Barton candidates’ policies and what they stand for in federal election
The election is only days away on May 21 and here is a comprehensive list of the Barton candidates. Find out who they are, their promises and policies for the electorate and their last ditch pitch to voters.
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The federal election will be held on Saturday, May 21 where Australia will decide on who should lead the country.
Barton residents will flock to polling booths to cast their vote for the candidate they think is best to represent their views in parliament.
Campaigns are in the final stretch and six politically diverse candidates are vying for the Barton seat currently held by Linda Burney.
Since the last election in 2019 the country has dealt with the devastating impacts of Covid, bushfires and floods.
The main suburbs include Bexley, Brighton-Le-Sands, Campsie (part), Canterbury (part), Carlton (part), Earlwood, Hurlstone Park (part), Hurstville, Kingsgrove (part), Kyeemagh, Marrickville (part), Rockdale, Tempe and Wolli Creek.
The candidates putting up their hands to represent the people of Barton have revealed their top priorities should they get elected.
Find out who they are, their promises and policies for the electorate and their last ditch pitch to voters.
Taylor Vandijk, The Greens
Taylor Vandijk lives in Brighton and says she loves being part of the community. She is the vice president of the local community garden and regularly organises volunteers for bushcare and to clean up beaches. She studied sustainability at university where she graduated on the honour roll.
“I have worked in aged and disability care since I was 18 and I am passionate about the health sector. In the two years since the Covid pandemic hit it has become obvious the aged and disability sector is in crisis. Health workers need better staff to patient ratios and we need to improve the treatment of our most vulnerable. Recently, we saw nurses strike for better pay and conditions and I support them. I strongly support The Greens policy of bringing dental care into Medicare,” she said.
Ms Vandijk said she was not a career politician who has worked hard all her life, and as an MP she vowed to work for residents.
“Our federal government has been woefully inadequate in tackling climate change. With the devastating bushfires of 2020 and the extraordinary rains of 2022, the effects of denying climate change are becoming apparent. In the next decade it is crucial that we enact sustainable, proactive policies to mitigate the climate risk to our community. The Greens have the strongest record on climate change and I’ll be a committed advocate to address the climate emergency, now.,” she said.
“With your support, we can take our Green message straight to Canberra. I look forward to working with the people of Barton to fight against climate change, improve our environment and support our health workers to bring better health care to everyone, especially the most vulnerable.”
John Goody, Liberal
John Goody has a long family history with Barton and he is proud to call the community home.
“Our community has a number of important issues that deserve our attention and could be better represented in federal government. From local infrastructure and support for southwest Sydney businesses to help for the mental health needs of the community. I love Barton, and if elected, I will and advocate strongly for this community,” he said.
Mr Goody said he was advocating for investment in community infrastructure, including road safety and rail upgrades.
“$1.67b has been committed in Barton by the Liberal Government for projects that will ease congestion, connect communities and improve road safety. I will continue pushing for more investment so that people spend more time doing things they love and less time commuting,” he said.
“I’m also looking to improve access to mental health services as this is an issue that has a lot of impact and is important to me. It’s been great to see more than 633,000 telehealth consultations funded through Medicare in Barton since the start of the pandemic and I hope residents continue to use this service.”
Mr Goody said in these uncertain times, Australia needed strong and experienced leadership.
“ There is a clear choice between our Liberal Government, with a long-term economic plan that will see the unemployment rate drop to a near 50 year low, responsibly relieve cost of living pressures, create more jobs, and guarantee our essential services. A Labor Party that has no economic plan and would put our economic recovery at risk. Only the Morrison Government have a plan to deliver a strong economy and a stronger future for Barton,” he said.
Linda Burney, Labor (Incumbent)
The Labor Party’s website says Linda Burney was elected federal member for Barton in 2016, following a 13 year career in the NSW parliament as Member for Canterbury. Upon her election to the Federal House of Representatives she was immediately appointed as Shadow Minister for Human Services. Then she was appointed Shadow Minister for Preventing Family Violence in addition to Human Services.
As a proud member of the Wiradjuri nation, Linda was the first Aboriginal person to be elected to the NSW parliament and the first Aboriginal woman to serve in the Australian House of Representatives. Linda’s commitment to Indigenous issues spans more than 30 years.
She began her career as a teacher in Western Sydney and then as an education bureaucrat before being appointed Director General of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in 2000. Linda has a long held commitment to the prevention of domestic and family violence, and has detailed publicly her personal experience with it.
Dimitri Honos, United Australia Party
Dimitri Honos was born in Marrickville and his family relocated to Earlwood when he was three years old, the United Australia Party website said. He spent the majority of his childhood in Earlwood, where he attended school and church.
Raised with good, honest ethics within a supportive family unit, he understands the value of working hard and smart. He has a great fondness for his local community, local businesses and residents
In 2001, Mr Honos graduated from the University of Sydney with a triple major in Finance, Economics and Marketing. He has very broad set of interests including current affairs, geopolitics and trade and economics.
Mr Honos has enjoyed a very successful career in the corporate insurance industry for almost 20 years.
He is committed to the relentless pursuit of communicating a message of freedom, self-autonomy, non-intrusive government and wellbeing for all Australians. These are all key values of his, and values that the UAP represents.
Phillip Pollard, One Nation
Phillip Pollard’s profile on the One Nation website says he has lived in the electorate for most of his life.
After his apprenticeship as a printer, Phillip worked for over 40 years as a printing machinist and foreman. He also served in the Australian Army as a National Serviceman, Reservist, and in the Regular Army achieving the rank of Warrant Officer. Phillip also served with the army in the aftermath of the Victorian fires in 2009 and has conducted national training activities and conferences.
As vice-president of the Kingsgrove RSL Sub-Branch, Phillip assists in running commemorative events and is well known as the Parade Marshall on ANZAC Day. He was also appointed a Justice of the Peace in 2019.
Phillip is passionate about standing up for the people of his electorate and being the people’s voice when it comes to important issues such as protecting our water, limiting urban development and congestion, making affordable energy available, reducing foreign ownership, and bringing education back to basics by removing the political ideologies from the curriculum. He’d also like to build up trade apprenticeships to generate more jobs for Australians. Phillip will be addressing the issues of pensions and aged care; particularly ‘carer to client’ ratios.
“I’m standing for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation in the electorate of Barton because One Nation puts Australians first and applies a commonsense approach and realistic solutions to real problems. And that’s the approach I have always adopted and which, if elected, I will apply to help One Nation make a better Australia.”
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