Midnight Oil frontman turned Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, Peter Garrett, is easily Australia’s most recognised musician-turned-politician, and still fighting for the support of live music when he can.
More recently, Garrett isn’t the only ex-frontman to appear on ballot sheets, with Rose Tattoo singer Angry Anderson (or Gary to his constituents) set to stand for a seat in the September Federal election for the National Party.
Following on from Anderson throwing his hat in the political ring, arrives the news that Aussie country singer James Blundell is the latest musician to add ‘politician’ to his running sheet, standing as a senate candidate in the upcoming federal election, as the Courier Mail reports.
Blundell, best known for the 1991 hit ‘Way Out West’ (a duet with James Reyne), has been revealed as the leading Queensland candidate for Bob Katter’s Australian Party.
The 48-year-old singer and Golden Guitar winner has been praised by the Australian Party leader as the ideal candidate for ‘the voice of the people’ for his working class history and life experience. “James is anything but a career politician, which sadly 95 per cent of our MPs are,” said Bob Katter of his musical ledaer. “Like most Australians, James spent almost a decade of his young adult life in knockabout, hands-on jobs.”
Meanwhile the singer says that his entry into politics is “daunting,” saying the balance of power is “the thing that’s given me most pause for thought.”
“But the issues that I think are most relevant are the ones I’ve already spent the most time considering and hearing the opinions of those I know and respect and will have the opportunity to represent,” says Blundell; “that said, it’s pretty daunting.” “I don’t give it (gay marriage) enough thought to consider it an important issue, but recognise that it is such an emotional issue for so many people.” – James Blundell
Especially daunting considering the heated debate surrounding Katter’s Australian Party’s controversial stance on gay marriage and homosexuality. Blundell, who says he’s made “a lot of gay friends” and changed his views since entering the music scene as a self-described “Queensland homophobe,” would still stop short of supporting gay marriage by vote.
“If it came down to me to cast a deciding vote on gay marriage, for example, I really couldn’t say what I would do until I was in that position,” the singer tells AAP. “I don’t give it enough thought to consider it an important issue, but recognise that it is such an emotional issue for so many people.”
“Political correctness is the cancer of the nation,” he says, claiming the Australian people are “desperate for a breath of fresh air.”
Blundell says his main political platform will be issues impacting on rural life and will be his greatest priority; “I just don’t see (gay marriage) as being as important as chewing up the live export trade or driving job creation for our young people.”
Though previously approached by other political parties, Blundell turned all offers down for fear they were using his status as a celebrity drawcard; “I would not have taken up an opportunity with the LNP or ALP,” he tells AAP. Blundell was involved in the launch of Katter’s Australian Party in its infancy and turned an offer to stand early on, but says his recent decision to finally accept Mr Katter’s offer was after he was persuaded he was an “absolute natural fit,” by the party leader. “My music has always been my outlet but I just feel that there is such profound public fatigue with party political processes…” – James Blundell
“Bob’s final quote was ‘I’ve heard all your reasons – you haven’t given me one that’s good enough yet not to take the job on’,” recalls Blundell. “That was pretty much what it came down to – I was well and truly cornered.”
The country star’s decision to join the conservative Katter’s Australian Party has also divided opinion amongst family and friends. He says his “green”-leaning partner, former Australian Idol contestant Jesse Curran, is “vehemently opposed” to his candidacy as top spot on the Queensland party’s Senate ticket for the September 14th election, but that his two eldest sons (of three) have been “totally supportive,” of their father’s move.
The country star, whose career has featured some very public financial struggles, was discharged of bankruptcy on 14th April, describes himself as ‘semi-retired’ from music, but wants to keep writing and performing in tandem with his political ambitions.
“My music has always been my outlet but I just feel that there is such profound public fatigue with party political processes, that it would help for the community to hear some independent thinking,” he says.
While not facing James Blundell directly on the ballot, Angry Anderson is also set to stand for the senate in the upcoming September election. The National Party have pre-selected the 65-year old rock singer to run for the New South Wales seat of Throsby, which includes the south coast town of Illawarra and areas of Wollongong and the Southern Highlands.
The Throsby seat has safely been in the hands of the Labor Party since it was first established in 1984, and is currently represented by Labor’s Stephen Jones. Anderson’s political platforms will focus on “the demise of family values, neglect of mature aged workers, small businesses shutting down and government departments running our lives,” says the singer.
