Below is a list of all of the Senate Candidates for Queensland;
unfortunately, I have not had time to look into the independents this year. I
have tried for each to list three policies or positions, though this was not
always possible. I’ve done my best to make these the three most important issues
to the party, so you can expect there will be little room for compromise if
elected. This often involves a lot of guesswork. Where it was particularly
speculative, I have explained why I have chosen these three policy areas. Links
are provided to the source of the three policy headings, not necessarily the
policy detail which may come from multiple sources.
A Rise Up Australia Party (RUA)
RUA is a far-right minor party famous for leader Danny
Nalliah's claims that non-Christian places of worship are "Satan's
strongholds", that gay and lesbian individuals can be converted back to
heterosexual lifestyles and that bushfires which killed over 170 people were
divine punishment for legalising abortion; although the policies outlined below
are selected reflect the party's main focusses, it is of course worth
remembering that the party also holds to core conservative ideas including opposition to
Euthanasia or voluntary assisted dying; scepticism about climate
change; and opposition to same-sex marriage (this
policy is outdated on their website, citing obsolete legislation and noting
that SSM cannot be legalised without an act of parliament (which was passed
more than a year ago)). The party is one of very few, however, who have a
specific policy
condemning Nazism.
Protect Aussie Jobs:
RUA has set itself the ambitious policy to "Introduce
full employment; eliminate dole payments as we know them.". It's
proposed measures to protect Australian jobs include tariffs to protect
manufacture and rural industries; a minimum milk price to be paid to farmers
along with tax exemption for dairy products and a ban on milk imports;
abolition of payroll tax and unspecified red tape; and a repeal
of the Gillard-era carbon tax (which was actually repealed in 2014, but
who's keeping track?).
Protect Aussie Ownership:
This party aims to preserve Australian ownership of
companies and assets through measures which include the establishment of a
government-owned bank giving interest-free loans with generous repayment terms
to Farmers, Market Gardeners, small Business and those suffering severe
hardship on top of a freeze on mortgage repayments for these people. The party
also believes it is important to prohibit foreign acquisition of Australian
land and infrastructure.
Protect Aussie Way of Life/Protect Aussie Customs:
RUA has a strong view about what parts of Australian culture
need preserving; this is their most famously controversial dimension, with some
arguing that the party's policies in this area are contrary to core elements of
Australian life including inclusiveness and "mateship",
multiculturalism and freedom of speech. RUA believes defacing the Australian
flag should be a criminal offence, the Burka should be banned in public, child
refugees should not have been brought to Australia from Nauru, immigrants must
"respect Australian values" which includes respect for Christmas and
Easter regardless of their religious beliefs, and that multiculturalism (the existence
of varied cultures which they distinguish from multi-ethnicity, the existence
of multiple races) is inherently dangerous. They defend the rights of parents
to smack children and support the return of (undefined) "discipline"
to schools, sack university staff perceived to be encouraging "left wing
socialist policy" and mandate school teaching of how to raise a (also
undefined) model family.
B Pauline Hanson's One Nation (PHON)
One Nation's controversial policies are well known and their
recent scandals involving the US NRA are still fresh. I can't find any guidance
on which of their policies to prioritise on their site, and the list is
alphabetical. I note that in Google, however, special mention is given to
Climate Islam and Education. Whether these are topics One Nation considers
priorities or not, it's the best I have to go on.
Climate Change
Simply put, One Nation has dedicated an entire
"policy" page to climate change scepticism, claiming there is no
global warming, increase in extreme weather events or polar ice cap melt. In
terms of policy, PHON wants to pull out of the Paris Climate Accord.
Radical Islamic Terrorism
PHON insists the majority of terrorists are acting in the
name of Islam (which surely depends entirely on your definition of terrorism)
and proposed a 10-point policy including a Trump-style travel ban (their
comparison, not mine), penalties for racism of any sort (as a cause of
alienation and thus radicalisation), and cutting funding to groups like the
Bankstown Poetry Slam which they describe as "a forum for hateful Islamic
ranting"
Higher Education
The full policy text is "Support higher education for
every Australian, at a reasonable cost. Availability should be given to
Australians first, before foreigners. We oppose the privatisation of our
universities. Students requiring assistance with fees should be assessed on an
individual needs basis and not according to their parents’ income and
assets."
