Naturally, I would like people to join the Nationals. However, I am more concerned that as many people as possible engage in the political process. 

We need more men and women to take part in the machinery of politics. Only in this way can we ensure the health and longevity of our liberal democracy.

For liberal democracy to survive it requires the active involvement of the people. The world is run by people who turn up to meetings. Turn up, have your say, hold the ruling elite to account. That is the only way in which to dilute the power of ever more disconnected-from-reality political factions and minor pressure groups.

Liberal democracy is a fragile experiment in the world’s long and often violent history of authoritarian states. There are many forces which threaten liberal democracy and which would like to see it fail. These forces take many forms – political factions, monopolist corporations, large bureaucracies, extreme religions and terrorists, to name a few. 

Most of the world has never enjoyed the type of liberal democracy which we take for granted in Australia. We have to be ever vigilant about its health. We must never assume that things will be protected by some magic process which we do not understand. Our ancestors who fought and died for liberal democracy’s protection certainly understood only too well the sacrifices needed to guarantee our liberties. 

So, everyone of us in our own way can do our bit. Get involved, have your say – and fight for democracy.