Voters in Mango Hill have backed winning government for decades

They work in bakeries, own small businesses or are living out their retirement. But don’t think the good people of the bellwether electoral ‘booth’ of Mango Hill have their heart set on any party in the looming federal election.

They work in bakeries, own small businesses or live out their retirement as contented “10 pound Poms’’.

But don’t think the soothsayers of Mango Hill, who have backed the winning government for decades in this bellwether booth, have their heart set on any party in the looming federal election.

Mango Hill is in the wider seat of Petrie held by Luke Howarth who won it in 2013 and has a healthy margin of more than 8 per cent as he squares up against his main challenger, Labor’s Mick Denton.

To Shirley Dillon, 85, there’s no reason to throw out an incumbent government which she believed performed pretty well during the Covid crisis.

“I think what Scott Morrison did during Covid was pretty good,’’ Mrs Dillon said, spreading both arms outward and adding: “How on earth could he have done it better?’’

Mango Hill Bakery Cafe staff member Charlotte Bailey ahead of the federal election. Picture: Zak Simmonds

The former Bonds clothing company worker, who came out from England with husband Patrick as a “10 pound Pom’’ (the Federal Government’s Assistance Passage Program which kicked off after the war) during the 1960s, has an almost uniformly positive view of not only the ruling Coalition, but the world in general.

“”I have had a great life in Australia and I am just so grateful for it,’’ she said.

Husband Patrick who died 10 years ago worked as an electrician, she helped make clothes with Bonds in Sydney, they raised two boys who still call their mum every day and the couple saved so well they paid cash for the last retirement home near Mango Hill.

”And now I have a pension and that buys me everything I need’’ she said.

“It may not give me all I want, but what we want and what we need are two different things.’’

A few hundred metres away Charlotte Bailey, 29, is working hard serving customers at the Mango Hill Bakery.

Charlotte, who has done this job for eight years, has slight lean towards Morrison’s Coalition, but doesn’t see herself as beholden to any party and will make her mind up closer to voting day.

She acknowledges the JobKeeper program kept her tethered to her job during the dark years of Covid, and she’s grateful for it, but that’s behind her now and she’s got ambitions for her future.

Charlotte is a worker at the bakery, not an owner, but understands business principles and her big aim in life is to get ahead financially.

She points to the nearby railway station which is expanding the car park and suggests the expanded car park will bring bigger volumes of traffic through the bakery as more people come and go.

“”There will be more people coming in and out by train and that means more custom for the bakery _ maybe a few more tradies,’’ she said.

“That means more customers, more hours, more money.’’

April Deering, 31, with daughter Jasmine aged 11 months is, like a lot of Australians, not a great follower of politics.

“”I just have no interest in politics, none at all,’’ she said.

Mango Hill shop owner Bhaskar Patel. Picture: Zak Simmonds

But, pressed if there are any issues that might impact her in the years ahead, April, along with her sister and mother, expresses some concern about child care.

April has worked in the Queensland public service and, as her sister points out, the struggle simply to get a place in child care can sometimes be tough around Mango Hill.

“”This is something I am going to have to deal with in the near future,’’ she said as Jasmine gurgles in her arms.

Bhaskar Patel, 49, who owns Bargain Mania, a small business in the heart of the district, is simmering with anger.

He knows the election is looming and he’s already making contact with the offices of both the incumbent and the challenger because he wants something done about crime.

Bhaskar understands this is primarily a State Government issue, but he also knows that a Federal Government sets a tone for a nation, and if a politician wants to talk to him, Bhaskar will immediately direct the conversation to law and order.

”In two weeks, I have had two break ins,’’ he said, scrolling down his phone to show the security camera footage which captured a youthful criminal smashing open his safe.

Bargain Mania is a good business in a good location and Bhaskar puts in long hours to make this and an associated business a success.

But youthful criminals break in, destroy his front windows, steal and throw his stock on the floor and cost him thousands of dollars in repair bills, as well as taking an emotional toll on him and his family.

“The police, they will come and they will even make an arrest but these are kids, so there is no punishment, and these kids keep coming back.

“You simply don’t feel right when your business is broken into and things are smashed and left lying on the ground.

“You are anxious about it constantly.’’

Originally published as Voters in Mango Hill have backed winning government for decades