C United Australia Party (UAP)
"Despite Palmer's ubiquitous advertising campaign,
particularly online, the policy page is rather sparse. I quote it below:
“Party Officials should not be Lobbyists, thereby taking a
strong position on Paid Political Lobbyists, saving tax payers dollars and
introducing Fair Policies
Revising the current Australian Government’s Refugee Policy
to ensure Australia is protected and refugees are given opportunities for a
better future and lifestyle
Creating Mineral Wealth to continuously contribute to the
welfare of the Australian community. This will be achieved by utilising mineral
resources from Queensland and Western Australia, and incentives from the
Commonwealth of Australia to establish downstream processing in the States of
Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia; and exporting products at a
higher dollar value, thereby creating more revenue, jobs, tax and more
facilities.
Establishing a System where people create wealth in various
parts of the country and for that wealth to flow back to the Community that
generates the wealth. For example, if a particular region creates wealth, a
significant percentage of that wealth should go back to the region.”
D Liberal National Party of Queensland (LIB)
As one of the major parties the Liberals have a very wide-ranging
policy platform. To isolate three talking points, I have referred to their
"our plan" which after championing several past achievements
identified four key areas: tax relief, infrastructure, family services and border
security. Of these, family services was omitted from my summary due to its
broad and loosely defined scope which includes childcare, education, health and
numerous other distinct policy areas that cannot be summarised concisely.
Tax Relief:
Ignoring the large portions of the Liberal policy pages
dedicated to establishing Labor as a tax bogeyman, the main points are that the
party will reduce personal income tax, reduce the company tax rate from 30% to
27.5% and eventually to 25%, and they will expand the availability and size of
the instant asset write-off which allows the full deduction of business assets
individually worth under $30,000.
Infrastructure:
The list of infrastructure projects on the Liberal website
is too long to effectively summarise, but includes $100 billion in transport
and congestion solutions including road upgrade and expansion, rail expansion
and electrification, public transport and car parking projects, bridge
construction, heavy vehicle accommodation and new airports/airport access.
Border Security:
The essential planks of Liberal border protection policy
are: assessing refugee status in offshore centres rather than in Australian
borders, granting temporary protection visas to ensure refugees cannot become
permanent citizens, turning back boats where it is deemed safe to do so,
cancelling visas for criminals and most controversially revoking citizenship of
dual nationals involved in terrorism.
E Involuntary Medication Objectors (Vaccination/Fluoride) Party (IMOP)
"IMOP has three PRINCIPLE PLATFORMS which I couldn't
find further details of (and nor is any detail really needed, as they're
reasonably self-explanatory). Inevitably state in all caps, these are:
NO FORCED MEDICATION
NO COMPULSORY OR COERCED VACCINATION
NO FLUORIDE IN OUR WATER
It should be noted, however, that the party's position on
any other subject is not stated and as with any single-issue party this makes
them something of a gamble."
F Climate Action! Immigration Action! Accountable Politicians! (CIA)
Still branded under their old name, Online Direct Democracy,
this party doesn't have policies. If elected, the candidates will vote on any
law in accordance to the result of a vote by enrolled Australian voters
G Animal Justice Party (AJP)
Reasonably self-explanatory, and without much for me to add
since the party divides its policies into those for humans, animals and the
environment. Despite the breadth of policies, it's not inaccurate to describe
the AJP as a single-issue party, so their vote on non-animal-related issues is
unreliable.
Animals
"The AJP's proposed reforms for legislation relating to
animals is quite lengthy, but includes:
- Establishing an Independent Office of Animal Welfare with prosecution powers and “a definition of personhood to replace the current property status of animals”.
- Ensuring a “fairer” (presumably lower) burden of proof for prosecuting animal cruelty cases.
- Phasing out all animal farming and industries, but starting with factory farming techniques.
- Banning live export.
- Banning the use of stray animals in research.
- Phasing out funding the use of animals in experimentation, “except where there are net benefits to the animals concerned”.
- Banning horse jump racing, greyhound racing, recreational hunting, game fishing, rodeos and horse-drawn carriage rides.
- Banning the use of animals in circuses and marine theme parks.
- Banning zoos or transitioning them to sanctuaries and conservation parks “which exist solely in the service of animals”.
