So many people laugh when you say your handout is about fixing up politics – roughly half the voters – that you become apprehensive about saying it. 

Many voters articulate scepticism or outright denial that fixing up politics is possible. 

It is clear that our democracy is in crisis: “Politics in crisis and a nation in denial” (Paul Kelly, editor-at-large, The Australian, July 2, 2014); “Western civilisation at stake amid growing threats” (Greg Sheridan, foreign editor, The Australian, March 12, 2015). 

It is also clear that there is a cross-party movement for democratic reform of political parties by the reduction of factional and outside financial influence on them (John Howard, Kevin Rudd, ex-Liberal minister Jackie Kelly, Labor senator Faulkner, etcetera). 

Both Peter Draper and Kevin Anderson have given me statements of broad support for my platform of party reform. 

Help Howard, Rudd, Faulkner, Kelly, and whoever goes to parliament as member for Tamworth fight for party reform, to return power to the people. 

Make your statement for party reform.

Since my vote will be much lower than Mr Draper’s or Mr Anderson’s – as The Northern Daily Leader poll story on March 26 confirms – use the preferential voting system to give me a “1” for party reform and a “2” to the main candidate of your choice, who will get your vote when my lower tally is distributed in the count. 

Your children and grandchildren will thank you for making a statement for democratic party reform. 

– Stan Heuston