Dawson votes 2022: Key issues revealed in federal election 2022

They want your vote and have vowed to fight for you in the nation’s capital. As Dawson heads to the polls, the candidates have explained how they will work for you if they snare victory.

China looms large, cost of living is paramount and trust in politics has collapsed.

These are some of the key takeaways revealed in the results of our survey of voters ahead of the May 21 election.

We asked readers across the seat of Dawson to pick the issues that were most important to them from a number of themes, ranging from national security to industrial relations.

Our data guru has crunched the numbers and we reveal the results here.

Each candidate was asked what they would do in Canberra to ensure your voice is heard, and outline their policy before you decide on May 21.

Their responses to questions – as matter to you – are presented here in ballot order for each concern.

Preferred prime minister

Dawson tilts heavily towards the LNP, which holds the seat with a margin of 14.6 per cent.

Despite this, Prime Minister Scott Morrison barely edged out a win against Labor leader Anthony Albanese for preferred PM, winning 107 votes to 105.

Immigration

A substantial number of readers want to keep immigration levels where they are at present (36.5 per cent) or lower the intake level (22.1 per cent).

Only a small minority of respondents (12.6 per cent) expressed a wish to increase immigration levels.

Fewer still want to expand Australia’s refugee intake, with just 11.3 per cent of respondents choosing this option.

Andrew Willcox – LNP

We have an immigration policy that does not discriminate and it includes a strong focus on skilled migration to support our economic growth.

While jobs should always be filled by Australians first, there are many sectors that need additional workers to meet their requirements, and I believe we have the balance right on numbers.

A significant achievement of the Liberal National Government was the implementation of Operation Sovereign Borders to end border chaos. This was first enacted by Scott Morrison as Immigration Minister, and includes:

– Regional processing.

– Temporary Protection Visas.

– Boat turn-backs, when it is safe to do so.

We are also keeping Australia safe by cancelling the visas of those who commit serious crimes.

Our funding for our border agencies is going towards the fight against drugs, weapons and biosecurity risks entering our country.

Julie Hall – One Nation

Zero-net immigration throughout the Covid response allowed government services to focus on Australians.

One Nation’s policy on immigration is to extend the zero-net migration that permits only highly skilled migrants into Australia while Australia recovers.

This will ensure that Australians’ access to already overstretched resources like healthcare and affordable housing are not stretched any further.

Government has a choice: they can either flood the country with immigrants and create a third world crisis in our own country by overextending all government services and driving even more housing shortages, or put our nation first while we recover.

One Nation believes that in order to help others it should not be to the detriment of your own people, so our policy chooses to put our citizens first.

Shane Hamilton – ALP

Immigration levels will be kept the same as they currently are under this government.

Labor is focused on delivering a better future for Australians.

This includes strengthening Medicare and making it easier to see a doctor, creating secure local jobs in more industries, making childcare cheaper and rebuilding Aussie manufacturing to make more things in Australia.

Jim Jackson – the Great Australian Party

Did not respond.

Christian Young – UAP

We believe that the current people in Australia are already doing it tough with the rising cost of living and housing shortage.

We do not support an increase in immigration levels.

When in government, a minister will be assigned to this portfolio who will be responsible for reviewing the data to determine if a reduction in immigration is in the best interests of Australia.

Ciaron Paterson – KAP

I myself would like to see the immigration levels decreased to give more and better opportunities to Australians first.

Basically I would like to see the front and the back door of Australia closed and more policies brought in to get people off the gravy chain (benefits) and back into the workforce.

Paula Creen – Greens

Politicians who try to blame rising costs of living on immigration are just distracting from their $244bn tax cuts for billionaires and CEOs.

The Greens will tax billionaires and big corporations to build more affordable housing, increase wages and create new jobs, and:

– End the major parties’ offshore detention of refugees, which currently costs Australia $1.2bn per year

– Increase Australia’s humanitarian intake, including additional special intakes for refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine

– Push for a faster, fairer, and more affordable family reunion visa system

Net zero

The option to abandon a net zero emissions target by 2050 was the most popular choice, gaining more than 44.8 per cent of the vote.

