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The Undecideds: Our panel can’t trust Morrison, but Albanese has yet to sway them

For some, a decision is becoming clear. For others, finding a political leader to commit to is becoming increasingly difficult.

For some, a decision is becoming clear. For others, finding a political leader to commit to is becoming increasingly difficult. Photo: TND

For Marcus Horne, the 2022 Federal election campaign has been the most interesting one he has seen in a long time. 

Even so, he still feels undecided. 

We’ve got a Prime Minister that people don’t like and don’t trust. And we’ve got an aspirant that people don’t know much about,” Mr Horne, 78, told The New Daily. 

Although there have been snippets of promise over the past couple of weeks, a lack of vision for the future of Australia is troubling Mr Horne. 

He, along with five other undecided voters from across Australia, have been sharing their thoughts with TND as the election draws closer.

And while some find themselves leaning towards one side, others just can’t commit yet. 

Here is what the Undecideds had to say this week. 

Ming Johanson

40, small business owner

Electorate: Swan (WA)

Voting history: Swing voter

Voting issues: Small businesses, cost of living, aged care

How are you feeling about your vote this week?

“I’m pretty solid on Labor at the moment. Greens just feel like a pipe dream that’s never going to get achieved because there are a lot of Australians who don’t think the same. I would love those things, but I don’t think it’s realistic or economically responsible. 

“Anything could still change, but Anthony Albanese had a conversation with Grace Tame and that engaged me a lot because I grew up in an environment where I was homeless when I was 17, and I grew up in an environment of domestic violence.

“So those two people interacting and the power of that message, and the fact that Albanese grew up with a single parent, he does genuinely know a lot of Australian voices that have never really been represented in our parliament.

“I think that would make some significant changes.”

Marcus Horne

78, retired

Electorate: Hunter (NSW)

Voting history: Liberal

Voting issues: Aged care, climate, employment, budget

How are you feeling about your vote this week?

“I think this has been the most interesting election we’ve had in a long time because we’ve got a Prime Minister that people don’t like and don’t trust. And we’ve got an aspirant that people don’t know much about.

“The campaign this week has made me all the more undecided and I think it’s having the same effect on a lot of people. From the people I talk to – the local butcher, the guy that delivers our groceries – people are undecided.

“There’s a lot of indecision and you’ve got the independents popping up and they’re adding a bit of confusion to the mix.

“There’s no vision there. No one is coming up with a big, broad picture of where we will put Australia in three, four or five years. A lot of people are tinkering at the edges and doing little things and trying to win votes that way, but there’s no big picture.

“I can’t see any great vision for Australia, unfortunately. And that’s depressing and that disappoints me.”

Matthew Gibson

39, plant inspector (oil and gas industry)

Electorate: Currumbin (QLD)

Voting issues: Integrity, younger generations

How are you feeling about your vote this week?

“I’m still not 100 per cent, but I think by Albanese going on Q&A last night [Thursday] – you’ve got to give it to him for actually turning up.

“I think he did OK in it actually, I think his appearance was pretty positive.

“The way he described the transition into this renewable phase, he seemed a bit more realistic about it rather than an abrupt transition. And I think, at least he wasn’t trying to just disguise how to get there. He was being quite honest about it and I think that’s needed, it’s a change. 

“I’d say Albanese’s appearance was a positive for Labor and him. What also reinforced not voting for the Liberals is the [Four Corners] documentary by the ABC. 

“The government giving out tenders to people that they know, I think, reinforces further the last nine years of this government pork-barrelling, using the tax-payers’ money.”

[According to the ABC, Hunt signed a glowing letter of commendation for Aspen Medical while it was in negotiations with his department for personal protective equipment deals worth $1.1 billion.

Aspen went on to secure the taxpayer-funded contracts without a public tender. It had no previous experience in a deal this big. 

ABC reports the healthcare company has had ties to the Liberals for more than a decade.]

Cathy Trussell

80, retired

Electorate: Light (SA)

Voting history: Liberal

Voting issues: Environment

Ms Trussell expressed over email that she is still undecided.

Daryl Hodson

55, farm maintenance supervisor

Electorate: Bendigo (VIC)

Voting history: Swing voter

Voting issues: Cost of living, younger generations, social and economic infrastructure particularly in regional areas, climate

How are you feeling about your vote this week?

“Reading your column last week, I think one person said, ‘I know who I’m not voting for and that’s the Liberal Party’. And I just find Scott Morrison hasn’t really delivered. I just find him untrustworthy. And the people that are around him – but then I worry about the Labor Party as well, I just don’t know how they would handle government. There are some good people, but they’ve also got some strange people as well.

“What has concerned me the most in the past week is the way they are both – as in Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese – the way they are handling the media. They’re really stage-managing, any media questioning is being kept controlled. 

“Anthony Albanese – a journalist is able to ask one question and he just bats it away. He doesn’t really provide an answer. And it’s the same for Scott Morrison. 

“I think a lot of the Australian public is really sick of that. We see through it and we’re just sick of it, you just don’t get a clear answer, or any answer for that matter. And they’re just so good at obfuscating or just trying to avoid the question. 

“That’s something I’ve noticed this week. It’s almost like the Labor Party just think they need to hold their own and not say too much, and they’re going to win the election.” 

David Watkins

75, teacher

Electorate: Fisher (QLD)

Voting history: Swing voter

Voting issues: A competent leader, COVID-19 management, defence, public housing, education

How are you feeling about your vote this week?

“What’s happened this week has cemented one concept in my mind. 

“I live in an area that has never, ever voted anything else in the House of Representatives but the LNP. It’s always been that way and it’s never been any different. 

“It’s not an issue of who’s going to get into the government because in my electorate everybody realises that the Liberals are going to get in. Where the discretion comes is in the Senate. And that’s where the battle is being fought here. 

“The thing is that nobody seems to be able to tell me exactly who is standing in the Senate in this area, in this Queensland state, and I’ve been trying to find out who it is. 

“I can’t tell who is standing and I would love it if I could find somewhere in print that these are the people who are standing in the Senate.”

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