3 April

Politicians are pitching for the tradie vote again this election. Young men are now one of the key demographics. The past 20 years have seen a long list of cash and tax bribes sent the way of the tradie vote. Tradies on average earn good money, way more than many other jobs and professions that have been left to rot. Jobs women mostly do, like teaching, nursing, and aged care. Some of the nastiest political views in the country can be found amongst young men, thus the dual bribe and bait strategy, pitching ultra-conservative, Trumpian type views alongside the cash and tax bribes. It’s how ‘Howard’s battlers’ were won away from their traditional Labor heartland.