The arts enable people to fulfill their dreams and become accomplished in their particular discipline. The arts bring enjoyment to the masses, through music and film, enabling people to escape from their daily issues for a few minutes or hours, enabling them to recharge.
Artist should be encouraged to paint, sculpt and design, although we do take a dim view on weird art, that comprises of a house brick. Proper art should be funded to help artists to achieve their full potential and to show case what Australians can produce.
Music is a major industry and Australia has produced some significant songs, which again show case what we can achieve.
Stage and Film productions are responsible for creating many thousands of supporting jobs, so to keep these people employed, it is important that we support the stage and film productions by providing tax breaks and immigration concessions for foreign actors and film crews to help with the production costs and long-term viability of the industry.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Special Broadcasting Service should continue to operate, but they must up their game on fairness of reporting. Taking a left-wing bias is unfair on those viewers who do not hold a left-wing view. Bearing in mind that the ABC and SBS are funded by the tax payer, they should provide a balanced view on all matters.
These broadcasters receive $1.6b a year in funding from the government and yet it is not wisely spent. There are far too many highly paid salaries and the programming is poor. What we propose to do, is not shut down these broadcasters, but get them to reform themselves. We will do this by making them semi-private, this means that they can run themselves like a private company, whilst still receiving government funding. However, we will reduce the government funding by 20% each year until we cease funding them altogether. This will take about five years, during this time these organisations must learn how to generate their own income, for if they fail to do so, then after five years all government funding will end and then the broadcasters will sink or swim.
Conservatives will give the consolidated broadcaster a greater rural and regional focus – to ensure that the few remaining gaps in the Australian media landscape, including providing critical information during natural disasters and emergencies, are well-covered.
We will reform the board arrangements and Charter of the current ABC and ensure that the consolidated broadcaster is truly impartial, unbiased and presents a diversity of views representative of the Australian nation.
Sport is an important part of Australian culture and we must ensure that children are introduced to sport and sporting events as early as possible. Children should grow up loving football, cricket, rugby etc. All children must be taught how to play all the different major sports.
Australia has a rich culture with many customs, all of which must be honoured and celebrated, as it is our culture and these customs that make Australia what it is and Australians who they are. Australian culture and customs will be promoted, especially in schools with children growing up knowing what it is to be Australian.
Australia has an amazing history, both since British colonisation and our aboriginal heritage. Modern Australia, which grow out of the British Empire has grown and developed into one of the greatest countries on the planet. In many cases we are the envy of the world. Our combined heritage extends back at least 100,000 years and as we learn more about aboriginal heritage, culture and customs, the more enriched our society will be. It is important that we protect all our heritage, from statues to ancient monuments and sacred trees
Western culture, based on centuries of development and refinement, is the most successful democratic model for civil society. We believe that our Christian heritage, our national identity, our institutions, legal and political systems, our arts, culture and history are things to be recognised and respected.
The West is under a significant threat from ideologies that seek to undermine our way of life. The gradual dismantling of Western culture in other areas of the world has left a vacuum into which alternate cultures have expanded and taken root. We will stand up for Australian values in the face of these threats, and will ensure that our heritage and way of life are strengthened and retained.
Freedom of speech and expression is one of the pillars of Western society, and the marketplace of ideas (where dissenting views are heard and argued against), which must be protected and strengthened, not silenced or suppressed.
We will repeal section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act and similar laws that ban ‘offence’ and ‘insult’ as these terms are far too subjective and stifle free speech.
We also believe in the fundamental principle of equality before the law. We reject ‘identity politics’ and believe that Australians should look to the many ties that bind us, and not be divided by ancestry, race, creed or gender.
We will abolish the Australian Human Rights Commission. Rather than defending or upholding key Western liberties, rights and freedoms of the individual, this institution has become an expensive agent for their undermining, suppression and destruction, often in the pursuit of identity politics and political correctness.
We are proud of who we are and commit to restoring pride in our country, flag, institutions and the Australian way of life. We will oppose moves to change ‘Australia Day’, war remembrance observances, our flag, Constitution and other civic celebrations.
The traditional family is the foundation stone of civil society. We commit to supporting families by defending the traditional definition of marriage and easing the cost-of-living pressures on families through tax and benefit payments reform.
The Winter Festival will be a four-day event, situated on the last full weekend of July being Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
The purpose of the Winter Festival is to recreate a form of Christmas in July experience without the religious Christmas part. All of July will be the Winter Festival month, people will be able to put up coloured lights inside and outside the home to brighten up the winter.
Throughout the year children will be encouraged to grow trees from seed and then on Friday the whole family will go and plant the saplings, one for each of the family members. This will help revegetate the land by planting trees all over the countryside. This will encourage people to appreciate the value of trees and to help offset their individual carbon foot print, not that Conservatives are into the carbon agenda. If it is not practical for a family to plant the trees then they can take them to a distribution centre to be planted later by the work programme groups, later throughout the year.
On the Saturday people can build bonfires using anything that will burn, including growth cleared fire material, such as fallen tree branches, old leaves etc. The purpose is to have a good old-fashioned burn off, of all rubbish, for one day and to incorporate it with a Guy Fawkes type ceremony, culminating with a fire work display in the evening. These can be Council run events or personal at home family events.
The Sunday is when family and friends get together to enjoy a family meal, in any form they like. It is a time for families to come together. This can be a meal at home or at a restaurant. Lots or food, drink and good movies, but no presents, after all it’s not Christmas.
On the Monday, there will be the Winter parade organised in towns and cities, with floats and bands etc. One suggestion is that we create a Venetian style parade theme, where everyone spends July making their own Venetian Mask and everyone turns out to the parades wearing their masks. It will enable children to become creative with their own unique mask.
The main purpose of this holiday is, so that most businesses can stop working and people can have time with their family. Now, some businesses may have to work, such as restaurants and takeaways, but generally most businesses will be required to shut. This is to enable businessmen to have a break, furthermore the whole expense can be tax deductible, especially if the firm is organising a business sponsored event. It will also be a way for people from different cultures to come together to celebrate the festival in their own unique way, with the aim that one multi themed festival will be created, that everyone can join in, irrespective of race, creed, or religion. It is designed to unite families and unite the nation as one.
As there aren’t any public holidays in Australia after the King’s Birthday until November, the four- day festival taken as public holidays, will be a welcome break, especially after the hectic end to June 30.
There will be no hard and fastened rules. We want the festival to develop and grow organically to allow it to evolve into something unique and special to Australia.
We need to enhance the Australian Tourism Board to maximise Australia’s appeal to the rest of the world. Selling Australia should be our number one priority, to make Australia their number one destination. We should be proud and willing to show case our Country, its natural beauty, culture and heritage.
Australia is a “must do” on many people’s bucket list. We should do everything possible to encourage people to visit our country. The measures we can put in place must include affordable air travel, by allowing competition into our market. The removal of the requirement to have a holiday visa and the removal of all airport taxes.
We must promote Australia and provide holiday package ideas, so that visitors can maximise their trip and visit as many iconic sites as possible. Duty Free should have no restrictions either inward or outbound. The rule should be, “if you can carry it, you can bring it in”
We must promote home grown tourism in Australia and provide holiday package ideas, so that Australians can maximise their trips and visit as many iconic sites as possible as well as going to the not so well-known locations. Despite the cost-of-living crisis, people should be encouraged to get away and take time out, even if it is just for a weekend. Being able to relax and recharge will make for a happier society.
