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Sunday 8 September 2013

2013 Federal Election wrap-up

Thanks god it's over...
After so many months of comment and conjecture, I think the country as a whole gave a collective sigh of relief.  If not for the outcome, at least for the end to the 24/7 discussion about politics and more precisely politicians. I travelled up north to cover the seat of Lyons where ultimately Dick Adams lost his 20 year strong hold to new Liberal candidate Eric Hutchinson.



 It was a crazy day with many many photos taken, some for online some for the paper, and some that ended the day on the cutting room floor, so I thought that I'd revive them from their early grave and show a selection here.
 Well, I'd better start with my lovely wife, Donna, who got wrangled in at the last moment when I realised it would be the first time ever that she'd vote! Coming from Canada where voting is voluntary and only becoming Australian 2 years ago this was her first opportunity to pencil her little number in the little boxes. A feat worth celebrating! I caught up with her on the way out of town at the Friends School polling station.

8am- We kicked through Bridgewater briefly stopping by a free sausage sizzle and photographing Eric and Dick for the first of many times in one day before travelling about 30km north to the small town of Bagdad to find the charming Jasangel Elliott who was working as a polling officer in full Indian celebration dress at the polling station. She was extremely happy to jump in a quick shot .

11am- We then moved x-country to New Norfolk to catch up with Greens candidate Pip Brinklow (pictured in red). It was great to have a chat to someone that I really knew very little about. Pip was really warm and genuine. So I hope that she stays around to contest the seat again in 3 years.


The Longford Memorial Hall. Beautiful light and residents rushed in the final hours of voting.
1 pm- Then in was back to home base to drop gun Lyons journo Duncan Abey back into the office and file some images quickly for web before jumping back in the car and travelling North to shoot the rest of the day on the other side of Lyons. If you can't see it from the map below Lyons is easily to biggest electorate in Tasmanian and almost certainly the most diverse, running from Port Sorell in the north, St Helens in the east through the Midlands and down to Sorell and Port Arthur in the south.


3pm- It was a mad rush up the Midlands Highway with a lightening (obligatory) stop at Zeps for a take-away pick me up, before heading straight to Longford to get pics of Dick Adams voting in his home town. Meeting fellow southy Blair Richards (to team up for the rest of the day). I was starting to feel like I was stalking Dick by this point. The late light on the classic Memorial Hall at Longford was amazing, only topped by the drive from Longford to Launceston. More Mad organising checking in, swapping cars and getting into the Launceston Mercury Office to catch up the sharp shooter Ross Marsden and Fear and Loathing esk Nick Clark and Bruce Mounster. The results started to flow through and it wasn't long before we were heading off again to interview and shoot Dick Adams (before he officially conceded defeat) and Eric Hutchinson (before he officially claimed victory).

New member for Lyons
 Eric Hutchinson
Dick Adams ended a 20 year reign of Lyons in his campaign office in Perth
8pm- It was a very mottled tone in the Dick Adams party room that evening a some watched hope ever dwindling on the big screen which others prodded at cold sausages on the table full of left over food. I really liked the Australian vernacular within the simplicity of the scene by the side door of the office and chose this location for the third and final image of Dick from the day.


Again we were racing to get copy and pictures filed and only had time for a whirlwind stop by the Bass Liberals office to shoot Eric and Andrew Nicolic celebrating and grab some more quick video.
 Rush Rush Rush to file. 10.30pm
Beer.
Thank God it's over.