Bucking international trends, Australia voted in a left-leaning party on Saturday. Today I asked my friend comedian Dan Ilic to join me in my study to talk through where it has all landed, what’s ahead, etc.
Dan, so you know, was responsible for those global viral billboards that wound up in Times Square and Glasgow (and beyond), advertising Scott Morrison’s climate corruption to the world. Totally inspired stuff. He also has the Rational Fear podcast and newsletter, which you should all support.
But as some background guff to start with, that you can read as you listen if you’re a multi-tasker…
A bunch of unprecedents and notables worth reflecting on:
Anthony Albanese is the first Labor leader from the left faction to win from opposition. You might like to listen to this episode to find out more about Albo…he’ll be around for a bit.
Women determined the outcome. Women flocked from the conservative LNP to climate and justice-orientated options. The female vote was responsible for both the swing to Labor and to the independents.
There are now more women in the Senate than men.
There are now more women in the Lower House than ever before.
At least seven female independents have been added to the Lower House crossbench. As anyone who reads this newsletter knows, I’ve been gunning for at least three.
The Labor party now has eight indigenous members and senators in Parliament!
Albanese’s first change as PM was to add the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander flags to podiums. And within hours of the change of government, the Biloela Tamil asylum seeker family were set to return home. I think this is all wonderful auspicious and telling, don’t you?
Anthony Albonese prioritised The Voice to parliament in his acceptance speech. It was glorious. As many of you know, I felt this was a crucial issue that had to be addressed this election or we’d suffer a horrible moral identity crisis. You can get the 101 on it in this podcast ep with the architect of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
I feel this all augers very well for our Nation. You too? I’d love to know how you have been feeling this week? Many of my friends and peers have been spontaneously crying or laughing. I truly didn’t realise how much dread and worry I’d been carrying around until it all lifted around 830pm on election night when the direction of things became plain. I think we’ve been suffering silently from a form of Stockholm (or other abusive) syndrome where our concerns have been belittled such that we believe our captors version of the story.
Also,I think the result on Saturday says a lot about our regard for the Murdoch media, including Sky, as well as the Nine papers, who worked hard to tell us that Australians didn’t care about climate, corruption, the Voice and gender equality.
A small segue: I’m trying to play my part in providing more independent journalism with this newsletter. I don’t take payment for articles elsewhere, nor on social media and have strict edicts around all sponsorships from corporates so that I can remain independent. If you value a veering to better journalism ethics, can I invite you to think about a paid subscription?
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Stay wild,
Sarah xx
Australia won! We have restored the nation to its values!