Why some Mackay voters choose the same party every Federal Election

Even as the nation’s political loyalties shift in an increasingly chaotic age, some Aussies hold unbreakable loyalties to Labor and the LNP. Find out what makes our rusted-on voters tick.

Central Queensland’s political landscape is in a state of flux, with an increasing number of voters packing up from the major parties and leaving for independent territory.

Across Dawson in 2019, One Nation, the United Australia Party, the Greens and Katter’s Australia Party accounted for 28.8 per cent of the first preference vote.

The figures mirror those in neighbouring Capricornia and Flynn.

Deborah Green, however, is one of Dawson’s ‘true believers’, a loyal voter who does not budge or shop around.

In her case, it’s Labor all the way.

Mrs Green lives on Evans St near Mackay Central, one of the nation’s 105 ‘bellwether booths’ where first preference votes have accurately predicted the winning government at each election in the past 20 years.

In 2019, the booth picked Dawson MP George Christensen over his Labor challenger Belinda Hassan, as all of regional Queensland swung heavily in favour of the LNP.

Labor 'true believer' Deborah Green talked politics near the Mackay Central polling booth. Mrs Green is rusted on to her party, voting for Labor even as her electorate turned a deep shade of blue in 2019. She's hoping for a massive swing in May to turn Dawson red. Picture: Duncan Evans

Mrs Green views Mr Christensen with contempt.

“I haven’t seen much benefit for Dawson from what George Christensen has done,” she said, labelling the larger-than-life figure more of a “stunt man” than a true representative.

“I cringe when I meet people down south or interstate and they say, ‘where are you from?’, and they say ‘oh you’re from George Christensen’s (electorate)’,” she said.

“You know, it is so embarrassing. I want someone to represent me that I’m not embarrassed by.”

Mrs Green says Prime Minister Scott Morrison does not deserve another term in office and she reckons cost-of-living pressures might push people to consider a different option this time around.

“It’s harder and harder to make ends meet,” she said, listing price rises for everything from petrol to groceries.

“I think that’s really starting to bite.”

Mrs Green works as an advisor in the Department of Education and has lived in the area for 12 years.

“We’ve got just about every demographic you care to think about,” she said in reference to the area around Mackay Central.

“We have from unemployed people, pensioner people to professional people, immigrants, young families, we’ve got an Aboriginal hostel here, so it’s just a very interesting mix of people in the neighbourhood.”

She says Labor’s man Shane Hamilton can win Dawson, though she said it would be a difficult task.

“We have had big swings in the past, so I’m really hoping we’ll get a big swing this time,” she said.

While she is ‘rusted on’ to the Labor Party, recent elections suggest more people across the seat are rusted on to the LNP.

Bowen Basin miner Heath McPherson is one such voter.

The McPherson family who live near the Mackay West polling booth. (From left to right) Eden, Peta, Heath and Beau. Picture: Duncan Evans.

Speaking outside his house opposite the Mackay West booth, Mr McPherson said he did not believe the Labor Party could protect the interests of miners.

His wife Peta, an early childhood teacher, will also likely stick with the LNP this time around.

She once voted Labor many years ago, but switched to the LNP and has stayed blue ever since.

“I think they’re doing a good job at the moment,” she said.

Mrs McPherson has two children, Eden and Beau, and she said issues affecting them were her core concerns.

In the brutal world of politics, loyalty can have some negative outcomes for the people who live in safe seats, something that irks Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson.

“What happens is that in communities that have safe seats, like we have, you get nothing,” he said in reference to the budget.

“Where they fail to line-item (in the budget), communities in an election budget like ours will get nothing, or very little.

“It’s the marginal seats where all the money will go, and that’s quite disturbing.”

While Dawson holds rusted-on voters, it does not hold any rusted-on booths, or booths which have only ever gone one way at every election since 2004.

In neighbouring Capricornia, the booths of Dysart, Moranbah Central, Park Avenue and Collinsville have plumped for Labor at every election.

Originally published as Why some Mackay voters choose the same party every Federal Election