This election, GetUp tripled its people power and defied national and state trends.
Nationally, a massive 9,433 volunteers put the issue of climate change front and centre, which came through consistently across exit polling and in on the ground conversations. Collectively, these everyday people made 712,039 calls to fellow voters, and knocked on 36,315 doors.
GetUp National Director Paul Oosting said the plan to remove the hard right’s divisive grip on power in this country was both ambitious and important.
“The election has shown the importance of connecting person to person on issues and values, in the face of scare campaigns waged by some,” he said.
“This is particularly true in Tony Abbott’s electorate of Warringah, where GetUp members knocked on more doors and made more calls than in any other seat.
GetUp’s campaign to unseat Tony Abbott – by the numbers
- Number of volunteers: 1,865
- Number of first time election volunteers: 1,114
- Number of volunteer hours: 5,954
- Number of phone calls: 157,592
- Number of doors knocked: 25,630
- Number of climate voting guides distributed at polling booths: 88,500
“Hundreds of GetUp volunteers fuelled a climate revolution in Warringah, ousting the man who has done the most to block action to protect our planet for future generations.
“The 12.7% swing away from Tony Abbott in Warringah showed a rejection of his climate-wrecking ways.
“GetUp volunteers connected with their neighbours with a genuine appeal to values and issues, and always with a smile at doorsteps and on polling booths.”
Meanwhile, Peter Dutton failed to recreate the statewide swing in his seat of Dickson – 2.5% compared to 4.2%.
“The hard work of so many GetUp volunteers ensured that Peter Dutton failed to benefit fully from the statewide trend.
“We had 1,556 people give their time to Ditch Dutton.These same people will be working hard to hold Peter Dutton and his colleagues to account in whatever form this new parliament takes.”
More than 37,000 everyday people crowdfunded GetUp’s election effort, with an average donation size of $24.
“The national election result is obviously disappointing as it shows fear campaigns have successfully divided us. But our members are telling us today that they’re proud of what they’ve achieved and ready and keen to change things for the better.”