The Paper is not aligned with a political party or popular ideology. Wefeel as though the conventional, divisive ways of referencing politicalideology severely hamper progressive thinking and can limit audiencereceptiveness. The Paper aims to represent a diverse range of voices andviewpoints. We do however, have a deep interest in progressive ideas thatpromote peaceful and sustainable change in society and encourage criticalthinking and debate.

The Paper recognises that information sharing is the absolute key toreducing ignorance and thereby encouraging respect for diversity - andfeels that independent media outlets have a significant role to play inthe promotion of social justice.

The Paper aims to give in-depth analysis and coverage to the issues thatit covers. We attempt not to dwell on or sensationalise newsworthy events,but rather, recognise the importance of providing an insight into thehistory and motivation behind actions.

The Paper aims to foster a deeper engagement between media and thecommunity. We encourage people that would not normally identify themselvesas journalists to submit content and where possible aim to provide thenecessary access, assistance and skills to enable this to happen.

The Paper is free and put together entirely by volunteers. The viewsexpressed in the Paper do not necessarily reflect those of the organisingteam.

In October 2000, a small group of people felt there was a need for a reliable and accessible news source and decided to commit to producing a fortnightly newspaper.

The first issue of The Paper was printed on December 1, 2000.

In August 2002, The Paper changed from fortnightly release to monthlyrelease and expanded to a 16-page layout. In a time of transition, The Paper collective madethe decision to ensure the content of the publication would not be compromised bychanges in the make-up of its production.