Bass and Braddon in the balance as Tasmania’s north

Stanley, population 553, is in the federal electorate of Braddon. The Liberals hold the seat on a 4% margin. In the neighbouring electorate of Bass, also Liberal-held, the margin is even tighter. Bridget Archer won the seat in 2019 by just 600 votes.

In an environment of voter disaffection, independents and minor parties are certainly on the radar of local residents. Northern Tasmania is Lambie country. A number of people we speak to struggle to identify their local member, but everyone knows the independent senator, who is now running candidates in the lower house under the banner of the Jacqui Lambie Network.

Asked to nominate the big issues locally, voters across the two electorates identify rising consumer prices, a shortage of affordable housing and poor health services. Local businesses are also desperately short of staff.