Senator David Pocock talks to a supporter at the QT Hotel on Saturday night. He is now arguably Canberra’s most popular politician. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
Pocock power was on full display on Saturday night as the former Wallaby captain rolled over Labor’s Katy Gallagher to top the vote in the Senate race, and the independent he backed in Bean has incumbent David Smith fighting for his political life.
Senator Pocock doubled his 2022 federal election result to gather 42 per cent of the first preference vote, while Senator Gallagher dropped 3 per cent to 30 per cent.
The Liberal candidate Jacob Vaddeddaakthu could only manage 15 per cent, the lowest ever vote for the party in an ACT Senate race.
In Bean, Ms Price replicated Senator Pocock’s 2022 campaign with her orange army fanning out across the electorate, selling the same message on climate and accountability.
If Ms Price prevails, she can thank Greens voters who saw her as a better option, probably to take a more energetic position on climate action to Parliament.
Bean was the weakest link in the Labor chain of safe ACT seats, despite Mr Smith’s 12.9 per cent buffer.
It has a strong core of Liberal adherents, particularly in Tuggeranong, and Mr Smith was always vulnerable to an independent candidate who could attract voters and preferences from all parties, especially in a field of four candidates.
Mr Smith is holding his vote at 41 per cent, but the Greens suffered an almost 6 per cent swing, while the Liberal vote is down 6.5 per cent.
The Dutton Canberra-bashing strategy was a disaster for Canberra Liberals and Ms Price gave them somewhere to go, while those who stuck with the party could have the consolation of preferencing the independent and striking a potentially fatal blow at the Labor member.
Mr Smith also suffered from a perception, rightly or wrongly, that he wasn’t visible in the electorate.
Whether Ms Price becomes the new Member for Bean or not, the result will only encourage a new wave of orange insurgents.
So Labor’s other ACT members, Andrew Leigh and Alicia Payne, should not be complacent as they bask in their big victories.
Independent Jessie Price at the Duffy Primary School polling booth. It’s not over yet, but she’s in front. Photo: Chris Johnson.
But it also shows a clear way forward for the Liberal Party in the ACT, if it needed any more advice, by returning to the centre and fielding strong candidates with workable policies prepared to work hard to win the trust of the electorate.
The resilience of the independent movement and the repudiation of the ‘Dutton way’ shows that voters are sick of culture and climate wars and politics as usual, and want solutions to the host of deep-seated issues confronting the nation.
Senator Pocock will return to the Senate strengthened, and he has made clear his priorities: climate, environment, integrity and housing, including negative gearing and capital gains tax reforms.
Not to mention securing more investment in the national capital.
On that note, Chief Minister Andrew Barr will be a relieved man that the Albanese Government will continue for a second term because many of the big projects in the Territory’s infrastructure pipeline rest on Commonwealth contributions, such as the Convention and Entertainment Precinct in the city, the new Canberra Aquatic Centre in Commonwealth Park and, of course, light rail.
Let’s not forget the new stadium at Bruce – something Senator Pocock and Mr Barr can join forces on, even if they differ on the location.
Mr Barr said that the Canberra economy would have faced a recession if the Liberals had won.
“The re-election of the Albanese Labor Government represents a significant opportunity for our two governments to continue working together to deliver for Canberra,” he said.
“The returned Albanese Government offers the ACT Labor Government a willing and constructive partner, one that recognises the importance of the nation’s capital and is committed to meeting the needs of our growing city.”
The Canberra Liberals will be hoping that their federal counterparts, whoever they are, will have to rebuild from the ruins and will also realise the importance of the national capital and the public service and will no longer indulge in such destructive anti-Canberra rhetoric, something the rest of the country ultimately rejected.
