Voters turn out at Mullumbimby for Federal Election 2019
As the democracy vegan walnut patties sizzled on the BBQ plate at the polling booth in Mullumbimby, the electorate with a vaccination rate of just 50 percent came out to have its say.
NSW
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The seat of Richmond on the far north coast of NSW is one of the most diverse seats. From hippies in the hills around Mullumbimby, to hipsters and Hollywood celebrities in Byron Bay, to conservative farmers and the working class in Tweed, it’s a melting pot of the weird and wonderful.
The region has undergone an enormous sea change from its traditional National’s root and has been held by Labor’s Justine Elliot since 2004 with a 4 percent margin.
A trip around the electorate polling booths showed the diversity. In Suffolk Park, Byron Bay the Greens were handing out the most how to vote pamphlets despite copping flak from those who did not want to waste the paper.
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For local builder David Hamilton, arriving to vote with his wetsuit-clad kids, the environment was his biggest concern.
“In my bubble, I surf and I want to look after this shire, but I don’t want extreme green, I want commonsense green,” he said.
Up at Banora Point near Tweed Heads, incumbent Justine Elliot said her feedback was people “are sick of the disunity of the Liberal and National Party” but climate change was big on the voter’s minds.
“Across the board people want action on climate change,” Ms Elliot said.
Back in the anti-vaccination heartland of Mullumbimby, vegan walnut patties were sizzling on the BBQ plate.
With a vaccination rate of just 50 percent, the 2015 Liberal party policy No Jab No Pay (which stripped family payments from those who chose not to vaccinate) has hit hard. Those who don’t want to be part of the greater community public health initiative, still want the community’s money.
The legislation spawned the Involuntary Medication Objectors Party (IMOP). Alternative health practitioner Tom Barnett who rails against the “extortionist dictatorship” regarding fluoride and vaccination is running for the spot in the Senate.
Cass Keim voted for Tom Barnett because “he says our inner health is important because our inner world reflects our outer world”. Ms Keim also says “we need to get rid of the fluoride” despite the fact there is no fluoride in the water in the Byron Shire.
“How do we know though?” Ms Keim said when challenged on the fact. “I’m also concerned about the pencils (in the polling booth) why can’t they be pens? It’s a valid question.”
Vivian Stott, who is handing out how to vote cards for IMOP, shouts ‘no vaccination’ at all that pass him even though the party say they are not anti-vaccine, more pro-choice.
“We have the best vaccination rates in the world, the best, it’s only 50 percent,” Mr Stott tells the Sunday Telegraph, before taking aim at No jab No Pay.
“They won’t let you go to government schools, you don’t get the poison needle and you don’t go to a government school, it’s a double blessing,” he said.
On the other side of town at St John’s Catholic School polling booth, Christopher McIllrath, sporting gold gumboots, claimed to be “the original hippy from Mullumbimby” (even though he is from the UK) and said he was voting for IMOP because “I’ve done a documentary on vaccination and it’s all false propaganda,” and “of course I didn’t vaccinate my children.”
Another mum, who has a baby strapped tightly to her chest in a SIDS-risk sling, and a toddler wearing a choke-risk amber teething necklace, said she felt vaccination was a risk to her children’s health.
There was also a woman dressed as a quoll casting a vote. She had been protesting with the Extinction Rebellion movement and gives her name only as Spotted Quoll.
“I was enrolled against my will, which I resent, but I represent the quolls,” Ms Quoll said.
Madeline Faught from the Together Party just wants “to make Australia slightly better than average again”.
“We just ask is it good for the people, is it good for the planet” she said.
Local comedian and mum of five Mandy Nolan came to cast her vote and said Bob Hawke’s passing had reminded people of what a good politician could actually achieve in comparison to the current crop.
“I love living in a country where criminals can run for office,” she said.
Originally published as Voters turn out at Mullumbimby for Federal Election 2019
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