Independents' Day

Publisher’s description:
The full story of the independent candidates and community volunteers who stormed previously safe Liberal seats at the 2022 federal election and created a revolution in Australian politics.

As Australia headed into the 2022 election, the media focused on the usual two-horse race. They ran photos of Scott Morrison in high-vis, and trapped Anthony Albanese with gotcha questions. But in community halls and online forums, suburban streets and country towns, a very different kind of political change was already well underway.

Journalist Brook Turner spoke to all the key players and watched the campaigns as they came of age. He tells the inside story of the grassroots movement that has up-ended politics in Australia. He explains how and why a community politics model minted in Cathy McGowan's campaign in rural Victoria has been adopted around the country, fueled by local fundraising, Climate 200 and disgust with political jobs for the boys. He also examines why the established parties misread the public mood, and why the community activist genie unleashed at the 2022 election is unlikely to go back into the two-party bottle anytime soon.

Author: Brook Turner

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Format: Paperback

Pages: 304

Published: 15 November 2022

ISBN: 9781761067976