Never has there been a better time for people to exert their power.
As we have seen, nervous politicians with a very tight margin seem to have a great deal of influence. They can even bring down Prime Ministers.
Whilst the Coalition won 76 seats, 12 of them were by a margin of less than 2% – three of those, less than 1%.
In the 11 seats where Labor was the runner-up (NXT in the other), the difference between the total 2PP vote was 23,527 (at time of writing).
Coalition seats with less than 2% margin include:
Banks
Capricornia
Chisholm
Dickson
Dunkley
Flynn
Forde
Gilmore
Grey
La Trobe
Petrie
Robertson
With about 720,000 informal votes cast, the results could easily have been very different.
It would only have taken a total 27,028 votes in the 12 electorates mentioned to have a Parliament made up of 80 Labor, 64 Coalition and 6 crossbench.
This government, because of their decision to hold a double dissolution, cannot go the full three years The far right might be feeling empowered but their influence can be kept in check.
Get vocal. Pester your local Coalition member with phone calls and emails. Let them know when you disapprove of what their party is doing in government and make suggestions. Sign petitions, join protests, share things on social media, talk to friends and family.
Keep them nervous so they actually work for the people who vote, rather than the lobby groups who dictate and the corporations that donate.
The power is ours and it is time to remind them of that.
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