A big shout out and thankyou to all those people who have asked questions on my FaceBook and Messenger pages. Because there were some common themes, I have put together the following Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ) page. Please keep your questions coming!
I will update this page as needed. The FAQs are in no particular order.
Where can I read about your policies?
I will advocate for positive change on issues the community have identified is important to them. I’m interested in representing the community, basing my decisions on reliable evidence. I want to see politicans work collaboratively to achieve good outcomes for Tasmanians. I want to see respect, honesty and integrity in parliament.
I have those priority issues identified by the community that if elected as an independent I will advocate for any measures that address those issues and result in positive outcomes for the community. For example:
- the reintroduction of bulk billing
- the establishment of more Medicare Urgent Care Clinics
- better accessibility to GPs and Specialists
- Access to mental health services
I will also push for more localised concerns – for example in communities like the Tasman Peninsula where they need better internet and mobile phone coverage – and potable water!
I have real concerns around policy-making, and our very weak environmental laws and recent events which show that due process and robust decision making is being circumvented by legislative change hastily pushed through.
Where do you sit on the political spectrum?
Previously I would have answered the centre but the more I have thought about it–the line is based on an old paradigm of the two major party values dominant system which is changing with minority government and the rise of independents such that the line analogy no longer applies. I will advocate for positive change on issues the community have identified is important to them. And, of course, I am not held captive by any powerful vested interests.
What is your point of view regarding the potential dilution of opposition to the 2 major parties when you have independent/s and the Greens running for the same seat?
I share your concerns re dividing the opposition to the two major party vote and we might well see that play out in the upcoming federal election. There are 8 candidates in Lyons. However we do have a robust democratic system, the envy of some countries in the world, and with our HoR full preferential voting system I trust that the preferences of those excluded flow not to the two major parties – thus giving minor parties and independents the opportunity to be elected- think Andrew Wilkie 2013 I think it was.
Who will your preferences go to in Lyons?
Our system of voting for HoR elections is full preferential. This means a voter (you and I) must indicate a preference for ALL candidates on the ballot paper. Firstly all of the number “1” formal preference votes are counted for each candidate. If no candidate has an absolute majority of formal first votes then a full distribution of preferences takes place. The candidate that has received the fewest first preference votes is excluded and all of their ballot papers are transferred to continuing candidates and so on until a single candidate has an absolute majority (more than 50% of the formal votes) and is elected.
What this means is that YOU decide where you want YOUR preferences to go according to who YOU want to see elected.
It is your vote I won’t be telling you who to vote for.
What are your thoughts on opening more native forest up for logging?
I don’t support old growth forest logging and I am against overturning the working Forest Peace Agreement. I am looking into the more complicated (than I at first thought) regrowth native forest logging issue.
What is your stance on the proposed AFL stadium in Hobart?
I am really concerned about the debt per capita (second only to Victoria) and the systemic problems in state tasked basic and essential service delivery in the areas of :
1. Health
2. Housing
3. Education
4. Public transport
Until these basics are addressed I could not support (nor could we afford) expenditure on what would be the biggest infrastructure spend in Tasmanian history on such a project.
I have additional concerns over the fact that a professional sporting code, the AFL, have dictated the terms for Tasmania to have an AFL team be bound to a roofed stadium at Mac Pt and that there appears to be little consultation, transparency and accountability around this deal. Currently the state government is indicating that it will push legislation through circumventing the current planning process which will take out public feedback- very poor policy making.
I am passionate about good policy development and the principles of good governance (which we are not seeing in this case).
Who are the candidates for Lyons in the Federal election?
The candidates are in the following order on the HoR ballot paper:
- GRAHAM, Sarah (Trumpet of Patriots)
- PHIBBS,Michael (Citizens party)
- ALLAN, Alistair (The Greens)
- BOWER, Susie (Liberal)
- BROADBY, Shaun (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation)
- OFFORD, Angela (Independent)
- DI FALCO, Carlo (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party)
- WHITE, Rebecca (Australian Labor Party)