4 May 2021

Campaign to oust Angus Taylor gains momentum

| Hannah Sparks
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Vote Angus Out campaigners

Hume electorate voters are campaigning to oust MP Angus Taylor. Photo: Alex Murphy.

The successful campaign to remove former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott from his Warringah seat during the 2019 Federal Election is being replicated in other electorates.

A 30-year-old pilot from Thirlmere in the Hume electorate’s north-eastern corner – who has avoided politics until now – is behind the grassroots independent movement to oust his Liberal member and the Minister for Energy, Angus Taylor.

Alex Murphy followed the Vote Tony Out campaign and wondered why there wasn’t similar action to remove Mr Taylor.

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He set about canvassing local voters in 2020 through the Voices of Hume group. He found others were unhappy with the MP’s energy, climate and emissions reduction policies and involvement in the GrassGate, WaterGate and Clover Moore controversies.

Within three months, the campaign has attracted 350 subscribers and gained momentum by selling T-shirts, face masks and tote bags through social media, emails and meetings.

Its first meeting in Wollondilly on 17 April attracted between 50 and 60 people. The next Vote Angus Out meeting is scheduled for 30 May in Goulburn.

Alex Murphy

Alex Murphy, a 30-year-old pilot from Thirlmere, is behind the Vote Angus Out campaign. Photo: Alex Murphy.

Vote Angus Out campaigners are mostly farmers and retirees who disapprove of many of the MP’s decisions, including his support for fracking on farmland and lack of support for the dairy industry, increasing the age pension and encouraging Australian-based industry.

“He’s there to represent the gas and oil industries first and foremost,” Mr Murphy said.

Mr Murphy believes there is more support for Mr Taylor’s removal, assuming retirees only represent the campaign’s demographic because they have more time on their hands.

He also bases subscriber numbers on social media follows and email opens. However, if retirees are the true campaign demographic, there would be many who don’t use social media or email.

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“People are getting sick of the same old things happening, and a lot of retirees see it as a way to leave something for their children and grandchildren,” Mr Murphy said.

Mr Murphy said he’s confident Mr Taylor will be gone by the next federal election and is seeking advice from Vote Tony Out campaigners.

“It makes our job a lot easier to have a politician who is so easily targeted. His inaction on climate change and emissions reduction, and the fact he’s been implicated in a number of scandals, make him an easy target,” he said.

Mr Taylor was also recently voted the most incompetent cabinet member in the Morrison Government in a poll conducted by The Australian Financial Review.

On the other hand, Mr Murphy recognises that the Hume electorate is a safe Liberal seat.

Angus Taylor

Angus Taylor was recently voted the most incompetent cabinet member in the Morrison Government. Photo: Region Media.

“It will be a challenge to convince people not to vote for him, but at the same time, it’s certainly going to be a lot easier for us to convince people not to vote for Angus than not to vote for a lot of other politicians,” he said.

That’s why the Vote Angus Out campaign is also focusing its efforts on finding a strong independent candidate.

“The problem is, a lot of the big parties are just as bad at taking large donations from fossil fuel companies. We really want to put forward someone who isn’t going to be beholden to those big donors,” Mr Murphy said.

Similar campaigns are also on the hunt for independents to challenge the Liberal member for North Sydney, Trent Zimmerman, and the Liberal member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher. Both seats neighbour Tony Abbott’s former seat of Warringah.

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Capital Retro1:49 pm 05 May 21

No mention of a sausage sizzle at the meeting. How un-Australian is that?

Capital Retro12:43 pm 05 May 21

“Yes!! Hope there’s a campaign to get rid of laming too”

Don’t know what that has to do with this thread as laming usually happens when animals are mistreated and for what it’s worth, I’ll support that too..

Yeah right – just like the grass roots campaigns to oust Peter Dutton & George Christiansen at the last election.

First step is find a high quality alternative candidate. If you don’t do that first its a waste of time.

Instead being negative about the current member, put forward an alternative policy suite, one that makes sense to the majority of voters. At this stage it’s just 50-60 grassroots wingers, wearing matching teeshirts.

Campaign gains momentum?

With 350 subscribers and 50 people showing up at an event?

Really?

Glad to be proved wrong, but I’d say fat chance in Hume. Better off removing his influence and maybe desire to stay in parliament by concentrating progressive resources on winnable marginals. Zimmerman is a moderate (by LNP standards) and Abbott was a special (and eminently deserving) case.

HiddenDragon7:32 pm 04 May 21

“Similar campaigns are also on the hunt for independents to challenge the Liberal member ……… for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher.”

Christine Holgate? – but she probably has much better things to do.

I must have missed previous articles about the momentum against Taylor..and the “unhappy with the MP’s energy, climate and emissions reduction policies “.
What would help are the numbers of “Vote Angus Out campaigners are mostly farmers and retirees ” at these meetings.

I mean things about a Polly usually starts as a call , then ‘there’s’ a push ‘ then ‘a gathering push ‘, then possibly a
‘and /or’ momentum.

Shall watch the progress of Mr Murphy with interest.

Just as an aside the good people of Hume
( and here in the ACT ) are enjoying a warm home due to what belts out of our power points, and at 6.50pm this evening thats made up of the following

Coal .. 7.010 MW
Hydro .. 1,351 MW
Gas .. 895 MW
Wind .. 262
Solar .. 0

Capital Retro9:04 am 05 May 21

Oh, the sophistry of how we only get 100% renewables is truly amazing.

Capital Retro,
Not really. It’s perfectly explained in multiple areas for those people who are able to read past a headline.

And the same thing happens for those often spuiking things like “SA got all it’s power from wind for one hour”.

Realism and factual information is important. To any one with a semblance of interest in the area, the transition away from fossil fuels has already begun. The economics have now shifted to make it so.

The only thing sensible people are debating is how long it will take. 10 years? 20? 30?

Capital Retro6:28 pm 05 May 21

The only thing factual is that we can’t survive without coal power.

Debating how long it will take to totally exit reliance fossil fuels is just a side-show (for sensible people).

Capital Retro,
Thanks for freely admitting your religious fervour for Coal.

Sensible people change their opinions when the evidence changes.

Which is why technology agnostic people understand that Coal is dead, despite your worship.

Capital Retro5:40 pm 04 May 21

“…… by selling T-shirts, face masks and tote bags……….”

I guess all these items are made in progressive China which is a giant “fossil fuel company”.

Why don’t you start a campaign to vote China out too?

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