- Limiting breeding of animals to licensed breeders.
- Phasing out sale of pets except from shelters and rescues.
- Subsidising pet desexing.
- Making desexing a requirement for the sale of pets.
- Making it illegal to prevent pet ownership of tenants.
- Ensuring domestic violence shelters have facilities for animals.
- Supporting non-lethal population control methods for introduced species and threats to native wildlife."
Environment
The AJP supports
transitioning to a vegetarian lifestyle to minimise human impact on animals and
free up land for reforestation. They also support the use of recyclable and
upcycled materials, protect forests and marine habitats from destruction, and
the use of clean energy. The AJP argues that coal seam gas and other sources of
natural gas be reduced and phased out within 20 years, that fossil fuel usage
not increase, that a carbon tax be placed on coal use and agricultural
industries, and that Australia "rapidly transform to a carbon free energy
infrastructure"
Humans
Most of the human policies are health policies, and most of
the health policies are derived from perceived benefits of a vegetarian
lifestyle. They would promote this dietary shift through education, cutting
subsidies to the red and processed meat industries and a "phase out [of]
subsidies to intensive animal industries because they are both cruel and
provide a breeding ground for new diseases which pose large public health
risks". The AJP also advocates for an end to drug research for "diseases
best managed by simple lifestyle choices" and the overuse of antibiotics
which increase the rise of drug-resistant diseases. Other policies include
opposition to gun ownership (based on the use of firearms in pest control),
that domestic violence shelters include shelter for pets, and that work places
should allow animals to be present.
H The Greens (GRN)
According to their policy page, the Greens "champion
big, evidence-driven solutions to the major problems we’re facing now: economic
inequality, increasing cost of living, environmental destruction and climate
change." I think it's fair to say the party's stance on environmental
destruction and climate change are well known, so I have merged them to give a
broad environmental policy here.
Economic inequality
The party supports public ownership and opposed
privatisation, including reversing past privatisations, creating a
non-for-profit bank and not-for-profit renewable energy company, capping power
prices and opposing selling the NBN. The Greens' plans also include increased
funding for temporary and emergency accommodation to combat sleeping on the
streets along with more long-term allocation of money for more rental
properties and tenancy advocacy services as well as phasing out tax incentives
that favour investors over home buyers. Greens policies for economic equality
extend more obliquely to include "closing the gap" with Indigenous
people through treaties, ensuring equality for women in the workplace,
increasing accessibility for disabled people and fully finding the NDIS
Increasing cost of living
The party's not-for-profit companies and caps on power
prices are factors here too, along with rewriting workplace laws and increasing
wages, investment in science and research in preparation for future industries
and support for more than 2 million small businesses.
Environment
The Greens aren't just known for their environmental
policies, they're named for them: opposition to coal seam gas and fracking,
deforestation, gas exploration in the Great Australian Bight; legislation to
protect marine parks, the Barrier Reef, the Murray-Darling; support for
electric vehicles, 100% renewable energy, and coal workers during the phase out
of fossil fuels.
I Fraser Anning's Conservative National Party (FACN)
Fraser Anning shot from relative obscurity among elected
politicians due to his highly controversial and conservative views. His party's
policy page has only one policy link (Veterans' Policy) but also lists 21
numbered items, topmost on that list being (1) that Australia was founded as a
"as an English speaking, predominantly European Christian
Commonwealth", (2) that immigration needs to prioritise "those best
able to integrate and assimilate" (i.e., presumably, English speaking,
predominantly European Christians) and (3) opposition to same-sex marriage and
abortion. So do not assume this party is a single-issue one simply because
there is only a single policy to expand upon.
Veterans
The party supports marking the drivers' licenses of veterans
or issuing veterans ID cards, military appointments to veterans affairs, military
membership on tribunals for all claims on the department of veterans' affairs,
re-establishment of a defined benefit superannuation scheme for ADF members,
the right of any former serviceperson to demand accommodation at military
facilities and a retirement village for veterans in Townsville.
J Australian Labor Party (ALP)
Labor's policy page is obviously comprehensive. So I didn't
look at that. I looked at their campaigns page, which allows you to search
specifically for two themes: education and health. To this I will add climate
change, as that has been a huge focus in the campaign.
