Crikey for PM: All your questions answered

Crikey takes democracy extremely critically, and thinks who represents us all at each degree of the political system needs to be scrutinised to make sure they signify your greatest pursuits — and never their very own. The truth is, it’s why we’re operating for the Victorian Senate (please don’t vote for us). There is no such thing as a intention to win, affect coverage, or encourage folks to forged their very own vote in any explicit means. We’re taking part within the system to show the failings within the system.

We respect there could also be a number of questions. The beneath FAQ displays the identical intense discussions the Crikey workforce has been having about what we’re doing right here and why we’re doing it.

Why is Crikey doing this?

We exist to advocate for insurance policies that serve the nationwide curiosity — irrespective of who advances them — maintain the highly effective to account, and expose corruption wherever we see it. We need to spotlight all of the methods aspiring and sitting politicians can spin narratives, cover information, or outright deceive win your vote — and the ability afforded to it. We’re pushing for transparency by highlighting hypocrisy.

Are you operating as ‘Crikey’?

No. Firstly, you possibly can’t do this (although we did briefly take into account operating a canine, which it seems you can also’t do). Secondly, we don’t need our readers — or anybody — to again us on the poll. As a substitute, we signed up utilizing the identify of a prepared participant, however are branding the editorial collection and any related branding “Crikey for PM”.

Did you really must correctly enroll? 

To uncover, scrutinise and expose the multitude of issues aspiring politicians can get away with, we needed to go the entire hog. Seems you possibly can lie on a billboard, obtain donations from anybody with out declaring it, and spam voters incessantly. Impressed by Clive Palmer’s chutzpah, Labor’s “Mediscare”, and the Coalition’s boat arrivals spam, we would have liked to reap the benefits of the perks, privileges and loopholes to really see the way it all works. 100% transparently, then give all the data straight to you.

Is that this not an affront to democracy?

Boy, did the Crikey workforce speak about this loads. Your vote is a treasured factor in a world the place thousands and thousands aren’t afforded the suitable, and we firmly consider it’s the sanctity of the electoral course of that makes this a agency public curiosity case. We actually, actually don’t need to win, and we gained’t be making preferences. Our participation in an imperfect democratic course of doesn’t search to undermine it, nor to bolster any present trigger or candidate, however to push for the system to be improved. We’re not, and would by no means, encourage anybody to vote in any explicit means.

Aren’t you losing the AEC’s time?

Ah, our beautiful, beautiful associates on the AEC. We’ve turn out to be very keen on this extremely passionate, type, beneficiant and enterprising group of democracy beavers, who’ve been useful at explaining the untold complexities of operating for workplace. Candidates each election abuse the AEC’s time by operating useless, distortive and disruptive campaigns, with no goal apart from furthering their very own company or political agenda. Our agenda is within the public curiosity, and seeks to make sure the AEC’s goal is upheld.

What in case you, by some insane darkish web magic, win?

We pull out. Go house. Easy. We’ve got completely no need to do politics. Crikey is an apolitical publication and a cheerleader for no-one.

you possibly can’t run for prime minister, proper?

Sure. We selected the title as a result of we 1) wished to make it as hammy as attainable 2) make it clear we weren’t operating a critical marketing campaign and three) thought it had ring to it, no?

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