By MATT NICHOLLS
NINE candidates are vying for honours in Lyne at this year’s federal election. The Port Macquarie Independent gave each candidate the chance to have his say before Saturday’s vote. Eight candidates responded. This is what they had to say …
JOHN KLOSE (CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY)
The Christian Democratic Party stands for Christian values in every area of society.
We believe that ‘the greatest moral challenge of this generation’ is the issue of not legalising same sex relationships.
Marriage, instituted by God between Adam and Eve, to be husband and wife, was to provide a stable and secure relationship for the purpose of creating strong families. Marriage is God’s copyrighted property.
Jesus said, ‘what God has put together let not man put asunder’.
Our constitution, which is our moral compass, (being based on our Judeo-Christian heritage), does not give power to change the definition of marriage.
Thus the Labor-Green’s proposal is un-constitutional, without a referendum to amend the constitution.
The peace and prosperity of Australia depends on strong, loving and Godly marriages that conceive the next generation of faithful, hard-working citizens.
We encourage all citizens to acknowledge the wisdom of our constitution’s preamble, that ‘the people humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God have agreed to unite’.
The Christian Democratic Party, alone, promises fiscal, environmental, moral, and constitutionally disciplined policies.
Vote 1 for Christian Democratic Party, for Robyn Peebles in the Senate, and John Klose for Lyne, to ensure Australia’s future blessing.
BRIAN BUCKEY CLARE (KATTER’S AUSTRALIAN PARTY)
Many people I have come across seem to be saying they have a great distrust of the two major parties and are looking for a new party to represent them.
Their biggest gripe is the lies and false promises by the politicians made and not kept.
The Katter Australian Party does not make promises, rather it spells out changes needed to get our economy growing yet balancing government outlays by restricting funding support only to the needy, definitely not to the wealthy on large incomes above $200,000 per annum.
Our primary policies/ proposals, are :1) The Economy, 2) persons off unemployment benefits via the Red Scheme government subsidy of the dole to the employer, 3) Health including Dental subsidy to those in need, no tax deduction for private medical insurance for the wealthy, 4) wealthy to pay an increase in tax rate, to make the tax system fairer, 5) Balance the budget by deferring expenditure to later periods such as Defence procurements, NDIS Scheme, PPL, Better Schools aid excluding private e.g. by aiming these three social payments only at the needy, i.e not subsiding the wealthy.
PETER ALLEY (COUNTRY LABOR)
For almost 60 years the National Party held the seat of Lyne. During that time, nothing happened. Then the people of Lyne elected a strong advocate, one who identified opportunities – business, health and educational, and with a Labor Government that believes in education, believes in health, believes in growing employment, believes in our natural environment and most importantly believes in our community, things changed for the better. We are getting the hospital upgrade in Port Macquarie. We have a broader range of education opportunities. We have trades and training centres. We are getting the National Broadband Network. We have the lowest unemployment ever in this area.
This community now needs another advocate. Someone that believes in our schools being properly funded and that doesn’t need to be dragged to this point of view. Someone that will work with our schools, our universities and our TAFE colleges to expand our educational options. Someone that will work with our hospitals and our allied health care to improve health services in our region. Someone that will identify and build needed infrastructure to support business and create jobs.
IAN OXENFORD (GREENS)
My name is Ian Oxenford and I am the candidate for the Greens Party.
The Greens are the only party that have a proven track record of protecting our environment and confronting climate change, the biggest threat of our age.
Our policies are responsible, fully costed and environmentally sound. While everyone is obsessed with the economy, Greens know that without a functioning and safe environment, there will be no economy and no future.
Our future does not lie in bickering over the amount of the deficit. It lies in the type of world we want to leave our children. The Greens want to leave a safe, unpolluted and equitable world.
With that future in mind, Greens policies support massive investment in renewable energy. We want to end our dependency on fossil fuels, and stop damaging industries such as coal seam gas. We will fund accessible public transport, affordable housing, free health and dental care, and put more investment in education at all levels.