Education
Labor will subsidise 700,000 preschool places,
"uncap" universities to provide funding for 200,000 more places, and
waive fees for 100,000 TAFE places including at least 50,000 female students,
20,000 students of disability and aged care and 10,000 students of early
education. They have also set the target of 3% of GDP to be spent on research
and development projects. Spending commitments also include $3.2 m to assist
rural students into tertiary education, $300 m for a University Future Fund and
an extra $14 b for public schools.
Health
One of Labor's earliest major commitments was around cancer
treatment: the party will spend $2.3 b on this, including $125 m in research,
$600 m to fund cancer scans and $433 m to cover consultation costs. Partially
overlapping with this Labor will invest $2.8 b in hospitals, $200 m in
headspace plus to combat mental health issues, develop a National Rural Health
Strategy and regulate drug and alcohol treatment.
Climate Change
The party's target is 50% renewable energy by 2030 and net
zero pollution by 2050. Specific programs include rebates to support 100,000
new solar/battery installations in homes, 10 community power hubs (including
wind farms) and $1 b in projects to support hydrogen power.
K Independents for Climate Action Now (ICAN)
ICAN is, obviously, a single-issue party in favour of action
against climate change. Their target is 100% renewable energy by 2030, with
support for fossil fuel companies to transition their workforce out of the
sector. ICAN admits the risk of voting for a single-issue party: "ICAN is
a party of allied independents committed to climate action now. Beyond our
binding climate policy platform ICAN candidates and future parliamentarians
will pursue other policy areas as independents. Therefore, it will be important
that ICAN supporters come to know their candidate’s and representative’s
positions on policy areas of importance to them." They also state that the
spirit of their party is one of evidence-based policy and that "inappropriate
or extreme policy positions" may lead to expulsion from the party where it
brings ICAN into disrepute.
L Australian Workers Party (AWP)
The Australian Workers' Party perhaps say it best: "The
AWP has a comprehensive array of policy initiatives and positions. Our core
values are fairness and social & economic justice."
Fairness
The WAP vision of fairness includes an end to metadata
collection; establishment of an Australian republic; removal of the Union Flag
from the Australian Flag and addition of emblems representing Indigenous
Australians and multiculturalism; the inclusion of dental, pathology and
physiotherapy's inclusion in Medicare; needs-based funding for schools; phased out
funding for private schools; merit-based free tertiary education; and abolition
of the Indue Cashless Welfare Card.
Social Justice
The party would propose, subject to support from Indigenous
Australians, signing of treaties, ending the NT intervention, full
implementation of the Closing the Gap recommendations and Indigenous
representation in parliament. They also support the right to seek asylum, an
end to off-shore processing, greater funding for the NDIS and setting the
retirement age at 65.
Economic Justice
An increase to rental assistance; retention of tariffs;
ending foreign investment in Australian property or foreign ownership of
Australian assets; ending employment discrimination exemptions for religious
institutions; removal of full tax rates for second jobs; establishing optional
work provided by the government for all unemployed; and good governance of
strong unions are all supported by the WAP.
M Australian Better Families (ABF)
The ABF's policy flier is a convenient quick summary, and I've
quoted directly from it below, but it also identifies the three areas of
crucial importance to the party by having people hold up signs for family law,
mental health and child support reform.
Better Family Law
"Our policy will ensure families dealing with child
access disputes will be supported through long term mediation and counselling
programs to maintain healthy relationships and happy families post separation."
Mental Health Reform
"Our policy is about protecting vulnerable Australians
who require emotional and clinical mental health support. These programs will be delivered through
health wellness hubs that are managed within the community."
Child Support Reform
"Our reforms to the child support system will overhaul
how child support is calculated and paid. We will remove the financial
incentives that are paid to parents who withhold access to children, while
ensuring on time payments for parents who have private agreements."
N Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party (HEMP)
HEMP is a single-issue party supporting the
decriminalisation of cannabis for use as food, fuel, fibre, medicine, cosmetic
and a recreational drug. It is probably a safe assumption based on previous
alliances and the general focus of this party that they will vote in a
generally left/progressive direction on other matters, but this is always the
risk with single issue parties.
