Do we like David Pocock?
Our score: 9 out of 10. LGBTQ+ and trans protections and for climate action, a record of charity work, and one contested vote in 2024 that costs him the tenth point.
Pocock was born in Zimbabwe, and his family left after violence against white farmers. They settled in Brisbane. He made his Wallabies debut in 2008 at 19, later captained the side, and played for the Western Force and the Brumbies. Even then he talked about wanting more from life than rugby.
The most famous scrape was in November 2014, when he spent more than ten hours locked onto a digger at the Maules Creek coal mine. He was charged with three offences. At Gunnedah Local Court in February 2015 he pleaded guilty to hindering a workman, the other charges were withdrawn, and the magistrate dismissed the remaining one without a conviction. He called it a nonviolent protest and said he hoped it would further the conversation about climate change.
On the harm test, his voting record is about as friendly to our side as it gets. They Vote For You says he has consistently voted for trans rights and protections, for trans young people's access to gender-affirming healthcare, and for stronger legal protections for LGBTI people. On the planet, he has consistently voted for no new fossil fuel projects and for the Paris Agreement and net zero.
Here's the asterisk. In February 2024 his vote was the decider (31-30) on a motion by Ralph Babet, whom the Canberra Times describes as widely known for promoting anti-vaccination conspiracy theories, calling for an inquiry into excess deaths. Pocock said he didn't accept the conspiracy theories and that refusing to look at the data would only feed them. Critics worried he'd given a platform to the very thing he said he opposed. It's one contested call, not a pattern.
In October 2025 he was removed from the Australian Parliament Sports Club after questioning its sponsorship by a gambling industry group. The club's chief executive said he'd been left with no choice, and the industry group said it met all disclosure requirements. Pocock said it showed the influence of vested interests in parliament, and Allegra Spender resigned her membership in protest. His voting record also shows consistent support for more restrictions on gambling.
Not everyone loves his style. In February, Albanese said on a podcast that Pocock “seeks to promote grievance as well”, after the senator pushed the resources tax issue. Pocock replied that politicians often get personal to deflect from the issue. His October Press Club pitch, a minority government of community independents, was reported alongside his insistence that he isn't after the prime ministership.