Democracy sausages down on 2018 election but we tell you where to find SA’s best
It’s a staple of any election day but the humble democracy sausages has been hard to find as South Aussies hit the polls. We’ve rated the best snags and the booths leaving voters disappointed.
State Election
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Ahh, the humble democracy sausage.
It’s a staple of the Australian election day.
Trading a few gold coins for a greasy banger and a generous squirt of the dead horse in support of local church groups, schools and charities – it doesn’t get more Australian than that.
Sure today is about casting your vote but we all know it’s the wafting smell of a quality sausage sizzle that contributes to the longest lines.
But as South Australians head to the polls the barbecues have been far and few between. Has Covid killed the Aussie election tradition?
We’ve mapped the booths where voters are guaranteed not to be disappointed and reviewed some 5 out of 5 bangers so you won’t go hungry.
Booth: Fulham Community Centre
Electorate: Colton
The Snag: Sometimes food tastes better because of the experiences accompanying it and that was the case at the Fulham Community Centre.
Twenty-year-old Millie Casey was partaking in her first democracy sausage, but if her reaction was anything to go by it won’t be her last.
The bread was fresh, snag was perfectly cooked and tasted like it was better quality than a run of the mill supermarket job according to the first time voter.
She opted for plain snag, no sauce, no onion, but it just made the gustatory sensation all that much better by being able to revel in the sausage’s greasy goodness.
The Sizzle: Community Centre committee members Kishor, 67, Andrew Miller, 64, Karen Kelly, 31, were working the grill and they were a pleasure.
Snags cost $2.50, which includes sauce and onion.
But with card facilities, voters could chip in an extra buck to have a guess on a sizeable jelly bean jar, and the fundraising effort would see the centre get an upgraded playgroup.
Booth: Vineyard Lutheran School, Clare
Electorate: Frome
The Snag: Handing over $3 for a soss meant that this meat bag was on the pricier side, but thankfully it was a good one.
The sausage, provided by Day’s Quality Meats, was as salty and beefy as a wrestler with a grudge.
The chopped onions were nicely charred and seated like proper little ladies atop of their throne of bread and beef, and the sauce was an Aussie pantry staple, Masterfoods.
The Sizzle: All funds go back to the Vineyard Lutheran School, so if you’re visiting the booth today have a snack to help the little tackers. Eftpos was available, but coins were also collected in an old ice cream container, as some rural Australian traditions should never die.
The Extras: Volunteers offered caramelised or fresh onions, which was a nice touch. In addition to sausages, people could buy gigantic biscuits, herbs, and assorted other sweets for a couple of bucks, which all goes back to the primary school.
Rating: 4 out of 5 bangers
Booth: One Tree Hill Institute
Electorate: King, Schubert
The Snag: After traipsing across the electorates of Newland and King, the lovely folk of the One Tree Hill CFS finally provided the goods with a $2.50 snag.
The sauce to onion and bread ratio was excellent as was the preparation of the snag which was perfectly cooked and suffered no charring.
Mustard was a strange choice by for this reviewer but he’s an adventurist at heart and danger is his middle name.
The Sizzle: The top notch snag was topped off by a good laugh with the local crew from One Tree Hill CFS.
Captain Alex Thomson was happy to explain his secrets for cooking the perfect snag.
Rating: 4 out of 5 bangers
👨â€ðŸš’ðŸŒELECTION DAY: One Tree Hill CFS captain Alex Thomson explains what it takes to cook the perfect snag!@theTiserpic.twitter.com/3uIsfvDHEn
— Jason Katsaras (@jason_katsaras) March 19, 2022
Reviewing a democracy sausage after voting at One Tree Hill! âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸@theTiserpic.twitter.com/qbqj6HhMlE
— Jason Katsaras (@jason_katsaras) March 19, 2022
Booth: Colonel Gardens Primary School
Electorate: Elder
The Snag: None. Nothing at all. I repeat, this booth does not serve democracy sausages.
Several outraged voters voiced their devastation when they arrived at the booth for morning tea.
