Federal Election 2019
Voting commences in the bellwether seat of Robertson.
On May 18, the people of Robertson will go to the polls in what promises to be another closely contested Federal Election. In 2016, the Liberal-National Party’s Lucy Wicks scraped in by the slimmest of margins of just 1.1%.
Since then, federal politics has been plagued with yet another leadership spill, more scandals, more big-party power plays and an ever-rising tide of distrust among the Australian people.
The vicious nature of politics was brought into sharp relief in August last year with a fracturing of the LNP between its conservative right-wing elements and more centralist liberals, culminating in the departure of then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. This was followed by incriminations and claims of bullying within the coalition.
The ALP has also had its fair share of challenges. While it has rolled out more detailed policy prescriptions than is normal for an Opposition, polling shows Bill Shorten is not popular with Australians and does not engender trust. This has not been helped by seemingly contradictory statements over the Adani coal mine and the costing of some of the ALPs policy proposals.
Coast Community News surveyed residents of the Central Coast on what they key election issues are this time around. Climate change, youth unemployment, local university and TAFE funding and the looming spectre of offshore gas exploration ranked highest. Others expressed anger toward the major parties over their record on offshore detention, sub-standard broadband and local issues such as the Wallarah 2 Coal Mine.
Against this backdrop, Lucy Wicks (LNP) and Anne Charlton (ALP) will go head to head, not just with each other, but with a strong field of alternative candidates including well-known local Independent, David Abrahams, who has gained traction with the community by campaigning on local issues as well
as Greens candidate Cath Connor, among a field of 8 candidates. We are offering video interviews with all the candidates. Presented here in alphabetical order.
The only Independent in Robertson is
More candidates as they come to hand…
For in-depth interviews with the leading candidates, views from the community and up-to-date news
of how the election is unfolding, please re-visit this page www.coastcommunitynews.com.au/elections and/or our
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