CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
There are a lot of changes happening across Australia this week, as millions of conservatives sheepishly admit to having voted for Labor for the first time in their lives.
It’s given way for droves of previously closed-minded voters to start trying new things – after having broken through the barriers of party loyalty.
These moments of vulnerability have been helped by the fact that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese soared home to a landslide victory, more than doubling the amount of seats won by his Coalition opposition.
With Independents making gains across the electoral map, and the Liberal Party’s inner-city vote collapsing so much that it pushed Labor ahead of the Greens in three seats – it’s a lot easier for once loyal Coalition voters to admit that they didn’t back Peter Dutton.
One man that has made this admission is Carindale-based businessman, Edward Spark (69).
As the owner-operator of a powder-coating plant that operates out of Mount Gravatt’s light industrial back streets, both Edward’s home and business are based out of the same Federal electorate – Bonner.
This is just one of the many Queensland seats that swung to Labor over the weekend, as Australia’s mortgage belt decided they weren’t buying what the Opposition were selling.
Edward is what used to be considered an archetypical small-business-owning Liberal voter. But despite his hatred for taxes and general distrust of trade unions – He ended up voting for Albo on Saturday.
“I didn’t even crumble under Kevin. He’s basically a local boy and I still stayed true to Johnny Howard” says Edward.
“But fuck me. Dutton was not speaking my language. I don’t know who’s language he WAS speaking. I kept all this to myself until I saw the results of course. Turns out I’m not the only one”
This is just one of many new experiences that Edward has opened his mind to.
After crossing the bridge into unknown territory by voting for a centre-left political party, Edward has now decided that maybe he should try some of these exotic dips that his daughter has added to the cheese board in recent years.
“I was always a bega cube and French onion man” says Edward.
“Maybe a bitta pesto here and there”
“But I tried the beetroot hummus today. It’s not as out there as I thought.”
Edward says his family are being very supportive of his decision to try new things, and that he actually doesn’t mind the different flavours.
“I never thought I’d say this, but tonight I’m going to drink a ‘Pale Ale’ – I think that’s what it’s called”
“My son-in-law is bring around a six-pack. I’m told they are pretty heavy. Haha. How good”