O Australian Conservatives (CON)
The Australian Conservatives are reasonably
self-explanatory, but I couldn't find any objective way to pick the three most
important policy areas. I can't even take the top three on their policy page,
because they are ordered alphabetically and don't necessarily reflect their
importance to the party. So I've done it subjectively instead, and I apologise
if my personal bias has influenced me.
Society and Culture
The party recognises Australia's Judeo-Christian heritage;
supports freedom of thought, expression, association and equality; has pride in
the Australian flag and history; believes "traditional marriage" is
the foundation of civil society and champions individual rights and freedoms
Immigration and Citizenship
The Conservatives have vowed to halve immigration, never
resettle refugees, withdraw from the UN Refugee Convention, reform all classes
of visa, eliminate permanent residency and require ten-year residency (with 7
years of tax payment) to become a citizen
Energy
The Conservatives' website still hosts a video titled
"Climate Doomsday Alarmism is a Hoax". It is unsurprising, therefore,
that the party describes itself as "technology agnostic", does not
support renewable energy targets and plans to withdraw from the Paris Climate
Accord. The party also supports nuclear power.
P Democratic Labour Party (DLP)
The DLP is not to be confused with the Australian Labor
Party, or as this party puts it "We are a true Labour Party and base all
our policies on three important questions: Is it good for the family? Is it
good for the worker? And is it good for the community?"
Family
The DLP family policy is based on the beliefs that marriage
should be between a man and a woman, that parents need the right to discipline
their children and solidarity with women who find themselves struggling with an
unintended pregnancy (though the DLP is anti-abortion), the abused, the
dispossessed, and parents separated from their children.
Worker
The party supports a portable leave scheme, so leave
entitlements accrue even when changing jobs; more annual and long service
leave; and reintroduction of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act to resolve
work disputes
Community
In the 2019 policy platform, being a federal election, this
is described as "support the Nation" and includes a national bank to
fund infrastructure, a national fuel reserve for emergency services, defence
and public transport for 12 months, a ban on foreign ownership of agricultural
land, clean coal power stations and renewable energy and review the delayed
French submarine purchase.
Q Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
"Katter has been around a while and growing in fame.
This scrutiny has led to a much wider policy platform than back in his
farming-centric days. Policies are alphabetical with no hints as to where I
should focus. Fortunately, the 'what we stand for' section seems prioritised,
and is lead by A fair go, Putting Australia’s interests first, and Making sure
regional and rural Australia gets its fair share. Sadly, and perhaps
paradoxically, it is hard to find policies that match neatly with these
stances. Instead, I was going to quote the short blurbs under each heading, but
this provides little detail (e.g. “All Australians deserve a fair go, and
Katter’s Australian Party stands for policies that make this happen.”) Instead,
I've copied the full text of “what we stand for”:
A fair go: All Australians deserve a fair go, and Katter’s
Australian Party stands for policies that make this happen.
Putting Australia’s interests first: Governments are
accountable to the Australian people for the management of outcomes that
protect and enhance both the social and economic fabric of the Australian
people and the sovereignty and independence of the Australian nation.
Making sure regional and rural Australia gets its fair
share: Katter’s Australian Party is sick of seeing capital cities get more than
their fair share while regional Australia is expected to contribute but gets
little to nothing in return. KAP fights to make sure regional and rural
Australia get their fair share of funding.
Christian values: Modern Australia was founded on Christian
values and a responsibility to one’s fellow man. This heritage belongs to all Australians and
defines the culture of the nation. The ideals for Australian society and
government should be based upon these principles.
Encouraging the development of every person’s talents and
skills: Katter’s Australian Party believes in creating policies and thus an
environment that nurtures individual initiative, and the development of every
person’s, and especially children’s, talents and skills to the maximum.
Personal responsibility and accountability: Katter’s
Australian Party believes in policies that acknowledge the importance of
personal responsibility and accountability.
The importance of contributing: To make Australia the best
it can be, the value of contributing cannot be underestimated.
Support for those in genuine need: While Australians are in
genuine need, they should be supported, while that need exists. This does not
absolve people of the need to support themselves, wherever that is possible.
The right for property owners to enjoy their property:
Government interference in people’s lives must finish at the family fence or
property boundary. Legislation overriding all other laws must provide that
intrusion and interference upon that household can only occur where human
health and life is in serious and immediate jeopardy.
