This Sunday, April 6, Erchana Murray-Bartlett— impartial group candidate for McPherson—will make historical past.
She is operating all the 120km+ perimeter of the southern Gold Coast voters in a 20-hour, continuous ultramarathon to boost marketing campaign funds and consciousness for group illustration in federal politics.
The epic run kicks off at 6am from Mowbray Park, Burleigh, and loops clockwise by Coolangatta, Currumbin Valley, Tallebudgera Valley, Mudgeeraba, Merrimac, Clear Island Waters, Robina and Burleigh Waters, earlier than returning to the end line at the start line.
Erchana invitations the general public to hitch her on completely different legs of the route. Excessive-profile supporters, together with fellow endurance athlete Turia Pitt will be part of her.
This run represents greater than bodily endurance—it symbolises the momentum behind the group impartial motion. With McPherson’s long-held LNP seat up for grabs as a result of retirement of its sitting member, Erchana goals to point out voters a real various to main social gathering politics.
“I am operating as an Impartial to help my group and pay attention and act on their considerations, together with the crippling value of residing,” stated Murray-Bartlett, a neighborhood small enterprise proprietor.
She added, “McPherson has been within the fingers of the key events since 1948. It’s been held by the LNP since 1981—greater than 40 years. With the incumbent Member retiring this election, now we have an actual alternative for change right here on the Gold Coast.”
Murray-Bartlett’s marketing campaign is targeted on restoring belief and transparency in politics. “Australians have gotten extra disillusioned and annoyed—they wish to see issues carried out otherwise. They wish to see transparency, belief and integrity in politics,” she stated.
She criticised each main events for “short-term pondering and company affect,” particularly concerning the housing disaster, hovering grocery costs, and insurance coverage prices.
“What I’m listening to out in the neighborhood is that so many individuals don’t really feel represented or heard by the key events. They don’t belief them to place the group earlier than social gathering politics,” she defined.
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120+ km: The total loop of the McPherson voters, anticipated to take round 20 hours.
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150: Variety of consecutive marathons Erchana accomplished in 2022 throughout her “Tip to Toe” world report.
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Climate200 will match each greenback raised for her marketing campaign by the Raisely platform.
Murray-Bartlett’s technique consists of maximising group involvement. “Some elements can be tough—just like the hike between Currumbin and Tallebudgera Valleys in the dead of night—however nice care is being taken on logistics and security,” she stated.
She can be joined alongside the route by group members, particularly at key hubs like Coolangatta, Robina, and Burleigh Heads.
Supporters can monitor the run on-line or be part of her on foot. For extra, go to www.runforindependents.com.
Erchana joins a rising nationwide wave of community-backed candidates pushing for political reform. “We all know the key events are attempting to cease the group impartial motion in its tracks—dashing by laws in its Electoral Reform Invoice to restrict the power of independents to compete,” she stated.
She pointed to the achievements of present independents in Parliament. “Group Independents have already had a significant affect, creating reforms just like the Local weather Change Invoice, Safeguard Mechanism, and Nationwide Anti-Corruption Fee.”
Look ahead to fundraising outcomes from the run, which may sign the power of the impartial marketing campaign in McPherson. Climate200’s matched funding might amplify her momentum forward of the federal election.
The Sunday ultramarathon may entice nationwide consideration, drawing extra voters and volunteers into Erchana’s grassroots marketing campaign.
