Loving our enemies and working together is better than squabbling with them

“Squabbling politicians must stop and start governing” says a letter to SMH 8/5/20. Really?

Squabbling is part of the political power play. They used to kill each other to rule and still do elsewhere. The new Australian Voters Network helps voters join the power play to their advantage by working with those whose political views are different, embracing what Jesus taught as recorded in Matt 5:43 -.

Politicians care about voters, but first and foremost they care about themselves and their parties.

The Australian Voters Network helps Christian voters and others shape their own and national futures. Currently the main power players are politicians, political parties, big business, and media. All compete for our taxes, resources and future. Look at sport grants, government contracts, dry rivers, climate change and tax evasion.

The letter criticises their “preoccupations with factional infighting, back-stabbing and irreconcilable differences”. That is how individual politicians increase their power. Each strives to eliminate rivals. By strength of numbers, experience, strategies and training, Voters Network enables voters to force politicians to focus on their main role of representing the voters’ interests in parliament. Voter disinterest creates a huge vacuum into which self interest, neglect, inability and corruption creep.

The letter says “they set a poor example”. They actually set a very clear example of how power politics works. From 30+ years of watching and analysing that example, Voters Network knows how voters can use that behaviour to exert influence for good government. When voters set the example of working together, politicians happily follow because it is their path to success at the ballot box.

Australian Voters Network was formed to rectify the problems of which the letter complains and it has been amazingly successful. Nobody corrects their teenagers via the media and it does not work with politicians either. The network gives voters easy access directly to every politician in Australia.

By party neutral networking, Australian voters can enjoy the very best governments in the world. Sports stars are judged on performance in the game and politicians should be judged on their performance at representing voters’ views in parliament. Sports stars play best when facing worthy opponents. Networking turns powerless individual voters into a powerful, informed and cohesive force receiving satisfaction from politicians in return for their votes and taxes.

The letter suggested that politicians are, by standing for office “pledging, from different political viewpoints to work harmoniously for the good of the state or country.” When a politician says the words “I pledge” so and so, that is a pledge. Nothing else is. Voters Network is the first national, party-neutral organisation to enable all voters to work harmoniously for the good of themselves, the state and country. When voters do that, politicians soon follow. It is the obvious way to win votes. It seems like practical Christianity to me.

Democracy is a power game in which numbers and knowledge give people more power. Voters Network gives previously powerless voters the opportunity to gain almost unimaginable power through strength of numbers, knowledge and support. The network gives its members the power. It does not use members to gain power for itself.

That is what is unique about the Australian Voters Network, apart from 30+ years of successes on which it has been built. It is not just for Christians but it is based on a good measure of Christ’s teachings about how to work with others. In particular  the parable of the sower and the story of the woman banging on the judges door have guided its strategies.