‘Not engaged, not inspired’: Election campaign falls flat among Geelong voters as candidates seek last-minute support
Emerging from the sea of colours – Labor red, Liberal blue, shades of green and yellow, teal orange – that have added life to what is otherwise a bland concrete grey warehouse in Torquay’s fast-growing north, are stories of the everyday struggles facing everyday people.
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Emerging from the sea of colours – Labor red, Liberal blue, shades of green and yellow, teal orange – that have added life to what is otherwise a bland, concrete grey warehouse in Torquay’s fast-growing north, are stories of the everyday struggles facing everyday people.
A 30-minute drive north to the Norlane early voting centre finds less atmosphere, but the same colours and similar stories.
“People out here are doing it tough, they’re some of our most disadvantaged and they need our help,” Liberal candidate for Corio Darren Buller says.
In what is strong Labor territory, Mr Buller’s attempt to introduce himself to the steady flow of voters on Thursday afternoon is regularly rebuffed.
“It’s been tough,” he adds.
Having just cast his vote for One Nation, Bell Post Hill resident Brenton Goldsworthy says the “uninspiring” election campaign played a role in him shifting his support from the Liberals to the right-wing minor party.
“Not engaged, not inspired,” he says of the campaign.
“These days the wing and the birds are the same, you know, Labor and Liberal, you’re not getting much difference … just feed for the pigeons.
“We’re getting screwed in this country … power (prices), food, just the general cost of living, you’re living sometimes day-to-day, as opposed to week-to-week, it’s just crazy.”
Back at Torquay, single mum Melissa Quagliaro says her household budget was already stretched prior to it being hit with a $10 weekly rental increase recently.
She says while some may see the increase as negligible, the additional cost over the course of the year is significant for someone not flush with disposable income.
“In the long term, that’s a huge chunk going into rent, (plus) the bills and all that stuff, it’s chaos,” she says.
Ms Quagliaro would only say that she did not vote for a major party – something her grandfather instilled in her from a young age.
“I’m not really engaged in politics, but driving around it’s hard not to see the (candidate) signs, they’re everywhere,” she notes.
Natasha Murray says she voted for the Greens because protecting the environment and taking action on climate change was important to her.
Beyond that, the 23-year-old student wants whichever party that forms government to bring down grocery prices.
“I need everything to be more affordable, cost of living is insane,” she says.
“I moved out of my parents’ house when I was 19 and I used to spend, like, $80 on groceries a week and now it’s $120 a week.
“I don’t think they (political parties) are doing a lot (to address affordability issues), I think it’s mostly just talk, but we’ll see what happens after the election.”
Long-time Labor voter and Grovedale resident Ray Gladwell says energy is “definitely a major issue” and Peter Dutton’s plan to bring nuclear into the mix is “a total waste of time”.
“We’ve got rooftop solar and we pay next to nothing,” he says.
“They say there’s nothing when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine, but that’s crap.”
Local builder Wayne Dennert attended the Norlane centre alongside his son, Ryan.
Mr Dennert, previously a Labor voter, says a range of taxes introduced by the state government are hurting him on multiple fronts and helped cement his support for Mr Buller.
“The Liberals are more business-friendly,” he says.
“With Jacinta (Allan) and (Daniel) Andrews before that, as a state we’re cooked and I’m actually toying with moving interstate for that reason.”
FINAL PITCH
Candidates from all political persuasions have been a constant sight at early voting centres across the region, understandably so given more than half of electors at the 2022 election and 2023 Voice referendum voted prior to polling day.
Deakin University political lecturer Geoffrey Robinson is expecting Richard Marles and Libby Coker to respectively retain Corio and Corangamite with a small swing against, and teal independent Alex Dyson to upset senior Liberal Dan Tehan in Wannon, aided by a favourable preference flow.
“I don’t think they (Liberal) are going to get anything near the 8 per cent (swing) they need in Corangamite,” he says.
“I think that’s largely a product of national issues and the Liberal campaign just assuming concern about living standards would automatically equate to votes, which doesn’t seem to have been the case once people looked at them as an alternative government.”
Liberal Corangamite candidate Darcy Dunstan says Ms Coker, elected in 2019, has failed to provide a strong voice in Canberra for the region.
Long aware that cost of living would dominate the campaign, both candidates have tried to convince voters they are best placed to help.
“Voters tell me they cannot afford three more years of Labor and Anthony Albanese, and the only way cost-of-living relief is going to be delivered, is by voting Liberal,” Mr Dunstan says.
“Voters have really welcomed the Coalition’s plan to save most Australians up to $1200 in tax relief when they lodge their tax return for the upcoming financial year, and cut the petrol tax by 25 cents a litre, saving families with two cars $1500 a year – they see this as sustainable cost of living relief.”
Ms Coker is proud of what she’s achieved and says people are telling her that Mr Dutton’s nuclear plans are toxic in more ways than one.
“There’s growing concern on the Surf Coast and the Bellarine about how costly nuclear will be and how long it will take to build the reactors – locals know it’ll be a massive hip pocket expense for taxpayers,” she says.
“In contrast, Labor is committed to strengthening Medicare, investing in local infrastructure, and fostering an environment where people can remain optimistic about Australia’s future.”
Dr Robinson says with Corio and Corangamite seeming to mirror the national trend towards Labor since the campaign commenced, Wannon is the “strange outlier”.
“It’s that general anti-party vibe that is working against the Coalition,” he says.
“At the state of the campaign I thought the Libs (in Wannon) would be boosted by the state government’s problems, but that doesn’t seem to be doing them any particular good.
“They might be counting votes in Wannon well into next week – the last time it was close there was 70 years ago and it came down to 17 votes.”
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