2024 ACT Elections – Party Score Card based on Muslim Community Concerns 

About the Scorecard

What is CEPA 

A group of concerned Australian Muslims in Canberra advocating for community interests, with diverse backgrounds and political affiliations.

Purpose of CEPA 

To provide a meaningful and influential voice for Canberra’s Australian Muslims, feeling underrepresented by the government.

Creation of the Scorecard 

Designed to inform the community about political party actions and positions on key issues affecting them.

Score card research

The CEPA scorecard is based on several research sources. One of those sources is Hansard. To provide a glimpse into the research into the scorecard. For an extract of several of the Hansard entries used to inform the outcomes please see attached PDF document. 

Another source was responses from the parties to queries posed by CEPA, which can be found here https://www.cepa-act.org/political-advocacy/actpartiesresponses

Community Engagement

Local politicians engage with the community but often lack transparency about their party's voting records.

Key Issues Highlighted 

Discrepancies between party promises (like supporting mosque construction) and actions (like failing to oppose bombings in Gaza).

Scorecard Information Sources 

Compiled from official legislative assembly records and public party statements for accuracy.

Legislative Examples 

The Greens supported a motion for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and divestment, while Labor only supported a permanent ceasefire without divestment.

Focus on Parties 

CEPA chose to evaluate political parties rather than individual candidates due to party loyalty overriding personal beliefs.

Candidate Limitations 

Candidates expressed supportive views privately but indicated they would follow party lines in voting, limiting their influence.

Call to Action 

Empowering the community with knowledge to make informed decisions on election day based on party positions rather than candidate promises.

Independent candidates

We were unable to independently assess all independent candidates this year given resourcing constraints and had to focus on parties with sitting members of the legislative assembly. If interested in voting for an independent candidate, raise the issues in the scorecard directly with them.