“The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it.” The recently deceased USA satirist P.J. O’Rourke.

Federal politics is broken. It's all about personalities and power; nothing about policies. The government doesn't have any.

The opposition is so scarred from its loss in 2019 (erroneously blamed on its policies) that the agenda this time is low and slow. Is there any hope? Step forward the ‘Ten Femmes’ - the women independents who are about to transform our federal politics. Something to celebrate this International Women's Day (IWD).

Many ToT columns are concerned with politics, policy and design – I maintain that making a political policy is a design act. I’ve argued for better policies on design issues such as social housing, and better housing through taxation. The latter, last week’s column, elicited the greatest number of comments, mostly channelling Darryl Kerrigan: “Tell him he’s dreaming”. But am I?

Australia has long struggled with progressive ideas. Julianne Schultz, one of our best writers and intellectuals, has used the metaphor of the ‘Covid X-Ray’ to detail out the history of missed opportunities and failures in her new book, ‘The idea of Australia – a search for the soul of a nation’ published last week. She lists a series of opportunities to create a great country, that we've mostly squibbed. Much of it by insular, pompous white male politicians.

Nevertheless, the book ends with some hope. Which I believe is justified right now, as an end to the power plays of two-party politics is coming very soon - at the hands of a slew of ‘independent’ women candidates standing against conservatives, almost all men. Let’s call them the ‘Ten Femmes’. And the thing that unites them is a desire to change polices, on climate change, probity and inequality.

I’ve argued that a good politician should have three things: personality, political nous, and policies. Current politics (at all levels) is overrun by the first two. The only way through the LNP or Labor party ranks is by force: power not practice; ideology not ideas. But the electorate has seemingly had enough, particularly of the right wingers. Ten years of climate wars and unchecked rorts and corruption has seen to that.

The failure to address the big issues is driving a backlash, a need for policies. Which is where the ‘Ten Femmes’ come in. They don't have a joint policy platform, but all list the need for climate action, a federal anti-corruption body and an address to our inequality. We already have three in the Reps: Zali Steggall in Warringah NSW, Helen Haines in Indi Vic and Rebekha Sharkie in Mayo SA, and the remarkable Jackie Lambie in the Senate.

Candidates standing, the seat they are contesting, (and the sitting member), include:

  • Linda Seymour in Hughes NSW (Craig Kelley)
  • Penny Ackery in Hume NSW (Angus Taylor)
  • Sophie Scamps in Mackellar NSW (Jason Falinski)
  • Kylea Tink in North Sydney NSW (Trent Zimmerman)
  • Pennie Scott in Riverina (Michael McCormack)
  • Allegra Spender in Wentworth (Dave Sharma)
  • Zoe Daniel in Goldstein Vic (Tim Wilson)
  • Monique Ryan in Kooyong Vic (Josh Frydenberg)
  • Kate Chaney in Curtin (Celia Hammond)
  • Suzie Holt in Groom Qld (Garth Hamilton)
  • Jo Dyer in Boothby SA (LNP retired)

A dozen are standing; not all will be elected. My amateur psephology suggests that there will be at least seven elected to make a total of ten in the Reps. Many have the backing of Climate 200 developed by Simon Holmes à Court, which the far right is trying to paint as a ‘shadow Labor / Greens’ stalking horse, without declaring the huge donations the LNP gets from fossil fools, and their dependence on One Nation and Clive Palmer preferences. Their big fear is that they will steal seats from the moderate wing of the LNP (if there is such a thing) and hold the balance of power, but that is unlikely.

The more seats the independents win from the LNP, the more likely it is that Labor will win outright at the election in May. A somewhat hollow victory as Labor under Albanese is policy-lite. Not that there aren’t many Labor politicians with an understanding of good policy: Tanya Plibersek, Kristina Keneally, Penny Wong, Clare O’Neil, Deborah O’Neill, Katy Gallagher, Malandirri McCarthy, Kimberley Kitching, and more. More than enough to offset the blundering Shorten and Bowen.

The independents will come with bold policies, such as Helen Haines excellent draft for anti-corruption commission. They will advocate for better climate change policies. Many in the Labor party will welcome these initiatives with open arms. The Labor positions, long hidden under a bushel, will sprout forward with greater support. Recent research in the UK shows that companies with female leaders outperform those dominated by men.

The independents won’t hold the balance of power, but rather the balance of policy.

Amongst them hopefully there will be a housing policy (not just social housing) to address inequality. And a serious consideration Defence spending – trading war machines and subs for equipment that would be useful in flood and fire (next week’s column).

My IWD wish is for the ‘Ten Femmes’ to be fatal to the old politics, introducing new ideas and new policies.

Tone Wheeler is principal architect at Environa Studio, Adjunct Professor at UNSW and is President of the Australian Architecture Association. The views expressed here are solely those of the author and are not held or endorsed by A+D, the AAA or UNSW. Tone does not read Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Linked In. Sanity is preserved by reading and replying only to comments addressed to [email protected].