If we want politics to work, we're pitching the wrong idea.
by Cat Holloway /
Since this local council election campaign got revved up, I've learned that political independence is a fallacy. What we really need is interdependence.
The Spark is independent of corporate or advertising interests, but grant funding will determine its future. My young adult daughters are independent of parental control, but they still need advice and study fees. My elderly neighbours are independent of nursing care, but I'm regularly called to fix their computers.
Humans are pack animals. We need each other. Even when we don't agree.
Especially when we don't agree.
Every voter, if they are being honest, has an opinion, an ideology even. That is what democracy is all about. Likewise, every candidate is a voter and, in very many cases, so-called independents have close ties to political parties and firm agendas. So, why is independence such a fashionable badge of honour in politics? Should we not feel more proud of our allegiances and certain about our convictions?
More worrying than political coyness (or hypocrisy) is that independence is often a weapon of the selfish. Some loudly proclaim their independence to justify an individualistic moral superiority. "That's my opinion, and I'm entitled to it!"
While independence can be wielded as an excuse to disagree with everyone. Interdependence is recognising that my freedom and success are dependent on yours. That our own health and happiness are intertwined with the well-being of others - and of our planet. That different members of society can have the same value.
Local council is where people power has the most tangible impact. This local government election is a crucial opportunity to further shift the culture in Shoalhaven Council from backward-looking competitiveness to collaborative future-focused work for the community.
The last thing we need is a dozen independent voices in Council shouting over each other about their individual platforms and priorities. We need a team of players who understand and celebrate their dependence on each other to hear varied points of view, support the work of qualified staff and communicate solutions for the common good.
Idealistic? I don't think so. This year's Shoalhaven Council election campaign has fielded many runners who are cooperative and constructive - and some who are combative and critical.
Independence has nothing to do with it.
Thank you for following the Spark Mayoralympics and helping the posts achieve the goal of openly lifting the level of candidate communication without paywall. Below are the final Q&As of this past week, including words from outgoing Mayor, Amanda Findley. Enjoy your vote on September 14!
Trials and Tribulations
The true story behind being a Mayor is rarely told, especially during an election campaign. But after 16 years on Shoalhaven Council, eight as Mayor, Amanda Findley has earned the right to speak with brutal honesty about the time, courage and in-depth understanding of community and government that a Mayor needs to survive, let alone lead a region to thrive.
Mayor Findley said that lone ranger councillors "miss and need the solidarity of people coming together and working shoulder to shoulder to get outcomes."
"Because it's only when we work as a community that we get the very best for community."
(Full story, Q&A and iHeart podcast interview linked below)
