Russell Crowe has argued that the rise of independent politicians better represents the views of ordinary Australians, unlike the two-party dominated system in the United States.
The Oscar-winning actor made this claim in response to podcast host Joe Rogan, who complained that Americans were “completely trapped in the two-party system.”
“Yes, we have the same kind of situation, but we have something very interesting happening in Australia right now, which is the rise of the independents,” Crowe responded.
He added: ‘The main parties have to deal with the fact that those independents have to bring a number of non-partisan points to the argument.
And it’s working well. It’s working for us. In doing so, it is forcing both major parties to reexamine who they are and what they represent.
Rogan mused, “We could use that here, for sure,” highlighting how American politics is completely dominated by the Democratic and Republican parties.
There are other parties, including the Greens, Libertarians and Reformists, but these receive very few votes in comparison.
Independent candidates can also run and have been known to do well at times.
The Oscar-winning actor (pictured) made the remark 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, George Wallace ran a third-party campaign in the 1968 US election, in which he won 10 million votes and won five southern states.
Similarly, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate running in the November US election, was about to appear on ballots in dozens of states before withdrawing and endorsing Republican candidate Donald Trump.
He has now been named Secretary of Health in Trump’s incoming Cabinet.
Australia, by contrast, has seen a rise in recent years in independent politicians taking votes away from the two traditional parties, Labor and the Liberals.
The strong Green Party, which currently has 12 senators and four members in the House of Representatives, contributes to this situation.
Meanwhile, independent candidates who run on strong climate platforms but are fiscally conservative have been labeled “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 great success when she unseated former Prime Minister Tony Abbott in her Sydney Northern Beaches seat in the 2019 election.
Zali Steggall (pictured) became the first Teal independent to achieve great success when she unseated former Prime Minister Tony Abbott in his Sydney Northern Beaches seat in the 2019 election.
Maverick independent Bob Katter has just celebrated 50 years in parliament (pictured: being congratulated by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese)
Similarly, Monique Ryan won the traditionally Liberal seat from former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in the 2022 election.
Crowe’s three-hour conversation with Rogan, which first aired in August, recently resurfaced in Teal’s social media ads.
They are being pushed by Melbourne philanthropist Simon Holmes à Court, who founded Climate 200, which has given campaign funding to some Teal candidates.
However, not all independents are Teals.
There’s Dai Lee, who defeated former Labor leader and former New South Wales premier Kristina Keneally in Fowler’s Sydney seat.
And, of course, maverick Bob Katter, who has just celebrated 50 years in parliament, spending 20 years as a Queensland state MP before serving for the last three decades in federal parliament as MP for the regional electorate of Kennedy.
Among his many harebrained policies is an attempt to teach school children to shoot rifles and build a missile shield across northern Australia.