Committing to net zero garnered 21.5 per cent of the votes.

Andrew Willcox – LNP

The government remains committed to reducing emissions to Net Zero by 2050.

This will be achieved by technology, not by imposing taxes on existing highly profitable operators such as those in the coal sector.

My focus will be on supporting our strong resources and farming sectors and standing up for them against unreasonable and unnecessary pressures.

An issue which needs to be addressed is the discrimination businesses are facing from the banking and insurance sector based on who they do business with.

Julie Hall – One Nation

One Nation’s policy on Net Zero is very clear: we do not support the government’s Net Zero policy when our effect on the world’s emissions total is 1.04 per cent while other countries as high as 37 per cent are not under the net-zero 2050 restrictions.

This does not mean we are not environmentally conscious.

We fully support the building of low-emission coal fired power stations and environmentally sound projects that prosper our country.

We oppose the waste of multi-billion dollar government subsidy schemes offered to foreign-owned solar and wind projects because we believe our natural resources should be for the prosperity of our own citizens.

Our policy is to ensure our industries, mining, fishing, agriculture and tourism, are protected from any climate change politically motivated objectives that undermine our constitutional rights, self-sustainability and sovereignty as a nation.

Shane Hamilton – ALP

Scott Morrison has already signed Australia up to Net Zero.

The market determination is that renewables are the cheapest new form of energy.

We now have to make sure our region gets those jobs in renewables, solar and wind.

I support more jobs in more industries which is why we’re investing in skills and training to create opportunities for our young people in these new industries.

Labor supports mining jobs and we will continue to support these jobs.

I work in the coal mining industry and I know Labor is the only party that supports these workers being decently paid and having secure jobs.

This government when it talks about the coal industry, what it really means is the owners and shareholders, never the workers who are the people who produce those profits.

Labor stands up for the workers.

Labor’s Powering Australia plan will bring cheaper renewable energy to Australian homes and businesses, creating $76bn in investment and 604,000 jobs across Australia, with five out of six jobs created in the regions.

Jim Jackson – the Great Australian Party

Did not respond.

Christian Young – UAP

We do not support Net Zero as it will be catastrophic for mining, farming, and engineering businesses within our region.

In Canberra I will be voting against any legislation associated with the continuation of Net Zero.

Ciaron Paterson – KAP

Like I have said in the past we can’t stand in the way of new ideas, new inventions in Australian ingenuity.

We know renewables are a very high focus and on their way.

But I also believe the net zero targeted by 2050 is not achievable because we will always need minerals from our mining resources to produce the product, for example coking coal to melt the steel, lead in lithium to make the batteries, aluminium, copper, the list goes on.

Scott Morrison went to Moscow with his net zero target plan but neglected to let the people know his policy on where the jobs are coming from if they shut down the resource and mining sectors.

Paula Creen – Greens

Net Zero by 2050 is useless without a fully costed and funded plan for this decade.

In the balance of power, the Greens will push the next government to stop approving new coal and gas mines, and instead:

– Guarantee coal workers a new job at existing pay rates for 10 years, with free reskilling and workforce pooling, as we transition away from thermal coal by 2030

– Create a $2.8bn Diversifying Coal Communities Fund to protect us from yet more boom and bust cycles

– Transform Snowy Hydro into Clean Energy Australia, a wholesale clean energy generator, with a $40bn investment to build over 25 gigawatts of wind, solar, battery and off-river pumped hydro to replace all existing coal and gas power

– Establish a new publicly owned transmission company with $25bn equity to purchase key interconnectors, open up Renewable Energy Zones and transform the grid by 2027.

National security

China in the Pacific is the overwhelming concern and despite wall-to-wall media coverage, the Ukraine crisis is not a core issue.

Expanding trade relations is also a key issue.

More than a quarter of respondents chose trade as the most important issue in the national security theme.

Andrew Willcox – LNP

The most important responsibility of government is keeping Australians safe and protecting our way of life, freedom and values and we have taken significant steps during a time of global uncertainty.

We are undertaking the biggest rebuild of our navy, army and air force since the Second World War.

