Political journalist and Harden Murrumburrah resident Gabrielle Chan has just released her latest book, ‘Rusted Off’, in which she examines how Australian politics cross the lives of people living in a small community; in particular, our community.
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“I wrote this book because growing up in Sydney, the child of a white Anglo Saxon mother and a Singapore born Chinese father, I had no real reference point for rural Australia.” Ms Chan said.” Only what I had seen in movies like ‘Wake in Fright’. When I moved here in 1996, I found living in a country community was so different to what I had expected.”
“It was a time when Pauline Hanson had come to politics. Now, we are at a time of ‘Brexit’, Donald Trump has been elected President in the US. Rural and regional people are starting to flex their political muscles.”
Ms Chan noted an interesting fact taken from the 2016 Australian Government Census, that the further someone lives away from the GPO of any state, the more likely they are to vote for people other than those in major political parties, and wonders if it will now start to happen in the Lower House.
“I think that today, there is a real ‘lost in translation’ effect between what I am reporting on from the politicians, to what is being discussed in the main streets of rural and regional towns. There needs to be a meeting of minds between the country and city.” Ms Chan said.
“I want the politicians to know what people are talking about in our main street.”
The launch of ‘Rusted Off’ will be held on Thursday, August 30, at the Hard Rock Gym, commencing at 6 pm. There will be a limited number of books for sale on the night, the proceeds of which will be donated to ‘Zac’s Place’.