Matilda the donkey wants Australians to 'donkey vote' on election day

But Matilda the Donkey is a celebrity candidate who wants to save her friends, the koalas, and yesterday, she came to Wauchope to drum up a bit of support with her hooves. 

Matilda wants people to campaign for a Koala Protection Act – new legislation the Federal Government must pass if the koala and its habitat are to be safe in the future.

She’s feeling mulish, so she’s travelling 4,500 kms around Australia, meeting disillusioned voters to ask them to “donkey vote” on Election Day – July 2.

“It’s a heck of a trip,” said Matilda, speaking through her campaign director, Deborah Tabart. “I’m spreading the message of concern for koalas to my fellow Australians during my 4,500 km road trip.”

Deborah’s been CEO of the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) for the past 28 years, and says koala numbers have fallen dramatically from 400,000 to 100,000. 

Australians have donkey voted since Federation in 1901, in which the spaces are filled 1-6 with no preference for any candidate.

This implies “we don’t like ANY of you” However, it is recognised as a formal vote. Matilda is suggesting that voters put “Vote 1 Matilda” on their ballot paper. Because she is a real donkey, it will be counted as an ‘informal vote’.

Deborah says a vote for Matilda will show that the people have the power – not the politicians.

And unlike some pollies, Matilda can’t be bought.  She does have a brown paper bag – with carrots in it – but she got them herself.