A New Political Party! By James Reed
Queensland Senator Gerard Rennick has done great work on freedom issues. I am personally impressed by him, as when I send emails about urgent issues to many independents, I don't get a response or a staffer just swats me off, but not Senator Rennick. He does seem to be genuinely concerned with the voice of the people, as shown by his stand during the Covid tyranny, along of course with many others. Thus, it is no surprise we see him now quitting the LNP to establish his "People First" party ready for the next election.
Senator Rennick has a great and much needed tax policy, to increase the tax-free threshold from $18,200 to $40,000, something which should have been done years ago if parties like the Greens and Labor really cared about the poor. Getting a tax slug when you are earning say $ 600 a week for a single is no fun; the poverty level is $ 489 per week for a single person, and that is taxable, which is nothing short of cruel. And those on Newstart are much worse, with $
$762.70 a fortnight for a single, which puts one just over the tax-free threshold.
Other policies include "paying childcare support directly to families, ending renewables subsidies and abolishing renewables on agriculture land and waterways, making superannuation voluntary and re-establishing a public bank and government insurance office." Perhaps he needs to take a stand on immigration as well. Overall, good stuff, which will keep stirring the pot of politics!
"Maverick Queensland senator Gerard Rennick has quit the LNP to establish a new 'People First' party ahead of the federal election, marking the fourth Coalition crossbench defection since 2022.
Senator Rennick – who narrowly lost preselection by three votes to party treasurer Stuart Fraser for third spot on the LNP ticket – will apply for party status with the Australian Electoral Commission on Monday to establish his Gerard Rennick People First party. The 53-year-old will run at the next election on a platform underpinned by five key economic, energy and social policies. People First policies include increasing the tax free threshold from $18,200 to $40,000, paying childcare support directly to families, ending renewables subsidies and abolishing renewables on agriculture land and waterways, making superannuation voluntary and re-establishing a public bank and government insurance office.
Senator Rennick, who maintains a close relationship with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton despite his recent preselection fight with the LNP, said "I have decided to fight for the Australian people as an independent senator at the next federal election".
In addition to Senator Rennick, Andrew Gee, Russell Broadbent and David Van have exited the Coalition since the 2022 election. The rogue senator has linked his preselection loss to withholding his vote from the Morrison government during the pandemic in protest against mandatory vaccinations.
"While I would have preferred to lobby for issues that are important to the Australian people inside the tent of the LNP that option is no longer available to me," Senator Rennick told The Australian.
"I believe that government overreach is killing individual responsibility, aspiration and entrepreneurship in Australia.
"Governments need to get back to service delivery of essential services and standing up for Australians who try to stand up for themselves. As such I want to draw on my experience to promote a range of policies that will empower Australians and their families to live a prosperous life and provide abundant opportunities for their children."
The new Gerard Rennick People First party logo.
Senator Rennick, who has almost 320,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter, was expected to alert Mr Dutton and LNP president Lawrence Springborg of his decision to resign from the party on Sunday. The Queenslander, who decided against joining other conservative minor parties, is considering running other candidates on his Senate ticket.
Minor parties including Pauline Hanson's One Nation, the Jacqui Lambie Network, Katter's Australian Party and Clive Palmer's United Australia Party are all hopeful of picking-up a Senate spot amid Labor concerns of replicating its disastrous 2019 election results that saw only one ALP senator elected in Queensland. Senator Rennick was elected to the Senate in 2019 on the back of Labor's capitulation.
Senator Rennick told The Australia there "needs to much greater accountability and transparency within our bureaucracy, judiciary and corporations … too many leaders today do not put the interests of the people they are meant to serve, first".
"There is also a lack of vision from the same leaders who in the main seem to promote ideologies that seek to divide and shame us, rather than inspire us. As such the Australian people have become cynical and divided rather than optimistic and united," he said.
"This needs to change. Australia is a great country with tremendous opportunity that has a proud history of tolerance, resilience and egalitarianism. We owe it to our forefathers whose legacy gave us so many opportunities, to do the same for our children."
In a speech delivered in the Senate last week, Senator Rennick said "I did lose my Senate preselection because I withheld my vote from a party because Greg Hunt didn't take my concerns about those vaccine injuries seriously".
"I'm happy to lose my position in this party over that because that's what representing the Australian people is all about: putting the people first. Listen out for that phrase in the future: putting the people first. I make no apologies for doing that. I come in here as a genuine, impartial person who cares deeply about the Australian people."
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