No more empty promises
It’s not that we are belligerent but, given the opportunity to speak our mind, we usually will. Today Tasmanians make their voices heard at the ballot box in the federal election. We sampled a snapshot of electors, and found each of them equally resolute.
Concerns about climate change, sustainability and social equality are the issues that matter most to the Tasmanians we canvassed in four of the state’s key electorates ahead of today’s federal election. Voters in the Bass, Braddon, Clark and Franklin electorates from a diverse range of age groups interviewed by TasWeekend said they were worried about the rise of far-right conservatives and conservatism more generally, as well as “the empty promises” made by the major political parties.
Rudy Compagne, 61, from Ulverstone, used to vote Liberal, but this election he will vote Labor first, followed by the Greens
— because of environmental and social concerns. “Really, the business sector and the economy, it sorts itself out to a large extent, so those policies aren’t as important to me,” Compagne says. “But the social side? We are a wealthy country and we need to think more about our people and how we help those who are less able to help themselves.”
Ben Rush, 45, of Newstead, and Patricia Chavasse, 79, of Lindisfarne, have likewise shifted to the left throughout their voting lives. “In my time, Labor I feel has drifted more towards the centre, while I have become more progressive,” says Rush.
“So my voting preferences have evolved in that way as well. I’m not a single-issue voter and the Greens have evolved to be more than a single-issue party as well, which I like. They cover enough of the issues that are important to me.”
Chavasse says climate change also is a key issue for her. “Surely it’s now something every party must look at,” she says. “They’ve swept it under the carpet for years but it’s in our faces now.”
Climate change and sustainability are also the issues that matter most to first-time voter Stella Barnhoorn, 18, of New Town. “We need our politicians to do something and not give empty promises that they will do something in 20 to 30 years time,” she says.
Find out more in our election day snapshot ...