Calare voters are more likely to vote for an independent than almost anywhere else in the country, a survey conducted by Australian Community Media has found.
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The voting insights for Calare, a seat which extends from Lithgow to Wellington and Mudgee to Blayney, including major centres like Bathurst and Orange, have been set out in the findings of the questionnaire conducted by the publisher of Central Western Daily, Western Advocate, Mudgee Guardian and Lithgow Mercury.
There were 549 responses from Calare voters, and 33 per cent of those who completed the survey say they'll vote for an independent at the looming federal election.
Incumbent Andrew Gee is an independent MP while Kate Hook, also an independent, is running against Mr Gee. Robert O'Donovan is the third independent candidate running in Calare.
Only Indi, in Victoria, had a higher proportion of support for an independent, with 38 per cent of voters indicating they'll ditch the major parties when the election rolls around in the coming months. Helen Haines is the MP in that seat in north east Victoria.
Just behind the support for independents in Calare, 27 per cent of responders to the survey backed the Nationals (27 per cent) and 16 per cent say they'll vote Labor. Sam Farraway is the Nationals candidate for Calare while Julie Cunningham is the Labor candidate.
One Nation will be represented by Jenny Hughes while the Greens unveiled Ben Parker as its candidate.
Who is the preferred Prime Minister?
Calare voters are backing incumbent PM Anthony Albanese to retain the country's top job ... just.
Thirty-eight per cent of responders say they'd prefer Mr Albanese to be Australia's Prime Minister for another term, just ahead of Liberal leader Peter Dutton, who garnered 37 per cent of the vote.
While a quarter of the over 500 people who responded to the survey from Calare say they wish there was a different option altogether.
What are the big issues facing Calare?
Cost of living remains the biggest issue the people of Calare face every day, the survey found.
Across the entire survey, which garnered almost 8000 responses from across 142 electorates Australia-wide, 35 per cent of voters indicated the cost of living crisis is still front of mind heading into the election.
The economy (34 per cent) and health (34 per cent) rounded out the three main issues voters are considering when they head to the polls, potentially in May.
Of the other issues residents say will influence their decision when it comes time to vote, the environment and climate change (33 per cent) and energy policy (27 per cent) may also play a key role come election time.
All of those key aspects were mirrored by Calare responders, with cost of living (37 per cent), environment and climate change (33 per cent) and the economy (32 per cent) and energy policy (32 per cent) the main issues voters are considering.
Are you being heard?
Just 12 per cent of responders across the survey feel as though they're being heard by the two major parties in Australian politics.
Those who took part in the survey were asked to agree or disagree with the following statement: "I feel heard by the two major parties - Australian Labor Party and Liberal/National Coalition".
Across the responders from Calare, a total of 57 per cent either disagreed or disagreed strongly with that statement.
The survey was promoted widely across the ACM daily and Agri-network between Thursday, February 20 until Sunday, March 2 2025.
A total of 7,894 respondents completed the research.
All respondents had to be over the age of 18 and eligible to vote, noting that eligible was defined as "you are already enrolled to vote or will be able to enroll by the 2025 Australian Federal Election".