This government is investing more than $575bn in Australia’s Defence Force over this decade, including $270bn in Australia’s defence capability that will support more than 100,000 jobs.

In 2020, we restored defence investment to 2 per cent of GDP.

Defence spending has now risen above 2 per cent of GDP as we continue to deliver a stable funding path into the future.

To meet future security challenges, particularly in the Indo Pacific, Australia has entered into an enhanced security partnership with the United Kingdom and the United States – AUKUS. This builds on our close ties, and will enable us to deepen co-operation on security matters.

Julie Hall – One Nation

Our policies to ensure our national security are not just defence based.

We have become very vulnerable in our self-sustainability and very reliant on China.

Our policy is to stop the foreign ownership and sell-off of our infrastructure like ports, energy, water and prime agricultural land.

The size of Australia requires us to form alliances with other countries.

However, these alliances should never undermine our sovereignty as a nation or undermine our own military capabilities.

Shane Hamilton – ALP

Labor has a comprehensive national security policy which centres on defending Australia’s territorial integrity and protecting our political sovereignty from external pressure.

Labor supports a stronger Australian Defence Force and the shoring up of our economic self-reliance.

We also need to deepen our partnerships in the region and globally around the world.

To stop China’s influence in the Pacific, Australia needs a stronger relationship with the Pacific.

It is a massive foreign policy failure that Australia’s relations with the Pacific have been allowed to deteriorate so badly under this government that China is seen as a possible partner for any Pacific nation.

Stronger relationships with Pacific countries are essential for Australia’s national security and foreign policy interests.

Labor will also increase Australia’s support for aerial surveillance activities as part of the Pacific Maritime Security Program by increasing funding by $12m a year from 2024-25.

Christian Young – UAP

The UAP has stated throughout the campaign that we are at imminent risk of a fuel shortage within 60 days if one hostile nuclear powered submarine is placed between Singapore and Perth.

If elected we will take immediate steps to acquire nuclear submarines, such as the Los Angeles class submarines from the United States.

We also will be allocating additional funds to strengthen Australia’s defence.

Ciaron Paterson – KAP

In 2020 there were talks of a naval base being built in Bowen.

I would like to see this initiative brought forward sooner rather than later.

China won’t come from the southeast, they will come in from the North and I would like see a naval base within our northern waters to protect regional and North Queensland waters from any invasion.

This naval base will create jobs for tradesmen in the Dawson electorate.

Bring families, create more tourism for the Dawson and Whitsunday electorate, more infrastructure like bringing the port of Bowen and the jetty back to a standard to support naval vessels, bring our crippling roads back to a national standard, floodproof sections of our highways to support heavy vehicles to support the naval base.

Paula Creen – Greens

The Solomon Islands pact with China shows that this government’s failure to act on climate, inconsistency on aid and human rights, and aggressive rhetoric on regional security, is not working.

To encourage positive partnerships in the Pacific, we must focus on diplomacy, aid, and climate action, given this will have significant impacts on our Pacific neighbours.

The Greens will push for a focus on strengthening Australia’s own diplomacy rather than giving the US military support.

Ultimately, the best way to address the influence of any foreign government in Australia is to reform our laws governing donations and lobbying, which we’ll also continue to push for.

Covid

Anti vaccine mandate sentiment tends to gain a lot of attention, but our survey shows that sentiment might not be as widespread as the sound and fury might suggest.

Maintaining health protections against Covid was the most popular option in the Covid theme, registering 40.4 per cent of respondents.

Ending vaccine mandates, by contrast, was a minority concern at 21.5 per cent.

Economic recovery from Covid was also a popular option.

Andrew Willcox – LNP

Australia’s health response to Covid-19 has been world leading.

Australia has one of the lowest fatality rates from Covid-19 in the world, with death rates in the USA and the UK around 10 times higher.

Australia has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, ranking 5th among advanced economies.

More than 95 per cent of Australians aged 16 and older are now fully vaccinated.

We provided better access to healthcare with the introduction of telehealth which has now been made permanent.

To ensure we protect vulnerable Australians, while transitioning to living with Covid-19, we have invested a further $2.1bn in the Winter Response Plan.

