Russell Crowe has argued that the rise of independent politicians are better representing the views of everyday Australians, unlike the two-party-dominated system in the United States.
The Oscar-winning actor made the claim in response to podcast host Joe Rogan who complained that Americans were ‘completely trapped in the two-party system’.
‘Yeah, we have the same sort of situation, but we have a very interesting thing that’s happening in Australia at the moment, which is the rise of independents,’ Crowe countered.
He added: ‘The main parties have to deal with the fact those independents have to bring a non-party-line series of points to the argument.
‘And it’s working well. It’s working for us. In that it’s making both of the main parties re-examine who they are and what they stand for.
Rogan mused ‘we could use that here, for sure’, highlighting how US politics is completely dominated by the Democrat and Republican parties.
There are other parties, including the Green, Libertarian, and Reform parties, but these receive vanishingly few votes in comparison.
Independent candidates can also stand and have been known to perform well on occasion.
The Oscar-winning actor (pictured ) made the observation in response to podcast host Joe Rogan who complained that Americans were ‘completely trapped in the two-party system’
Joe Rogan (pictured) is one of the most powerful media figures in the world
For example civil rights opponent George Wallace ran a third-party campaign in the 1968 US election which saw him garner 10 million votes and take five southern states, while Strom Thurmond in 1948 carried four southern states on a similar platform.
Similarly, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate who ran in November’s US election, was poised to get on the ballot in dozens of states before he pulled out and backed Republican candidate Donald Trump.
He has now been appointed Health secretary in Trump’s incoming cabinet.
Trump himself had previously belonged to the Reform Party.
The former New York property developer had even considered running for president in the 2000 election under the banner of that movement – formed by former third-party presidential candidate Ross Perot, who won 19 per cent of the popular vote in 1992 but gained no electoral college votes.
Australia, by contrast, has seen a rise in recent years of independent politicians who have taken votes away from the two traditional parties of Labor and Liberal.
This situation is helped by a strong Green party who now have 12 senators and four members in the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, independent candidates who run on strong climate platforms but are fiscally conservative have been labelled ‘teal’ candidates.
This is because they have combined their ‘green’ views on climate with the traditional ‘blue’ fiscal approach of the centre-right Liberal party.
Zali Steggall became the first Teal independent to achieve huge success when she ousted former prime minister Tony Abbott in his seat in Sydney’s northern beaches at the 2019 election.
Zali Steggall (pictured) became the first Teal independent to achieve huge success when she ousted former prime minister Tony Abbott in his seat in Sydney’s northern beaches at the 2019 election
Maverick independent Bob Katter has just celebrated 50 years in parliament (pictured: being congratulated by prime minister Anthony Albanese)
In similar fashion, Monique Ryan won the traditionally Liberal seat from former treasurer Josh Frydenberg at the 2022 election.
Crowe’s three-hour conversation with Rogan, which was first aired in August, has recently resurfaced in Teal social media adverts.
They are being pushed by Melbourne philanthropist Simon Holmes à Court, who founded Climate 200, which has given campaign funding to some Teal candidates.
Not all independents are Teals, however.
There is Dai Lee defeated the former Labor frontbencher and former NSW premier Kristina Keneally in the Sydney seat of Fowler.
And, of course, maverick Bob Katter who has just celebrated 50 years in parliament, spending 20 years as a Queensland state MP before serving the past three decades in federal parliament as the MP for the regional electorate of Kennedy.
Among his many mad-hat policies over the years include a bid to teach school kids how to fire rifles and a desire to build a missile shield across northern Australia.
