Australian Story: Sept 12

Australian Story profiles Senate powerbroker of the moment David Pocock, on the forces that drew him to politics and why his background as an international rugby star helped prepare him for his biggest test yet.

This episode is introduced by Australian Test cricket captain Pat Cummins.

Once one of the greats of rugby union, David Pocock is now striding a different playing field. The former captain of the Wallabies suddenly finds himself not only a senator in the 47th Parliament but a powerbroker who is seen to hold the key for the Albanese Government to pass its legislative agenda.

First profiled by Australian Story in 2015, the program goes behind the scenes with David Pocock as he tackles his first few months as the new independent senator for the ACT, including last week in Canberra when he secured four amendments to the Climate Change Bill.

According to former independent MP Rob Oakeshott, who co-held the balance of power during the Gillard government, Senator Pocock is the ‘untold story’ of the recent election.

“He’s a very important number in the Senate but also there’s a story for men that you can be a strong man in politics without having to be a boofhead,” he said.

Senator Pocock has walked a unique road to federal parliament.

After an idyllic childhood on a farm in Zimbabwe, Pocock was just 14 when his family, fearing for their safety, emigrated to Australia after President Robert Mugabe introduced policies to re-distribute farming land among racial groups.

Pocock dealt with the trauma and upheaval by throwing himself into an obsessive training regime which would eventually take him to the very top of the rugby world.

But Pocock is a man of contradictions. The strongman of rugby is an introvert by nature who is still teased by his family for his love of birds.

While still a rugby player, he garnered headlines with his growing environmental and social activism, so it was no surprise when he was invited to step into the political arena.

Now, potentially holding the balance of power, the pressure is enormous, and everyone wants a piece of him.

“The number of emails, meeting requests, phone calls that we get. Lobbyists just trying to pop in. We ended up locking our door during the sitting week just so we could actually get some work done.” – David Pocock

“I look at him and go, you were the captain of the bloody Wallabies team, mate. You have had a big job and I can only imagine the pressure on him back in those days. I don’t think that will be a problem of his.” – Senator Jacqui Lambie

8pm Monday on ABC.