CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
The Federal Opposition is learning very quickly that the bush ain’t safe.
As betting markets begin to rapidly shorten for Independent candidates in a number of once rusted-on regional seats, it seems that the Liberal and National Party’s campaign budgets are being stretched like a 2010 VE Commodore’s timing chain.
This was not part of the plan. The bush was meant to be the one demographic that the Liberals could rely on in their campaign to Get Australia Back On Track to the hope and joy we remember under Scott Morrison.
But it appears that rural Australians are starting to dissent from the low-effort politics that the Coalition has been relying on ever since Peter Dutton became leader in the weeks that followed the last election.
After losing 7 blue-ribbon inner-city electorates to Independents in 2022, Peter Dutton has decided to cut their losses in their once reliable blue-blood suburbs and instead target the outer-metropolitan seats with an angry campaign aimed at capitalising on the cost-of-living stress.
This means that a vast majority of the campaign has been focusing on the rural outskirts of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
That was, until they saw how many volunteers had started hitting the streets for Regional Independents in towns like Coffs Harbour, Toowoomba and Warrnambool.
With campaigns focusing on integrity in politics, sustainability and regional services – the Coalition have had to redirect their energy towards the sudden challenges from these wild bush horses in both QLD, NSW and Victoria.
In Western Victoria, Shadow frontbencher Dan Tehan is at a loss of what to do about the tidal wave of support behind his Independent challenger, former radio announcer Alex Dyson. Who now has better odds of taking the seat of Wannon than his incumbent opponent.
North Coast NSW Nationals MP Pat Conaghan is also in the fight of his life against the local hospital’s director of nursing and midwifery, Caz Heise, who is tipped to become the next Member For Cowper.
Meanwhile, a dark horse has emerged in the Darling Downs, as second time challenger Suzie Holt’s odds begin to drop rapidly in week three of the five week campaign.
Fisher, in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland is also at risk of being snatched by a formidable Independent in Keryn Jones. Sussan Ley’s electorate of the Riverina, The Central West electorate of Calare, and the Gold Coast seat of McPherson could also go either way.
With tens of thousands of volunteers putting in more work on the ground than any local National or Liberal Party branch members could ever hope to, it’s becoming clear that regional Australia is no country for old men.
