Are community parties the key to more effective community governance?

The precincts, while not explicitly political groups, have stood candidates for local elections. And they have been successful in having those candidates elected. Recently, however, some candidates’ campaigns have (arguably) received growing support from major (Federal) parties. The result is a council biased along party-political grounds, a less geographic-community-representative council and a less "community-grounded" council.

What is needed is a rallying point, an umbrella that draws together community aspirations, a banner that lets the "geo-community" know that here are candidates that come from geographically-based community groups, candidates who are known and respected by the people within that community.

There is, however, no local community-based political party in Fremantle.

Watch this space.