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AEC rule that political parties must declare deadly sin alignment

by D'bear | Apr 10, 2021 | Politics

CANBERRA, ACT – The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has ruled that greater transparency is required for political parties, demanding all current and future parties declare their alignment with at least one of the seven deadly sins.

The seven deadly sins is a grouping and classification of vices within Christian teachings which traditionally include pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth.

While many argue the connection to various sins are obvious to the general population, the AEC has now determined that it is in the public interest to have this relationship on the public record.

Electoral Commissioner Tom Rodgers explained the shift:

“The AEC has completed a two year-review on the impact of deadly sins within politics and have concluded that all parties must now declare their interests in this area.”

“If left undeclared, the public face the real risk of being misled as to personal and organisational transgressions affecting public policy.”

“From July 1st, all parties must display to which deadly sin they are most committed, accessible on their public web page and in all election communications.”

“Failure to comply will result in an official warning, followed by one of ten possible plagues.”

With prior knowledge of these changes, most parties have declared their alignment alongside an explanatory statement:

Australian Labor party

• Leader                             Anthony Albanese
• Deadly sin                       Envy
• Statement                       “It doesn’t matter whether it is race, class, wealth, sexuality, religion, ethnicity or Scott Morrison’s approval rating, there is always something of which to be jealous.”

One Nation Party

• Leader                             Pauline Hanson
• Deadly sin                       Pride
• Statement                       “We are proud to be Australian. We are proud to be white. But most of all we are proud that our national borders are finally closed.”

Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party

• Leader                             Clive Palmer
• Deadly sin                       Gluttony
• Statement                        “Once you taste that sweet power, you just have to keep coming back.”

Australian Greens Party

• Leader                             Adam Bandt
• Deadly sin                       Wrath
• Statement                        “Nothing says protecting the environment more than burning all capitalist and family institutions to the ground”.

National party

• Leader                             Michael McCormack
• Deadly sin                       Lust
• Statement                       “Yeah, not much point denying we have centred our party around this particular sin in recent years.”

Katter Australian Party

• Leader                             Bob Katter
• Deadly sin                       Sloth
• Statement                        “We’re never in too much of a hurry up here in the North – except of course in a rodeo or when wrestling a croc.”

Liberal Party of Australia

• Leader                             Prime Minister Scott Morrison
• Deadly sin                       Greed

• Statement                        “I believe God wants us all to be prosperous – and, look, even Jesus took care of his mates.”

Sign up to the Damascus Dropbear for more election updates. For a great article around the ‘Good of Politics’, see this piece by the Jubilee Centre.