Doing politics differently: @indigocathy maiden speech

Madam Speaker, Colleagues, special guests, friends and family. Madam Speaker, warm congratulations on your election. I thank you and my colleagues for your warm welcome. I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners and custodians of this land, both past and present. Today I am going to share a story – about myself, about my electorate […]

Roo Poo and Who’s Who in the Senate Zoo

[clear] By Sarah Capper 18 October 2013 It was perhaps the moment in which I found myself googling “Ricky Muir” + “poo” that served as the final straw in realising the need for Senate reform. Not that I needed much convincing – the new Senator-elect from Victoria from the Palmer United Palmer Motoring Enthusiasts Party is just one […]

McGowan to apologise to Indi Aborigines: Transcript of her victory press conference

Margo: So it’s the end of the beginning for the member for Indi Cathy McGowan. Wayne Jansson has kindly transcribed her answers to reporters’ questions at yesterday’s victory press conference. McGowan announced that she would end the hurt created by Ms Mirabella’s boycott of the Stolen Generations apology by making a formal apology on behalf of Indi next Sorry Day. Wayne discovered […]

The sociology of how Cathy won Indi, by @ktbar0

[clear] By Kate Sleeman 12 September, 2013 Life in regional cities and towns is often perceived by our city cousins to be a step back in time; dull, slow, backward and socially conservative. However the election result in Indi has hopefully changed their perceptions and highlighted the power of real communities. They are beginning to […]

Margo’s Twitter reports from Indi – 7 and 8 September, 2013

Storify by The Geek Sun, Sep 08 2013 23:30:53 Margo’s twitter reports from Indi – 7 and 8 September, 2013 One of the most interesting seats in this election is without question Indi with sitting shadow frontbencher Sophie Mirabella. Margo joined the election buzz and reports on how grassroots politics is making a difference. Share […]

Sophie’s desperate choice: Indi booths blanketed with negative ads, heavies on guard

[clear] By Wayne Jansson September 7, 2013 In what can only be seen as a desperate act, Sophie Mirabella’s early Friday night took almost all available space at polling booths for Liberal posters. Reworded: The failed record of SM will only continue. Don't risk another 3 years of misrepresentation #indivotes pic.twitter.com/K6YFjjIPB0 — JACK SEYMOUR (@thejackseymour) […]

Murdoch bookends democracy diasaster for Oz nature: Margo’s pre-election comment

This is Margo’s pre-election comment, courtesy of 2bobradio and The Vine.   In this week’s final, pre-poll interview, Margo Kingston, editor of citizen journalism website nofibs, talks of the threat to free speech posed by big  media, the loss of hope to Australia’s democracy, and people power in the seat of Indi. The interview will air on Thursday Breakfast at 8.10 a.m. and […]

Wangaratta goes wild for democracy: @Jansant reports hot #Indivotes forum

By Wayne Jansson 30 August 2013 STOP PRESS: The Coalition is looking increasingly shaky from rural Australia as former National Party MP Ken Jasper publicly pledges his support for Independent candidate for Indi Cathy McGowan. Jasper was recently seen showing McGowan around at a local football match.McGowan placed an advertisement in the Border Mail today, […]

Indi’s grassroots QandA, with hashtag: @Jansant reports

By Wayne Jansson 27 August 2013 #IndiVotes created its own version of #QandA on Monday night at The Cube in Wodonga. It was a night full of passion and at times fire as the candidates battled it out in front of a capacity crowd of more than 300. The #IndiVotes hash tag was displayed on […]

Latte-sipping city slicker @VanBadham gives thanks for rural independents and sees a new dawn for values in politics

By Van Badham  August 27, 2013 The tactical employment of demeaning stereotypes has always been popular in the Australian political discourse.  Just lump together some universally loathed behaviours – like vanity, self-indulgence or entitlement – dress them as communities you’re trying to discredit, and parade them like carnival villains. “Union thugs”, anybody? “Feminazis”?  “People smugglers”? “Asylum […]