The results are in.

The people have spoken, and we have a new government. Congratulations to Kevin Rudd and the Labor Party on the result. Malcolm Turnbull also deserves congratulations for achieving, quite amazingly, a swing towards him in Wentworth despite all the rubbish he’s received over the pulp mill recently.

Are you a libertarian?

There has been much confusion about where the LDP sits on the left-right political spectrum. I, personally, have been described as “right of Genghis Khan” by some commentators, and the LDP as a party has been called “left of Cheech and Chong” by others. Libertarianism often confuses people, particularly in Australia where the movement is not so large. Philosophically, we contend that every person is the owner of their own body and property, and they should be free to pursue their own interests free from coercion. The LDP, as a moderate libertarian party, puts this philosophy into practice by taking an “economically right-wing, but socially left-wing” approach to policy. Economically, we support free markets, lower tax, less regulation, and an end to corporate handouts. Socially, we contend that as long as you do not harm anyone else, you should be free to do as you please. Specifically, we would re-legalise marijuana usage by adults at home, support equal legal rights for homosexuals and homosexual couples, and end paternalistic bans on victimless crimes.

To find out where you stand on the political spectrum, take the Australian Political Quiz. As can be seen, the LDP is the only Australian political party championing free enterprise and civil rights.

End corporate welfare now.

Big business is asking for more of our money again. This time it’s the motor industry. They want a freeze on tariff cuts, as well as a boost to their $3bn welfare package, and they claim that job losses will result if their demands aren’t met. This is clearly a bogus argument: skilled labour is in demand now more than ever, so these workers would have no trouble getting a job.

Donate for Freedom.

Sukrit Sabhlok, the LDP candidate for Corangamite in Victoria has set up an LDP donation drive. This comes after Ron Paul raised $4 million in a single day (November 5th) through a similar method. Unfortunately, the LDP doesn’t yet have the support base that Ron Paul does, so we’re starting with a slightly more modest figure: $1000. The LDP is not a rich party, and we don’t have access to public electoral funding, so your $10 pledge will really make a difference. Help the LDP reclaim liberty by making your pledge today.

Update: Jonatan Kelu is also soliciting donations over at Catallaxy for his Wentworth campaign, with regular JohnZ matching donations up to $500.

Voting [1] for Me Made Just a Little Bit Easier (and Other News)

I will be appearing first on the ballot papers, which is kind of cool. Apart from perhaps a slight increase in the amount of primary votes I receive, I don’t expect it to make much of a difference. Nonetheless, it’s a minor win that I’m happy to take. The main benefit that has come from this seems to have been a little bit more media attention: I’ve been speaking to a few more reporters since the ballots were drawn, which is definitely good for me as well as the party.

The ballot order will be as follows:

1	LDP	Daniel	Farmilo
2	Labor	Justine	Elliot
3	The Greens	Giovanni	Ebono
4	Nationals	Sue	Page
5	Citizens Electoral Council	Graham	McCallum
6	Democrats	Scott	Sledge
7	Christian Democratic Party	Barbara Jean	Raymond

Forgotten Federalism Finds a Friend in the LDP.

People all over the country are saying that they want more money going into our public health and education systems, yet they seem to want the Federal Government to provide it. Every poll in every newspaper across the country seems to have people calling out for the Federal Government to fix all the various state problems we have. Canberra has started to intervene in a few areas, however, such as a hospital here and there. Isn’t it funny how they always seem to find a hospital in a marginal seat to fix?

The Burning Need For Tax Reform.

Tax cuts are good. Allowing people to keep and spend their own money is far more productive than taking taxes from the entire population and then giving it back to us in the form of election promises. The reason for this is simple: people spend their own money far more carefully than they spend the money of others.

Humble Beginnings.

I did my first campaign related interview today with a fellow from the Tweed Daily News. We covered many topics such as tax, poker machines, election goals, and my own personal background. It is expected that I will have a story in the paper next week. The reporter wanted to make sure that I would be in touch with issues that relate to the Division of Richmond despite the fact that I am not from there myself.

Daniel Farmilo, LDP Candidate for Richmond.

Hi folks,

This could be considered the first formal announcement of my candidacy in the upcoming federal election. I am running on the Liberty & Democracy Party ticket. The LDP is the only party that promotes a decrease in the size of our government, and a reduction to its burdensome influence in our everyday lives and decisions. In short, we stand for low taxes, free enterprise, civil rights, and personal responsibility.