the line in the senate. We are electing 6 senators on a proportional voting system through party list optional preferences.

If voting Above the line, then Number at least 6 boxes for parties or groups in the order of your choice (with number 1 as your first choice).

If voting Below the line, then Number at least 12 boxes for individual candidates in the order of your choice (with number 1 as your first choice).

You can number as many additional boxes as you choose when voting either above the line (i.e. more than six boxes) or below the line (i.e. more than twelve boxes).

To avoid your preferences from exhausting you should do as many preferences as possible, even all the parties above the line, or all the candidates below the line. This is important and you vote may determine the last two senate places in Victoria.

Your lower preferences might make the difference between someone like the Democrats or One Nation being elected. As the Australia Institute points out:

“If you don’t really care which of the parties that you hate gets elected, then our new voting system means you are free to simply vote for the parties you like and let others decide the rest.

But if you have a preference about which party you most want to keep out of the Senate then it’s up to you to say so by listing your preferences for ALL of the parties.”

Download Senate Climate Scorecards

The assessment below is based on the VoteClimate Scorecard (Download PDF).
Similar, but slightly different assessment is on the Precarious Climate Scorecard (Download PDF)

Comparative information on the major parties climate policies is also detailed in the Climate Council’s factsheet, Climate Policies of Major Australian Political Parties

Assessment of climate Policies by VoteClimate.net

Strong policies – fast transition

V The Greens
Support the declaration of a climate emergency, net zero or negative greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, 100% renewable energy by 2030, rapid phase out of fossil fuels.

M Independents for Climate Action Now
Support the declaration of a climate emergency, net zero emissions by no later than 2050, 100% renewable energy by 2030, rapid phase-out of fossil fuels.

T Australian Workers Party
Main focus is social justice. “Protecting our environment is … a matter of survival”. Support a zero emissions by 2030, and nationalisation of grid, but no detailed policies.

U Animal Justice Party
Acknowledge “a global emergency requiring immediate and substantial action”. Major focus is animal justice, including a plant-based diet. Support rapid fossil fuels phase-out.

Some positive policies – but significant weaknesses

X Australian Labor Party
Some positive policies: net zero emissions by 2050, 45% below 2005 by 2030; 50% renewables by 2030. But commitment to fossil fuel phase-out unclear. $1.5B for gas pipelines.

L Australian Democrats
Will “ensure we contribute as much as possible … to the global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions”. Support a transition to renewables but provide few details.

R Pirate Party
Mainly focussed on restoring democracy. Aim to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, with measures including a carbon tax and support for renewable energy.

Y Sustainable Australia
Main focus is stabilising population. 100% renewables by 2050. Slightly stronger emissions targets than Labor but weaker than Greens. Positive but weak policies on coal and gas.

Few or no climate or energy policies – but may support some climate action

C Socialist Equality Party
Main focus is overthrow of capitalism. Acknowledge we risk climate disaster. Advocate nationalisation of high emissions industries, but no detailed climate policies.

H Climate Action! Immigration Action! Accountable Politicians!
No policies. Would conduct online polls on legislation to let the people decide. Formerly known as Online Direct Democracy and Senator Online.

J Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party
A single issue pro-hemp party with no climate policies. Not allocating preferences.

O Secular Party of Australia
Acknowledge warming as a “dire threat to global civilisation”, but policies are weak and lack detail. Support a transition to renewables and nuclear power.

S VOTEFLUX.ORG | Upgrade Democracy!
No policies. Would conduct online polls on legislation to let the people decide using a system called Issue Based Direct Democracy

Z Group Z
Few policies. Vaguely supportive of renewable energy. Preference micro-parties that support climate action.

AD Health Australia Party
No climate policy. Support the development of sustainable, renewable power sources in preference to the continued expansion of fossil fuels.

DESTRUCTIVE POLICIES – likely to oppose climate action

NO NEED TO NUMBER THESE UNLESS YOU PREFER SOME OVER THE OTHERS

A Liberals & Nationals
D The Small Business Party
E Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)
F United Australia Party
G Shooters, Fishers and Farmers
K Citizens Electoral Council
N Liberal Democrats
P Labour DLP
Q Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
W Rise Up Australia Party
AA Fraser Anning’s Conservative National Party
AB Australian Conservatives
AC The Great Australian Party
AE Yellow Vest Australia (previously Australian Liberty Alliance)

No policies or website could be found for B: Republican Party of Australia

Parties have been evaluated on their party policies, voting records and preferencing.

The following list is from the Tallyroom website for the 2019 senate election.

Candidates

• A – Liberal/Nationals
  1. James Paterson
  2. Jane Hume
  3. David Van
• B – Geoff Lutz (Republican Party)
• C – Tessa Pietsch (Socialist Equality)
• D – Simon Kemp (Small Business Party)
• E – Bob Payne (Christian Democrats)
• F – Catriona Cecilia Thoolen (United Australia)
• G – Ricky Muir (Shooters Fishers & Farmers)
• H – Philip John Ayton (Climate Action)
• I – Derryn Hinch (Derryn Hinch’s Justice)
• J – Frances Hood (Help End Marijuana Prohibition)
• K – Craig Isherwood (Citizens Electoral Council)
• L – David Collyer (Democrats)
• M – Paul Wittwer (Independents for Climate Action Now)
• N – Robert Kennedy (Liberal Democrats)
• O – Harris Sultan (Secular Party)
• P – Jennifer A Bowden (Democratic Labour)
• Q – James Hallam (One Nation)
• R – Tania Briese (Pirate)
• S – Dustin Perry (Flux)
• T – Narelle Everard (Australian Workers Party)
• U – Ben Schultz (Animal Justice)
• V – Janet Rice (Greens)
• W – Rosalie Crestani (Rise Up Australia)
• X – Labor
  1. Raffaele Ciccone
  2. Jess Walsh
  3. Gavin Marshall
• Y – Allan Doensen (Sustainable Australia)
• Z – Sunny Chandra (Independent)
• AA – Bruce Stevens (Conservative National)
• AB – Kevin Bailey (Conservatives)
• AC – Darryl O’Bryan (Great Australian)
• AD – Isaac Golden (Health Australia Party)
• AE – Siobhann Brown (Yellow Vest)
• Ungrouped
  • Kenneth Gordon Betts (Independent)
  • Max Dicks (Independent)
  • Murray McInnis (Independent)
  • Karl F Morris (Independent)

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Entry filed under: climate change info, election, Policy, Politician education, Vote Climate. Tags: ausvotes, ausvotes2019, voteclimate, willsvotes, willsvotes2019.