A loose confederation of current and former independent politicians will hold a national conference later this month to discuss strategies to win seats at the next federal election.
The conference, “Getting Elected”, will bring together high-profile independents including Warringah’s Zali Steggall, Indi’s Helen Haines, the former member for Wentworth, Kerryn Phelps, Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie and Tasmanian senator, Jacqui Lambie as well as numerous community groups and would-be candidates.
With the latest Newspoll published on Monday showing that the major parties were neck and neck, and the Morrison Government enjoying just a two-seat majority, convener, Cathy McGowan, the former independent MP for Indi, said it was important that independents get organised now.
“There’s a sense of optimism and hope,” she said.
“If we can make seats marginal and make the major parties pay attention, particularly in the regions, that will be a big step forward. There is a real sense of optimism and hope that we can win seats or at least encourage the major parties to get their act together and start representing their communities,” she said.
The conference, expected to attract about 500 people, will be held partly face-to-face and partly online. It will draw independents from around the country as well as community groups such as the “Voice for” groups that have now sprung up in several states including NSW, Victoria, and South Australia.
McGowan has written a book, “Cathy Goes to Canberra – Doing politics differently”, about her experience of running as an independent MP in regional Victoria. Her expertise has been widely sought by the groups that have have sprung up around the country seeking to boost community engagement in politics and possibly field candidates.
McGowan said there was particular interest among women in regional Australia, who seemed to have been spurred to organise in the wake of scandals like the sports rorts affair and other incidents which raised questions about integrity in politics.
McGowan said there was a strong interest in the work that independents were doing to drive legislative change on a federal anti-corruption body and on climate change.
Asked about the prospects of getting more independents elected in the next federal election, which could be as early as the second half of this year, McGowan said she believed independents could succeed in winning another one or two seats while holding onto the ones they already have in the Lower House.
That could potentially deliver the balance of power.
But part of the groups’ agenda is also to drive more responsiveness from sitting MPs and greater community engagement, McGowan said.
The conference will be held on 26-28 February.
