Traditionally, Australian federal politics has been shaped by the rivalry of two core political groups, the Australian Labor Party, and the Coalition of the Liberal Party of Australia and The Nationals.

Our electoral history shows a yoyo-ing of power between these major parties and thus it is understandable that Australians would believe that our Parliament must be ruled by one of them.

Afterall, that's how it's been for over a century.

But that's not actually the case.

With almost one in three Australians allocating their primary vote to someone not in the major parties at the last election, it seems that the issues with party politics are coming to the fore and a growing number of us have had enough.

Democracy is meant to be a system of government that is an "ongoing conversation that needs everyone's voices to work." The democratic state power should be vested in the people of the state, with the UN declaring that democracy "provides an environment that respects human rights and fundamental freedoms, and in which the freely expressed will of people is exercised."

Note the palpable absence of any mention of political parties.

George........

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