The surprising politician winning voters over at the pub in one of the country’s most fascinating seats

The seat of Gilmore routinely sets the pace as to which way the election is heading, so Warren Brown headed to the pub to see what way voters on the South Coast are leaning.

Of the 151 electoral divisions across Australia, the seat of Gilmore is one of the most fascinating – perennially described as a ‘bellwether seat’ – (and if you’re wondering – the term comes from a castrated sheep called a wether, wearing a bell to lead a flock) Gilmore routinely sets the pace as to which way the election is heading.

The seat itself has a curious beginning, created in 1984 it is named after the controversial author, poet, face-on-the-ten-dollar note (and Scott Morrison’s great-great aunt) Dame Mary Gilmore who – if not an all-out communist – was a particularly over-zealous radical-lefty in her day.

In 1896 Gilmore fled Australia with a bunch of disillusioned labour (sic) acolytes to set up ‘The New Australia’, a tee-totalling, racially segregated, socialist utopian commune in the jungles of Paraguay, of all places.

Needless to say, when this ambitious Australo-Paraguayan experiment inevitably failed Gilmore returned to Australia to continue to write poetry, promote the White Australia Policy and contribute a weekly column to the Communist Party newspaper Tribune.

In contrast to Dame Mary’s tee-totalling aspirations, I’ve been charged with the most gruelling assignment any journalist could be press-ganged into undertaking – forced to trawl the public bars of the country hotels within the Division of Gilmore, taking the electorate’s temperature with The Pub Test.

Journalist Warren Brown meets with local tradesman named Josh at North Nowra Tavern as he shares his views on what he thinks of the current election process.

Stretching from Kiama to Moruya on the NSW South Coast, Gilmore spans some of the most spectacular scenery within the state, however over the past few weeks it has transformed into a fierce battleground between the incumbent ALP Member Fiona Phillips and aspiring former state Liberal Minister Andrew Constance who lost to Phillips in 2022 by a mere 379 votes.

The North Nowra Tavern is shuddering from the vibration of jackhammers and the shrill whine of bricksaws, yet as uncomfortable as this thunderous racket is, this is the sound of progress and of money being pumped into the community through the hotel’s extensive renovations.

The forty year-old pub is finally being brought into the 20th-century where General Manager and part owner Bryce Woodley is proud of the work they’re achieving.

North Nowra Tavern Owner / Manager of the North Nowra Tavern Bryce Woodley showing how he pours a beer.

“We only bought the pub in 2022 and we’ve just finished this section a few weeks ago” he tells me, indicating the recently installed giant suspended concrete slab that now holds the new light-filled family dining area and children’s playground.

Clearly the stereotype of the traditional Aussie pub is being forced to change – publicans are desperate to find new ways to attract clientele as the oppressive tax on alcohol, rising wages and increasing rent is pricing a simple schooner of beer out of the hands of the everyday Australian.

“It’s the cost of living that’s hurting” explains Bryce.

“Socialisation is so important to communities like ours and when people are suffering one of the first things they cut is entertainment and that’s what pubs are about – entertainment.”

“We’re actually one of the cheapest places around for a beer,” Bryce tells me.

“But if there’s anything I’d like to see come out of this election it is to do something about the alcohol tax.”

Yet, an eye-watering $8.42 schooner in Nowra is still way cheaper than $12 a beer in Byron Bay.

Leah Haak is enjoying the $15 chicken schnitty in the bistro with her Mum and Dad, the family only too keen to voice their political opinions.

Leah’s determined to have her voice heard, passionate about the lack of youth services within the region.

Bert Haak and his daughter Leah pictured at the North Nowra Tavern.

“We need to do something about bringing in youth programs – and housing for young people”.

Indeed, housing and cost of living are the two terms you hear ricocheting from one end of the electorate to the other.

Lea’s Dad Bert, a retired motor mechanic chimes in making it plain whom he is awarding his ballot form to: “You know … about Dutton … it’s like the old saying goes – ‘The new broom sweeps clean’.”

But intriguingly, he leans over the table to confide: “You know, that Pauline Hanson – she saw what people want.”

This statement surprises me, as at the Great Southern Hotel at Berry I stumble upon four hi-viz-wearing tradies having a beer after work – 47-year-old Ben Marcinkowski tells me in the same way.

“Pauline Hanson, she was bang-on … I’ve always thought she is a good leader …”

Ben rationalises Hanson was right about bringing too many people into the country – and this isn’t about him being racist – as young hi-viz teammate Australian-Lebanese Farouk is very much a close mate.

Local tradesman Ben Marcinkowski, Harvey Sirl, Mitchel Hodgins pictured at the Great Southern Hotel at Berry.

Yet these unsolicited asides about Hanson suggest an undercurrent of dissatisfaction in the two federal leaders Albanese and Dutton, perhaps meaning deep-down people are searching for an alternative – the idea of traditional red and blue voters considering flirting with could well shift the battleground parameters.

Indeed voting here can be brutal – and the message politicians need to heed is ‘disrespect the locals at your peril.’

In the pre-covid era election of 2019, Prime Minister Scott Morrison unwisely parachuted Sydney North Shore resident and right-wing Indigenous leader Warren Mundine into the electorate with disastrous results.

Similarly Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s bizarre and inexplicable steel-in-saltwater offshore wind farm proposal will blight the South Coast’s horizon from Wombarra to Gerringong, Andrew Constance telling me ‘once you’ve broken the trust of country people there’s no going back.’

Nevertheless, at The Great Southern Hotel 19 year-old tradie Harvey Sirl got straight to the point of what really matters when asked what he’d like to see fixed at the next election – “Cheaper beer!”

Originally published as The surprising politician winning voters over at the pub in one of the country’s most fascinating seats