Australia Federal Election: Minor parties could play important role

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Much of the attention in the lead up to Australia's federal election is focused on 2 major parties. But there are dozens of minor parties that hope to pick up votes and seats in Parliament this year. Experts say they could play an important role once the election is over. Greg Navarro explains.

The goal on this day for Australian Senate candidate Andrea Leong was simple, to introduce herself and her party to as many voters as possible outside a pre-polling station in Sydney. Achieving that goal, as a member of the Science Party, a minor party in the shadow of the country's major parties wasn't easy.

ANDREA LEONG AUSTRALIAN SCIENCE PARTY CANDIDATE "It's a hard slog but we keep doing it because we just want to give people that option to be able to vote for."

Dozens of minor parties are trying to get voters' attention this year. Many, including the Science party, are forced to do so with very little money.

Mining magnate Clive Palmer is at the other end of the spectrum, spending tens of millions of his own money to promote his United Australia Party.

STEWART JACKSON LECTURER, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY "He is having an impact on this election swinging people away from the major parties to his brand of making Australia great."

GREG NAVARRO SYDNEY "The last time Australians went to the polls in a federal election, minor party and independent candidates won less than a handful of the total number of seats that were up for grabs in Parliament."

But minor parties are impacting Australian politics in other ways by attempting to appeal to a segment of voters.

As is the case with Pauline Hanson's far-right nationalist One Nation Party. Or the Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers, which has an increasing focus on regional issues.

ASSOCIATE PROF. BLIGH GRANT UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY "And this is a pain for the major political parties. They can't get their agendas through without talking to the minor parties and what is in some circumstances, major concessions to their electoral platforms."

Perhaps the biggest impact from minor parties will be realised once the election for Prime Minister between the Labor and Liberal candidates has been decided.

MARK ROLFE LECTURER, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES "I don't anticipate either party having a majority in the Senate."

Which means the winning party will have to negotiate with minor party and independent candidates if it hopes to rule with a majority government. Greg Navarro, CGTN, Sydney.