Aston up for grabs

A growing number of people turning away from the major parties could have an impact on the Aston bi-election this Saturday. 

A new member for the Federal House of Representatives will be elected on the 1st of April to represent the division of Aston in the outer eastern suburbs of Victoria. This was prompted by the resignation of Liberal MP Alan Tudge in February. 

New Liberal candidate Roshena Campbell will be running against Labor’s Mary Doyle, the Greens’ Angelica Di Camillo, Owen Miller from FUSION: Science, Pirate, Secular, Climate Emergency and Independent Maya Tesa.

Recent poor results for the coalition in last years federal election and the recent New South Wales state election make this bi-election significant for the Liberal-National party which currently hold the seat at a 2.8 percent margin. 

A once safe Liberal seat is now under speculation as Mary Doyle managed a 7.3 percent swing against the liberals in 2022 with strong appeal to the working class. 41 percent of Aston residents are mortgage holders according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These individuals are directly affected by the interest rate rises and inflation at the forefront of a cost of living crisis. Saturday’s bi-election results will be a test on actions taken by the Albanese government so far. Policy’s like cheaper childcare from the 1st of July could encourage those struggling financially to vote labor. 

The Albanese government’s decision to back the 368 billion dollar nuclear submarine agreement with the UK and US has proven less popular with this demographic. 

“That’s 12 billion dollars a year of taxpayer money that isn't going toward tackling the real problems we are facing like the cost of living crisis,” Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo said. 

The 2022 federal election saw a 3.22 percent increase in first-party preference for the Greens in Aston and Di Camillo is hoping to increase the vote in the upcoming bi-election. Their plan to bring dental and mental health into Medicare aligns with the party’s core values which Di Camillo advocates “has the interest of the people at heart”. 

Few federal electoral divisions include entire local council areas like Knox in Aston. The ‘Save Lake Knox’ campaign promotes for the preservation of a naturalised wetland at the foothill of the Dandenong Ranges threatened by the state government’s proposal to develop property on site. The Save Lake Knox campaign has been supported by the Greens and various independents since this first proposal in 2018. Though a state issue, the campaign has created camaraderie amongst residents passionate about the environment who will be voting on Saturday. 

Patrick Marrinan is a resident of Aston. “Often minor parties with less power have better policies on wildlife and fauna protection because they don’t have business interests,” he said. 

The 2022 federal election saw a major increase in votes for Teal party independents alongside a significant move away from the major parties as the Greens doubled their numbers in the senate. Di Camillo sees this pattern only getting stronger.

“Like myself, many young people feel disenfranchised with politics as the same rhetoric is thrown around with not much change, but that doesn’t have to be the case anymore”. 

Saturday’s bi-election result will reflect Aston’s response to pressing issues like increased cost of living and the strength of this growing confidence in minor parties.