One Nation’s Liz Suduk slams trolls after online claims she’s ‘not a farmer’

A regional Queensland candidate has slammed a culture of online misinformation and sexism related to women in rural politics, a disturbing trend that has risen in recent years.

 

A Queensland election candidate has had to prove that she is in fact a real farmer as a disturbing recent trend has again marked regional elections.

Liz Suduk, the One Nation candidate and beef farmer from the Southern Downs, knows that rural politics can be a bit of a boys’ club.

As early voting opens across the region, she has been met with claims she is “not a real farmer” and is not from the region, an alarming trend the region’s candidates know well.

Clearing up myths

Yes, Mrs Suduk is a real farmer.

The candidate said she has lived in the area for more than two decades and has worked at Risdon Stud for a decade.

Her life on the land comes after a storeyed career in policing, particularly the mounted division, as well as volunteering with the local RSL, rural fire service and animal shelters.

“After a comment was made to a volunteer at a polling booth, I’ve had to clear it up, it could be something spread by other people, I have no idea,” Mrs Suduk said.

Liz Suduk on her cattle farm near Warwick (Photo: Facebook)

It was a scary example of the online misinformation entering the real world – and it could have consequences at the ballot box.

“I think it’s trolls really, that create a bit of a thing and make something of it, but then it gets out there,” she said.

“They wouldn’t say it to your face but they would put it online

“You have to put the truth out there, and that’s only if they will listen.”

Further speculation has claimed her and her husband Nick are not “from” Warwick based on previous election data.

Mrs Suduk lamented it was a similar plight faced by Southern Downs mayor Melissa Hamilton, during whose election campaign suffered claims she was also “not from here” and was a member of Extinction Rebellion.

ABC News election data does show Mrs Suduk’s husband, Nick, on the ballot representing One Nation in the division of Hawke in Victoria.

Mr Suduk received just shy of 5000 votes in the 2022 election in the electorate west of Melbourne.

“It’s in Victoria, it’s Nick’s hometown, it’s where they were before they moved up here (to the Southern Downs), I’ve never been down there, and he didn’t go down and actually campaign,” Mrs Suduk said.

“If you remember it was also when all the mandates were on, we couldn’t have left here anyway.”

A disturbing trend

The questioning of whether female candidates were able to run at local elections is a disturbing trend even seen at a local level.

Earlier this year, from the moment she entered the mayoral race, Melissa Hamilton was slammed by vile unfounded vitriol, with every detail about her inspected and criticised.

The mayor dealt with baseless claims about her involvement with Extinction Rebellion and a misunderstanding around a PO box, which saw her targeted as an outsider.

One Nation's Liz Suduk has been forced to clear up misinformation that followed to the polling booth. (Photo: Supplied)

Mrs Suduk says the questioning results in female candidates and relatively new arrivals to the region to be deterred from running for office.

“Despite some people having a wealth of experience they get made to wait or don’t get a spot, and we’re knocking back people that could be good for the role,” she said.

“Volunteers are hard to find, we shouldn’t be knocking anyone back, but that is a thing in country towns sometimes, they do do that.”

The alarming precedent also speaks to a rising “us versus them” mentality and a fear of outsider sentiment in regional communities.

“I feel like I’ve been long enough that I know enough people,” Mrs Suduk said.

The candidate said that women “absolutely” have a tougher run in local politics.

“I think people should be awarded for the job that they do rather than giving it to them because they’re a girl, but from a bullying perspective I think they (trolls) will do it easier to a female than a male,” she said.

Recently, 22-year-old female LNP candidate Ariana Doolan was attacked in a pamphlet as “just not ready” for politics.

“It was completely ageism and sexism,” Mrs Suduk said.

“I really felt for her. She had the guts to stand up and have a go, and people in there with experience are shooting her down before she’s even had a chance. She could have been really good.”

Early voting is open now at Warwick Town Hall on Palmerin St, you can see who is running, and where to vote here.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.