This includes a further 161 million units of PPE and 26 million Rapid Antigen Tests distributed to residential aged care facilities.

The government will continue to back our health system, by guaranteeing record levels of funding for hospitals, medicines, aged care and Medicare.

Julie Hall – One Nation

One Nation’s policy on the Covid response is to hold a royal commission into the management of pandemic by the Australian Government.

A royal commission will have the necessary power to compel the Australian Government to justify the implementation of the health advice it relied on during the pandemic.

The Australian people deserve a comprehensive account of the decisions made by their government to ensure we are better prepared and to ensure future decisions are representative of our Australian Constitution and our democracy while protecting the health, wellbeing and economy of our nation.

Shane Hamilton – ALP

After two years of Covid, life in Australia is mostly back to normal. However, we need to be ready for the next possible pandemic so that we don’t have to go through the events of 2020-21 again.

Australia is the only western country without a Centre for Disease Control.

A Labor government would improve pandemic preparedness and response by establishing an Australian CDC. The CDC will:

– Ensure ongoing pandemic preparedness;

– Lead the federal response to future infectious disease outbreaks; and

– Work to prevent non-communicable (chronic) as well as communicable (infectious) diseases.

Jim Jackson – the Great Australian Party

Did not respond.

Christian Young – UAP

Throughout the Covid pandemic, there was little focus on preventive treatments as Ivermectin, Hydroxychloroquine, Zinc and many others either in isolation or in combination have been scientifically proven to prevent Covid or reduce the severity.

In addition to removing vaccine mandates to give every individual the right to choose what is injected into their body, we would also support the promotion of preventative treatment strategies.

Ciaron Paterson – KAP

I would implement faster action in a time of crises if it was to come into effect again.

Covid has shown us all that Australians are very resilient and can tackle any situation that arises.

But what we also have seen is we won’t tolerate being dictated to.

Freedom of choice, freedom of speech.

And I would like to see the federal government step in and make all businesses drop enforced work mandates.

Paula Creen – Greens

The pandemic exposed gaps in our public services and supply chains that cannot be ignored. To help protect us against Covid-19 and future pandemics, the Greens will continue to push for:

– Free rapid antigen tests

– Funding for Covid-19 safe ventilation in schools

– A $250m investment over the next two years for Covid-19 vaccine research

– A publicly-owned mRNA vaccine production facility to manufacture vaccines onshore

– A National Centre for Disease Control to lead a unified, apolitical health approach across the country and deal with the threat of emerging diseases

Social services and welfare

Healthcare was the key concern for respondents (49.5 per cent) in this theme – particularly bringing in more doctors to the region and expanding bulk billing services.

Increased welfare spending on parental leave, more welfare payments and increasing the minimum wage was also a popular option, nabbing 34.5 per cent of responses.

Andrew Willcox – LNP

More people are now seeing their doctor without having to pay.

Bulk billing is at 88.8 per cent of all visits to the GP which is 6.6 per cent higher under the Coalition than under Labor.

Mackay’s DPA status was reviewed and changed early this year, enabling the region to attract more doctors and we’ve announced that we will extend the DPA status to July 1, 2023, to give practices more time to recruit doctors.

Other initiatives:

- $1bn to boost health in regional areas as part of our 10-year Stronger Rural Health Strategy which is already delivering more doctors and nurses into rural communities

- $35m to expand the successful Innovative Models of Collaborative Care program to attract, support and retain rural health professionals

- $15m to expand the John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program to more than 1000 placements in regional areas per year by 2026.

Julie Hall – One Nation

Our policy to help bring more health professionals to the region is to offer newly graduated health care professionals three-year regional contracts in exchange for payment of their HECS-HELP loans.

Our policy is to also end the mandates and reinstate health care professionals that have been stood down during the pandemic which would give an instant boost to the shortages of health care professionals available and allow much needed doctors and nurses to get back to work.

The imbalance of services between the cities and regional areas must be addressed and One Nation will work hard with other levels of government to push for immediate solutions to address these issues which includes looking at allocations, funding and wastage.

Shane Hamilton – ALP

Labor built Medicare and we will strengthen our health system to make it easier for people to see a doctor.

