Constitution of the Direct Democracy Party
Adopted by general meeting of members on 25 May 2026. Version 1.1.
1. Name
1.1 The name of the party is the Direct Democracy Party("the Party").
1.2 The Party may use the abbreviation DD on ballot papers and in its materials.
2. Objects
2.1 The objects of the Party are:
- to promote the election, to the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Parliament of New South Wales, and to local councils and other elected bodies, of candidates endorsed by the Party;
- to give the members of the Party a direct and binding say in the policy positions the Party adopts and the way its elected representatives are instructed, through the participatory and binding-vote processes set out in this Constitution; and
- to advance more direct, issue-based democracy in Australian government.
2.2 The Party is established on the basis of this written Constitution, which sets out its platform and objects.
3. Membership
3.1 Eligibility. A person is eligible to be a member if they:
- are at least 18 years of age;
- are an Australian citizen entitled to enrolment, or are otherwise entitled to be enrolled on the relevant electoral roll; and
- support the objects of the Party.
3.2 Application.A person becomes a member by completing the Party's membership application (including any declarations required for the Party's registration with an electoral authority) and being accepted as a member in accordance with this Constitution.
3.3 Membership fee. The membership fee is nil. The Management Committee may introduce or vary a fee by resolution, and may waive it in cases of hardship.
3.4 Single-party rule. A member may not be relied upon by more than one registered party for the purposes of registration in the same jurisdiction. By joining, a member confirms they are not being relied upon by another party for registration in that jurisdiction.
3.5 Register of members.The Party keeps a register of members. A member's details are kept confidential and are used only for the Party's lawful purposes, including registration with electoral authorities, except where a member expressly opts in to appear on a public member register.
3.6 Cessation of membership. Membership ends if a member resigns in writing, ceases to be eligible, fails to pay any applicable fee after due notice, or is expelled under clause 9.
4. Rights of members
4.1 Every member in good standing has the right to:
- take part in the Party's binding votes on issues, on the basis of one vote per member, in accordance with clause 6;
- propose topics for the Party to vote on, and endorse topics proposed by others, in accordance with clause 7;
- attend and vote at general meetings;
- stand for internal office and seek endorsement as a candidate, subject to this Constitution; and
- have their personal information handled in accordance with the Party's privacy obligations and clause 3.5.
4.2 The rights in clause 4.1 are protected rights and may only be amended under the entrenched-amendment procedure in clause 11.
5. Office bearers and management committee
5.1 The Party has the following office bearers: a Secretary, a Registered Officer, a Deputy Registered Officer, and a Treasurer. The Party may appoint additional office bearers as required by an electoral authority or by resolution of members.
5.2 The Secretary is Timothy Yang, of Balgowlah Heights NSW 2093, Australia.
5.3 The affairs of the Party are managed by a Management Committee comprising the office bearers and five (5) members elected by the membership.
5.4 Office bearers and committee members are elected by the members for a term of two (2) years and may be re-elected. Casual vacancies may be filled by the Management Committee until the next general meeting.
5.5 The Secretary is responsible for the administration of the Party, including communications with electoral authorities and the making of any statutory declaration required for registration.
5.6 The Management Committee administers the Party in accordance with this Constitution and the binding decisions of the members. It does not have power to override a binding vote of the members made under clause 6, except where giving effect to the vote would be unlawful or beyond the Party's power.
6. Binding votes of members
6.1 Principle. The Party is governed by its members. On matters within the votable scope (clause 6.6), the members decide by vote, and those decisions bind the Party and its representatives in accordance with this clause.
6.2 One vote per member.Each member in good standing has one vote on each issue. Voting is conducted through the Party's official platform or by such other secure and verifiable means as the Management Committee approves.
6.3 Anonymity. Votes are cast in a manner that allows the Party to confirm that each vote was cast by a distinct eligible member, while keeping how any individual member voted confidential.
6.4 Quorum and threshold. A vote is binding only if:
- the number of members participating is at least 20% of eligible members (the quorum); and
- the result meets the required threshold, which is a simple majority of votes cast unless this Constitution specifies otherwise.