Protecting Australia’s sovereignty and independence: To
ensure we protect Australia’s sovereignty and independence, we need a strong
economy, have a defence force strong enough to deter invasion, and put
Australia’s interests first in respect to agricultural land, corporations, resources
and utilities."
R - (IND)
S The Great Australian Party (GAP)
The GAP believes, among other things, that the government is
acting ultra vires, and specifically in violation of the constitution. This is
a very serious claim, but I couldn't find any details of what they consider
this violation to be (and perhaps one shouldn't take the politico-legal
analysis to seriously from a party that thinks Australia has a former PM called
"Julie Gillard"). Their other policies are numerous and hard to
whittle down to something concise. Fortunately, they've done this for me.
T Pirate Party Australia (PPA)
The Pirate Party has many lists of ideals and policy
headings to pick from, but I have chosen this line from the PPA constitution:
"The basic tenets of this movement are free culture, civil liberty and
intellectual rights reform."
Free Culture
PPA would provide $500 m to support libraries, repeal
lockout laws and allow pubs to determine their own hours, expand tax exemptions
for cultural organisations, and protect public broadcasters.
Civil Liberty
The party stands for freedom of speech, privacy, bodily
autonomy (including euthanasia, abortion and sex work), the repeal of any legal
authority over marriage and instituting civil unions as the only legally
recognised institution, and net neutrality. The party also wants a Bill of
Rights.
Intellectual Rights
The PPA desires a complete overhaul of copyright law, with
copyright extending only 15 years from publication, only limiting commercial
uses of intellectual property, and allowing copyright to be bought and sold.
U Sustainable Australia (SA)
The policy page does my job for me. Which I guess is what a
good policy page should do? Priorities are identified as jobs, housing,
planning and environment, and the summaries are directly quoted:
Jobs
"Better invest in education and skills training for
local workers; Re-allocate our scarce economic capital (back into our
factories, farms and small businesses, to re-diversify our economy); A simpler,
fairer tax system; Re-invest in the regions; Fair trade with a level playing
field; Australian ownership and management of utilities, land and resources;
& more."
Housing and Planning
"Tax reform (end CGT/NG concessions); Stop foreign
purchases; Reduce population growth pressures; Increase investment in public
housing; Better bank lending practices; Greater renters’ rights; & more...
Give real power to local communities in planning decisions; Increased developer
charges for land value (rezoning) gains; Better public transport; Preserve or
plant corridors of biodiversity; Prioritise ecological design in housing;
Reduce population growth pressures; & more."
Environment
"Transition to renewable energy; Moratorium on all
fracking; Better manage our water security; Increase conservation management
funding and employment; Enhance biodiversity and native species programs;
Protect animal habitats from housing and farming land clearing; End old growth
forest logging; Minimise factory farming; Reduce waste production; Reduce
population growth pressures (so all of the above isn't undermined); &
more."
V Love Australia or Leave (LAL)
Despite the emotive name, the party doesn't seem to be a
single-issue immigration party. While I couldn’t find detailed policies I did
find quite a number of issues they have opinions on: "Truth in Sentencing;
Apprenticeships; Assisting Small Businesses; Hard-line Immigration Policy;
Combating Extremism & Islamisation in Australia; Halal Certification;
Dedicated Incarceration Facility for Terrorists; Providing a Stronger Defence
Force; Supporting Veterans; Removal of VLAD and Association Laws; Amend Section
18C of the Racial Discrimination Act; Welfare Reform; Reform Family Law; Child
Support Overhaul; Coal Seam Gas Mining; Health System; Pro Firearm Policy;
National Water Security; Job Creation; Environment; No Foreign Ownership;
Education; Cost of living; Making it illegal to burn the Australian Flag; Royal
Commission into Child Safety; UNEXIT/LEAVE Campaign"
W Shooters, Fishers and Farmers (SFF)
There are a number of policies I could draw from here
regarding foreign affairs, economics, recreation and environment. But it seems
to me the three that deserve priority are the three F's linked to the party's
very identity: Firearms, Fishing and Farming & Land Management.
