‘Protest politics is on the rise in Australia. At the 2016 federal election, votes for minor parties hit their highest level since 1949. More than one in four Australians voted for someone other than the Liberals, Nationals, ALP or Greens in the Senate, and more than one in eight did likewise for the House of Representatives. First-preference Senate votes for minor parties leapt from 12% in 2004 to 26% in 2016.
‘The major parties are particularly on the nose in the regions. The further you drive from a capital city, the higher the minor party vote and the more it has risen.
‘What’s going on? A new Grattan Institute report finds that the minor party vote is mostly a protest against the major parties. It’s a vote for “anyone but them” in favour of a diverse group of parties, often headed by “brand name” personalities.
‘So why are Australian voters angry? And why are they particularly angry in the regions?
‘Falling trust in government explains much of the dissatisfaction. Since 2007, there has been a significant increase in the share of people who believe that politicians look after themselves and that government is run by a few big interests.’
- Rise in protest votes sounds warning bell for major parties »
- A crisis of trust: The rise of protest politics in Australia »
- Minor party support surge driven more by cultural anxiety than economics »
- Are the major parties on the nose and minors on the march? It’s not that simple »
- Xenophon’s flop should still be a warning for the major parties »
- Major parties warned on need to win back angry voters »
- Thinking small »
- It’s time for all good Australians to come to the aid of a new political party