Mallee federal election 2016: candidates have their final say

Scroll down to read which each candidate has said...

As someone who’s always lived in the country, I understand that the issues that are important to cities are often very different to those impacting the country and we need strong advocacy to ensure these issues are heard. 

We cannot afford to let country Australia be constantly overshadowed by the cities and it’s crucial to our economy that city people respect the contribution regional communities make and support policy that encourages agricultural business growth.

The Wimmera deserves quality roads and health care, decent educational and employment opportunities and reliable communication networks. 

These are things people talk to me about, these are the things that are important to them and they’re the things I’m working hard for.

I’ve been farming for much of my life and it’s given me an appreciation of how hard many people have to work, just to make ends meet and I have the utmost respect for that. 

I hope that when people see me, they see someone who is grounded in the realities of life outside the big cities and who is prepared to put a voice to those realities.

A vote for me is a vote for strong regional advocacy.

The British people have spoken and so can you. 

Vote 1 for the CEC's solutions – in Mallee, and the Senate – but do more, join us! 

The Citizens Electoral Council (CEC) provided me the knowledge and understanding to realise we have to overturn the system.

Rural and industrial producers need a breather, so the CEC has ready-to-go debt moratorium and national banking legislation.  

Our immediate policy, modelled on the 1933 US Glass-Steagall Act, is to separate banking – investment away from deposit taking – before the next global financial crisis, and before the banks start 'bailing-in' (skimming) everyone's bank accounts. 

This will stop speculation, and keep investment in the productive sector.

Australia must dump the free-market, free-trade policies which both parties have subjected us to, and bring in parity pricing.

We can revive the regions with public credit directed through a government-owned national bank to build major infrastructure.

We must cancel the MDB Plan and the Water Act 2007, re-attach water to land titles, and  re-regulate our industries.

What's good for the nation will be good for Mallee, if not directly, then through the flow-on benefits from an expanding, optimistic, productive nation going forward again. 

The people of the Mallee should vote for me because I have been successful in advocating for policies and plans within the ALP which will benefit our region the most. 

For example: Healthcare; it is no mistake that Medicare has been front and centre of recent political debate, we need to have a sense of urgency around the future of our healthcare system, with $50 billion dollars already ripped out of the system in 2014-15 and only a fraction of this amount being put back by the LNP in  2016-17.  

If our public hospitals are robbed of a further $2.6 billion dollars, which will be the case, if the LNP are elected, this will leave our state with a considerable funding shortfall that will create all sorts of challenges and this will, without doubt, be felt by the people who need care and treatment the most. 

We need to have a very strong voice in the parliament from someone who is experienced in service delivery and policy settings and passionate about protecting access to universal healthcare for all Mallee residents.

Should the LNP be re-elected there will be no turning back from their proposed cuts and medicare freezes.

This election will determine our children’s future.

Major parties are endorsing ‘Safe Schools’, attempting indoctrinate our children with regard to sexuality, undermining parent’s rights to raise their children as they see fit, I believe we need to take a stand against this.

I refuse to stand idly by while our country is backed against the wall by minority groups seeking to silence decent everyday Australians by labelling them racists, or suffering some kind of phobia, to further their own agenda.

We need to build an economy that supports the future for our children where they too can dream of owning a farm or business or even affordable housing.

This election could see a hung parliament with the Greens holding the balance of power. 

This would be detrimental to the Mallee with their push for radical change to farming practices and proposed total ban of recreational hunting.

This election, consider placing a minor party ahead of the major parties on the ballot paper. 

They will still get those votes if the minor party is counted out but the major party will know they didn’t get your first preference and they will want to know why. 

If there is one thing that concerns most politicians more than you losing your job, it’s them losing theirs.

I understand this is a David and Goliath battle but I’m looking forward to seeing how it ends.

I grew up in the Mallee and came back to Mildura to live and raise my children in a strong community. 

I know Mallee people care deeply about the need for creating a better future, and I believe that the Greens are the only party with the courage to implement a vision for all Australians.

The Greens have never been better prepared for an election and I am constantly hearing from people who are disillusioned with the current local member and the major parties. 

People want to see strong action on global warming, investment in clean energy, sensible water and land management, more compassion to people who seek our help and our democracy cleaned up once and for all.

Too often, the Nationals vote with the Liberals and against the best interest of their regional electorate and they must stop being driven by vested interests and start listening to our interests.

The Greens are a third major power and have a policy platform as wide, varied and as well costed as Labor and the Coalition and are worthy of the consideration of the people of Mallee.

Your vote in the Mallee is powerful and it is time to introduce some genuine competition.

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