Before you read the full glossary, test your knowledge with this Aussie political jargon quiz.
Canvassing: Trying to win votes by directly contacting voters, for example by going door-to-door and speaking in-person with voters.
Gerrymander: Deliberately dividing a constituency in a way that gives an advantage to one political party or to particular voters.
Hustings: Public meetings in the run-up to an election where candidates outline their policies as part of their election campaign.
Mudslinging: The practice of saying negative things about an opponent during a political campaign. Also known as ‘dirty politics’.
Pork-barrelling: A frequently used term in Australian politics, a government or candidate accused of ‘pork-barrelling’ is one that promises more funding to marginal seats than safe seats or to seats where there are negotiations with key independents.
Spin: Public relations activity, for example press releases or interviews that aim to present an incident, politician or their party, in a particularly one-sided and favourable manner.
Pub test: A term used to describe the general opinion of ‘everyday Australians’ about current events, politicians or policies. For example, when something does not ‘pass the pub test’, it is said to be something that people would not believe or agree with.
