Our Regional Voices Fund helped support all of these independent candidates in the most recent federal election. This is huge improvement in engagement from campaigns in the past. Only one of the 13 candidates supported by the fund won their races. Taken together, they all demonstrated impressive leaps in primary votes, which advocates point to as a sign of things to come in upcoming elections.
The Regional Voices Fund is going to shake up the established political seats all around Australia. It’s been an effort to unseat the legacy seats held by the entrenched parties. Chair Lorraine Gordon commented on the increasing momentum and enthusiasm for the new initiative. She announced that the organization is retooling and preparing for the next federal election.
During this last electoral cycle, the Fund was able to give monetary support to 12 of the 13 candidates it endorsed. This shows quite obviously the power of a clear alignment with the Climate 200 movement. One under-the-radar but exceptional candidate was Caz Heise, who ran against the incumbent national party at Cowper. Heise grew her primary vote by 3.5 percent, but ultimately lost to Nationals incumbent Pat Conaghan, illustrating the challenges faced by independent candidates in a competitive political landscape.
Analysis of Election Results
Regardless of the loss, this Regional Voices Fund class of candidates stood up and fought tight races all over the country. Heise’s experience isn’t unique and appears to be part of a larger trend seen across this election. Though her primary vote increased, her two-party preferred margin fell by 0.77 percent, indicating that while independent voices are gaining traction, they still face significant hurdles.
Alex Dyson, yet another independent candidate supported by the fund, caused a stir in the normally conservative electorate of Wannon. As a challenger, Adams won an astonishing 13.3 percent more votes in his primary. This would indicate that voters have an increasing hunger for non-establishment political alternatives. For this election cycle, experts say that the sheer number of new conservative party candidates served to water down the effect of independent campaigns.
Professor Mark Kenny analyzed the election dynamics, stating, “We didn’t really have a protest against the government election, as we did in 2022 where we saw the unpopularity of the Morrison government.” This shift may have affected voter behavior and preferences in a way that was less favorable for independents this time around.
The Future of Independent Candidates
Lorraine Gordon, left, and Sara Dean-Conway introduce candidates supported by the Regional Voices Fund to the crowd. She reflected on the wider network which is building in support of independent candidates across Australia.
“What I’ve noticed based on the results is just how much we’ve shifted the dial; most of the independents have had quite astronomical increases in votes.” – Lorraine Gordon
She emphasized that the new organization was born from the success of grassroots networks such as Voices for Indi. These organizations have developed deep ties to the larger independence movement. Gordon stressed that this national network was key to giving independents the ability to go head-to-head against party organizations that often have far more resources.
Caz Heise highlighted another challenge faced by independent candidates: “This time we had 11, which means the preferences get watered down and lost in the mix.” Notice how much the dilution of voter preferences can matter for election outcomes. It serves to underscore how difficult it can be to navigate a congested electoral landscape.
Moving Forward
While nearly all candidates supported by the Regional Voices Fund did not win their respective seats, many experienced significant gains in their primary vote. The fund’s leaders all view these results as a springboard to further development and continuing their positive momentum going forward.
The Regional Voices Fund is increasing its support for independent candidates. This change will fundamentally change the political status quo and encourage a more diverse and representative political landscape in Australia.
“We’re in this for the long haul.” – Lorraine Gordon
The Regional Voices Fund’s increasing support for independent candidates will likely continue to challenge traditional political dynamics, fostering a more diverse and representative political landscape in Australia.
