News
15 April, 2025
Minor parties jump in
Four new candidates join election race across Blair and Longman
w Marina Gomide
FOUR new candidates have joined the Federal Election run across Blair and Longman as nominations closed last week, with 16 candidates now vying across both seats.
Angela Lowery from the Animal Justice Party and Anthony Bull from the Libertarian Party were nominated last week, bringing the total number of Blair candidates to 10 ahead of pre-polling, which opened this week.
Other Blair candidates include sitting member Shayne Neumann (Labor), Carl Mutzelburg (LNP), Paul Toner (Greens), Edward McDonald (Trumpet of Patriots), Brendan Kross (One Nation), John Purdon (Family First), Kathryn Chadwick (People First), and Anthony Hopkins (Legalise Cannabis).
In Longman, Benjamin Wood from the Trumpet of Patriots and Peter McCasker from One Nation were the last to join the race alongside sitting member Terry Young (LNP) and candidates Rhiannyn Douglas (Labor), Gabrielle Unverzagt (Greens), and Malachi Brogden Hearne (Family First).
Over half of the candidates across both seats share conservative-leaning policies, including LNP, One Nation, Trumpet of Patriots, the Libertarian Party, People First Party, and Family First Party.
All six share similar policies regarding the economy, renewable energy, immigration, family values, first nation rights, and government roles.
Some examples include:
- Pursuing nuclear energy and reducing or stopping net-zero policies (all six parties);
- Raising the tax-free threshold (Libertarian and People First);
- Exiting international organisations, such as the World Health Organisation or UN Refugee Convention (Libertarians, Trumpet of Patriots, One Nation);
- Slowing, stopping or restricting immigration (all six parties);
- Stopping or restricting abortion laws (all six parties);
- Removing Welcome to Country practices (People First, Trumpet of Patriots);
- Increasing privatisation in various sectors of government and economy (all six parties);
- Making superannuation voluntary or allow it to be used for other purposes such as housing (Libertarians, People First, Trumpet of Patriots).
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation claims it’s a party that “stands for Australia and Australian values”.
“We defend our constitution and stand up against global agendas for the individual rights and fundamental freedoms of all Australians,” they state for their campaign.
The Family First Party said it exists to restore the primacy of family in public policy, as they claim this is the way to restore Australia.
“We will fight against the radical anti-family attitudes and policies of modern politics,” they said.
“Protecting families starts with upholding our Judeo-Christian ethic – the source of every Australian’s freedoms regardless of whether they are religious or not – from those with ancient ancestry to the newest immigrant.”
Gerrard Rennick’s People First Party is less than a year old, and was created after Senator Rennick split from the LNP to establish a party “dedicated to prioritising the needs of everyday Australians”.
“As a Senate candidate for People First, Senator Rennick is committed to restoring economic sovereignty, cutting wasteful spending, and putting Australians and their families first,” they say online.
Trumpet of Patriots, another recent party being formed out of a merger with the Federation Party, advocates for “Trump-like policies”, claiming to be “focused on democracy, individual freedoms, free speech, reducing government intrusion in our lives, breaking the duopoly, real choice and real liberty”.
Lastly, the Libertarian Party, regards government as the principal threat to values such as individual liberty, free markets and small government.
“The Party aims to restore to individuals the right to make their own choices and to accept responsibility for their consequences, on the basis that they make better decisions than government,” they name as their core principals.
The Federal Election will take place on May 3, with early voting beginning April 22 .
