Thread by @bryceives

In the past eighteen months I’ve travelled to every state and territory, and have spent considerable time both in the cities and in rural Oz. Simply put tonight’s result doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. Let me share a few observations. (1/8)

#AUSVote2019

Many of my friends and colleagues in the city do not travel or work across Australia. There is a predominate (and deafening) narrative driven from Sydney and Melbourne that does not reflect the conversations and perspectives I have encountered. (2/8)
#auspol19

Likewise, the ALP and the LNP continue along their mediocre paths. There is no political party setting out to unite the nation. There is no political party setting out to redefine the political conversation in Australia. (3/8)
#auspol19

To unite the nation means that we have to get beyond the vast generalisations. It means we can’t keep on sticking with our own tribes. It means we shouldn’t demonise the other perspective. It means we need to be humble, & to listen, & willing to go on a collective journey. (4/8)

Instead, We have to be ready to actually listen to one another. We need to move out of our own areas of knowledge and understand other perspectives.
If we don’t, nothing will change. #auspol19 (5/8)

I say this because I’ve read so many friends tonight write things like “Queensland is full of racists,” or “I have no idea how X electorate has re-elected that particular politician.” Australia is more complex than this sort of basic thinking. (6/8) #auspol19

We need to learn from places that prove you can unite and mobilise left and right to work together. Communities like @voicesforindi who prove that traditional ALP and LNP members can unite, learn from one another, and educate their neighbors and fiends. (7/8) #auspol19

This must be our job. To unite. To collaborate. But most importantly to leave the comfortable thought bubbles we exist within and open up to the complexity of redefining our national discourse, and doing it electorate to electorate. (8/8) #auspol19