Independent candidate for Bean, Jessie Price, outside the pre-polling centre in Tuggeranong. Photo: Region.
Is the federal electorate of Bean really in contention this election? You betcha!
Labor’s David Smith might hold the seat with a comfortable margin of 12.9 per cent, but there’s a definite swing in play towards independent Jessie Price.
It’s a big ask for the independent, but there is a growing groundswell of support that has continued to build since she declared her intention to run late last year.
A visit by this reporter to Tuggeranong’s pre-polling centre on Tuesday (29 April) revealed a very long line of early voters eager to have their say before this coming Saturday.
A chat with some of them also revealed a good portion willing to share who they were voting for.
“The independent” and “I’m voting for Jessie” were offered as much (if not more) than those saying “Labor”.
And while chatting on the kerbside with the independent herself, passersby were regularly interrupting to wish her well and to let her know they’d just voted for her.
“It’s been incredibly positive,” Ms Price told Region.
“The number of people who have come out and said ‘good luck, I’ve just voted for you’ has just been lovely.
“I think people really are thirsty for change.
“The polls are still saying we could have a minority government, and obviously, we’ve seen that independents on the crossbench in the House of Representatives in this last term have had an impact.
“An independent here in Bean would just make that voice stronger.”
Ms Price has been accompanied throughout the campaign by a sea of orange t-shirt-wearing volunteers.
She calls it a “full team effort”, but it looks every bit like a movement with a cause.
“It’s so encouraging. I feel so proud and so grateful and so humbled to be part of it,” she says.
“It just shows that people want real representation.
“What I’ve been surprised by is the major parties’ sense of entitlement to politics. But actually, people are very switched on and they want real representation on the issues that matter to them.
“An example of that is the gambling ad bans. People universally want that passed.
“Another one is housing policy, and we’ve seen both major parties put up policies that will make housing more accessible, but that will continue to drive up prices, so it does not make housing more affordable.
“What I’m hearing out and about from a lot of older people, who are personally in a comfortable position, is so much care and compassion for our younger generations.
“It’s been really moving. People want us to look at tax reform in the housing space, and neither of the major parties will bring that up.
“That’s where independents come in because we’re so connected to the community.”
Cost of living, helping ease the burdens on small business, tax reform on housing and tax reform as a whole are her priorities – plus making sure the public service is respected.
“They do really important and fundamental work that keeps our nation humming,” Ms Price says.
“But what I’d love Mr Dutton to understand is that we are an integrated community here in the ACT and you can’t decimate one part of us just for ideology and messaging in other parts of Australia without it hurting all of us.”
If elected, Ms Price says she would be a firm negotiator with whichever side of politics forms government.
“I would have been elected as an independent, and I really value that model of politics that stays connected with the community,” she says.
“I’m talking to people here in the polling line and saying, after the election, hold me to account – come see me.
“I really do have a strong sense of standing up for people and of advocacy. We should be able to strive and deal straight.
“And it’s absolutely a ‘stand up and be heard’ role.”
