In Australian politics, the term Independent gets thrown around a lot. We're seeing this currently in Canberra, with the recent departure of Leanne Castley MLA from the Liberal Party. But the term Independent doesn’t always mean the same thing.
Some Independents are simply individuals who decide to run for office without any broad based community support behind them, or choose to depart a political party and become and Independent by default. Those individuals might have strong personal views, a particular issue they care about, or a desire to offer voters an alternative to the major parties. These candidates can play an important role in our democracy, but their campaigns usually begin with one person, and one person only.
A community independent is something different.
A community independent doesn’t actually begin with a candidate. It begins with the community itself — with people coming together to ask deeper questions: Are we happy? What matters most to us? What’s working? What’s not? What kind of representation do we actually want?
Instead of starting with a personality, a community independent process starts with the intention of listening, and giving its subscribers and opportunity to shape a future for themselves. It’s built on conversations, surveys, forums, kitchen‑table discussions, and the simple act of asking neighbours what they care about. It's only after that groundwork is done — after the community has identified its priorities and values — does the question of a candidate even arise. And at that point, there's usually a transparent and competitive process endorse someone for standing at an election.
This is the model used by Voices groups around Australia. It’s a way of saying that representation shouldn’t be about who puts their hand up first. It should be about whether the community feels heard, respected, and genuinely represented.
Why this model matters
A community independent is accountable to the people who selected them — not to a party machine. Their platform is shaped by community priorities, not internal factional deals. And because they emerge from a structured, transparent process, they carry a mandate that is broader than personal ambition. This approach also helps rebuild trust, directly. Many people feel disconnected from politics because it seems distant, transactional, or dominated by party interests. A community‑driven process flips that dynamic: it invites people back in, treats their experiences as evidence, and recognises that good policy starts with lived reality.
What this looks like in Belconnen and Gungahlin
Here in Belconnen and Gungahlin, we’re taking the same approach. Before talking about candidates, we’re talking about you. We’re asking what’s important. We’re asking what’s missing. We’re asking what you want your elected representatives to focus on. Only once we’ve built a clear picture of community priorities — and only if the community wants to take the next step — would we move toward identifying a candidate who reflects those values and is willing to run as a genuine community independent.
It’s not about personalities. It’s about people.
A regular Independent starts with an individual. A community independent starts with a community.
That’s the difference — and it’s why this model has resonated across Australia. It’s politics built from the ground up, not the top down. It’s representation shaped by shared priorities, not personal platforms. And it’s a reminder that democracy works best when everyday people have a real say in how it operates.