Greens believe in human rights, equality, and compassion to others be they poor, disabled or asylum seekers.
A vote for Greens, especially in the Senate, is vital to democracy, if only to stop an Abbott majority.
DAVID GILLESPIE (NATIONALS)
This election is the most important in a generation. There is a clear choice between another three years of failure from Labor or the Nationals and Liberals with our clear plan to deliver sound and sensible government for the Mid North Coast.
I put my hand up to be The Nationals candidate for this federal election because I didn’t think that our country was heading in the right direction. I didn’t want to sit back and be a spectator, shouting at the television or the newspaper but instead I wanted to be part of the solution.
I’ve lived on the Mid North Coast for more than 20 years. Together with my wife Charlotte we’ve raised our three children at our small cattle property near Sancrox and have enjoyed every moment in this wonderful region.
My background is as a gastroenterologist and I’ve practised in Port Macquarie since I arrived here. Charlotte and I built the Hastings Day Surgery from the ground up and I also spent over a decade as Director of Physician Training at the Port Macquarie Base Hospital.
I will use this experience and work tirelessly for you if I’m elected as the next Member for Lyne.
TROY WILKIE (PALMER UNITED PARTY)
Labor and the Greens plan to tax tax tax. The Coalition wants to cut cut cut, and all our Independents know is talk talk talk. We need less talk and more action.
Palmer United has simple and clear policies to ease the cost of living pressures for all walks of life, and increase our standard of living.
By allowing business to pay company tax annually on actual figures rather than quarterly on estimates, we will keep $70 billion in the economy, generating a massive cash stimulus.
We will reduce the tax burden for individuals by not only ending the carbon tax, but refunding every dollar you have paid through electricity price hikes. We also promise an income tax cut of 15 per cent for all Australians. This equates to $2,500 in savings for the average income earner annually.
We also believe in a living wage for aged pensioners. If elected we pledge to increase the aged pension by $150 per fortnight. It’s time we stopped treating our elderly like dole bludgers and gave them the entitlements they worked their whole life for.
For a real change of government, vote Palmer United.
MICHAEL GOUGH (CITIZENS ELECTORAL COUNCIL)
The CEC’s intention is to completely transform the economy, gearing it around production and the future. It’s time Australia had a political party that is for the common good, It’s also time to put people before money.
The presently ruling policies of globalisation, privatisation, deregulation and free trade are plunging the vast majority of Australians into poverty and misery; destroying our once great nation and eliminating any meaningful future for our children.
With the next GFC crisis nearing, rather than stealing people’s deposits “bail-in” as being pushed by the G20 and the Financial Stability Board, the CEC is calling for a Glass-Steagall banking separation to protect essential banking services from financial speculation.
A government owned National Bank to invest in national development.
Large scale public water, power and transportation infrastructure projects.
Only the CEC’s policies can develop Australia to the greatness it deserves. Let’s be the food bowl of the world, let’s build dams, reservoirs, railways, highways and roads. A government owned bank can put tens of billions per year into the private sector’s productive industries. Machine tools, construction, farms, and so on.
Give Australians jobs . Vote 1 Michael Gough Citizens Electoral Council.
STEVE ATTKINS (INDEPENDENT)
This coming weekend’s election is very important for the next parliament but also critical for the nation’s future direction. What will be needed is a strong voice and a strong local representative from our region.
There is great frustration and concern by many people across all sides of the political spectrum about the way our elected representatives have behaved. Let us think carefully about who is to be the person talking about our local and national issues on the floor of the Australian Parliament. Our political major parties have failed to act in a bipartisan way when needed, not listening or acting in the best interests of the people – we are disengaged by that behaviour.
We need vision, direction, strength of conviction and leadership at all levels. A rich, varied parliament allows all the nations people’s views to be heard not just a political party’s view of our country.
If elected as your representative this Saturday I will do my utmost to represent my electorate proudly and for all the communities throughout the region of Lyne. Value your vote – it does count toward our nation’s future. I wish you and our great vast country the best in its decision and the outcome that results from Saturday.
