ONE in four voters are set to throw their support behind the minor and micro parties in Longman, a leading political expert has claimed.
A record 11 candidates have nominated for the seat currently held by LNP MP Wyatt Roy.
Since the seat was provisioned in 1994, the highest number of candidates previously was nine in 2010.
Family First (Will Smith), One Nation (Michelle Pedersen), Drug Reform Party (Frances McDonald), Katter’s Australian Party (Brad Kennedy), The Greens (Ian Bell), Australian Liberty Alliance (Caleb Wells), The Arts Party (Stephen Beck) and independents Rob Law and Greg Riddell will all contest the seat.
And according to Griffith University political expert Dr Paul Williams, they stand to pinch several votes from the Mr Roy and Labor challenger Susan Lamb.
“Recent polls showed 13-15 per cent to the non-Green minor and micro parties,” he said.
“If you add the Green vote to that you are looking at 23-25 per cent.
“One in four voters are looking to vote for a party other than the coalition or Labor.
“The minor and micro parties haven’t had such a good season since the DLP and Democrats in their heyday.”
Dr Williams pointed to the rise in minor party politicians in the Federal Senate as proof that they were gaining traction.
“That feeds into the perception that the minor party politicians are influential in this country.”
To help you come to a decision before you arrive at the polling booth, Quest Newspapers has created the below profile on each of the 11 candidates.
Battle for Longman
Candidates are:
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- For more information visit Australian Electoral Commission
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