No Parking Meters Party

The No Parking Meters Party was a minor political party in Australia. The party was registered from 2006 to 2013 with the New South Wales Electoral Commission to contest state and local council elections.

No Parking Meters Party
LeaderCharles Matthews
FoundedFebruary 2006 (2006-02)
Dissolved2013
HeadquartersRandwick, New South Wales
IdeologyAnti-taxation
Consumer rights
Randwick City Council
1 / 15
(2008–2012)
Website
noparkingmetersparty.org

Founding and policy

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The party was founded in February 2006[1] as a single-issue party,[2] seeing parking meters as "an extra tax on the family car".[3] However, they now have broader policies: opposing tolls, pokie taxes, and red tape, among others.[4] Founder and councillor Charles Matthews had a proposal to impose a $50 registration fee on bicycle riders, which would be used to help fund cycleways being built by the council, but it was later rejected by other councillors.[5][6]

Representation

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The party had a representative on the City of Randwick, its founder, Charles Matthews.[7] Matthews served on the Randwick council from 1977 to 2004, and was again elected in 2008. He served as the city's first mayor following its incorporation from 1990 to 1991.[8] Matthews failed to be re-elected at the 2012 New South Wales local elections.

Deregistration

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In 2013 the Australian Electoral Commission deregistered No Parking Meters Party for having fewer than 500 members, the required amount for a political party in Australia. A review request by the party with a new member list was rejected after 2 of the 18 alleged members were randomly contacted by the AEC and denied being members of the party.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Two new Political Parties Formed". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) The Weekly Times Online
  2. ^ Frank Walker; Peta Fitzgerald (8 January 2006). "Fine mess as fury mounts over mad grab for cash". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  3. ^ "Parking meters in party's sights". Newcastle Herald. 12 July 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  4. ^ "Call to ban parking meters". Southern Courier. 18 May 2010. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  5. ^ "Randwick Council to charge $50 to register your bicycle". Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) StreetCorner, 8 June 2010
  6. ^ "No Parking Meters Party Bike Rego Plan Goes Down in Flames at Randwick City Council". Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) Murray Matson, StreetCorner, 23 June 2010
  7. ^ Nick Moncrieff-Hill (12 March 2009). "Councillor supports his saviours". Southern Courier. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  8. ^ "Cr Charles Matthews". Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) Randwick City Council
  9. ^ AEC (2013). "Application for registration refused – No Parking Meters Party". Retrieved 23 September 2014.
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