The Voices for Indi campaign may become a nationwide movement when founding members offer the secrets of their success at an event on June 14.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
President Alana Johnson said the group would host “Indi Shares” at Oxley Hall.
It was in response to the many requests it had received to divulge the strategies used to support the candidacy of independent Cathy McGowan at last year’s federal election.
Requests from both sides of the political spectrum have come from those wanting to know how Ms McGowan toppled Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella from her apparent safe seat despite having a margin of 9 per cent.
Ms Johnson said the response to the Indi campaign signified a growing lack of faith in the political process and a movement away from the major parties.
“They want to know what we did because they want to do it themselves,” she said.
“It’s evidence people are sick of how the system is working.
“The big parties think they can select whoever they want, regardless of what the people want.”
Ms Johnson said interest had come from all sectors and from all over the country.
There had been requests for advice from the Australia Climate Action Network, Victorian state election candidates, the Victorian Landcare Council, Queensland Nurses Union, Australian Nursing Federation, the East-West Link protest group and the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
Ms Johnson said community engagement would be the main focus
“We want people to understand the Indi campaign was not a typical political campaign, it was actually generated by people who wanted to be more active in our democracy, not by a political party,” she said.
“There was a way for everyone to be engaged.”
Key speakers will include Ms McGowan and the young people behind the campaign’s social media and crowd funding.
Ms Johnson said the group would explain the tools it used to encourage engagement, including member inclusion through banner making, social media and manning poll booths.
It will also share its organisational skills, recruiting methods and the generation of group leadership.
The Voices for Indi also plans “Indi Talks” meetings across the electorate over two weeks in September.