With most Australians increasingly voting outside the major parties, Ian Bowrey argues it’s time for a new political force that genuinely represents under-40s and plans for the country’s long-term future.

Australia’s democracy is at a crossroads. Across the Western world, voters are losing faith in their parliaments, and Australia is no exception. The challenges we face – economic uncertainty, environmental crises, social pressures, and global instability – are making more and more Australians question whether their voices are truly heard in Canberra.

Let’s be honest: our two major parties, the ALP and the LNP, have become rigid institutions driven by historical ideologies. Their structures are so tightly controlled from the top that fresh ideas from ordinary Australians rarely see the light of day. Party conferences are stage-managed, and policy debates are limited by internal rules. The result? The same old ideas, recycled election after election, while the real concerns of everyday people are sidelined.

If you’ve ever tried to raise a new idea with your local MP, you know how hard it is to get traction, unless you can rally thousands to protest in the streets and grab the media’s attention. Members have to sing in tune with their parties’ parliamentary policies. Meanwhile, business lobbyists stroll the halls of Parliament House daily, shaping policy to suit their interests. There is no powerful lobbyist for ordinary voters.

The numbers speak for themselves. At the last election, a staggering 60 per cent of voters refused to give their first preference to either major party. Nearly a third chose independents or minor parties. Australians are hungry for change, and the old parties are failing to deliver.

Why is this happening? The average age of a federal politician is 52, but the average Australian worker is 40. First home buyers are 36, and new mothers are 30. These are the people who drive our economy and shape our future, yet their priorities – affordable housing, quality healthcare, childcare, education, and the soaring cost of living – are not seen as sufficiently addressed by ALP or LNP governments. As families struggle, birth rates fall, and we rely on immigration to keep our economy afloat.

It’s time for a new party – an ‘Under Forties Party’ - one that truly represents the under-forties and their families. Imagine a party that puts the needs of working Australians first – not just at election time, but every day. A party that isn’t shackled by outdated ideologies or beholden to vested interests. A party that looks to the future, not just the next election cycle.

In my lifetime the population has grown from 7.3 million to 27 million. When my grandchildren reach my age at the turn of the new century, the United Nations estimates Australia’s population will reach 43 million. This has huge implications for the future of this country and is completely ignored by the existing parties.

This new party could champion bold ideas, like establishing a Futures Commission – an independent, expert body to plan for Australia’s growth, by decades at a time, to 2100. Where will our growing population live? How will we create jobs, feed our people, and ensure everyone can afford a home? These are the questions that matter to the next generation, and they deserve real answers.

Australians deserve a political force that inspires hope, addresses today’s challenges, and plans for tomorrow. If we want a parliament that truly reflects our nation’s diversity and ambition, it’s time to demand something better – an Under Forties Party. The opportunity is here. Will we seize it?

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.

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