"WikiLeaks has problems with 'democratic processes': Dr Cannold"

[struggle4progress]

47. The WikiLeaks party could learn about transparency from the Pirate party

The WikiLeaks party seems to be imploding, with candidates and volunteers resigning en masse. Australia's Pirate party, on the other hand, is more transparent and accountable
Asher Wolf
Thursday 22 August 2013 21.38 EDT

... The WikiLeaks party preferenced the extreme right party Australia First above the Greens in New South Wales, and placed WikiLeaks-supporter Western Australian Greens senator Ludlam below the Nationals. While many party members initially claimed their unpalatable choices were an “administrative error”, many have since suggested such claims are a bald-faced lie, especially since Greens staffer Max Phillips had already noted last week that WikiLeaks party’s NSW deputy registered officer Cassie Findlay had informed him of their preferences at least a week before the “error” became public knowledge.

Others, such as Western Australian WikiLeaks party Senate candidate Gerry Georgatis, aren't claiming preferencing decisions are any kind of mistake. In fact, Georgatis seems happy about it, which may have something to do with the fact that he was a previous Greens candidate. Crickey reports he broke with the Greens in 2009, and one may guess, was potentially thrilled at the opportunity to slide the knife in at any cost – much to the horror of party volunteers, who appear to be quitting en masse ...

The answer lies with participatory democracy in party processes. WikiLeaks party’s national council seemed to compromise mostly of a self-elected group of friends and loosely linked acquaintances. They rushed to select potential electoral candidates and create a policy platform in time for the Australian Electoral Council (AEC). The WikiLeaks party national council meetings seem to have mostly been a closed affair – as a result, there possibly wasn’t critical oversight to scrutinise processes and add much needed pressure to ensure the party was run democratically ...

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/23/wikileaks-pirate-party