‘My friends have no clue why I vote Liberal’

Simon Davies is proudly voting Liberal in the federal election – and his friends have no clue why someone like him would.

OPINION

As part of our election coverage, news.com.au asked two readers to explain why they’re voting Labor or Liberal this weekend.

Simon Davies writes below about why he’s going to be voting for the Liberal Party this weekend, while Sue Parry Jones explains why she’s picking Labor.

Do I think Scott Morrison has some personality flaws?

Sure.

Do I think those flaws prevent him from being the best leader for our country?

Absolutely not.

Somewhere along the line, it seems Australians have adopted the idea that in order for someone to be a fit prime minister, they need to be someone you’d want to have a beer with down at the pub. Much has been made of Scomo’s unlikability, both among members of his party and in a series of interactions with the public.

I’d argue that ‘good for a couple of pints’ shouldn’t appear anywhere on the list of priorities against which we compare the highest-ranking public servants in this country.

I prefer to judge a leader on their track record – such as maintaining Australia’s AAA credit rating amid one of the biggest global economic threats since the 2007 Global Financial Crisis, or the joint establishment of trilateral security alliance AUKUS in the face of China’s growing interests in the region.

It’s for this reason – and for so many others – that I’ll proudly be voting for the Coalition when I hit the polls.

The Coalition has Simon Davies’ vote. Picture: Jason Edwards

As a young, gay man living in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, my unwavering support for the Liberal Party is something of a conundrum to a lot of my friends. Admittedly, the religious right faction within the Coalition is less appealing in their agenda, but I think it’s important to separate social conservatism from economic conservatism – the latter being one of the main reasons I continue to support the party.

Growing up in a military family, my parents have been staunch Liberal voters since I can remember. When you’re younger, it’s much like adopting a footy team – your dad barracks for a certain side, so it’s a fait accompli that you do, too.

I registered to vote the minute I turned 18, but in the intervening years as I moved away from my parents’ influence, bought a home and built a career, I interrogated my own beliefs around politics. While I landed on allegiance to the same political party, it’s one I hold for different reasons – and even more passionately – than those of Mum and Dad.

Simon Davies is a Liberal Party voter. Picture: Supplied

Many of Simon’s friends don’t understand why he votes right wing. Picture: Supplied

We’ve heard a lot of chat about ‘hot button’ political issues in the lead-up to this federal election, but for me there are only really two; national security and the economy. The importance I place on these two pillars is not because I don’t care about other elements in society, but because I firmly believe that if we get them right, everything else will be better able to function.

When the economy is functioning as it should, the people within that society are empowered with more choice. When the country is making money, we can invest more of it into healthcare, education, infrastructure and services. The LNP will traditionally make better, harder decisions for the strength of our economy, so that Australians can live the type of lives they want to live.

More importantly, in order for our economy to thrive, our country needs to enjoy the continued freedoms we have taken for granted to this point – something that many nations around the world do not have, and a way of life I believe is crucial to defend at all costs. I’m confident the Coalition can do what is needed, with continued and renewed investment into our defence forces and strategic alliances.

A lot of Australians will be heading into May 21 with a list of things that are personally important to them, and voting accordingly. I’ve always believed that rather than voting for the candidate who promises improvements for your individual circumstances, we should be voting for the candidate who can best support our country as a whole.

A country that is thriving – both economically and in terms of our collective freedom – is something I think is more likely to be achieved under a Liberal government. That is the kind of country I always want to call home.

Originally published as ‘My friends have no clue why I vote Liberal’