UP AND VANISH MEANING CRACK

That is despite the origins of the “Voices For” model as the lead-up to Cathy McGowan’s 2013 election to the Victorian federal rural seat of Indi, where the baton has since passed to fellow independent Helen Haines.Ī rural independent candidate who came close to toppling a Nationals-endorsed candidate was Rob Priestly in the seat of Nicholls, which borders Indi and is centred around the northern Victorian town of Shepparton. Independent MPs in rural areas have been far less numerous than the teal city independents who crowded into the crossbench after the 2022 election. The whole event made me wonder whether there might be a new movement happening that does not require one to hold office to have influence. Holt had to inform the voter that she was not the local representative. Her profile is such that someone walked up to her recently and told her how disappointed they were that she had not done more since being in government.

That soft power, whatever you want to call it, that ability to open those doors for the better of our community.” “So I was happy to use that to see if we can create change.

“The fact that we did so well has enabled me to have that opportunity and those doors open,” she said.

Holt told me afterwards that she had not stopped this sort of work, since the election, though she has yet to decide whether to run again. The Cecil Plains farm neighbours Littleproud’s seat of Maranoa, the safest federal conservative seat, held on 22% even after the Labor landslide. She named those who had sent apologies (Queensland agriculture minister Mark Furner and Warrego LNP state MP Ann Leahy) and those who had not responded (federal Nationals leader David Littleproud). She named the politicians who had showed interest (Condamine LNP state MP Pat Weir attended). Sign up to receive Guardian Australia’s fortnightly Rural Network email newsletterĪmong the invitations were politicians of all stripes. Hence the meeting on the black soil paddocks at the Cecil Plains west of Toowoomba. She has used the increased profile of her strong result at the polls to connect people and open doors. Since the election she has called herself a regional community advocate. Holt is a former social worker, but leans progressive in a conservative country kind of way. Hamilton is on the right of the party but on the morning after the surprising result he wrote in a statement to the local paper: “It is important now that my party acknowledges the result and sets about restoring our credibility as the home of sensible, centre-right policy. She worked with Cecil Plains farmer Liza Balmain, whose property is affected by the gas expansion.īack in 2022, Holt shocked everyone at the federal election by coming second, largely off the back of preferences, to the LNP member, Garth Hamilton, in a crowded field. The Darling Downs meeting was organised by Suzie Holt, a former independent candidate for the federal seat of Groom. It mimicked a similar event on the Liverpool Plains earlier this year, which saw teal independents invited up from Sydney to try to garner their support against Santos’ gas exploration project. Those farmers came to hear speakers ranging from independent ACT senator David Pocock to environmental lawyers, agricultural scientists and ecosystem specialists.

Two weeks ago, we covered a meeting of Darling Downs farmers who are fighting against coal seam gas expansion by Arrow Energy. And when you have lived somewhere for many decades, as I have, it can be hard to see how power could be exerted any differently.īut halfway through this 47th parliamentary term, I got a reminder that changes can be so subtle that it’s easy to miss them.

UP AND VANISH MEANING CRACK

Those power structures are hard to crack or subvert.

Up and vanish meaning