Queensland voters outraged by lack of democracy sausages

Queensland residents were dismayed by the lack of sausage sizzles at polling booths on election day, with multiple travelling across the cities just to secure their ‘democracy sausage’. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Many Cairns voters were dismayed to see the demise of the sausage sizzle at many voting booths around the city. Remie Bampton and Eli Cropp drove to Parramatta Park State School just to eat a democracy sausage after voting at a booth with no barbecue. Picture: Brendan Radke

Many Cairns residents were dismayed by the lack of sausage sizzles at most polling booths on Saturday, with some voters travelling across the city just to secure their “democracy sausage”.

Resident Eli Cropp voted in Cairns City on Saturday morning but then travelled with friends to the polling booth at Parramatta State School to get an election day sausage.

“We already voted, but our polling place didn’t have a barbecue,” Ms Cropp said.

“We weren’t going to miss a democracy sausage on democracy day – not now, not ever.”

“Not having a democracy sausage – just like Peter Dutton – is out,” Ms Cropp said. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

According to the Democracy Sausage website, which monitors “sausage and cake availability on election day”, out of 47 polling booths across the Leichhardt electorate, only two held sausage sizzles on election day.

The two locations were Redlynch State College and Parramatta State School in Cairns, whose year 6 students fundraised to offset the costs for their school camp to Lake Tinaroo.

“It’s just a good opportunity to help reduce costs for parents … especially at the moment with the cost of living,” year 6 teacher Jen Conje said.

“I’ve been (at the school) since 2016 and the bus for example — hauling 75 kids up to the Tablelands every year — the cost sort of goes up a little bit.

Former student Steven Tereni and parents of year 6 students, Adrian Basanez and Yuki Mipamura, take charge on the barbecue, serving up sausages to hungry voters at the Parramatta State School polling booth. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Elections are a great opportunity to have a barbecue and people are usually feeling pretty supportive of those sorts of events.”

Ms Conje said a woman and several former students travelled specifically to the school’s polling booth to vote so they could also support the cause, which raised more than $1870.

“We had one lady who drove out from Smithfield because she had looked on the website and … she wanted to come along and support,” she said.

Ms Conje also said holding the fundraiser on election day tied in well with the students’ curriculum.

“In term two, we cover democracy in Australia, so it’s really great when we have elections because the kids are learning about the process of governance and they get to see it in action,” she said.

“Any learning that is real, that is hands-on, or that the kids can witness outside of a room is always going to be learning that sticks.”

Remie Bampton and Eli Cropp drove to Parramatta Park State School just to eat a “democracy sausage” after voting at a booth with no barbecue. Picture: Brendan Radke

While Ms Cropp and her friend’s accessories were for a different event, she also said they tied into the federal election.

“We were wearing silly hats as we came from a birthday event, but it was very apt to be wearing dinosaurs, like the politicians not acting on climate change, and sharks representing the Cronulla Sharks, famously cared more about than women by the (Liberals) in the last government,” she said.

Ms Cropp also said the democracy sausage was a “unifier” on election day, but that there was an art to its consumption.

“You must give a fair shake of the sauce bottle and you must have security, otherwise you’ll have complete animals taking bites out of raw onions,” she said.

Originally published as Queensland voters outraged by lack of democracy sausages