If the quorum is not met, the result is advisory only and does not bind the Party.
6.5 Effect of a binding vote.A binding vote determines the Party's position on the issue. The Party's elected representatives and office bearers are required to act in accordance with binding votes, so far as it is lawful and within their power to do so. Where law or a representative's legal obligations prevent compliance, the Management Committee must record the reason and report it to the members.
6.6 Votable scope.Members may vote on the Party's policy positions, priorities, candidate endorsements (subject to electoral law), and other matters referred to the membership. Members may not, by ordinary vote, do anything that is unlawful, that contradicts this Constitution, or that overrides the entrenched provisions in clause 11.
6.7 Records. The Party keeps a tamper-evident record of the question, result, turnout, and date of each binding vote, and makes the result available to members.
7. Member-proposed topics (agenda-setting)
7.1 A member may propose a topic for the Party to vote on, expressed as a clear question with defined options.
7.2 A proposed topic is reviewed before it is opened for endorsement, to confirm that it is not a duplicate of an existing open topic, is not unlawful or abusive, and is within the votable scope (clause 6.6). Review is limited to these matters and not to the viewpoint expressed.
7.3 A topic endorsed by at least 5% of eligible members within 30 days is promoted to a binding vote under clause 6. A topic not reaching the threshold within the window lapses and may be resubmitted after a reasonable interval.
7.4 Endorsement is one per member per topic. Endorsement counts may be published; individual endorsements are kept confidential.
8. General meetings
8.1 The Party holds an annual general meeting within five (5) months of the end of each financial year (30 June), and may hold other general meetings as required.
8.2 Members are notified of a general meeting at least 21 days in advance, by email and a notice on the Party platform.
8.3 The quorum for a general meeting is 5% of eligible members, or ten (10) members, whichever is greater.
8.4 Decisions at a general meeting are made by a majority of members present and voting, except where this Constitution requires a special majority.
9. Discipline
9.1 A member may be suspended or expelled for serious or persistent breach of this Constitution, or conduct seriously prejudicial to the Party, only after the member has been given notice of the allegation and a reasonable opportunity to respond.
9.2 A decision to expel a member may be appealed to a general meeting.
10. Finances
10.1 The Treasurer keeps proper accounts of the Party's income and expenditure.
10.2 The Party operates a bank account; payments are authorised in the manner the Management Committee determines.
10.3 The Party complies with all applicable electoral funding, donation, and disclosure obligations in each jurisdiction in which it is registered.
10.4 The accounts are reviewed or audited annually and reported to members.
11. Amendment of this Constitution (entrenched provisions)
11.1 Ordinary amendments. Except as provided in clause 11.2, this Constitution may be amended by a special majority of two-thirds of members voting, where the vote meets the quorum in clause 6.4.
11.2 Entrenched provisions. The following may be amended only by a special majority of 75% of members voting, with a quorum of at least 30% of eligible members, and only after a cooling-off period of at least 28 days between the proposal being published to members and the vote:
- the objects (clause 2);
- the rights of members (clause 4);
- the binding-vote principles, one-vote-per-member rule, anonymity, and quorum requirements (clause 6); and
- this clause 11.
11.3 No amendment may be made that would cause the Party to cease to meet the requirements for registration in a jurisdiction in which it is registered, without the Party first considering the effect on that registration.
11.4 Amendments take effect when adopted, subject to any requirement to notify or seek approval from an electoral authority.
12. Winding up
12.1 The Party may be wound up by a special majority of 75% of members voting at a general meeting convened for that purpose.
12.2 On winding up, any surplus assets are to be applied in accordance with applicable law and not distributed to members, but to a not-for-profit or charitable purpose consistent with the Party's objects, as the members resolve and the law permits.
13. Interpretation
13.1 In this Constitution, "eligible member" means a member in good standing who meets the eligibility requirements in clause 3 and any roll requirement applicable to the matter at hand.
13.2 A reference to an electoral authority includes the Australian Electoral Commission, the NSW Electoral Commission, and any other authority with which the Party is or seeks to be registered.
13.3 Headings are for convenience and do not affect interpretation.