Grassroots spark catches winds of change: @jansant reviews #NoFibs 2014 coverage of #auspol

No Fibs editor Margo Kingston comments on her 2014 highlights So, the second year of No Fibs is nearly over. Personal highlights? It’s hard to go past getting back on the ground after so long to report civil disobedience at the #leardblockade (my first Twitter report, No Fibs tribute). As a print journo it was […]

The #indivotes movie: @adropex review and musings on how Indi is changing politics

INDI: The Road to Canberra — CROWDFUNDING TRAILER from David Estcourt on Vimeo. INDI: The Road to Canberra  “More than a year has passed since the campaign, so it was interesting seeing our emotions on the big screen…Obviously there are a lot of nuances that can’t be conveyed in a 90 minute film, but [the […]

@RobinMosman calls on grandparents of Australia to unite for climate action

In August this year my husband Warwick and I went back to the Leard Blockade with a group of friends, and blockaded one of the roads to the Maules Creek mine for a few hours.  We’d made a number of signs to hold, but our favourite was one that said “Grandparents for Intergenerational Equity”.  I […]

Participation an antidote to #Auspol cynicism: the #IndiVotes democratic revolution, by @adropex

“What do rowers and politicians have in common?” asked Dr Simon Longstaff AO, Executive Director of the St James Ethics Centre. “They both look one way and go another.” This resonated with the 265 attendees at the  “Indi talks Democracy” event who came to listen to Simon Longstaff and, “the warhorse from the inside”, former […]

Rural Victoria rising up against #csg for #VicVotes, by #Indivotes campaigner @camklose

[clear]About a year ago the rural electorate of Indi had just about turfed out their local member, Sophie Mirabella in the shock result of the 2013 election. It was a result that not even the most optimistic political punter could have predicted. A huge community surge that wiped out a senior Liberal frontbencher in a […]

Off the rails with @margokingston1 at #BentleyBlockade: @mickdaley1 interview

Dean Sewell and Margo Kingston at #BentleyBlockade (At the time of the interview on April 30 the #BentleyBlockade was the subject of shouting matches in NSW Parliament as the Labor Opposition Party belatedly tackled new Premier Mike Baird over his plans to unleash riot police on thousands of peaceful farmers and townies. Senior police had […]

Reporting grassroots greenshoots when faith in establishment politics dies: @margokingston1

Margo: A version of this column appeared in the Byron Shire Echo – @Echonetdaily – on 29 April as a substitute for Mungo McCallum’s weekly column while he recovered from surgery.    Mungo and I last discussed politics just after the federal election on Late Night Live. We both knew what Abbott would do – seek to close down free […]

East West Link a collision course for Victorian state election: @tackvera reports

In the lead-up to the Victorian state election in November 2014, the East West Link tunnel toll road continues to be a divisive and unpopular issue for the Premier Denis Napthine and his Liberal Government. The toll road is projected to cost $8 billion to connect the Eastern Freeway and Alexandra Parade to Citylink as […]

The #MarchinMarch Canberra in pictures, by @Jansant

By Wayne Jansson  @jansant 23rd March 2014 Roll over photos to read captions or click for slideshow. Read More from the March In March Archive 

Sssshhhh, don’t tell the media, but politics is changing from the ground-up, by @ariadne_syd

Ariadne Vromen, @ariadne_syd Source: The Conversation University of Sydney 21st March 2014 Political participation in Australia will soon be about hope – and the transformation of citizenship engagement in this country. Here is why. Traditionally, Australian political participation was centred on, and supported by, the electoral system, political parties and major political organisations. Most media commentators tend […]