Looking For Somewhere to Park My Vote - May 2026

I’ve been politically interested for all of my adult life. I became more politically active around 20 years ago, taking more notice of the Canberra circus. More recently I've been attending local meetings, and conferences such as CPAC and ARC. I’ve enjoyed robust and challenging conversations with new friends that I have met through these events.

Since 2007 I have handed out How to Vote Cards at every state and federal election, and at each election I have supported different candidates.

I am not a member of any political party. When an election comes around, I have looked at the candidates and made a decision on who to support based upon their policies, values, and principles.

For several years now I have been looking for somewhere to park my vote, a party that I can support and hopefully have an input of some description. I live and work in the NSW wheat belt, and I am conservative politically and socially. Once upon a time that would automatically mean that I would support the Nationals or Liberal Party. But I have not supported either of those parties since 2007, when it became obvious to me that they were losing their way, that they were abandoning their own stated beliefs, and held no vision for the future of Australia.

I suspect that there are many other people who are also looking for that spot to rest their precious vote. The rise of One Nation as a true contender reflects the idea that people do not trust, support, or even like the established major parties any longer. I’ve written several articles about the failings of the Liberal-Nationals coalition elsewhere on my blog, so I will not expand upon that here and now. However, I will say that they are typical of today’s politicians who are living and legislating “in the now”, with seemingly little thought about the near and distant future.

With the neighbouring Farrer by-election just a week away, once again I am considering my choices for future representatives in Canberra and Sydney. I’ve looked at the four major parties, I’ve looked at One Nation, the Libertarians, and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers (who really need a name change). None of them are “doing it for me”.

One Nation is definitely on the rise, polling nationally with numbers to challenge the major parties. It would be easy to board the One Nation train, but support of a candidate or party isn’t about picking a winning side. It’s not sport. It’s not just the now. It’s our future. Their plan is to dismantle or knock down the many things that need to be dismantled or knocked down. However I remain unconvinced that One Nation has a plan for what comes next.

I am, however, impressed with the People First Party, headed by former LNP federal senator Gerard Rennick.

Mr Rennick came to my attention during the Covid years. He displayed a great understanding of the consequences of the government’s actions and the illiberal and undemocratic response to Covid. Mr Rennick was one of only a few in Parliament House who was sympathetic to the impact of these government actions upon the individual and their communities. He constantly spoke out about the dangers and negative consequences of the government’s response and warned of the consequences. During the vaccination mandates, Mr Rennick was again one of only a few who stood by those who chose to decline the jab. He understood the plight of people who suffered social ostracism and the financial hardship of those who lost their jobs for the crime of making a personal medical decision contrary to government mandates.

Once reports of vaccine injuries started to come in, he was again one of only a couple of people in Canberra who had genuine sympathy for those individuals and the families of those who were injured or died as a result. Mr Rennick displayed a detailed understanding of the expected function and mechanics of the vaccine, and an incredible understanding of what may have gone wrong, and he raised concerns about vaccine injuries and adverse outcomes 

I’ll link the People First website at the end of this, but here are a few of the policies that I like (in brief)

Banking Overhaul:
A government-owned bank to return banking facilities to rural and regional communities.
An Infrastructure bank that issues government bonds to fund sovereign assets such as dams, power stations, roads, rail and ports. Importantly, interest payments and profits will stay in Australia rather than go offshore.
A government-owned insurance office to keep insurance companies in check.

Tax Reform:
Raising the tax free threshold from $18,200 to $40,000.
Income Splitting for families, reducing the tax burden especially when one income is significantly higher than the other, or when one parent stops working to have and raise children.
Abolish Payroll tax - the tax on employment that punishes enterprises for hiring people.
Closing offshore taxation loopholes, so that companies operating in Australia pay tax in Australia.

Family Policy:
Childcare subsidy payments go directly to parents. Parents can decide how best to care for their children whether it’s a nanny, a friend, grandparents, or even the parent.
Superannuation will be made voluntary. There's a raft of super reforms, but most importantly voluntary super will put more cash into the pockets of the individual, making home ownership more accessible and better chances of retiring mortgage-free. Check the website.

Infrastructure, Skills and Trades:
A return of the Military Apprenticeship Scheme, to build skills within our own population and minimise reliance on overseas skills to rebuild our infrastructure.
A push to build infrastructure, funded by Australians, built by Australians, and benefiting all Australians.

Other important ideas, such as streamlining the bureaucracy, eliminating duplication and competition between state and federal governments. 

But, the most significant difference that impresses me, is the return to democratic party branches. People First, despite being established less than two years ago, already has branches established throughout Australia. Branch meetings are where it all happens, with ideas, policy, direction and selection of candidates, all happening at the grassroots branch level. This information then goes up through the party structure, rather than top-down as the major parties appear to do.

Australia needs leaders of conviction and foresight. We need leaders who can gather all of the ideas, who can use the democratic process to sort the wheat from the chaff and prioritise. Leaders who can gather the Australian people around, explain the vision and the way forward. Leaders who are thinking five, fifteen, fifty years ahead, not just to the next election cycle. Leaders who understand and appreciate the foundations of our nation that were built with enterprise, foresight, hope and sacrifice. Leaders who will honour that sacrifice and put into place a real future for our nation that our previous generations would be proud of.

I truly think that the only party that is displaying that vision is Gerard Rennick’s People First.

See you at the polling booths.