Hinch hopes electorate will ‘be decisive’ and deliver majority government

By Max Stainkamph

May 11, 2022

Poll wish: Derryn Hinch's Justice Party's Derryn Hinch and state Member for Northern Victoria Tania Maxwell earlier this year. Photo by David Rak and Wayne Herring

Senate candidate and former broadcaster Derryn Hinch has urged Australians to “be decisive” at the ballot box and avoid a hung parliament, but wants a healthy Senate crossbench.

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He said the hung parliament in which Julia Gillard formed government following the 2010 Federal Election “wasn’t that great”, and wanted people to make a call one way or another on one of the major parties in the lower house.

“Whether it's Labor or Liberal, be decisive,” Mr Hinch said.

Mr Hinch has been on the campaign trail for months, and at the beginning of the race didn’t give independents a chance, but has since seen a groundswell of support for them.

“You're up against the system that is aimed towards a major party, so minor parties and independents are rarely ever good shots at getting in,” he said.

“On the road I've discovered (people) talking about a pox on both your houses for the major parties.

“You've got people who are not just disappointed, but angry at the major parties.

“So I think now some of the independents and some of the Teal groups could get up.”

However, he said the Senate, traditionally seen as a house of review, should have a strong crossbench — “the healthier the better”.

He said he was angered by independent crossbenchers in Victoria, where Mr Hinch’s Justice Party has two upper house MPs, who had fallen in line with the government.

“They all line up with the government, as it is as if their vote is expected by the government,” he said.

“I had to laugh once (the Reason Party’s) Fiona Patten has been saying for several years she was independent and then when Labor preference me ahead of her party, she's gone mad and said ‘after all I've done for you’.”