Indi electorate told to 'hold nerve' at next federal election

This Sunday’s Kerferd Oration speaker Dr Simon Longstaff has urged Indi voters to judge candidates on their performance rather than their rhetoric.

The executive director of the Ethics Centre in Sydney, Dr Longstaff will address the question of ethics and “invisible people” at the Beechworth event.

From farmers and rural communities to indigenous people and refugees, the philosopher said an increasing number in our society were becoming marginalised.

“I want to speak of those who are invisible, either because they make us uncomfortable, or because their vote ‘doesn’t count’, or because they lack the economic presence to be recognised,” he said.

“And I want to speak about how our society and institutions might need to respond to ensure all people enjoy the dignity of being ‘seen’.”

The annual Kerferd Oration, honouring former Victorian premier and Supreme Court judge George Kerferd, brings an eminent speaker to the region to discuss an emerging social justice issue.

To have such discussions, Dr Longstaff believes people need to “have the stomach” to see their community as it is and speak up about it.

It doesn’t require heroics, according to the man who started his working life as a cleaner at a Northern Territory mine and gained his doctorate in philosophy from Cambridge University.

“History tells us lots of people doing things together does change the world,” he said.

Dr Longstaff said Indi was a case in point with the once “safe” conservative seat upended at the last election.

He cautioned voters against being “suckered” in to letting go of that hard-fought democratic power.

“Our greatest leverage comes from being a marginal electorate,” he said.

“I hope Indi will hold its nerve and make its own best judgement.”

The Kerferd Oration is on Sunday at 11am at the George Kerferd Hotel Mayday Hills, Beechworth.