POLICY COMMITTEE REPORT

The past two months have been full on for the Policy Committee.

State Conference at the end of August was a real highlight for us.

The policy sessions drew almost 300 delegates.

This really shows there is no shortage of energy, momentum and commitment to the battle or ideas in our Party.

Sitting at the front of the room, what struck me the most was the diverse range of views that existed in the room.

We all share the same values, smaller government, lower taxes, less red tape and freedom for the individual.

Yet when it comes to turning those principles into practical policies, there is always healthy debate.

That’s a good thing.

It shows we are a living movement, not a stale one.

Another thing I’ve noticed is how members can look at the same ‘We Believe’ statement and draw different conclusions.

That diversity of interpretation is part of our strength.

It keeps us sharp.

It reminds us that our values need to be applied in real life, not just repeated like lines from a textbook.

The week after State Conference, we had the privilege of hosting Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price alongside Senate Opposition Leader Senator Michaelia Cash at Party HQ.

The Jackson Room was packed like we’ve never seen before.

Senator Price has been a fearless voice for our values and her role in defeating the Voice referendum in 2023 will be remembered as a turning point.

Events like those are a reminder why our values matter in the first place. 

Around the world there is instability, yet here in Australia we are blessed with a stable Liberal democracy.

It is something to treasure and to protect and a cornerstone of that democracy is freedom of speech.

Free speech is one of the great pillars of our democracy.

It’s easy to defend the speech that we already agree with.

The real test is when we stand up for the right of others to say things we don’t like.

That’s the difference between a free society and a controlled one.

In Australia, folks don’t face jail time for speaking their minds.

That sort of legal persecution belongs to the Middle Ages in Europe, or to countries that still lock people up today in other parts of the world.

Fortunately, we’re not like that. 

What we do face in Australia though, is cultural persecution.

It happens when someone shares a fact, a figure or an opinion - not a threat, not a crime - and the response is outrage, demands for apologies and attempts to shame them into silence.

Often those taking offence haven’t even read or understood what was said.

It’s all about feelings.

If you don’t bow to that outrage, you’re painted as a bad person.

That is cultural persecution.

It cuts against everything our country is built on.

Freedom of speech means exactly this: backing the right of people to publish the opposite view to your own, helping them have their say and debating them openly in the marketplace of ideas.

If someone tries to block their voice, we should be first in line to defend their right to speak, even if we don’t like what they say.

That’s how democracy should work and plenty of lessons from the past show us why this matters.

It was reason and logic that allowed explorers to chart seas, trade across continents and share knowledge that shaped the modern world.

Australia itself is a product of that exchange.

When we let emotions drown out reason, we lose our bearings.

We end up with endless cycles of ‘you offended me, apologise!’ instead of progress.

So let’s remember what our own ‘We Believe’ statement says about freedom of thought, worship, speech, association and choice.

These aren’t just lines to read out before a meeting.

They are practical rules to live by.

If a politician says something you don’t like, don’t take offence.

Respectfully argue back, write an op-ed, jump on talkback radio, start a blog or write a social media post.

Just get involved. You’ll get better at debating, the more you do it.

That’s how it should be.

We need to get out of this business of constantly getting offended and demanding apologies. It’s un-Australian.

On to other things, there is plenty more coming up.

We have Dr Gary Johns, Warren Mundine and Senator Matt O’Sullivan for a panel discussion at 6pm at Liberal Party HQ on Monday, 13 October 2025.

I would encourage you all to register at this link and be part of the discussion.

Lastly, both the Deputy Chair of the Policy Committee and I have been catching up with our State and Federal Parliamentary wing leadership team on a frequent basis.

With no Federal election for three years and no State one for four, now is the time to listen and consolidate our base.

The Parliamentary team is ramping up its work to hold Labor to account and we are here to back them by bringing the grassroots into the policy process.

That’s what we did at State Conference and what we will keep doing at State Council.

Thank you for your continued involvement and support.

Let’s keep the momentum going. Stay in touch.

Regards,

Dr Sherry Sufi

Chair – Policy Committee

Liberal Party of Australia (WA Division)