Insight: Aug 30

This week on Insight it’s “Voter Backlash” as Jenny Brockie asks voters why they turned away from major parties and backed minor or independent candidates in the federal election.

Voters are turning away from Labor and the Coalition in droves, with the most recent election seeing nearly a quarter of Australians cast their ballot for a minor party or independent candidates.

Just last week, Senator Pauline Hanson returned to Parliament after an 18 year absence, with almost 10% of Queenslanders giving One Nation the nod. With support across the country, three of her fellow party representatives join her in the Senate.

First-timers are also in, including former media personality Derryn Hinch, while more experienced politicians like Nick Xenophon and Jacqui Lambie have confirmed their popularity outside the major parties. Eleven crossbenchers will join the nine Greens senators with a voice in some of the most important legislation in Australian history, including marriage equality and Indigenous recognition in the constitution.

Are populist policies providing comfort to voters amidst perceived threats and crises? Are these new politicians more relatable, seemingly plucked from everyday life? Are the old guards of Australian politics out of touch with the wants and needs of a significant portion of the population?

With swings from the Greens to Pauline Hanson, from the Nationals to Nick Xenophon, the Liberal Party to Derryn Hinch, Insight asks recent voters: why they have come to find solace in minority representatives?

Guests include:

Harriet Galagher, (66) QLD – Harriet has voted for the Nationals all her life except for a vote for Pauline Hanson in the 90’s. In the recent Federal election she gave her first preference to Pauline Hanson in the Senate. The turning point for moving away from the major parties was when Turnbull took over from Abbott. She says she feels like she has no conservative party to vote for anymore. She says Pauline Hanson is genuinely for Australia and likes all of her policies. Harriet has two sons in their 30’s and says it’s really tough out there for kids these days to get a job, own a house and make a living. She is genuinely scared about terrorism and would be careful taking her grandkids into Brisbane. Harriet thinks Australia should have a moratorium on all immigration.

Marnie Gray, (34) VIC – Previously a Labor voter, Marnie was a victim of sexual assault, stalking and domestic violence. She says that police couldn’t do anything about her violent ex-partner stalking her, so she moved her family away. She became involved in Tania Maxwell’s “Enough is Enough” campaign, and met Derryn Hinch through this. She felt he understood her issues more than anyone else, and felt disappointed by the major parties’ “lack of action on things” like a national paedophile register. Marnie’s neighbour was Zoe Buttigieg, an 11 year old who was raped and murdered. She also supported Derryn Hinch’s campaign by handing out how to vote cards.

Scarlett Yamis, (26) QLD – Scarlett met a Turkish Muslim in Bundaberg, married and converted to Islam. She has always voted LNP and says this is the first year she has thought about her vote, where she voted for the Greens; giving Nick Xenophon’s party her second preference. She says she mainly chose those parties because of their policies regarding refugees. Scarlett also says she feels unsafe in Australia and says she often thinks about moving to another country.

Bill Hunt, (65) SA – Bill is a fourth generation sheep and grain farmer who voted for the Nick Xenophon Team; he usually votes for the Nationals. With grain harvest down 10% he says he is lucky he has sheep. His main concerns are drought and climate change – he really feels the Liberal Party has just swept it under the carpet. Bill also doesn’t like the One Nation party because Bordertown (where he lives) relies on 457 Visas for oat production.

Tuesdays at 8.30pm on SBS.