Greens Senate candidate for the ACT Kerrie Tucker today called for a public debate on ethics in politics, after the Government announced a focus on ethics and the values of democracy in a schools policy announcement. (The Telegraph, today)

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Roland Manderson
actf...@act.greens.org.au
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4 Oct 2004

ETHICS AND DEMOCRACY
It's not what you say.

"I am astonished that the Liberal Party, which is handing out literature that intentionally misleads voters, and has used the electoral law to obstruct church social services trying to put poverty on the agenda, is proposing to ensure ethics and democracy are being taught at schools" Ms Tucker said.

"I would love to hear the Prime Minister, the Education Minster, or even local Senator Gary Humphries. justify to school students the ethics of producing and distributing a how to vote card printed on green paper; labelled "Green Ballot Paper"; advising voters to give their first preference to Liberal Party candidates it; and nowhere mentioning it is a Liberal Party document.

"Is this the ethics of democracy that the Liberal Party now wants to teach our school children - politics is about lying to or misleading people who want to cast their vote for a principled cause, and that anything is acceptable if you can get away with it?"

"In this little underhand action I think we can see some of the damage that the Howard Government is doing to democracy and trust in this country; and how afraid it seems to be of people who want to do politics more honestly" Ms Tucker said.

media contact Roland Manderson 0412241379

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Roland Manderson

ACT Federal Election Campaign Coordinator

Australian Greens (ACT)

Ethos House Ainslie Ave Canberra ACT 2601

61620132 0412241379 fax 62476455

actf...@act.greens.org.au

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