Independents Still Vital Despite Labor’s Dominance in Parliament, Pocock Says

With a massive swing toward him and having gained 42 percent of the primary vote, independent David Pocock is one of the first declared elected to the Senate.

Senator David Pocock speaks during question time at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on July 28, 2022. Martin Ollman/Getty Images

Having stormed to re-election victory in the Senate with 42 percent of the primary vote—a double of his previous vote, representing a 20.85 percent swing towards him—David Pocock says he’s keen to get back to work.

“It’s really fascinating time for our democracy, where we have independents across the country that are saying to their community, ‘I share your frustration; the major parties aren’t actually standing up to vested interests. They’re not actually dealing with root causes and challenges we’re facing,’” he told ABC Radio National.