Federal election 2022: Candidate guide, Cowper electorate voting
Here is an in-depth guide for the Cowper electorate which covers the main town centres of Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie.
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Here’s an in-depth guide on what voters in the Cowper electorate need to know.
When is the federal election?
The federal election will be held on May 21 and polling booths will be open between 8am and 6pm.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison held a press conference just before noon on Sunday, April 10, to officially set the date, paving the way for a 41-day campaign.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese was in Sydney at the Royal Easter Show.
Is voting compulsory?
It is compulsory for all Australians over the age of 18 to vote. If you haven’t already registered to vote, you can do it here.
Where can I vote early?
Nambucca Heads RSL Club, 3 Nelson St, Nambucca Heads. Opening hours: Saturday May 14 9am-4pm, Monday May 16 to Thursday May 19 8.30am-5.30pm, Friday May 20 8.30am-6pm.
1 Minorca Pl, Toormina. Opening hours: Saturday May 14 9am-4pm, Monday May 16 to Thursday May 19 8.30am-5.30pm, Friday May 20 8.30am-6pm.
Shop 2, 80-82 Smith St, Kempsey. Opening hours: Monday May 9 to Fridy May 13 8.30am-5.30pm, Saturday May 14 9am-4pm, Monday May 16 to Thursday May 19 8.30am-5.30pm, Friday May 20 8.30am-6pm.
C.eX International Stadium, Stadium Dr, Coffs Harbour. Opening hours: Monday May 9 to Friday May 13 8am-8pm, Saturday May 14 9am-4pm, Monday May 16 to Thursday May 19 8am-8pm, Friday May 20 8am-6pm.
Shop 1, 11 Clifton Dr, Port Macquarie. Opening hours: Saturday May 14 9am-4pm, Monday May 16 to Thursday May 19 8.30am-5.30pm, Friday May 20 8.30am-6pm.
Unit 2, 171 Lake Rd, Port Macquarie. Opening hours: Monday May 9 to Friday May 13 8am-8pm, Saturday May 14 9am-4pm, Monday May 16 to Thursday May 19 8am-8pm, Friday May 20 8am-6pm.
What area does Cowper cover?
Cowper covers an area from Port Macquarie in the south to Coffs Harbour in the north.
The main towns include Bellingen, Bowraville, Coffs Harbour, Crescent Head, Dorrigo, Gladstone, Hat Head, Kempsey, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, Sawtell, South West Rocks, Port Macquarie, Ulong and Urunga.
Cowper was one of the electorates on a knife edge in the lead up to last federal election.
With long-serving Nationals Member Luke Hartsuyker retiring and high-profile independent Rob Oakeshott entering the race, The Coalition pulled out all the stops.
Who are the candidates ?
Pat Conaghan, The Nationals
The current member for Cowper is Pat Conaghan from The Nationals and he will be running again this year.
He was elected at the 2019 federal election following the retirement of Luke Hartsuyker who represented the electorate for 17 years.
Mr Conaghan was born in Kempsey in 1971 - the youngest of five children and the son of a local doctor.
He went on to enter the police force and study law.
He was a NSW Police Prosecutor from 1997 to 2001 and a solicitor from 2001 to 2019.
Faye Aspiotis, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
Faye Aspiotis grew up on a dairy farm in South Gippsland and moved to the Mid North Coast 20 years ago to work as a project engineer on water and weather station projects for an environmental monitoring company.
She opposes mining and CSG (coal seam gas exploration) on prime agricultural land, and the privatisation of water.
She also supports One Nation’s proposed increases to the aged, disability support, carers, and service pensions, to be financed by multinational companies paying their fair share of tax, and the freezing of politicians’ wages.
Faye will help implement One Nation’s Citizens Initiated Referenda (CIR) policy, which she says will give every Australian the chance to have their say on any issue and allow change to happen “without waiting for politicians to listen and act”.
Simon Chaseling, Liberal Democrats
Mr Chaseling and his wife Amanda have four young children and live on a rural property in the Coffs Harbour region.
