IT was my first political campaign and I was an independent candidate for the seat of Ginninderra at the last ACT election. The campaign launch was done, fundraising was progressing well and, finally, I was starting the grassroots part of the campaign. 

It was a stunning blue-sky August morning. I’d parked my car just off Krefft Street in Florey. I grabbed a couple of hundred flyers and trudged off down Barnard Circuit.

As a political candidate, I remember feeling a bit like an impostor: What if they didn’t want to talk to me? What if they slammed the door in my face? What if we were on opposite sides of the political spectrum and locked horns at their front door?

I hesitated at the first door and, with my hand poised, the resident appeared before I knocked.

He was a passionate Greens supporter, but he read my flyer carefully and challenged me to provide details of my “policies” on public transport and road infrastructure. We had a spirited conversation about the future of Canberra for the best part of 15 minutes. We didn’t agree on much, but I think both of us enjoyed the exchange. He promised  to preference me quite highly, despite our disagreements.

I couldn’t wait to get to the next door and do it all over again!

I ended up knocking on what seems like thousands of doors in Florey, Weetangera, McKellar, Nicholls, Kaleen and Dunlop. I had a few doors slammed in my face but, for the most part, I was greeted by friendly Canberrans, pleased that you bothered to turn up.

Door knocking was, far and away, the most enjoyable part of political campaigning. I lost some weight on the campaign trail and ended up with a nice spring tan as well. More than anything else though, I was convinced that I was genuinely converting people, house by house, street by street.
In 2008, I remember that pretty much every door I knocked on, Alistair Coe and his massive team had already been there. The Coe grassroots campaign was like a military operation. Many were surprised when the “boy wonder” found himself elected to the Assembly, but I wasn’t one of them. I consider Coe’s first-time high primary vote as proof that door knocking works. It’s a hard slog, but it works.

So, when the candidates come knocking, please be kind to them.

Maybe if I’d done a little more of it, I may out there now seeking re-election.

Mark Parton is the breakfast presenter on 2CC.