Journalist Sophia Baker skips the political spin and goes straight to the sizzle

The Standard

The Standard journalist Sophia Baker grilled voters on their preferences in democracy sausages at the 2025 federal election with the Democracy Sausage Digest, the only political coverage that skips the spin and goes straight to the sizzle.

Transcript

00:00The best ingredients can make the best sausages.

00:02I think it's just sunshine, waiting in line, smelling the onions and smelling the sausages.

00:08Soft bread, not white, it's wholemeal.

00:10This is the secret. It has to be a bit healthy, but not so the kids still like it.

00:15It's the biggest day in Australian democracy where we exercise our constitutional right to vote

00:19and our national obsession with grilled meat and bread.

00:23Yes, forget policies, promises and preference stills.

00:26What really gets Aussies to the polls is the promise of a piping hot democracy sausage.

00:30Welcome to the Democracy Sausage Digest,

00:33the only political coverage that skips the spin and goes straight to the sizzle.

00:37First on today's agenda, our rating system, the Snag Score.

00:40That's the standard national assessment of Australian grilling.

00:43It rates democracy sausages out of 25 points across five sizzling categories.

00:48First, the sausage itself.

00:50Taste, temp, bread, onion, sauces.

00:52Second, number of people in line.

00:54Fewer people, more points.

00:55Third, ambience.

00:57Buskers, bake sales, how to vote cards.

00:59All make a difference.

01:00Fourth, affordable.

01:01Card accepted, onions extra.

01:03And finally, the greeting.

01:05Is sausage served with a smile?

01:07Bonus points for costumes.

01:0925 is perfection.

01:10Five means your democracy's a bit undercooked.

01:13My democracy sausage is a plain sausage with tomato sauce.

01:18I have a lovely piece of white bread with a nice beef-looking sausage and some mustard sauce on it.

01:26Ah, it's got to have loads of onion.

01:28You can't skimp on the onion.

01:29Well, you know, normally we use onions, but this year we decided to cut back on those.

01:33There are a lot of opinions on what makes an ideal democracy sausage.

01:37So I took it upon myself to create a list of the region's best.

01:42Of the 11 polling booths I went to, only five had the celebrated sausage sizzle.

01:47So in that vein, last place, Amela's Flat Hall, Lady Help of Christians, Wanderthal East, St. Pius, and St. John's Primary School.

01:54No sizzle, no bake sale, nothing but democracy and disappointment.

02:00Woodford Primary School gets an honourable mention for a delicious chocolate stall in lieu of the beloved snag.

02:06Now, onto our official list.

02:09In fifth place, Warrnambool Primary School.

02:11A back-to-basic approach saw the sizzle ditch the onion, a no-go in my book.

02:17However, it was one of the few stalls with sauce variety.

02:20Bold move.

02:21Next up is Allensford.

02:23Now, this group was hindered by being so successful, they were shutting up shop as I arrived.

02:28Nonetheless, the sausage was an acceptable taste of democracy.

02:32Still no onions, though.

02:33In third place, we have Port Ferry Consolidated School.

02:36Australian Classics, blaring out of a speaker while I was in line, was a big plus.

02:40Locally sourced sausages and a friendly team also helped.

02:44However, it wasn't enough to topple our runners-up.

02:47St. Joseph's Primary.

02:48Despite being my fifth sausage of the day, it still managed to surprise me.

02:53The organisational system of the grill was to be admired, and the sausage was piping hot.

02:58But there can only be one winner, and for 2025, that goes to Koroit Primary School.

03:04While there were plenty of meaty contenders in this race, Koroit ended up on top.

03:08Although originally sceptical of the wholemeal bread, perhaps their secret really is the recipe for success.

03:15Congratulations.

03:15This has been the Democracy Sausage Digest.

03:20Remember, governments may come and go, but a good sausage sizzle is forever.

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