At CIP we are dedicated to building community and supporting community-minded independent candidates to get elected to Parliament. We do this by sharing skills and knowledge and facilitating community connection at our regular online events.
The recordings of past events can be accessed below. Please sign up to our newsletter to keep up-to-date with up-to-date with coming events.
Now the dust has settled on the 2025 federal election, it's time to reflect on what happened - and where the Community Independent movement is headed next.
Kylea Tink MP exemplifies what being a Community Independent means. Sadly, for Australia and the North Sydney community, their electorate has been abolished, so Kylea will no longer be the Member for North Sydney after the next election.
As Kylea’s term draws to a close, hear her insights from Canberra and the experience she shares with two outstanding Community Independent candidates, Caz Heise and Alex Dyson who made their seats marginal in 2022 and are running strong campaigns to join the cross bench in 2025.
Allegra Spender MP, Zali Steggall OAM MP and Kate Chaney MP share insights on what people powered politics means and how they are working with their communities to champion critical issues from tax reform, cost of living and housing affordability to electoral reform, truth in political advertising, integrity and climate action.
Proactively collaborating with community to understand issues and find solutions has added complexity in rural and regional electorates due to distance and geographical challenges, numerous and diverse population centres and poor connectivity. Alex Dyson, 2022 candidate for Wannon, and Suzie Holt, 2022 candidate for Groom, join Helen Haines MP to discuss how they connect with community in vast electorates.
When real problems seem insurmountable, corruption is brewing or the national debate hots up on key issues, satirists, commentators and comedians use their creativity to reach new audiences. From the quintessential newspaper cartoon to a new generation of digital influencers, humor has enormous power to drive greater participation in demoracy, convey key messages and provide much needed relief.
In the lead-up to the last Election thousands of people took the bold step of donning a campaign t-shirt, pounding the pavement, waving banners, door knocking and working election booths. Hear Ella Finlay in conversation with Conal Feehely and Joyce Yuan, sharing how they are keeping the flame alive, enlisting new volunteers, and engaging their local communities in democracy.
Dr Sophie Scamps MP and Kylea Tink MP discuss the power of bringing people into their democracy via citizens assemblies. Hear how randomly selected representative cross sections of citizens in Mackellar and North Sydney participated in facilitated processes to come to a consensus on solutions to one of our biggest national intergenerational problems: the housing affordability crisis.
Sue Barrett in conversation with Monique Ryan MP and Senator David Pocock, exploring the impact of having a strong independent voice in the Senate and how it has reinvigorated the Upper House and forced politics to be conducted differently, along with a look at how the Community Independent MPs are working with the Senate to effect better laws.
Tina Jackson in discussion with Brook Turner and Alana Johnson. As narrators of the movement, the panel will share insights on what has been learnt from the past and reflect on the future. They’ll explore what is meant by the ‘Community Independents movement’, its activities and diversity, as well as the importance of story in capturing the past and shaping the future.
Zoe Daniel MP and Richard Denniss discuss how the rise of the Community Independents creates a new political landscape and how people-driven politics requires new ways of thinking about power and a new language to express them.
Strong, active and engaged communities are an essential pillar of healthy democracy, particularly in the digital age.
Richard Denniss and Nicollette Boele discuss how dis and misinformation undermines democracy in Australia and the power organised communities can harness by owning the narrative through established networks of trust.
Zoe Daniel MP in conversation with Kos Samaras and Ann-Charlott Paduch. This insightful discussion covers community building and the power of local conversations to demographics, disinformation and trust in democracy.
An insightful and inspiring discussion between Craig Foster AM and Dr Sophie Scamps, Community Independent MP for Mackellar. Craig is a former Socceroo, broadcaster, human rights advocate, 2023 NSW Australian of the Year and Chair Australian Republic Movement. He reminds us that politics is everyone's business, sharing his experiences and why everyone needs to be an active participant in political and civic life.
Cathy McGowan asks what makes a healthy ecosystem in this unique and special discussion with all the Community Independent MPs. They discuss how they are working with their communities, and their communities are working with them, and share their thoughts on what it means to be an effective MP.
Be inspired by the stories of three courageous communities taking political action. Kate Gunn tells us about the Liverpool Plains community fighting the expansion of gas on prime agricultural land. Suzie Pearce shares how the community driven North-East Rail Alliance is challenging the Inland Rail Project and Jacqui Scruby explains how communities are working to stop oil drilling off the northern beaches of Sydney.
Some communities came very close to electing an Independent at the last election, others have more work to do. Whatever stage in the independent journey, the Panel will share how they are keeping the independent flame alive in their communities throughout the electoral cycle. Community participation in democracy does not stop at an Election and there are many ways of winning.
Sue Barrett leads this vital discussion with Rob Baillieu, Kooyong campaign; Elli Murphy, Goldstein campaign, Taylah Schrader, Warringah campaign, and Alex Dyson, Independent Candidate for Wannon. They discuss ideas on community building, engaging younger people in politics, and encouraging the next generation of political leaders. The longevity and sustainability of the movement depends on how well we can do this.
The conversation covers setting up a group as well as new ideas and approaches for the evolution of established groups. Inspired by the Kitchen Table Conversation model used by Voices of Indi, the groups that have formed organically across the country are all unique to their communities, pollinating political awareness and inspiring action.
An innovative session with Cathy McGowan to turbo charge your networking. Cathy shares her vast skills and expertise in networking with intent. She covers how to network to get a community group going, as well as how to expand your group and contacts to further your political cause.
Kerry O’Brien leads this riveting and inspiring conversation with Kate Chaney, Kylea Tink and Cathy McGowan.
Zali Steggall and Ed Coper discuss what disinformation is, how it threatens our democracy and how communities can defuse and combat disinformation.
Spotlighting how democracy work is unfolding in real time in the Wentworth and Goldstein communities with Allegra Spender and Zoe Daniel.
Our new Independent MPs tell us what it means to them to be a community independent and how they intend to work with their communities.
Zali Steggall OAM MP (Climate Act Now) and Dr Helen Haines MP (ICAC) discuss how Community Independents collaborate with their community to pursue key national issues.
Experts discuss the key support pillars for community politics and campaigns including fundraising, strategy, messaging and tech tools.
Holding your Party MP to account, what being a ‘Shadow’ representative means and political action by community groups.
Insider tactics: how to get things done with MPs and peak bodies
Speakers share their experiences starting ‘Voices of’ and other activitst community groups to help others getting started.
Community Independents herald a fundamental shift in the relationship between constituents and their representatives.
What does it mean to have a Community Independent in the Senate from a personal, electorate and national perspective?
