Queensland Greens

The "mood of the electorate" is hard to pin down.  As the average of a broad range of opinion, it doesn't really represent individuals, it's not easily captured by polls, and it's as much about feeling as thinking.  Nevertheless, it's a significant ingredient in every election - which is why the pundits try so hard to capture it.  With this Queensland election set to run for more than eight weeks, it's very likely to fluctuate considerably in response to people, issues and events.

In future blogs I'll tackle some of the key issues people want addressed. But because how peole feel  is so important, I'll start with my take on the mood of the electorate in Indooroopilly, based on talking with voters in several areas north and south of the river as the campaign gets underway:

• Appreciative of our relatively good social and economic position, despite setbacks and disasters both natural and man-made
• Uneasy about the future and unsure about the prospects for our children and young people
• Concerned about the imbalance between mining and gas and other sectors  - and their effects on farming and the environment
• Frustrated by congestion, car-dependence and anxious to retain a liveable community
• Tired of the Labor Government but unconvinced about the LNP
• Utterly sick of cheap politics, short-termism, hype, spin and political insincerity
• Hungry for more principled leadership with a long-term view

It would be quite wrong to claim that every conversation leads to a convert to the Greens, but a surprising number of voters I've spoken with, including many normally inclined towards the LNP, recognise that we have things in common - protecting what is of real value, and changing what is not.