Canberra is a brand new zoo: so know who’s who

This article was first published by Pro Bono Australia on 26 May 2022.

A few days on from the federal election and the grease is quietly congealing on school barbies across the country once more. It’s not so quiet everywhere else though – 21 May saw a result that not many were expecting, and the political world is buzzing with who’s in and who’s out. For campaigners at small NGOs, perpetually short on time and juggling 100 balls at once, it’s a daunting vista – who are all these people? 

With a new government now in play, and dozens of fresh faces popping up in Canberra, each with their own values, aspirations, interests, and experiences, it’s a huge amount of work assessing the landscape, and understanding all the variables. At least 19 seats have changed hands in the lower house, with several still up for grabs (at the time of writing). In the upper house, eight seats are expected to be picked up with three still in doubt. Add to that the seats of retiring MPs retained by their respective parties and we’re looking at anywhere up to 50 new members and senators joining the 47th parliament.  

It can feel impossible to know where to start – but with the right strategy you’ll be making inroads in no time… continue reading.