Labor will invest in Medicare and change the rules that prevent doctors working in regional areas.

Labor will reverse the LNP’s cuts to regional telehealth psychiatry and mental health services to ensure people in the regions can access this essential health service once again.

Under the LNP we have a 53 per cent increase in average Medicare out of pocket costs.

A Labor government will establish a $750m Strengthening Medicare Fund to deliver improved patient access to General Practice, including after-hours GP, nursing and allied health.

It will improve affordability and better care and access to patients, and take pressure off our hospitals.

A Labor government will also deliver a $220m Strengthening Medicare GP Grants program to support our local GP practices so they can offer telehealth consultations and make other improvements to ensure GPs can see more patients and provide better care.

Jim Jackson – the Great Australian Party

Did not respond.

Christian Young – UAP

We have already pledged $40bn direct to hospitals, which is the equivalent of $265m made available for Dawson.

A portion of this funding would be used to support strategies to attract and retain doctors in our region.

Ciaron Paterson – KAP

Bulk billing in the Dawson electorate is non-existent.

Just because we live in a big mining population doesn’t mean doctors or surgeries and private practices don’t use the bulk billing system, as not everyone working in the mines earns big pay cheques.

Governments should provide essential services such as healthcare at an affordable cost at a reasonable standard.

Out-of-pocket expenditures are already unacceptable with an increasing number of services in the public system including GP visits hitting wallets hard.

Programs aiming to increase GPs such as the bonded rule service scheme need to be reviewed to ensure they are fit for purpose or made available to students in rural areas, as they are more likely to want to practice in rural areas.

Adequate and equitable access to maternity, dialysis and CT facilities should be available in every community.

Paula Creen – Greens

The last time the Greens held the balance of power, we secured free dental care for kids. This time we will go even further to protect and expand Medicare. We’ll push to:

– Bring dental into Medicare, allowing dentists to bulk bill or charge a gap

– Fully cover mental health under Medicare with unlimited free sessions

– Invest an extra $8 billion into public hospitals by legislating equal funding between the Commonwealth and states

– Train the next generation of healthcare professionals through fee-free university and TAFE

– Make telehealth permanent

– Scrap out-of-pocket costs for diagnostics like MRIs

– Provide $371m to self-determined, community-led First Nations health services

We’ll fund our plans by:

– Reinvesting the $7bn currently paid to the private health insurance industry each year back into the public system

– Introducing a 6 per cent tax on the wealth of billionaires and a super-profits tax on big corporations, and cracking down on multinational tax avoidance

Cost of living

Cost of living has become the mantra of the campaign and within this theme, reducing food and petrol costs is the most pressing concern.

More affordable housing is also a key concern.

Andrew Willcox – LNP

Events abroad are pushing up cost of living pressures and we have introduced practical targeted measures now to assist.

– Cutting the fuel excise in half, saving 22 cents a litre for the next six months. This could mean a saving of $30 a week for a family with two cars, or $700 over the next six months.

– Cheaper childcare through increasing subsidies and removing the cap, benefiting more than 6000 families in Dawson

– Providing a $420 cost of living tax offset for low and middle income earners

– Providing an additional one-off cost of living payment of $250 for Australians most in need.

In Dawson, these payments will be delivered to:

– 14,988 pensioners;

– 4498 disability support recipients;

– 1599 carers;

– 6439 jobseekers; and

– 2735 eligible self-funded retirees.

Also an additional $420 cost of living tax offset for low and middle income earners.

Julie Hall – One Nation

A major contributor to increase in food prices is the increase in transport and production costs.

It was One Nation’s Policy to reduce the fuel excise tax which LNP adopted.

We will do more to help the transport industries and primary producers with freight, shipping and production costs like reducing the fuel and energy costs which are driving up their prices.

One Nation will restore Australia’s essential 90-day fuel security policy with onshore oil reserves and capacity to refine fuels for domestic supply.

Labor and Liberals net zero policy will continue to drive up energy prices and production costs which could be easily addressed in this electorate by allowing the low emission Collinsville coal fired power station to be built to deliver low-cost, reliable dispatchable power to our region.

