Zoe Daniel edit
In early 2021, Voices of Goldstein formed, a community group similar to Voices of Warringah. Voices of Goldstein was backed by environmentalist and philanthropist David Rothfield, who had previously donated over $500,000 to various progressive political parties and groups, such as the Australian Greens and GetUp![1] In November 2021, former ABC News journalist Zoe Daniel announced her candidacy for the seat of Goldstein for the 2022 election, challenging incumbent Tim Wilson. Daniel was backed by Voices of Goldstein, former Liberal leader John Hewson, and former minister and member for Goldstein, Ian Macphee.[2] Daniel benefitted from the volunteer work of advertising executive Peter Court, who met with Daniel daily, along with other key campaigners, to discuss strategy and campaigning.[3]
During Daniel's campaign, she faced claims from Wilson that her election signs were unlawful due to City of Bayside, which comprises most of Goldstein's electors, rules that election signs could not be displayed for more than three months. Because the 2022 election was "not technically due until 3 September, signs put up before 3 June [were] unlawful."[4] Bayside initially sided with Daniel before backflipping, and insisting that Daniel take down her election signs. In March 2023, Supreme Court of Victoria Justice John Dixon ruled that the election signs were legal, because "displaying the signs for a period of less than three months does not contravene Bayside City Council rules despite the fact the election [was not] called."[4]
Daniel won Goldstein at the 2022 election, benefitting from Wilson's climate change scepticism, and Wilson's claim that Daniel, along with other teal independents, were fake independents backed by the Greens and Extinction Rebellion.[5] Daniel polled a primary vote of 34.5%, benefitting from Labor and Green preferences to take the seat with a two-party-preferred vote of 52.9%.[5][6]
Monique Ryan edit
In December 2021, paediatrician Monique Ryan, with the backing of community groups Voices of Kooyong and Kooyong Independents, announced her candidacy for the Division of Kooyong, held by Treasurer of Australia Josh Frydenberg, an ambitious politician whose name had been floated as a future Prime Minister.[7][8] Ryan, a political novice, said she her candidacy came after she responded to an advertisement placed in The Age by Kooyong Independents' Oliver Yates, who had ran at the 2019 election for Kooyong.[8] Voices of Kooyong had started as a local Facebook group, Kew 3101, which started talking about politics as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns. It formed Voices of Kooyong in March 2021, after a meeting at Camberwell Library.[9]
In May 2022, Ryan criticised Frydenberg, after he claimed at his campaign launch that Ryan's mother-in-law told him that she was voting for him. Although agreeing that her mother-in-law was a Liberal voter, Ryan said her mother-in-law "believes she was misquoted in what he said,"[10] and that Frydenberg, by publishing the conversation, "made fun of someone who hasn't bought into this."[10] Similar to Wilson, Frydenberg claimed that Ryan was a fake independent, stating that he thought Ryan was closely aligned with Labor and the Greens. Ryan stated that "[Frydenberg] never acknowledged my gender...He called me ‘they’, not ‘she’, I found that demeaning."[7]
Over the course of the campaign, Ryan received roughly $1.6 million in donations, of which $500,000 was from Climate 200. In comparison, the Liberals spent $2-3 million on Frydenberg's campaign, attempting to buy up all available advertising spaces, in an attempt to deprive Ryan of locations to advertise herself. The Liberal campaign was criticised for having "no message,"[7] and a focus on advertising Frydenberg personally, despite his existing fame.[7] Key campaigners for Ryan included former professor of politics at Melbourne University, Ann Capling, marketing expert Brent Hodgson, and army officer and son of former Premier of Victoria Ted Baillieu, Rob Balilieu. Ryan's campaign made use of extensive canvassing, visiting all 50,000 households in Kooyong.[9] They also used an extensive social media strategy, advertising on Twitter, Facebook and TikTok, attracting young voters and significantly out-performing Frydenberg on engagements, reach and impact, despite spending some less than Frydenberg.[11]
Ryan won Kooyong at the 2022 election, achieving a 40.3% primary vote, and a two-party-preferred vote of 52.9%.[12]
Refs edit
- ^ Harris, Rob (2021-11-17). "Greens, Get Up donor joins 'Voices of' push targeting MP Tim Wilson". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ Perkins, Miki (2021-11-25). "Former ABC reporter Zoe Daniel to fight Liberals on climate and integrity". The Age. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ Turner 2022, p. 86-87.
- ^ a b Karp, Paul (2022-03-22). "Independent Zoe Daniel wins court battle over election campaign signs". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ a b Dexter, Rachael; Millar, Royce (2022-05-21). "Tim Wilson loses Goldstein to the teal wave as Zoe Daniel goes to Canberra". The Age. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ Green, Antony. "Goldstein - Federal Electorate, Candidates, Results". abc.net.au. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ a b c d Sakkal, Paul (2022-05-28). "How a political novice took down Australia's treasurer". The Age. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ a b Brook, Stephen (2021-12-08). "'Like taking on Bambi': The children's doctor aiming to unseat the Treasurer". The Age. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ a b McCubbing, Gus (2022-05-24). "Inside the campaign that unseated Frydenberg". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ a b "Monique Ryan criticises Josh Frydenberg for bringing family into campaign after mother-in-law quip". ABC News. 2022-05-02. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ "How Monique Ryan rewrote history in Kooyong with an innovative social media strategy". www.rmit.edu.au. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ Green, Antony. "Kooyong - Federal Electorate, Candidates, Results". abc.net.au. Retrieved 2024-01-07.