Libertarian: noun –  ‘An advocate or supporter of a political philosophy that advocates only minimal state intervention in the free market and the private lives of citizens.’ – Oxford Dictionary I am (proudly) a Libertarian. When I tell people this, the responses are diverse: Libertarian? Like Pete Doherty’s band?  ‘No, that’s Libertine.’ Libertarian? Don’t they work with books? ‘No, that’s a librarian.’ I didn’t know I was a Libertarian until a few years ago. What I did know for certain was I was frustrated by government; decisions such as banning smoking in nightclubs and tanning beds seemed unnecessary and a waste of resources, but I was never too impacted by such decisions to make any noise. Until Covid. Covid signified my great Libertarian awakening and Libertarian epiphany. To be able to continue to work and provide for my family, my children, I was forced, against my better judgment and will, to be vaccinated. Where were the feminists chanting about bodily autonomy? I believed their catch-cry ‘my body, my choice’? Until Covid. Was I auditioning for Harvey Weinstein film? Or was I employed in the Victorian construction industry? Where were the bleeding-heart lefties (which I had previously identified as) that claimed to care about the working class? A working class that had been unable to work throughout lockdowns, and was now being told they could work, but only if they were vaccinated. It was working class people that took to the streets and protested. It was the working class that was mocked. By the Left. Who abandoned them. It was amongst the hypocrisy of the left that I found the Libertarians, then known as the Liberal Democrats (now Libertarian Party) – Tim Quilty and the unofficial Victorian Opposition Leader, David Limbrick – who consistently advocated for my rights and freedoms. So what is a Libertarian? Libertarians don’t fit in a box. We’re not ‘Left’ or ‘Right’. We sit on a political continuum which at its core is motivated by liberty. But since the current political climate advocates oversimplification of complex issues (not only do I find this boring, but I believe such ignorance to be unnecessarily polarizing and damaging to community cohesiveness) let’s play the ‘Left’ vs ‘Right’ game where you can try to pigeon-hole Libertarian policies as ‘Left’ or ‘Right’:

• Criminal Justice Reform
• Lower Taxes
• Access to healthcare
• Individual Property rights
• Equal rights
• Entrepreneurship
• Small Business

See how Libertarianism doesn’t subscribe to one or the other? We represent the entrepreneurs working to create their business in the free market without the endless red tape. We are for the recreational cannabis users who want to indulge as they please without fear of criminal charge. We are for small business owners who want their business to flourish, and not be choked out by taxes. We are for families who want to choose the education they think is best for their family and have final say over their children’s wellbeing. We are a party that advocates the Non-Aggression Principle – anti-war, pro-peace and pro-bodily autonomy. But most importantly, we are for the people who just want the government to leave them alone. Libertarianism is the epitome of ‘you do you, just don’t hurt anyone’. (Gosh it sounds almost like … tolerance! Not sure if the left remembers what that word means!) We don’t excuse political leaders for their misdeeds because it’s ‘our guy’ or ‘or team’. We are committed to holding both sides of politics to account in the interests of civil liberties and freedoms. Once Libertarians seek to be elected, we want to enable you to take control over your own life. Society likes to use the word empowerment, yet how many political leaders and parties do you see advocate for policy and law reform which empowers the individual? We are seeing these ideals spread around the world with the ACT Party in New Zealand and the new President of Argentina – Javier Milei. Libertarians want you to be empowered to run your life because only you, the individual, knows what’s best for you. Not an overpaid bureaucrat that lives in the Canberra bubble. If you want the government to leave you alone, maybe you are a Libertarian too.