Jessica Charman and toddler Reuben arrived expecting to fill their stomach and were bitterly disappointed. How could anyone do that to a small child?
“I was very much looking forward to a democracy sausage,” Mrs Charman said.
“I’m thinking now I’m going to have to go to the shops and cook my own sausages.”
The Sizzle: The polling booth co-ordinator, who did not want to be named, said barbecues at the primary school were “hit and miss” and it was a huge lost opportunity.
“We normally have a huge line until 11.30. There’s so much fundraising that could be done,” she said.
Instead the booth was a quiet as she had seen it in a long time.
Well, of course it is! Voters Alex and Andrew threatened a revolt.
“I feel like we have to do a trip to Bunnings now,” Andrew said.
“This has just cost me $20 in Weed and Feed. It‘ll probably end up being a $100 sausage.”
“It’s a tradition, the sossie in bread while lining up,” Alex added.
The pair said they would be looking for a different polling booth for the upcoming federal election.
Rating: 0 out of 5 bangers
The Consolation: While not edible, current Elder MP Carolyn Power’s pet sausage dog Napoleon softened the blow.
Napoleon was wearing his “I’m barking for Carolyn Power” bandana which he got for Christmas. Even the most diehard of Labor-voting-democracy-sausage-lovers were softened by his appearance.
Booth: Prospect Primary
Electorate: Adelaide
The Snag: The line for the snags at Prospect Primary was enough to tell the constituents of this electorate that they had a wonderful snag in store.
Taster, Jarrad Pilkington, the husband of Labor candidate Lucy Hood put it best when he said the snag “tastes like democracy”.
The banger was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, resting on fresh white bread with the perfect amount of classic Aussie tomato sauce drizzled on top.
“Lovely and oily, the way it should be,” said another taster, Liam Golding, who particularly enjoyed the bread.
The Sizzle: The booth’s co-ordinators, a group from the schools committee, had been at the school since 5.30am setting up for the day.
Beef sausage and bread with a choice of tomato or barbecue sauce will set you back $3.
The funds from this sizzle are contributing to resurfacing the basketball court at Prospect Primary.
The Extras: Vegetarian sausage and bread, $4, bacon sandwich $5, cold drink $2, honeyjoys $1
Rating: 5 out of 5 bangers
Booth: Mount Gambier High School
Electorate: Mount Gambier
The Snag: Cooking the humble democracy sausage may seem simple and easy, but its assembly requires the perfect balance between its elements.
Opting for a sausage with sauce and onion the Mount Gambier High school crew came through in fine form.
The snag was cooked evenly and to near perfection with the caramelised onions adding that touch of sweetness to balance sausage.
The sauce was also expertly applied to the sausage and did not compromise the structural integrity of the bread.
The Sizzle: At $2.50, with sauce and onion added for no extra cost, the snag is on par with the fare from Bunnings.
Working the barbecue at Mount Gambier High School was middle school assistant principal Kathryn Sutton with members of the SRC running the pass.
Ms Sutton said the key to cooking the perfect snag is to start with the aromatics.
“You gotta get the onions on first, get the smell going” she said.
“We want to get the onions caramelised, not brown.”
With many polling booths lacking, an Advertiser investigation has revealed the complexity involved with running a simple barbecue.
Nathlie Piscioneri said with young people working on the barbecue there was an “unbelievable amount of paperwork” considering she was not running a child labor kitchen with the kids only rostered on for three hours at a time.
“It’s just an extra level now,” she said.
Ms Piscioneri said she had to fill out a risk assessment, Covid safe management plan, an excursion form (as the kids would be at school out of hours) and parental permission for photos to be taken.
Rating: 4 out of 5 bangers
Booth: Golden Grove Primary School
Electorate: King
The Snag: Upon biting into my ‘sausage’, the frozen temperature was a surprise.
While missing almost every element of the humble democracy sausage, including any form of meat, bread, onion or sauce the ‘icy pole’ sausage was just the ticket for a 32 degree day.
It appeared to be made of some sort of frozen liquid shaped to be eaten off of a stick, strange.
