The Labor Party is hoping to mobilise the remote vote in the Northern Territory in a bid to save a key marginal seat in the upcoming 2022 Federal election.
Lingiari, the nation's largest electorate, spans more than a million square kilometres from crystal blue ocean to parched red desert, covering almost the entire territory bar Darwin and parts of Palmerston.
The seat has the country’s lowest voter turnout. Community forums are being held to find out why.
“Unless we engage young people in a real and honest way we’re just going to be talking about the same thing for years, and that’s low voter turnout,” said the Labor candidate for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour.
Ms Scrymgour, who kicked off her campaign in the community of Yirrkala, 700 kilometres east of Darwin, is hoping to replace long-serving Labor member Warren Snowdon following his decision to retire.
Marion Scrymgour on the campaign trail. Source: Supplied: Aneeta Bhole
Lingiari has been dominated by the Labor stalwart since the electorate's creation in 2001.
Mr Snowdown relied heavily on the remote vote, and retained the seat with a 5.5 per cent margin in the 2019 federal election.
“It’s tough following in his footsteps, but I’ve been trying to get around the region,” said Ms Scrymgour.
“Also, the issue of a woman trying to stand in this seat has been raised, but I’ve never let that daunt me before.”
While independents and minor parties will contest the seat, the main battle is between Ms Scrymgour and the Country Liberal Party's Damien Ryan.
Coastline at Yirrkala, where Ms Scrymgour kicked off her campaign. Lingiari, which also encompasses the Red Centre, is the country's largest electorate by size. Source: Supplied: Aneeta Bhole
Mr Ryan has been travelling to remote communities across the electorate since last year. From a truck stop near Adelaide River Mr Ryan told SBS World News that he's been using the time to encourage more constituents to the ballot box.
"I've been on the road since the first of September, effectively, last year," said Mr Ryan.
"When you talk about enrolment I've carried enrolment forms with me all along and encouraged people to enrol.
"But what I'm learning on the ground is that people want to see their representatives more regularly. If you make the miles to meet with people, they become more interested."
16,000 First Nations voters missing
Thomas Mayor is a Torres Strait Islander man born on Larrakia country in Darwin. He joined Ms Scrymgour as a speaker at the 'Make your vote count' forums
He said the location of voting centres and a lack of postal services are just two of the reasons for low voter turnout.
“It’s difficult for us to even reach the polling booths because of the short time they spend in our communities,” said Mr Mayor.
“People can be doing things on Country on the day.
Mr Mayor (second from right) says disillusionment with the system is contributing to low voter turnout. Source: Supplied: Aneeta Bhole
"There’s also a fair amount of disillusionment with the system.”
According to the latest data from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) 85.6 per cent of eligible voters are enrolled in the Northern Territory.
But data from August last year found only 36,696 First Nations people in the region had enrolled to vote.
That makes up 69.6 per cent of eligible Indigenous voters in the Territory, with more than 16 thousand First Nations voters missing from the roll.
Planes, boats, 4WDs
Remote polling teams will set up voting centres in communities like Yirrkala two weeks out from election day.
More than 40 voting teams will operate across the country, mostly here in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
They’ll visit 400 communities nationwide, using planes, boats, and four-wheel-drives.
Voters who have enrolled are keen to make a difference and have their voices heard.
Yirrmal Marika lives in Nhulunbuy and said that he hopes his vote will see the paradise he lives in protected by politicians voted into parliament this election.
“A national election is something that can help our community," he said.
"[We need] someone who can listen to the communities and say what these people want and need and make those changes."
Mr Marika believes politics can be a force for change, if voters engage with the process. Source: Supplied: Aneeta Bhole
Donald Yilipawuy Ganambarr said he’s ready to vote and has been encouraging others to do so as well, to create a platform for change for all Australians.
“I’d like to hear Aboriginal people in parliament," he said.
"This is our land anyway,” he said.
