The history of Australia's democracy sausage tradition | 7.30

Key Concepts:

• Democracy Sausage
• Australian Elections
• Sausage Sizzle
• Community Fundraising
• Voting History
• Manhood Suffrage
• Secret Ballot
• Democracy Sausage Project

Early Australian Elections (1840s):

• The first elections in the Australian colonies occurred in the early 1840s.
• Elections were open and public, with cheering and booing.
• Bribery and public drunkenness were common.
• The first election was marked by rioting, resulting in two deaths.

Evolution of Voting Practices:

• There was popular demand for manhood suffrage, allowing men to vote without property qualifications.
• The secret ballot was introduced.
• Political candidates were banned from providing food and drink.
• Saturday voting was introduced in 1913 to make it easier for people to vote, including taking their children to polling booths.
• Polling booths were typically located in community buildings.

The Rise of the Sausage Sizzle:

• By the 1920s, fundraising committees, often women, sold cakes and jam at polling booths.
• The invention of the portable gas barbecue led to the sausage sizzle becoming a fundraising staple.

Democracy Sausage Project:

• The Democracy Sausage Project started as a joke but evolved into a community responsibility.
• The website democracies sausage.org maps election day fundraisers, allowing voters to find nearby locations.
• The term "democracy sausage" gained popularity after a tweet in 2013.
• In 2016, "Democracy Sausage" was named the word of the year in Australia.

The Sausage Sizzle's Significance:

• The sausage sizzle connects people to their community.
• It provides an opportunity for engagement and fundraising.
• It's seen as a "taste of democracy."

Concerns and Humor:

• There's concern about the "escalation" of offerings at election events, jokingly suggesting cold slaw might be next.
• A scandal was mentioned where a political candidate provided a sausage sizzle, raising questions about bribery.
• The question is posed: "Could you buy a vote for a sausage?"

Conclusion:

The sausage sizzle has become an integral part of the Australian election day experience, evolving from early election practices to a modern-day community fundraising event. It provides a sense of connection, engagement, and a "taste of democracy," while also sparking humorous debates about potential bribery and the escalation of election day offerings. The Democracy Sausage Project highlights the cultural significance of this tradition.