With the federal election looming, more voters than ever are questioning the legitimacy and usefulness of the two-party system. Labor and Liberal have dominated Australian politics for over a century, but in recent years, it’s becoming increasingly clear: the system isn’t working for the people. It’s working for corporations, lobbyists, and party donors. An exponentially growing number of voters, particularly in inner-city, regional, and climate-conscious electorates, are leaving major parties behind entirely.
In 2022, a record 10 independents were elected to the House of Representatives. According to projections from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) and media polling, this number is expected to grow in the next election, with polls showing less than 30 per cent of primary votes going to major parties. This a trend that has been building over the last 40 years in all elections — both state and federal. This shift isn’t just symbolic, it has real impact. While independents have traditionally had more sway in the upper house, their presence in the House of Representatives has forced minority governments to share power and honestly negotiate. It means legislation can’t just be rushed through to serve party interests or corporate backers and instead must reflect what the community actually wants. And that’s a game-changer.
Increasingly, the major parties are being exposed for putting profits ahead of people. The three major political focus points over the last few years — climate action and energy transition, the housing crisis, and healthcare — have not been adequately addressed by either major party’s policies due to corporate interests taking a front seat. Take the Labor government’s record on fossil fuels as an example. Despite promising climate leadership, they’ve approved over 30 new coal and gas projects since 2022. Meanwhile, Peter Dutton’s ambiguous main ticket for a nuclear power future appears to be a symbolic front for the Liberal party’s not-so ‘sustainable’ onshore gas led economy. This is especially cynical considering 82 per cent of Australians support phasing out coal and gas and rejecting the development of onshore invasive gas mining.
Additionally, both major parties have stalled on real reform on housing while big developers and landlords have been reaping the benefits. This culture of continued self-interested policy formulation has taken its toll on the Australian people, driving this seismic shift. Even minor parties, like the Greens, aren’t completely immune from criticism. While they position themselves as progressive, internal party dynamics and top-down control have at times silenced grassroots voices. Senator Lidia Thorpe departed from the Greens in 2023, citing her inability to fully represent the Blak Sovereign Movement from within the party. This is indicative of how even supposedly more progressive parties still require members to toe the party line. This can result in restrictions upon accurate representation of their constituents’ interests, that may fall outside of agreed upon party positions.
MPs are expected to follow the party line and advocate for corporate interests, even when it contradicts their electorate’s needs or their own principles. Straying from that line can mean losing preselection, funding, or future career prospects within the party. Russell Broadbent — a long-time Liberal backbencher who left the party in 2023 — claims his departure and lack of progression in the party was resultant of “not toeing the party line” and “a tendency to challenge party policies” that he did not align with, such as offshore processing of asylum seekers. It seems that standing with notions of justice and fairness worked against him in the party system.
This makes genuine representation incredibly difficult, and in a current crisis-laden era, people are noticing that their voices are not being heard and votes for major parties are ‘at an all time low’ according to Sarah Cameron, a senior lecturer at Griffith Business School. This unwillingness to compromise on moral principle and true representation has been the major reason for multiple MPs leaving their respective parties to join the crossbench, including previous Fatima Payman, Jacqui Lambie, Andrew Gee, and Bob Katter. Independent MPs and minor parties offer a more ethical alternative that is often community-backed and funded. The success of the Teal independents in 2022, and other grassroots campaigning independents, such as Dai Le and David Pocock, in both Liberal and Labor stronghold seats, proves that voters from all ends of the political spectrum are fed up with being ignored.
Unlike the US, Australia has a preferential voting system, where voters aren’t locked into binary choices. You can vote for who your values align with knowing your preferences will still count. This is especially important for young and first-time voters to know as they are often told ‘to vote strategically’ for one of the major parties. But the truth is, when more people vote for what they truly support it creates tangible change.
So, is the party over?
Not quite, but now that independents are gaining traction in the lower house perhaps we are at the stage where it’s finally clear to see the mess that’s been made. If young voters keep showing up, questioning power, and voting for real representation we’re the ones who’ll decide what comes next.
