Regional Economic and Social Conditions: Perception and Reality in Rural New South Wales and Queensland

Something is rotten in rural Australia. In the late 1990's it witnessed several electoral revolts by a disaffected rural electorate - the politics of desperation. In the Queensland State election, held in July 1998, the right wing populist One Nation Party came from nowhere to elect 11 out of 89 members of State Parliament, with 22.68% of the primary vote, second behind the Australian Labor Party who now form the government. In October 1998's Federal Poll, One Nation obtained 8.43% of the primary vote nationally, and, as Table 1 shows, the party did particularly well in NSW and Queensland rural districts. It also elected one Queensland Senator. Finally, in March 1999 NSW State election, One Nation held its vote but only received one Legislative Council seat. The main interest in this election was the slump in support for the National (formerly Country) Party, and the election of several populist independent members of parliament in formerly safe National seats. What, then, is the cause of the electoral disaster confronting the National Party, the customary representatives of rural interests? This chapter examines the issue from several competing perspectives.