The Sizzle: Organisers at Golden Grove Primary School have opted for a contemporary take on the humble democracy sausage, opening the school tuck shop for the special occasion.
With no barbecue in sight, voters were treated to an array of treats.
It begs the question whether the traditional democracy sausage is an endangered species as nearby polling booths at Ardtornish Primary School and St Agnes Primary School failed to have any offerings whatsoever.
Rating: 1 out of 5 bangers. An icy pole is all well and good, but not what I (or the voters) are after.
Booth: Campbelltown Uniting Church
Electorate: Hartley
The Sizzle: Nothing better than buying a snag for a good cause!
And these ones come it at reasonable $2.50
At the Hartley sausage all funding going towards the Campbelltown church.
With multiple bread and condiment options any picky eater will be happy. If you’re an onion fan ask for extra!
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 bangers
Booth: West Beach Primary School
Electorate: Colton
The Snag: Fresh from dropping in a vote for Labor because of its renewables policy, Jaryd Colton deleted his first democracy sausage of the day.
The 32-year-old said it was his breakfast after riding his pushbike to the West Beach Primary School for the vote.
Though it might have been late for breakfast, nearing 10am, the wait was evidently a good one for Mr Osborn who claimed the snag was “at least double a Bunnos snag” and gave it top marks.
“It’s a five. It has to be,” he said.
The Sizzle: West Beach Primary School parents and friends volunteers Jassmine Wood, Jarrad Murphy, Zavannah and Judy Wilson upped the ante with a bluetooth speaker.
Three different types of condiments proved an attraction for one keen snag eater who went back for seconds, and had the variety in front of him to make it worth his time.
No other options aside from a drink, but onion came free with the $2.50 fee.
Hand sanitiser was a welcome addition with a new Omicron variant doing the rounds.
Fundraising efforts would see an upgrade to the school’s nature play area.
Rating: 5 out of 5 bangers
Booth: Norwood Primary School
Electorate: Dunston
The Snag: Empty and leaving voters hungry.
The Sizzle: Sad. There has been a number of booths today without Sausage Sizzles, resulting in mass disappointment for the crowds of eager voters.
Rating: 0 out of 5 bangers
Booth: McDonald Park School
Electorate: Mount Gambier
The Snag: For first time voter 20-year-old Ashara McNamara the democracy sausage was an absolute must.
Ms McNamara was slightly concerned about the “chunky onions” which topped her sausage sizzle, but after taking a bite said “it’s not bad”.
Electing to have her snag on wholemeal bread Ms McNamara said she was glad the sausage was cooked through with a little bit of char.
“That’s how they gotta be,” she said.
The Sizzle: Priced at $2.50 for a sausage, onion and sauce, punters have the added luxury of choosing their type of bread.
The sizzle is run Katherine Bundy, Sally Bailey and Georgie Hatch from McDonald Park School.
Rating: 4 out of 5 bangers
Booth: Saddleworth Primary School
Electorate: Frome
The Sausage: Sizzles that fizzle. The Frome electorate is not living up the level of country hospitality Australians have grown to expect.
The Sizzle: The region is sadly bereft of sausages. Talking to a poll booth volunteer at Saddleworth, he revealed that you can’t get a single bit of barbecued meat in bread from Jamestown to Burra.
A shame, said Independent candidate Cate Hunter, as Mathie’s Meat Shoppe in Clare has won national awards for their snags.
“You go in, and one side of the wall is just covered in trophies,” she said, spreading her arms wide to demonstrate.
Rating: -1 out of 5 bangers.
Booth: Plympton International College
Electorate: Badcoe
The Snag: Eighteen-year-old Eamonn Roberts ordered two of the crispy snags with onion on top and a generous drizzling of tomato sauce.
“Unreal” he said.
The sausage and bread set him back $2.50 a pop, but it was worth it saying “good price, good snag and good day”.
The Sizzle: The parents and teachers of Plympton International College kept the snags rolling and right into the hands of voters.
They provided the triple threat when it came to saucy options with tomato, barbecue and mustard.
The Extras: Chips $1, water, $2, cans of soft drink $2
Rating: 5 out of 5 bangers
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