Wentworth 2018: Your guide to Shayne Higson’s policies

THE Wentworth by-election is on this Saturday with a large field of candidates. Our complete guide is the only place to get in depth coverage of local and national policies of all 16 candidates. Here is everything you need to know about the Voluntary Euthanasia Party’s Shayne Higson and how she compares to other candidates.

Voluntary Euthanasia Party candidate Shayne Higson said that around the world governments are realising that prisons are an extremely expensive and often ineffective way to deal with criminals.

THE Wentworth by-election is on this Saturday with a large field of candidates. Our complete guide is the only place to get in depth coverage of local and national policies of all 16 candidates. Here is everything you need to know about the Voluntary Euthanasia Party’s Shayne Higson and how she compares to other candidates.

SEE OUR INTERACTIVE DOWN BELOW

BIOGRAPHY

SHAYNE Higson says she has represented the Voluntary Euthanasia Party (VEP) in three previous elections, as the lead NSW Senate candidate in the 2013 and 2016 federal elections, and as the lead upper house candidate in the 2015 NSW state election.

She said she is endorsed by prominent neurosurgeon and Wentworth resident, Dr Charlie Teo. Shayne says she has been a full-time advocate for assisted dying law reform, following the death of her mother from brain cancer in late 2012.

She says, as well as being the head of the NSW branch of the Voluntary Euthanasia Party, she was also a spokesperson for Andrew Denton’s organisation, Go Gentle Australia from 2016 – 2017 and is currently the vice president of Dying with Dignity NSW.

Shayne says that before becoming politically active, she was a photographic artist, a lecturer and a community liaison officer for two public high schools.

She says she was born, raised and educated in Wentworth and has lived most of her life in Wentworth and is currently a resident of Queens Park.

Q&A

1. Do you think we need a new public secondary school in the Wentworth electorate?

Yes, the NSW Education Department has failed to plan for the huge growth in student numbers and urgently needs to provide another local public high school for our children.

2. What are your thoughts on the current rate of development?

I accept that Sydney is growing and will increase in density, but we must ensure that it is properly planned with well-designed developments in suitable locations across the Sydney Basin and all the necessary infrastructure for public transport, open space, schools, hospitals etc is provided.

3. Do you support the proposed development in the national park at South Head?

No. National parks are created in recognition of their natural and historic value with the intention of protecting them in perpetuity so therefore I think the proposed development is an inappropriate use for this valuable public space.

4. Should we make changes to negative gearing?

I am concerned that our children will never own their own homes and believe that the housing affordability crisis must be addressed holistically through state and federal policies to ‘even the playing field’, reduce pressure on home prices and increase availability of rental properties and therefore I am open to changes to negative gearing as part of a mix of measures to achieve that result.

5. What are the key elements of your tax policy?

My party does not have a formal tax policy but, if elected, I would consider tax legislation proposed by the Government of the day on its merits based on expert evidence and not ideology.

6. Do you have a stance on corporate political donations?

Donation reform is critical as the current opaque system creates opportunities for corruption for which the solution is disclosure and real time reporting of donations which can be easily and cheaply implemented via a website run by the Electoral Commission.

7. What is the most important health related issue?

We need to improve end of life care for the elderly and the terminally ill, including greater funding and access to palliative care but also access to a legal voluntary assisted dying framework for those experiencing unbearable suffering at the end of life.

8. What support should be given to businesses?

I believe that small business is a critical driver of economic growth and employment in this country and should be supported with policies to encourage investment and innovation and to minimise unnecessary red tape.

9. What emphasis should placed on funding to the arts?

I support funding for the arts as an important part of our cultural well-being but the allocation of arts funding must be independent from politicians to ensure that is distributed fairly and benefits the broader community and not vested interests.

10. How should Australia proceed with regards to immigration?

I fully support the multicultural society which has brought great social and economic benefits to Australia but we shouldn’t be afraid to have a sensible discussion about the pros and cons of population growth as long as that discussion is not used as a tool to marginalise and discriminate against particular ethnic or religious groups.

11. Should we change how we process asylum seekers?

I believe we need to have strong borders but there must be a more humane option than processing asylum seekers in isolated and traumatising offshore detention centres which are vastly expensive to the taxpayer and deeply damaging to the detainees, most of whom are ultimately determined to have legitimate claims for asylum.

12. What action should be taken with regard to climate change?

I support our Paris obligations and believe Australia can meet its targets and make an orderly transition to renewables without damaging our economy but it needs bipartisan support and policies based on evidence and not ideology.

13. Do you support live animal export?

No. I have sympathy for the farmers who rely on this industry for its livelihood but I don’t believe the Australian community can accept the shocking animal welfare problems associated with exporting live animals.

14. Do you think we need to tackle law and order differently?

Yes. Around the world governments are realising that prisons are an extremely expensive and often ineffective way to deal with criminals and we should be looking for evidence-based solutions rather than simply using the “tough on crime” mantra as a cynical political tool.

15. How should we continue to move towards reconciliation with indigenous people?

It is essential to acknowledge the harm done to our indigenous people during our colonial history and to find practical solutions to ensure that the ‘gaps’ are closed in ways which are respectful and not paternalistic and, most importantly, include indigenous people in the decision-making process.

■ Simply click on your chosen candidate’s name below or on their photograph in our interactive and all will be revealed.

Kerryn Phelps / Dave Sharma / Tim Murray / Dominic WY Kanak / Angela Vithoulkas / Tony Robinson / Steve Georgantis / Ben Forsyth / Barry Keldoulis / Andrea Leong / Deb Boyle / Robert Callanan / Sam Gunning / Licia Heath / Kay Dunne