New Independent Group Launches in Bendigo, Set to Shake Up Local Politics

Bendigo community leaders have launched an independent "voices" group, aiming to increase local involvement in politics, but has ruled out fielding a candidate in the upcoming Victorian election.

Voices for Bendigo spokesperson Claire Flanagan-Smith described the group as a "community movement, really, for people who are frustrated or feeling disconnected from politics at the moment."

"There are lots of great people who are members of parties, but party politics doesn't always allow us to address the issues that are impacting local communities," she said.

Group Aims to Amplify Local Voices

Voice of Kooyong co-founder Sue Fricke, also a co-convenor of the Bendigo for Yes campaign at the 2023 Voice referendum, will represent the group. She emphasized that the group's goal is not to endorse any individual or party, but to allow the community to have their voices heard.

"This is not about endorsing any one person or party," she said. "This is absolutely about allowing the community to have their voices heard and for us to elevate those voices back to the people who claim to want to represent us in parliament."

Expert Insights on Independent Movements

Melbourne author Tim Dunlop, who has followed the rise of community independent movements across Australia, noted that the group's approach is consistent with other independent movements.

"It's important to remember this is how it's meant to work," he said. "It isn't about a preformed group coming in with an agenda and drawing support for it."

"It's about providing an infrastructure so that people in the community can come together and work out their own agenda," Mr. Dunlop added.

Potential Influence on the Election

Mr. Dunlop described the decision not to contest the election as "smart," but noted that the group can still influence the outcome.

"One of the issues with the whole community independent movement is that it really is a huge commitment in terms of getting organised and it does take time," he said.

"So if they can do that with enough balance, with enough people involved in it, they can certainly have an influence on sitting candidates," Mr. Dunlop said.

Upcoming Plans and Events

The Voices for Bendigo group plans to run an online community survey and hold its first community event in October. It will then take the concerns raised by locals at the event to candidates contesting the November 28 state election.