Together, and for the past several years, they have owned and operated a local building business, are engaged members of a local Christian church, and are active in community events and programs.
For the past several months Mr Chaseling has organised and hosted a group assisting locals who have lost their jobs through mandates and business closures to find alternate employment.
He has never previously been engaged in politics, but has been “deeply troubled by the gross government overreach and destruction of careers and livelihoods, and the push to dismantle the core principles of our society such as informed consent, medical privacy, and the right to work and provide for our families”.
As parents he and Amanda have also been concerned about the “seeming destruction of the local school system through the far left wing indoctrination of children, and the teacher shortages caused by the arbitrary sacking of thousands of hard working and dedicated teachers, stripped of their right to informed consent and medical privacy”.
Joshua Fairhall, United Australia Party
Joshua Fairhall has been in appliance retail for 21 years, owning two appliance stores in Kempsey and a furniture store in Gloucester.
He is committed to supporting small businesses in Australia.
The 37-year-old says he is gregarious and relates well to people from all backgrounds and different walks of life.
Joshua also cares for the elderly and disabled, feeling that more needs to be done in these sectors.
Carolyn ‘Caz’ Heise, Independent
Bellingen’s Carolyn (Caz) Heise was selected as the Voices4Cowper (V4C) endorsed independent candidate for Cowper.
Part of the selection process involved an online voting forum between Caz and Port Macquarie’s Julie Jamieson who had also declared her intention to stand for the role.
Until a cancer diagnosis three years ago she was the Director of Nursing and Midwifery at the Coffs Harbour Health Campus.
She started her nursing career at Bellingen Hospital after working in health education and youth mental health across the Coffs Coast.
“I am now cancer-free and fit, and more determined than ever to be a champion for all the communities in Cowper.
“We need to put the people and the concept of integrity back into the political process and so we need politicians working for the people who elected them rather than their party headquarters or the donors they are beholden to.”
Keith McMullen, Labor
Port Macquarie man, Keith McMullen, was preselected by the Labor Party to contest the seat of Cowper.
He says people have lost confidence in the integrity of the Liberal/National government and want action on a range of issues important to them.
“These issues include health, aged care, job security and low wages, housing, education, lack of support for small business, as well as the lack of any meaningful action on climate change and women’s safety. The list goes on.
“In particular there is the strong objection by pensioners to the proposal to introduce the so-called cashless welfare card. This will mean that our pensioners will have 80 per cent of their incomes controlled. I think this is insulting to our seniors who deserve better.”
Tim Nott, Greens
Tim Nott has lived in the Cowper electorate for 18 years and has a Bachelor of Science from the ANU and Graduate Diploma in Marine Science from the National Marine Science Centre in Coffs Harbour.
Has has 25 years experience working as an environmental scientist in the development approval system.
He launched his campaign in March at the site of a proposed Argyll St rezoning in Coffs Harbour that regularly floods.
“Just weeks ago, Colin and Jan of Argyll St were cut off by floodwaters, trapped in their house without power and unable to leave for food or medical supplies,“ he said.
“This is a clear example of reckless development.”
To keep people safe, and encourage jobs growth and lower the cost of living, he says the Greens have a plan to increase the clean power created in Australia to be seven times larger than today.
Your Coffs Coast Advocate put a series of questions to the candidates.
You can read their position on taxation, aged care and the housing affordability crunch.
Upper House
Local voters will also make their choices for the NSW Senate - and there are 23 groups on the paper.
Those running tickets for the Senate include Sustainable Australia Party - Stop Overdevelopment/Corruption; Reason Australia; Federal ICAC Now; Indigenous - Aboriginal Party of Australia; Informed Medical Options Party; The Great Australian Party; FUSION: Science, Pirate, Secular, Climate Emergency; and the Australian Values Party.
Candidate forums
Climate Change Forum, 6-8pm Friday, April 26, Cavanbah Hall, 191 Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour.
Hosted by Coffs Coast Climate Action Group and Coffs School Strike 4 Climate (SS4C). You can read a report from this forum here.
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