Zali Steggall sets the record straight in Manly Daily live blog with readers

Zali Steggall was grilled on topics ranging from GetUp to the Manly Sea Eagles in a live blog with readers of the Manly Daily.

Zali Steggall with Manly Daily editor Robbie Patterson

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Zali Steggall was grilled on topics ranging from GetUp to the Manly Sea Eagles in a live blog with readers of the Manly Daily.

The Independent candidate, who is attempting to defeat Tony Abbott in Warringah, answered your questions for 45 minutes.

In her answers she set the record straight on links to GetUp, made her thoughts known on Tony Abbott and revealed she used to train with the Sea Eagles’ very own Des Hasler. Below is the full exchange of the live blog.

Zali Steggall at the Manly Daily answering your questions

Zali Steggall live blog

DIGBY

Between 2011 and 2016 homelessness increased by 37% in NSW. 13% of Sydney households in the lowest 40 per cent of income earners spent more than 30 per cent of their income on housing.You have ruled out supporting the ALP’s very modest proposals to make home ownership fairer. Currently the Federal Government forgoes $11.8 billion in tax revenue to property investors, yet spends only $1.6 billion on social housing and homelessness. What is you policy position?

ZALI

Hi Digby, Thanks for your question. I don’t support Labor’s proposed policies. I think they are divisive and will not achieve the outcomes Labor states. Mental health is actually a much greater part of the problem when dealing with homelessness so I think we need to improve mental health outcomes. I agree that affordable housing is an issue. I do not agree that Labor’s proposal will have real impact on that.

BRENDA DUCHEN

What if anything are you prepared to do to assist Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles to remain on the northern beaches? They face relocation unless politicians get behind them. Surely, it’s crucial to retain them.

ZALI

I was an original Sea Eagles Angel so yes, I am very committed to see the team stay on the Northern Beaches. I actually trained with Des Hasler in my skiing days and used to train in the club facilities. They are investing in the Centre of Excellence which will be of great benefit to the area and help the team get back to the top.

GetUp was a popular topic for questions. Photo Jeremy Piper

KRYTEN

Are you supported by Getup!?

ZALI

Hi Kryten,

No, I have not received any support from Get Up. Get Up are in Warringah because Tony Abbott is a Climate Change denier. My support has come from the community, with over 600 volunteers and over 700 donations. This is a grassroots campaign.

DAVID

Hi Zali, im a conservative voter, but Tony has got to go. Please win for all the normal conservatives out there. As long as you’re not a supporting the looney left or ALP (similar tribe) you’ve got my vote.

ZALI

Hi David,

You are not alone in that sentiment. I want to give a real alternative to the electorate. There are many of us that are fiscally conservative but socially progressive. I am an independent candidate, and that means I am focused on being in Parliament for Warringah, no one else.

ALAN

Do you have any other policies other 1. I hate Tony Abbott & 2. climate change?

ZALI

Hi Alan,

This is not about hate, this is about options for Warringah. The great thing about democracy is that voters get to choose who is best able to represent their views, standards and concerns. I strongly believe that Warringah wants someone focused on results, stable government and positive options for the future, not just attacking and smearing other candidates. I strongly believe that we need to take action in a number of areas, including health, integrity standards in politics and yes, climate change.

TRENT

Hi Zali, there has been a lot of speculation about the role of Get Up and your campaign. Can you please explain to what extent they are involved?

Zali Steggall also answered a number of questions on climate change. AAP IMAGE / Troy Snook)

ZALI

Hi Trent,

They are not involved in any way in my campaign. As I understand it, they ultimately issue a score card for the election of all candidates and how their policies stack up to their core issues.

CLAIR

Dear Zali, What changes to the climate will arise from Australia reducing CO2 emissions?