Firearms
This party wants to relax gun restrictions including a
review of the 1996 gun laws, removing Federal limits on firearm imports, expand
self-defence rights, support for gun manufacturers and funding for 'Shooting
Australia'
Fishing
Perhaps unsurprisingly, most of the fishing policy concerns
increasing commercial and recreational fishing opportunities, cutting
restrictions and opposing international fishing operations
Farming & Land Management
SFF opposes the current extent of foreign land ownership and
wants to make further foreign investment more difficult. They also want
"right-to-farm" legislation giving absolute rights to farmers for
example to prevent sale of minerals under the owned land, plan to expand live
exports, oppose cheap imports and review the Murray Darling Basin Plan to
recognise farmers' rights.
X - (IND)
Y Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
Liberal Democrats are a libertarian party. This means
minimal government control on social issues (typically 'left') and economics
(typically 'right'). Their policy page divides policies into two streams
(liberty and prosperity) and 'our philosophy' identifies four headings of
principles, but first notes "The Liberal Democrats stand for greater
freedom, smaller government and personal responsibility." These are the
three headings used below.
Freedom
Freedom for the LDP includes legalisation of marijuana and
other drugs less harmful than tobacco; freedom of speech including defamation,
public indecency and intimidation; allowing gun ownership for self-defence, and
not requiring registration of long-arms or prohibiting semiautomatics; and
allowing assisted suicide and most abortions.
Small government
Policy positions include end-dates on legislation,
protection for whistle-blowers, bodies established to review government,
privatise immediately the NBN, ABC, SBS, Postal service, Electricity, Public
Transport, and eventually TAFEs, Universities, Public schools and hospitals.
Personal responsibility
The LDP would enable business owners to allow smoking in
their venues, non-late-term abortion, pornography, sex work, euthanasia, all
personal-use drugs and victimless crimes (including not wearing a seatbelt or
bike helmet, and BASE jumping).
Z Citizens Electoral Council (CEC)
CEC's header on its 2019 election page lists three policy
areas
Stop 'bail-in'
Bail-ins, according to the
CEC are situations where banks in debt delete your savings and instead
issue you with shares in the bank without permission. How real this threat is I
won't comment on, but the CEC is outraged at this secret international
conspiracy.
Break up the banks
TO summarise, the CEC wants all banks to be split into
commercial banking (loans and deposits) and investment banking (including insurance,
stock broking, financial advice, wealth management and superannuation) to
separate the public's savings from the volatilities of the investment markets
Rebuild the country
"The CEC advocates a massive public infrastructure
development program for Australia of major nation-building projects in water,
power, and transportation, which will open up all of Australia to economic
development and population. We reject and will scrap public-private
partnerships (PPPs), and use a national bank to publicly fund projects to be
kept in public ownership. This program will address the infrastructure deficit
that has been built up through decades of under-investment, and reindustrialise
the economy by stimulating industries, including steel-making and cement
manufacture."
UG1 LO-DEAN Debby (IND)
UG2 SHARPE Gary Robert (IND)
UG3 LARCOMBE Paul (IND)
UG4 HASLER Jane (IND)
UG5 WOODWARD John (IND)
UG6 McARTHUR-WILLIAMS Nicholas (IND)
UG7 GHULAM Hassan (IND)
UG8 WHARTON Wayne (IND)
UG9 MURPHY Amanda (IND)
UG10 STEVENSON Paul Joseph/The Australian Mental Health Party (AMHP)
It's always a delight when the party does my job for me. On
the AMHP's website you will find their policies neatly portioned under three
headings and ready to be unpacked.
Smarter Economy
AMHP wants higher Newstart payments, simpler income tax, and
a minimum effective tax rate of 20% for big businesses.
A Caring Health System
Health, and particularly mental health, is a huge focus for
the AMHP. There simply isn't space to discuss this in detail, but even a skim
through the topics on their website gives a decent overview: Better Hospital
Care; Improve Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme; Better Access to
Psychological Care; Fairer Private Health Cover; More Safety and Security for
Electronic Health Records; A Sensible Approach to Drugs and Alcohol; Connecting
Research to Practice; Improved Primary Healthcare Networks (PHNs); Addressing
Men's Mental Health; A Positive and Proactive Approach to Aboriginal Mental
Health Care; Healthier Communities in Regional, Rural, and Remote Australia.
Education Made for People
Getting a good education helps us reach our full potential,
leads people to being well-informed and engaged citizens, and helps people
understand how we might better lives. The kind of education we need includes
more than just preparing young people to join the workforce.
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