What is it about Australian politics that causes a wave of frustration, tinged with resignation and – perhaps more commonly – an eye roll, a sigh and shrug. “It is what it is.”

I’ve heard that all too often when I ask why more people don’t take elections seriously, and make more noise to keep our elected members held accountable.

According to the Australian Election Study, Baby Boomers still have a strong interest but that engagement falls with each generation after that. Back in 1969, 63 per cent of the voting population followed the election on television, but by the 2022 cycle just 23 per cent engaged in coverage on TV. Even taking into account the rise of the internet, where 27 per cent got their election information, the combined two statistics showed a drop of 13 per cent in engagement.

In rural Australia, where I live, it seems politics has become a no-go-zone, even amongst close friends and family. Opinions seem more divided than ever, and when the debate is tinged with unconscious bias and a hint of personal trauma it can quickly become heated.

Also hindering the process is the problem that often the divide between belief and fact is as wide as the murky Murray River, which adds to simmering tensions. One Facebook post does not count as strident research, yet as the platform gains popularity among some demographics, Facey-based facts are lauded, applauded and defended, regardless of their origins.

It can seem people are stuck in their ways and unwilling to even briefly consider the flip side of the argument, whether the conversation is talking about the welfare system, environmental policy or the rights of trans kids.
Increasingly, to avoid another generation gap argument with elderly relatives over the Christmas ham, people are avoiding any political conversation at all.

But has that come at the detriment of open discussion in the lead up to elections? Does that mean we are unable to sort out the information gleaned from the media in own heads, by respectfully chatting about it with colleagues at work or mates at the pub?

For those wanting to avoid the hysteria on social media soapboxes, the left or right leaning opinions of whichever media outlet is screening at the time or arguments that could fracture a family for years, what options are there?

Enter the Voices movement.

In 2012 a group in the federal electorate of Indi in Victoria came together and forged a new way forward. The Voices 4 Indi group shot to the national stage after the sitting member famously declared “the people of Indi aren’t interested in politics.” Talk about stirring the hornet’s nest.

The group formed, and set about talking to as many people as they could, focussing on community engagement, often hosted in the kitchens of voters. They collated community views, explored local issues and formed all their suggestions into a report for incumbent Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella, who, according to the history books, ignored all their hard work. To say the group of volunteers were frustrated is an understatement.

By this point however the movement had taken on a momentum of its own and the dismissal of their hard work by their elected representative led to Voices 4 Indi endorsing independent candidate Cathy McGowan. With a network of contacts already under their belt Voices of Indi were able to tap into community and campaign for change.

In 2013 McGowan won the election and unseated Mirabella, the only Liberal incumbent to lose a seat that year, ending her 12-year reign and at the 2016 election she was returned as the Member for Indi for a second term.

In 2019 McGowan passed the baton on to Independent Helen Haines who won the election, marking the first time two independent candidates were elected consecutively in any Australian federal election.

Since then dozens of Voices groups have emerged from the political landscape across the country, some in metro or highly populated areas, and others from rural and regional areas. According to Wikipedia, since the 2022 federal election alone seven Voices groups have formed, including Voices of Farrer in my own electorate.

In Farrer, the slogan is ‘politics done differently’ and the group are campaigning for ‘representation that puts people before political parties.’ As a movement, Voices of Farrer is gearing up to seek a candidate to contest the next election, touted for late this year or early 2025.

Sussan Ley is the Member for Farrer and assumed office in May 2001, a seat formerly held by Tim Fischer. Ley is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the Albury-based politician has held various offices in her 23 years; Minister for the Environment, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories, and Minister for health, sport, aged care and education in various Prime Minister’s cabinets.

Ms Ley recently responded to the rise of the Voices of Farrer group in the media, saying she was committed to working with community and that her record of service across two decades is proof of her efforts.

Interestingly Ley first campaigned for the seat of Indi but lost pre-selection within the Liberal party to Mirabella. When Fischer retired and the Farrer electorate came up for grabs, the Party selected her, and she won the election with a solid result of more than 37 per cent of the votes.

The division of Farrer is an interesting test for the people-led Voices movement. Created in 1949 the electorate has had just four members in that time, each from either the Liberal or National Parties, so the anti-Labour / anti-independent sentiment seems ingrained.

Albury grazier and World War II RAAF pilot veteran David Fairbairn held the seat from 1949 to 1975 as a member of the Liberal Party, following the footsteps of both grandfathers into politics. A parliamentary colleague was quoted as saying Fairbairn was only in politics because his ‘overambitious wife wanted him there.’ Despite being seen as ‘lacking confidence’ he unsuccessfully tried to oust Prime Minister Sir John Gorton in 1969. He was later instrumental in the party room revolt that saw Gorton replaced by William McMahon.

He retired as Member for Farrer in 1975 and became ambassador to the Netherlands.

After a stint in NSW state politics, Wallace Fife was pre-selected by the Liberal party and after winning the 1975 election held the Farrer seat until 1984. In this year, a redistribution saw Fife’s hometown of Wagga Wagga moved into the electorate of Hume, and he went on to win that election and hold the seat until his retirement in 1993.

Lockhart local and Vietnam War veteran Tim Fischer represented Sturt and Murray electorates in the NSW Legislative Council before winning the 1984 federal election for the seat of Farrer. Fischer was part of the National Party described as centre-right, and established to represent graziers, farmers and regional voters. He rose to lead the party and as such take the position of Deputy Prime Minister as part of the coalition government. He weathered the storm of One Nation popularity as the Pauline Hansen led party swept through the bush, gathering country voters along the way. In 2001, Fischer announced he was bowing out of politics, citing family reasons.

To me, the rise of these Voices groups in a relatively short time illustrates a real frustration with party politics and a need to experiment and explore the potential of independent candidates in Parliament.

Only time will tell if independents can have a real and meaningful impact on the big parties, and influence legislation in a way that truly reflects the wishes of the communities they represent, but there is a lot to like about a grassroots movement of like-minded mavericks that want change and are willing to work for it.

Only time will tell if incumbent MPs and the major Parties will take note of the calls for change and start working with Voices groups. It seems a no-brainer not to accept the help, when you have a group out and about in neighbourhoods, asking the probing questions and presenting you with a fact-based guide to your electorate, but I’m not a politician.

I do know one thing. I’ll take engaging conversations about the issues that fire me up around a kitchen table with an eager volunteer over disinterested shrugs and sighs any day.

This article appeared on The Riverine Grazier on 3 April 2024.