GetUp!

GetUp "is an independent, grass-roots community advocacy organisation giving everyday Australians opportunities to get involved and hold politicians accountable on important issues.

"Whether it is sending an email to a member of parliament, engaging with the media, attending an event or helping to get a television ad on the air, GetUp members take targeted, coordinated and strategic action.

"GetUp does not back any particular party, but aims to build an accountable and progressive Parliament - a Parliament with economic fairness, social justice and environment at its core.

"GetUp is a not-for-profit and receives no money from any political party or the government. We rely solely on funds and in-kind donations from the Australian public."

• Executive Director - Simon Sheikh

"GetUp was founded by Jeremy Heimans and David Madden, two young Australian graduates of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government who have worked at the intersection of technology, new media and politics in the United States. David and Jeremy are now co-founders of Avaaz.org, a new global online political community inspired by the success of GetUp and the US group MoveOn.org."

• Phil Ireland - chair

Advisory Board

Accessed August 2007:

• Jeremy Heimans
• David Madden
• Don Mercer - company director
• Amanda Tattersall
• Cate Faehrmann

"GetUp will soon announce additional board members to replace entrepreneur Evan Thornley and union leader Bill Shorten who recently stepped down as they are now pursuing their own party-related political activities."

Former Staff

• Brett Solomon - Former Executive Director
• Kate Walsh - former campaign coordinator
• Nick Moraitis
• Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman

Contact

Web: http://www.getup.org.au/

External Resources

• Andrew Crook, Did Thornley just get sick of the ALP's petty squabbling?, Crikey.com.au, Friday, 9 January 2009.
• Andrew Crook, GetUp and its strange but well-heeled bedfellows, Crikey.com.au, Wednesday, 4 February 2009.