No Rodeo
No Rodeo ran seven independent candidates at the 2006 South Australian state election. Adelaide • Amanda Barlow Giles • Esmond Vettoretti Kaurna • Jeanie Walker Light • Craig Allan Newland • Troy Walker Reynell • Marie Nicholls Stuart • Simon Cook This situation arose out of the significant public attention focussed on the treatment of animals at rodeo events during the previous two years. The high level of public interest was a result of the professional documentation of routine rodeo cruelty by Jeanie and Troy Walker. The total number of first preference votes received by the seven independent candidates was reasonable at 2131, particularly given  that the independent candidates campaigned on a shoe-string budget. There was no television, radio or print advertising available to the “No Rodeo” independent candidates as funds simply did not permit. The major campaign expense was the purchase of election posters, yet the total number of election posters used by the “No Rodeo” candidates was still only 400. This small number of posters was divided between the seven candidates. Even without deliberate sabotage, such a poster campaign was dwarfed by the number of posters in use by minor and major parties. The independent “No Rodeo” candidates were prior to the  election well aware of the limitations of their campaign. They were not naïve and never believed themselves to be serious election contenders. The aim of the candidates was to raise awareness of rodeo cruelty and other justice issues and to network with people who held similar concerns. This aim was achieved and the campaign to ban bucking, roping and steer wrestling rodeo events has continued and grown stronger since March 2006. It is also significant to note that 29,042 first preference lower house votes went to minor and major party candidates who during the election campaign publicly supported a ban  on bucking, roping and steer wrestling rodeo events.