ZALI

Hi Clair,

The main issue is global warming and we are already on track for warming to 1.5 degrees. We need to do everything possible to avoid further warming. An analogy I use is to think of our planet as being overweight and we need to go on a gradual diet now to avoid a drastic one with serious chronic health impacts down the line. As we all know, you don’t get immediate effects but gradually, with a sustained and progressive approach, you start to get results.

ALAN R.M.

Ms Steggall, In a peer-reviewed journal article, the former head of the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics, who served under the Hawke, Keating and Howard governments as a chief adviser on climate policy, has estimated Labor’s proposed 45 per cent emission cuts would push electricity prices up 50% higher (again), destroy 78,000 jobs and cost workers up to $9,000 a year in lost income and wipe a half a trillion dollars from the economy. Australia is committed to 26-28 per cent Paris Agreement emissions cuts, which has been costed by Treasury. You say we should more than double that cut, even beyond Labor’s uncoated proposal, to 60 per cent. Why should Australia ignore the Paris Agreement and what economic cost will this extreme measure impose on Australia in terms of lost jobs and lost incomes? Please provide or point to *your own* costings and economic modelling that supports your answer.

ZALI

Hi Alan,

This is simply not correct. The cheapest source of power is renewables with hydro storage. If you want your power prices to go down, then we need to focus on an orderly retirement of coal and invest in wind and solar.

What you have not costed in is the cost of inaction, what jobs will be lost if climate change impacts are not addressed. The economic impact of failing to address climate change and future proofing our economy are far greater than any of those numbers. This was recently reinforced by the Reserve Bank’s Guy Debelle.

You have also not factored in the boost to the economy that is new technology and the renewable sector. There is a boom in investment and opportunity here in Warringah with investment into large scale renewable. We need to be focused on real opportunities, not misinformation.

JOEL

Zali, there have been reports your campaign managers are ex labour managers and you are supported by Getup, a left wing orientated organisation, leading to the claim you are a “labor stooge”. Firstly, are the reports true, and if so, why use ex-labor managers or utilise such funding? Secondly, how do you back up your statements that you represent a ‘moderate/centrist Liberal’ position. Is that your position?

Tony Abbott was another popular topic in the live blog (Image / Monique Harmer)

ZALI

Hi Joel,

Firstly, I have not received any Get Up funding.

As an independent, I put together a team of people with experience in running campaigns. As you can imagine, there were not too many consultants who traditionally work with the Liberal party prepared to work on a campaign in a traditionally liberal seat. Ultimately, my team assists with the operational aspects of the campaign, my views and policies are my own.

Having worked for the last 10 years in my own small business, and my husband having his own small business, I am for the sensible centre which I believe has been abandoned by the current Federal Liberal Party. I consider myself moderate. I believe in competition, support for small businesses and lower taxes but also believe in being socially responsible and progressive.

ERIC

Are you really independent, your chief adviser is a Labor organizer and GetUp is running your propaganda!!

Can you please explain where GetUp gets it’s funding!!

ZALI

I think I have answered that.

MARK

HI Zali, you say you are a moderate Liberal, who may have voted Greens. If you subscribe to the moderate liberal ideology you would support the broad church. Why then are you engaging in identity politics with the section of society whose views Mr Abbott represents?

ZALI

Hi Mark,

I am focused on the issues and providing Warringah with a choice. I support that everyone is entitled to their views and beliefs but this does not give anyone licence to be disrespectful or hateful. I love fair competition and have always fought against doping in sport. I believe in integrity and honest competition. This was my priority as an Olympic athlete, it was again my priority as a family law barrister and it is certainly what I focus on teaching my kids as a mum.

She spent 45 minutes at the computer answering your questions

PAUL

Hi Zali, What is your position on immigration? Thanks again A Warringah resident

ZALI

Hi Paul,

My primary concern is that we need more investment in our infrastructure and focus on assisting our regional areas. I believe that immigration needs to be slowed until that happens to avoid congestion and over development. I want to see better policies to assist opportunities within our current population, in particular in respect to women in the workforce.