“Good on ya for having a go, mate!”
It’s a sunny Easter Monday morning and the Greens candidate for the seat of Mackellar has set up his electoral signs on the beach promenade at Dee Why. The place is packed with young families, surfers and strollers, all keen for a taste of good ol’ Aussie coastal culture after months of relentless rain and overcast skies dumped on the joint by La Niña. Everyone seems just glad to be out, at last, even though you can’t find a car park for blocks.
Ethan Hrnjak, tall, softly spoken, is handing out flyers. He’s 18 and looks even younger in his posters. Like, maybe, 16?
“He’s underage. A kid. Not getting my vote,” a few mutter. But most shout encouragement as they walk by.
This is not Hrnjak’s first rodeo. Last year he stood for Northern Beaches Council in Narrabeen in a contest so close the result wasn’t declared for a fortnight. This time he’s doing the “tough yards” to get the numbers against high-profile candidates, Liberal Jason Falinski and independent Dr Sophie Scamps. A swing of 13.3% needed to unseat Falinski. But he figures every first preference vote brings funding for his next campaign.
A born-and-bred local, he’s determined to go around again, whether it be in a state or federal seat. He will have started university by then, aiming for a double degree in environmental law and management, so he’s already weighing up deferring his studies.
“I feel I have an obligation to stand up and give my generation a voice,” he says. “We’ve seen a decade of Coalition government. We’re disillusioned and left outside the political conversation.”
Hrnjak (the name is Croatian and he cheerfully says he could do with an extra vowel or two) is one of 10 candidates under 30 fielded by the Greens this election in the seats of Barton, Werriwa, Fowler, Cunningham, Greenway, Macarthur, Page and Sydney. (The youngest is HSC student Eli Davern, standing in the seat of Farrer, held by Sussan Ley, the environment minister, with just over half the primary vote.)
This morning most Dee Why sunbathers are pleased to meet Hrnjak: “They’ve never seen a candidate as young as me, so it makes them stop and listen.”
Like Sue, 63, who says: “When you have someone so young, people can say there’s no experience of life, but there’s also innovation, creativity, new thoughts and they challenge the way of thinking. It’s what we need.”
Her companion Vince, 49, agrees: “I don’t know why political parties haven’t cottoned on to the marketing fact that the young voice is a strong voice. Up here everyone votes Liberal no matter what. Injecting someone younger? It’s about bloody time! It’s good.”
Silvana and Jacqueline, both in their 40s, are juggling beach towels, tote bags and teens intent on their phone screens.
“Is Ethan that young one that interviews the politicians? He’s good,” says Jacqueline. (Turns out it’s Leo Puglisi on 6 News Australia they’ve been watching and the teen girls roll their eyes in exasperation.)
“We need new life. It’s just getting old,“ Jacqueline says. “Liberal and Labor are just going through the same old arguments.”
Silvana says: “Well, I want more young people to be involved so, yes, I like it. I’m sick of status quo, the old people and their stale ideas. Climate change for sure and we need to get serious rather than just more talk. Make a change, Ethan!”
But will they vote for him?
Everyone I speak to who takes a campaign leaflet says the same. If they like what they see, it’s possible. Like, Rudi, 35: “I don’t have any prejudice against the age. You can be young, older. It’s the thoughts they have.”
Steering Hrnjak along the promenade this morning is greybeard Chris Burns, a co-convenor of the local Greens outfit. He’s been around the block a few times.
“The amount of money the independents are spending here is eye-watering,” he says. “It’s annoying that they tell us we have no chance. In 2010 in Mackellar we got just under 18% of the vote.”
Hrnjak and Burns concede they have little hope in Mackellar this time, but are here to amplify the campaign of former NSW MLC David Shoebridge and his run for the Senate. He shares front billing on their leaflets.
They’re here for the bigger prize: a Greens majority in the Senate and a power-sharing deal with Labor in the event of a hung Parliament come May 22. That’s Greens leader Adam Bandt’s plan.
Fanciful? Hrnjak doesn’t think so. The job he’s got his eye on is future Australian minister of infrastructure, transport and regional development.
“I think I’d do a better job than Barnaby,” he says.
The kid’s got a point.
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