Eight of the 11 candidates for the seat of Robertson attended a public forum and Q&A session on Saturday, April 30. CCN was there to record proceedings; they are presented below in the order of the day.
The meeting was hosted by the Wagstaffe to Killcare Community Association at Wagstaffe Hall, Wagstaffe and chaired by Association President, Michael Allsop.
Labor Party candidate Gordon Reid said his focus was on supporting the health industry, investing in renewable energy infrastructure and helping small local business and employment generation.
Barbara-Jane Murray of the United Australia Party’s primary focus was on Australia’s response to the COVID pandemic: her policies are to stop mandates, provide early treatment, allow doctors to provide treatment free from bureaucracy and prevent vaccine passports.
In line with what he described as his party’s values of kindness, equality, rationality and non-violence, Animal Justice Party candidate Patrick Murphy addressed voter disillusionment with the two major parties, supporting a federal ICAC and the banning of live animal export.
Liberal Member for Robertson Lucy Wicks, who is defending the seat, highlighted accomplishments attributed to the Coalition Government since 2019, including surviving the COVID pandemic, securing the economy, lowering unemployment and, locally, completing and beginning new infrastructure developments and stopping Pep-11.
Australian Citizens Party candidate Paul Borthwick outlined the primary policies of his party’s 15-point plan, including founding an Australian public postal bank in every post office, a national infrastructure bank, a national development bank, stopping bailing laws and bringing manufacturing back to Australia.
Greens candidate Shelly McGrath said the Greens have set goals of reaching net-zero emissions by 2035, building one million homes over the next 20 years, fully funding public schools, making childcare, TAFE and university free, wiping student debt, adding mental and dental care into Medicare, taxing major corporations and a well-resourced federal ICAC.
With a stance against “stakeholder capitalism”, Informed Medical Options Party candidate Kate Mason said her policies revolved around healthy outcomes for people, animals and the environment through organic farming and agriculture, promoting non-GMO food, ending cruel animal practices in industry, repealing vaccine mandates and preventing over-medicalisation in mental health responses.
The Liberal Democratic Party’s Bentley Logan said he prioritised individual freedoms against COVID alarmism and mandates. He advocated cutting the budget of every government department excluding Defence, making income tax-free up to $40,000 a year, an energy focus on coal and nuclear while abandoning net zero-emission and renewable energy targets, defunding the ABC and SBS, and minimising regulation in business.
The other four Robertson candidates did not attend.
Gotta give props to the Lib Dems candidate for having the courage to stand up and recite the stupidest policies I’ve ever heard in my life in a room full of people obsessed with the ABC