Shane Hamilton – ALP

The rising cost of living is making life harder and harder for the people of Dawson. Under the LNP everything is going up except your wage.

The average Australian worker went backwards by $800 in 2021.

Since the LNP has been in (2013), the price of beef has increased 64 per cent. Fruit and vegetable prices rose 22 per cent, childcare 44 per cent and health costs 33 per cent. Interest rates are going up.

Labor has a plan to lower the cost of living, provide cheaper electricity, cheaper childcare, cheaper prescription medicines, more affordable housing, bring manufacturing home to Australia, and lift wages with better pay so Australians have a chance to get ahead.

It’s time to create an Australia with rising wages and rising living standards.

Jim Jackson – the Great Australian Party

Did not respond.

Christian Young – UAP

The Australian Government’s largest ongoing cost is the interest payments on our unprecedented level of debt of $1 trillion.

Until this debt is dealt with, the cost of living is only going to increase.

The UAP is the only party with a plan to deal with the debt now by placing a 15 per cent export license on all iron ore shipments.

This will see the debt repaid within 20 years as opposed to the current government’s strategy of 180 years.

Ciaron Paterson – KAP

KAP holds the ethanol mandate at 4 per cent. If we are lucky enough to win the balance of power we will force the mandate to 10 per cent for cheaper fuel for the consumer.

KAP believe with cheaper fuel at the bowser, this will also bring food prices and the cost of living down because transport costs would be cheaper to deliver goods across Australia.

Paula Creen – Greens

Inflation is not keeping pace with wages, which is why it’s harder than ever to afford basic living costs like food and petrol. In the balance of power, the Greens will push for:

– Legislation to raise the minimum wage to 60 per cent of the median wage

– Raising all income support payments above the poverty line to $88 per day

We’ll also reduce other basic costs of living by:

– Bringing dental and mental health into Medicare

– Making childcare universal and free

– Building one million affordable homes over 20 years and capping rent increases.

The Greens refuse corporate donations, so we can stand up to big monopolies and duopolies like Coles and Woolies, and stop them ripping off farmers and gouging consumers.

We’ll also bring down transport costs by expanding public transport and making electric vehicles cheaper by up to $15,000, with ultra-cheap finance available for the balance.

Economic policy

Expanding manufacturing and wages growth were the key concerns in the economic policy theme, recording 33.4 per cent and 18.9 per cent, respectively.

Tax reform, notably, is not a key concern.

Andrew Willcox – LNP

Increasing manufacturing is something I’m passionate about, and I have been happy to see a few of our local manufacturing businesses benefiting from our government funding programs including Wulguru Steel in Townsville ($11m) and Liquaforce (liquid fertiliser) facilities in Mackay and Ayr (almost $2m).

– We have a Modern Manufacturing Strategy which is expanding and modernising Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capability, securing supply chains and investing in the skills and world-class research needed by our manufacturing business.

– We’re investing a further $750m in our six National Manufacturing Priorities; medical products, defence, food and beverage, resource technology and critical minerals processing, recycling and clean energy and space.

Other initiatives:

– Support small manufacturers through an expanded Instant Asset Write Off and tax incentives to upskill employees and digitalise their operations.

– Provide $2.8bn in additional incentives to train the next generation of apprentices and trainees.

Julie Hall – One Nation

Business and jobs are essential for the economy of our region and under net zero there is no doubt these are at risk.

We do not support the governments net zero policy to protect our industries, businesses, and jobs.

One Nation supports the self-sustainability of our industries to maintain jobs and we support infrastructure projects that will bring jobs to our region like funding for our roads, building dams, building the Collinsville low emissions coal fired power station.

We support jobs for Australians first and foremost and we wish to bolster our homegrown tradesmen and women through increasing the One Nation’s initiative national apprenticeship scheme.

We do not support the casualisation of any workforce and believe everyone should have secure, permanent employment.

Shane Hamilton – ALP

Since 2013, 85,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost and jobs sent overseas.

Australia now ranks dead last on manufacturing self-sufficiency compared to other developed western countries.

Labor will work with businesses to become internationally competitive again.

