By JO HARRISON
RETIRED Member for New England Tony Windsor has thrown his support behind Independent candidate for New England Rob Taber in the September 7 Federal Election.
Mr Windsor said he was delighted to hear that the well respected Armidale businessman had put his hat in the ring, claiming that Mr Taber had all the ingredients to make an excellent representative for the people of New England.
“Rob is a serious regional person in terms of the New England and hasn’t just turned up for the event,” Mr Windsor said.
“He has been heavily involved in the community for a number of years. I have known Ron and Sally for many years and they are fair dinkum people; independent people.”
Mr Windsor says that there is still a place for independents in the Australian political scene and that ultimately anyone who stands for parliament stands as an individual.
“I believe the only way you can represent the electorate in our system is as an independent.
“You can represent the views of the party but the party will actually determine what is good and what is not for your electorate. The only way you can actually make your voice heard from start to finish is as an independent.”
According to Mr Windsor, claims that an electorate will only benefit if the local member is in a senior ministerial position are not valid. He says historically it actually the reverse applies.
“To get into the Cabinet you have to be subservient to the executive otherwise the Prime Minister of the day can remove you from the position,” he said
“Even that act starts to erode your capacity to represent the people that actually put you in there.”
Mr Windsor said Rob Taber represented the future of politics in regional towns.
If we want a long term strong future we have to have people who actually want to be there, he said.
“The only way to judge this is where they have been in the past and Rob has been involved in a whole range of community activities,” he said.
“This gives you a window or a vision into what this guy is really on about.
“Too often we put people into parliament where they fly someone in to win the seat for some other reason other than for the people that live in the seat.
“There are few contenders in the campaign that fit that, if people don’t want that and they want local representation then they have that choice with Rob.”
Mr Taber is confident that he can make a strong representation during the campaign. He cites a number of key issues, including education and securing and continuing the strong funding by backing the Gonski reforms.
He said he would be touring the region extensively over the next week and half to find out what members of the New England electorate want from their member of parliament.
“Their views are going to be so important for me to put together a list of things that the New England needs,” Mr Taber said.
“I stood because I have supported the independent movement for a long time and I believe that having an independent is a true form of democracy rather than being represented by a party person.
“Party politics is proving to be failing and I just think we have to encourage more independents to put their hand up across this country. We can do and have true representation.”
