What Political Parties Have to Learn About Being Approachable

Yesterday I went to a local market. The streets were closed off and the market sprawled for the length of the town, taking in a side street as well. I am a regular and love this country town market, bustling with locals and tourists.

The thing is, yesterday there was a newcomer to the market. This newcomer was not there to sell their vegetables or bric a brac but rather to get something from us. Our vote.

Great idea, get amongst the people and be present … but how approachable was this newcomer?  As a woman of a certain age, I was a little daunted by a group of young under-30s and from my observation straight white men. No I’m not channeling my inner Sam Kerr or am I?

My point is this group did not meet my demographic, there was no representation or diversity, heck there were no women at all.

If I had been brave enough or more to the point had the energy to go have a chat, would they even understand the complexity of my intersectionality in their community?

I am a disabled woman living in Tasmania. What does that even mean? What does it mean to be a mother, or grandmother?

I’m sure these young people could draw on their experience of being a grandson or having their second cousin’s young child born disabled but that’s not real experience is it!

Surely there are party guidelines on how to do engagement the right way. Where were their women folk? Surely this party has women. Where where was their diversity?

All I’m saying is they missed an opportunity, they might have wrangled a preference vote out of me but my disconnect from them now means I will guard my presences more carefully.

And then I ruminate, have all politicans lost the plot when it comes to understanding what our community looks like?

Tammy Milne is a deaf interpreter, a community activist in various fields and a person living with Arthrogrophosis Multipex Congenita.