#sort out that GTV stance and you're golden

[axvoter]

Blatantly Partisan Party Review VII (Victoria 2022): Fiona Patten’s Reason Party

Prior reviews (first three as the Australian Sex Party): federal 2013, VIC 2014, federal 2016, VIC 2018), federal 2019, federal 2022

See also my reviews of two parties that merged with Reason:

Australian Cyclists Party: VIC 2014, federal 2016

Voluntary Euthanasia Party: federal 2013, VIC 2014, federal 2016, VIC 2018; NSW 2019

What I said before: “My general vibe is that this is the party for left-leaning urban Gen X/younger Boomers, especially those in small business.” (federal 2022)

What I think this time: Fiona Patten managed to narrowly retain a seat for Northern Metropolitan in the Legislative Council in 2018, an uncommon example of a micro-party securing re-election under the anti-democratic Group Ticket Voting system. She faces an uphill battle to hold onto it again this year. The irony is that Patten and Reason support GTV for mistaken and frankly baffling reasons, and the only reforms they propose reflect a personal grudge against “preference whisperer” Glenn Druery instead of achieving more democratic outcomes. It would be easier for Patten to secure re-election if voters at Victorian state elections could distribute preferences above the line (like they can in the Senate) and if her rivals couldn’t siphon 100% of their voters’ preferences away from her (which would never happen under any other system). For more, see the Reason section of Kevin Bonham’s blog entry on each party’s GTV policies.

So, what do Reason stand for besides endorsing a shitty anti-democratic method of electing the state upper house? Happily, the rest of their platform is better. They are taking to the state election the same sort of policies that they took to the federal election, focused on civil liberties, gender equality, and personal freedoms. Broadly put, they are much closer to the Greens than they are to Labor.

Perhaps the bigger question is what distinguishes Reason from the Greens. In some cases, it is a matter of emphasis. Reason have decent policies on climate change and the environment, but it is not their raison d’être. Rather, their civil libertarian ethos leads to an emphasis on topics such as drug law reform, reproductive health, and limiting the influence of religion in public life. This outlook, plus Reason’s links to the adult industry, means they are friendlier to cutting regulations for small businesses, and your enthusiasm for this might vary depending on whether you own a small business or work for one!

Reason supports the rights of the sex industry, as you might expect from the erstwhile Sex Party. It seems this support includes sex workers, despite concerns (including mine) in their early days that this was the party of industry bosses. By contrast, there have been some issues with SWERFs within the Victorian branch of the Greens—the preselection of a notable SWERF as a candidate for one seat in 2018 elicited protests from party members.

The last and perhaps most significant point of comparison between the Greens and Reason is over trans rights. This year, issues within the Greens regarding TERFs in the Victorian branch have come to a head. Despite the party’s subsequent disavowals of transphobia, I would not blame anyone for waiting to see more concrete proof that Victorian Greens are genuine advocates for the trans community. By contrast, Reason has consistently supported trans rights.

The impression that I get from Reason’s website is that they are clearly pitching at socially-liberal urban professionals, particularly Gen X and extending to older Millennials and younger Boomers. The language, presentation, and core issues all suggest this is their main demographic. Reason has no strong ideological undercurrent—Marxists will certainly be disappointed—but in broad terms there is not much objectionable for the left-wing voter.

My recommendation: Give Fiona Patten’s Reason Party a good preference. Remember to vote below the line on the large ballot for the Legislative Council so that your preference goes where you want it to go; all ballots with 5 or more preferences marked below the line are valid votes.

(I feel like I need a disclaimer, lest I look like I am writing this entry to promote a vote for Reason over the Greens. I am not a member of any political party, nor have I ever been, and in past elections I have preferenced the Greens above Reason. I do think, however, that this year it is worth considering your options—for voters in Northern Metropolitan, this might be an especially tough decision.)

Website: https://www.reason.org.au/

#auspol #springst #vicvotes #vicvotes22 #vicvotes2022 #Victorian election #Victoria #Election 2022 #Melbourne #Reason Party #Fiona Patten's Reason Party #Reason Australia #Fiona Patten #Australian Sex Party #civil liberties #civil libertarianism #good preference #sort out that GTV stance and you're golden