Steve Mav retires from politics permanently
Serial campaigner Steve Mav is waving a final goodbye to his career in politics, declaring that he will no longer be running for public office on Sunday.
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Serial campaigner Steve Mav is waving a final goodbye to his career in politics, declaring that he will no longer be running for public office on Sunday.
Mr Mav broke the news to his “Mavvies”, i.e. supporters, in an open letter after conceding defeat once again at the 2022 Federal election.
The political firebrand said he would be deactivating his social media and online accounts to lead a “quiet, non-public life” moving forward.
“To those of you who have always believed in me, thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Mr Mav wrote.
“And to all my “Mavvies” - especially my young fans - it has been an AWESOME journey. Wishing you happiness with lots and lots of positivity in your life.”
Over the years Mr Mav had attracted an enormous Facebook following from fans and critics alike, with over a dozen meme pages dedicated to ridiculing his political career.
Mr Mav’s official Facebook page has 23,000 followers and is replete with anti-immigration memes, conspiracy theories, and anti Covid-vaccination articles.
He has also used his platform to criticise communists, paedophiles, cyclists, greenies, the United Nations, and the ‘deep state’.
Aside from his online presence, Mr Mav was best known for standing at the side of highways brandishing his big orange sign and waving amicably at commuters during election season.
The persistent Mr Mav has been running for office since 1998, when he ran for the Tasmanian State election as the Liberal candidate for the former seat of Denison.
He also ran unsuccessfully for the seat of Denison in 2002, for Glenorchy mayor in 2002, for the Western Australian Victoria Park Council in 2015, the Tasmanian upper house in 2018, the Tasmanian senate in 2019, and for Brighton mayor in 2021.
He was endorsed by Pauline Hanson and the One Nation party in 2022 and chosen as their lead candidate for the senate.
He also became One Nation’s unofficial Tasmanian spokesman after all the other candidates were forbidden from speaking to the media.
The media ban was handed down after a disastrous interview with One Nation Franklin candidate Stephen Hindley, Mr Mav, and The Mercury.
In his final letter to his Mavvies, Mr Mav he was grateful for the opportunity to run for public office.
“After being an independent candidate in previous elections, this is the closest I got to being elected. But politics is a tough gig,” Mr Mav said.
“I would like to thank Senator Pauline Hanson for giving me the opportunity to be the lead senate candidate for One Nation in Tasmania. She is a remarkable lady and someone I greatly respect.”
kenji.sato@news.com.au
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