The result of the Farrer by-election shows a massive swing that must be understood as a protest vote
It wasn't a popular candidate, but a representative of a party in tune with disenfranchised voters.
Water is the big issue in Farrer and the major parties are all blamed for the impacts from buying water out of the catchment.
One
thing that isn't being acknowledged is the dissatisfaction from Covid
responses, which I think has solidified as a form of opposition --
because on the surface the mess of ideologies doesn't make any sense.
Another
aspect is growing unpopularity of Labor in NSW and my guess is that the
party didn't run a candidate because they knew it would attract all of
the criticism toward the Minns government, particularly in response to
gun legislation.
The decline in informal voting is interesting and I think shows the number of disgruntled voters has increased.
A key issue in the Riverina is the desire for changes to how water is managed in our country.
The
NSW agencies badly treating a wetland has been in the news and it's
worth remembering that the management of these resources was the trigger
for the creation of the Murray-Darling management plan.
This region, the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, delivers a significant contribution to the state's GDP and, if you look into some of the ABC's remarkable investigations on Four Corners, there are surprising examples of how investments in industrial agriculture here should be gaining more scrutiny.
For a local it is significant to see the
local independent candidate reflecting the longtime aim of the
independent state member, Helen Dalton, to see a royal commission into
the water market.
You might remember that she was courted by One Nation for this election.
It seems surprising to me that you don't need to look far to start connecting dots, given how some of the same names that have been discoloured in the rort of privatising water were out campaigning in this region.
If you're a student of history then you know the Riverina has been exploited by politicians for literally centuries and it takes a royal commission for the facts to be brought to light and justice to be served.
After FriendlyJordies' attempt at connecting the dots in the region, I guess I can understand why some journalists might hesitate but I wish more would look further into this area!
