A new Party at Macca

Vote 1 for Lionel

For many expeditioners, one of the benefits of working on a remote, isolated island in the Southern Ocean is being free of the 24 hour news cycle which seems to dominate our lives at home.

In the lead up to the Federal election we were gratefully spared the onslaught of TV, radio and roadside political advertising and campaigning.

But on Election Day, as we lined up for the obligatory Democracy Sausage BBQ, a barrage of campaign material appeared, as a local political candidate attempted to win our last minute votes.

The (unauthorised) Save the Ham Shack Party with the number one candidate Lionel Whitehorn led a strong local campaign, with the key slogan “Only Lionel Can — Save the Ham Shack”.

As volunteer Returning Officers, Doug and Kerryn dutifully completed the task of issuing our ballot papers for the Australian Electoral Commission.

While we’re not privy to how the Macquarie Island residents cast their votes on the day, we’re confident that Lionel’s Save the Ham Shack campaign is sure to win some votes over the coming years.

A woman stands in an apron holding a pair of tongs with a sausage
Three people stand around a cage pallet holding paperwork
Two people stand in front of political campaign posters
three posters are taped to a door advertising the Save the Hamshack party
An orange post has political campaign posters taped to it
A woman in a purple jacket puts a ballot paper in the ballot box
a woman in a beanie puts a ballot paper into a ballot box
building on hill overlooking ocean
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