Bill Shorten explains his infamous snag fail as democracy sausages reach new frontiers
From school playgrounds to an Antarctic research station, Aussies are preparing to sink their teeth into a national treasure.
The humble democracy sausage will be back on the menu at more than 1700 polling booths on Saturday, helping voters pump an estimated $4 million into community groups.
Former opposition leader Bill Shorten became a divisive figure in the democracy sausage world.
During the 2016 election, outrage erupted when he turned his sausage roll on its side and bit into it like a sandwich.
“It was a crusty roll,” Shorten told AAP this week.
“To eat it at the front, you needed the teeth of Jaws, so I made a relatively pragmatic decision to eat it from the side,” he explained.
“Apparently, that caused a scandal around the country.”
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Antarctic researcher Andy Warton and fellow expeditioners are planning one of Saturday’s first democracy sausage sizzles on Casey Station.
After voting by telephone, the crew of 29 will indulge in a post-voting brunch, away from the outdoor sub-zero temperatures.
“Voting from Antarctica is a reminder that our voice matters, even if we’re at the end of the earth,” the station leader said.
“The sausage sizzle is about raising morale because it brings us together for something different, and reminds us there’s a bigger picture out there.”
In Bass Strait, councillor Rowan Cooke will fire up the barbecue for King Island’s first democracy sausage sizzle.
Profits will go to the local social club.
He’s hoping the sausage sizzle brings the community together after primary employer King Island Dairy cut the number of workers on the island.
“People don’t particularly like talking about politics because it does bring up strong emotions,” the councillor said.
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“But having a democracy sausage helps break down those barriers and allows people to loosen up around these topics.
“All those donations will go to the club to help with the maintenance of their facilities, but I also just want to bring awareness that it is also a place where people can socialise and hang out.”
About 7000 polling booths will open on Saturday, with about a quarter linked to a sausage sizzle or bake sale on the official Democracy Sausage website.
The website began in 2013 after a group of West Australians realised there was no place to look up where polling place food stalls were located.
Twelve years on, it helps direct thousands of voters to snags, sweets and espressos.
The website’s operators estimate stalls raised between $1200 and $1600 on average at the last federal election, rising above $3000 in some instances.
Across the 2200 polling places in 2022, an estimated $4.1 million was raised after costs.
But, despite its benefits, the traditional snack can trip up hungry voters.
Shorten has stared down the backlash he received and says he still eats sausages the same way.
“On Saturday, I’m going to eat the sausage the way I did in 2016 just to commemorate,” the former prime ministerial candidate said.
Early voters are also not expected to dampen the mood.
Despite more than 5.5 million people voting before Saturday, organisers expect there won’t be a downturn in sales.
