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On episode 306, Katie, Nick and Lottie discuss the Australian federal election and how they’ll be voting. We cover: our love of politics being put to the test, Glutton versus Albo, the Greens under Bandt compared to Di Natale and some of the micro-parties.
How Lottie is voting:
House of reps – Wills
1. Sue Bolton – Socialist Alliance
2. Samantha Ratnam – Greens
3. Owen Miller – Fusion
4. Margee Glover – Legalise Cannabis
5. Peter Khalil – Labor
6. Jeff Kidney – Liberals
7. Rachel Versteegen – Libertarian
8. Bruce Stevens – One Nation
Victorian Senate
1. Animal Justice Party (AJP’s animal and environment related policies are very comprehensive, their other policies less so but they say they stand for justice and compassion. I think having one animal-focussed Senator would be positive)
2. Victorian Socialists
3. Indigenous – Aboriginal Party of Australia (seems like some of their policies are still underdeveloped but overall they are for First Nations self determination and everything that comes with that)
4. The Greens
5. Heena Sinha Cheung (detailed policies to fix housing crisis, tackle climate change and support abuse victims)
6. Australia’s Voice (axvoter think they look good but still finding their feet)
7. Australian Democrats (axvoter thinks they’re fine, they just don’t stand apart from Greens and others)
8. Legalise Cannabis (last election they had a decent chance at winning a Senate seat but missed out, so worth preferencing them somewhere otherwise your vote may not count. Single issue party but with environmental and human rights lenses to their policies. axvoter thinks Fiona Patten is a solid candidate, while others in the party are sketchier. Dodgy preference deal with Labor above Greens though)
9. Fusion (position themselves as progressive but their how to vote cards include preferencing Libertarians highly, and LNP above Labor and Greens. Seems like a disorganised group of fragmented single issue parties)
10. Sustainable Australia (they want to cut immigration but maintain refugee intake levels. Have many environmental policies which Something for Cate, SFC, likes the look of, but axvoter thinks they are ineffective, racist and NIMBY)
11. G Independents: Keo Vongvixay, Taylor Hernan (unofficially Socialist Equality Party. Against identity politics and all the other socialist/left parties. They are for the working class, but their specific policies unclear. axvoter and SFC suggest weak to no preference)
12. T Independents: Raj Saini; Kirti Alle & Yashaswini Srinivas Kanakagiri (SFC suggested they are at worst the same as Labor, possibly more progressive on some issues)
13. Labor
14. Susantha Abeysinghe (some strange policies but overall left?)
15. Cory Corbett (promotes taxing big businesses and reducing lobbyist influences, and investing in healthcare, renewable energy, affordable housing. But pro police and free markets)
16. David Van (promotes renewable energy. When in LNP always voted with the party)
17. LNP
18. Nate Ritter (very limited info but maybe progressive ish?)
19. Lawrence Harvey (only stated agenda is about renewing forests in Gippsland)
20. Viesha Lewand (unclear policies, seems a bit conspiracy theory-ish and xenophobic)
No preference:
Family First (Christian right wing)
Libertarian (axvoter thinks they are amongst the worst)
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (pro gun, hunting etc)
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation (far right)
Gerard Rennick People First – Heart (far right)
Trumpet of Patriots (Clive Palmer’s new party. Trumpist)
K Black (not a serious candidate- a journalism experiment by Crikey to report on campaigning mechanics and legalities)
Info on minor parties:
- https://axvoter.tumblr.com/archive (Federal)
- https://www.somethingforcate.net/ (Victoria)
- https://climateactionmerribek.org/2025/04/03/climate-scorecards-for-2025-federal-election/ (Wills House of Reps and Victorian Senate)
- https://apan.org.au/election-scorecards/
- https://www.buildaballot.org.au/ (lacks some nuance and misses some minor parties but good to help split hairs or decide where to do more research)
- https://transjustice.org.au/pledge/
Nick’s voting
House of reps – Melbourne
1: BANDT, Adam – THE GREENS
2: HUANG, Helen – FUSION | PLANET RESCUE | WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION | INNOVATION
3: WITTY, Sarah – AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
4: KOUTOUFIDES, Anthony – INDEPENDENT
5: HUNT, Steph – LIBERAL
6: SMITH, Tim – INDEPENDENT
7: CASEY, Melanie – PAULINE HANSON’S ONE NATION
Victorian Senate (for those just doing top 6)
1. The Greens
2. Victorian Socialists
3. Animal Justice Party
4. Australian Democrats
5. Labor
6. LNP
Additional links:
- https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/
- Greens how to vote.
- Adam Bandt: a conversation guide for talking to dads (Instagram).
- https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jun/28/young-australians-far-less-likely-than-parents-to-vote-coalition-as-they-get-older-report-finds
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Intro music: Embrace by ItsWatR.
Outro music: The Blackest Bouquet by Leonell Cassio.
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