New wave of independents a challenge to ACT Labor’s 23-year grip on power
The leader of a new wave of ACT independents says he is open to working with both sides of politics if his party holds the balance of power after the election.
The leader of a wave of independents pushing for change in the ACT after 23 years of Labor government says he is open to working with both sides of politics if his party holds the balance of power after the election.
Independents for Canberra lead candidate Thomas Emerson said the movement had been “inspired” by the success of the teals at the last federal election, with the goal of offering ACT voters an alternative from the major parties.
Ahead of Saturday’s election, where Chief Minister Andrew Barr will seek a historic fourth term, Mr Emerson said his goal was to establish a strong crossbench in the 25-seat Legislative Assembly to hold the government to account.
Mr Emerson, the son of former federal Labor MP Craig Emerson and a former David Pocock staffer, said the party wanted to “negotiate in good faith” and would not declare its support until after the election.
“The three things we’ll be looking at, if we are in a balance-of-power position the day after the election, is which of the major parties have won the most seats,” he told The Weekend Australian.
“Who will commit to supporting the policies we’re advocating for, on the basis of what we’re hearing our community needs and expert input as to how best to satisfy those needs.
“And also whether there are any policies that the prospective governing party holds that our community finds objectionable.”
Running under the slogan “it’s time for change”, Mr Emerson said the party was “using the system, to try to beat the system” by running 20 candidates across five electorates to level the playing field with the major parties.
Independents for Canberra’s policy platform includes a pledge to introduce a Future Generations Act, requiring lawmakers to consider the impact of laws on the next generation, a promise to clear 75 per cent of the elective surgery backlog in a year, and to introduce a social housing “funding trigger” to ensure supply.
During an election campaign characterised by a series of scandals over offensive or inappropriate online posts from various candidates, Mr Barr has repeatedly attacked the independents and the Liberals for harbouring candidates with conservative views.
“We take absolutely nothing for granted; the electoral system is such that of course we are going to have to work with other parties to form a government, but I think it’s important to have a mix of experience and fresh faces in the assembly and in the government,” Mr Barr told ABC Radio National.
“So if you want a progressive government, if you want a government that is going to continue to work constructively with our federal counterparts, who’s going to invest in housing, is not going to take a backward step on climate action, not going to go off into some pretty weird social policy directions … there are certainly candidates running for the crossbench in the ACT who hold incredibly socially conservative views.
“If you want to keep Canberra progressive, then we’re saying vote Labor, but also consider where your preferences go.”
The independent push offers a narrow path to power for ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee, if she can win the seats she needs and gain the crossbench support required to form government.
The last Liberal to win government in the ACT, Kate Carnell, has backed Ms Lee as an accomplished “moderate” whose politics reflects Canberrans far more than previous Liberal leaders.
Ms Carnell urged voters against sinking into political apathy and instead “engage”, “read the policies” and “make a decision on what’s best for Canberra”.
“It’s time for change, 23 years, it doesn’t matter who’s been in power, but 23 years is too long for any government,” she said.
“This would be another four years, which would take us to 27 years, which is almost laughable, really in a democracy.”
Though predicting election outcomes in the ACT is fraught due to a lack of polling, Mr Emerson said a series of online ads and political leaflets attacking his candidates for being conservative suggested they may be in with a chance.
“I suspect that (Labor) might have some internal polling that has them worried,” he said.
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