Eli Davern: Farrer Greens candidate proves school kids do care about politics

He’s still at high school, but that didn’t stop this Greens candidate from throwing his hat in the ring at the federal election.

Eli Davern, Greens candidate for Farrer in 2022, speaking to local residents.

He may be only 18-years-old, but election day was one of the biggest days of Eli Davern’s life.

The Greens electoral candidate for Farrer in NSW, who is still in high school, may have lost out to Liberal MP Sussan Ley, but he’s already made history, recording the highest ever Greens vote in Farrer.

Mr Davern secured 7,360 votes to Ms Ley’s 45,720, but still managed to achieve a swing of 3.92 per cent.

The former Youth Mayor of Albury and 2022 Young Citizen of the Year said he became inspired to join the world of politics in 2010, when Julia Gillard became the first and only female Australian Prime Minister.

“Ever since Year 2, I’ve been interested in how politics affects people,” Mr Davern said.

“As a child I was impacted a lot by decisions that governments were making and I was inspired by Julia Gillard becoming the first female Prime Minister and seeing her leadership.”

Mr Davern became directly involved in politics in 2019, when he worked on a Federal election campaign and helped organise School Strike 4 Climate.

Eli Davern has been an advocate for environmental issues since 2019 when he helped organise Schools Strike 4 Climate. Photo: Supplied.

“I’ve always been really interested in how politics can support people and make a difference in people’s lives.”

Mr Davern knew he wanted to run after watching the ‘duty of care’ court case involving Ms Ley in 2021, where she appealed a court’s findings she held a duty of care to protect the environment from the impact of climate change.

“I felt that was slap in the face to future generations and I felt I had a responsibility to take her on in this election.

“She’s been in parliament longer than I’ve been alive … She needs someone that’s a young person, someone that is a climate striker and a social justice advocate to take the challenge to her so the community has a choice.”

Mr Davern is also a firm believer that despite stereotypes, young people in their teens and early twenties have never been more interested in politics, with political campaigns now rippling through TikTok and Instagram.

“I’ve been at a pre-poll virtually every day for the last two weeks and I’ve been so excited because there are young people coming out to vote, they know who they’re voting for,” Mr Davern said.

“There is that stereotype that we’re oblivious to the real world and are inside playing video games or on social media. But no, we know what’s going on and we’re not in our own little bubble.

“Young people out of most people are quite in touch with the issues of today.”

Eli Davern voted for himself in his first ever election on Saturday. Photo: Supplied.

During the election campaign, Mr Davern has been enduring a long and gruelling schedule to balance school and his campaign.

Earlier this week Mr Davern took time off school to visit locals in Corowa, but on an average day his day begins early in the morning and ends around midnight as he fits in media interviews, Zoom calls and campaigning at pre-polling booths.

Now the 2022 election has come to an end, Mr Davern said he plans to “catch up on some study” before he plans to take a gap year next year.

It’s very likely this isn't the last time Farrer has seen Eli Davern.