We need to rebuild CQ manufacturing, bring back Aussie manufacturing jobs, and be a country that makes things again.

Labor has a $15bn National Reconstruction Fund to make this happen.

A Labor government will also invest $1bn in advanced manufacturing, as part of our commitment to create secure well-paid jobs and build a future made in Australia.

It will rebuild Australia’s industrial base in transport, defence, resource, agricultural and food processing, medical science, renewables and low-emissions technologies manufacturing.

The National Reconstruction Fund will be tasked to drive investment sectors which are critical to jobs in Dawson: mining, agriculture and fisheries.

Jim Jackson – the Great Australian Party

Did not respond.

Christian Young – UAP

The UAP will introduce 20 per cent tax relief for businesses and individuals who work more than 200km away from a capital city.

Therefore, all businesses within the region will have more money to invest in the growth of their business – which potentially could see wages growth.

In addition, all employees within the region will pay 20 per cent less tax, and therefore have more disposable income.

Ciaron Paterson – KAP

Australia has the biggest debt it has ever seen in over a decade.

We need to bring industry back here in Australia.

We need to back Orion.

We need to back Australian initiatives to support Australian’s best interest first.

During the Covid pandemic Scott Morrison went to Moscow with his plan for the net zero emissions target by 2050 and signed the dotted line.

Both major parties have committed to this.

What I want to know is where are his plans for the jobs that will be lost because of the net zero emissions target?

Build Australia, own Australia, reward for those who do the work.

Christians be good to each other.

Make the world a better place in the natural wonderland of Australia.

Paula Creen – Greens

On top of our plan to raise the minimum wage to 60 per cent of the median wage, the Greens have a fully-costed plan to revive local manufacturing and bring jobs back onshore.

Our manufacturing plan would create 180,000 secure, well-paid jobs with:

– A $12bn investment in green steel manufacturing, green hydrogen exports and mineral processing in Queensland

– $1.2bn to manufacture electric vehicles and their components here in Australia

– New procurement policies to ensure the government is buying products made by local workers.

Infrastructure

There is growing concern the people of Dawson have not received adequate federal support for key projects in recent years and the survey results reinforce this sentiment.

Redirecting more funds to regional development dwarfed all other considerations, including specific proposals such as upgrading the Bruce Highway.

Andrew Willcox – LNP

There’s a list, and it’s long, of the needs and wants of the region and the fight for our fair share is one I’m happy to take up.

There’s also a funding pipeline to deliver it with the Budget outlining the focus on regional Australia and a specific $1.7bn for Central and North Queensland alone.

We have a strong record of delivery with more than $3.5bn invested in this electorate since we were elected in 2013.

Two projects alone – the Mackay Ring Road Stage One and the Haughton River Bridge Upgrade between Ayr and Townsville – represent $1bn improvement to our roads.

Other programs have delivered significant funding to councils, with Mackay for example receiving a combined $27m, generally to spend as they see fit.

We are also invested $4.1m into the Mackay Waterfront Project and will provide $5m for veterans wellness facilities.

Julie Hall – One Nation

This is something I am very passionate about because we have been largely forgotten in the north especially when it comes to infrastructure funding.

I will push for our water security for the north and ensure that all the infrastructure projects George Christensen work hard to secure for this region come to fruition regardless of what party is in power.

If we hold the balance of power in parliament, we can be a voice for the region because the major parties have no choice but to work with us.

This could be essential if we have an ALP government which means all the LNP promises will no longer be relevant.

I will fight for the infrastructure projects at risk which include the Collinsville low-emissions coal fired power station, Urannah Dam, flood proofing and fixing the Bruce Highway and the Mackay Veterans Welfare Centre to name a few.

Shane Hamilton – ALP

I have spoken to many Dawson residents about their poor NBN and mobile coverage which is a problem across CQ.

Under a Labor government the NBN and other communications infrastructure will be improved in regional Australia through:

- Investing to expand full-fibre NBN access to a further 660,000 homes and businesses in the regions currently relying on copper wire.

- $200m towards place-based regional telecommunications projects, such as mobile or targeted fibre, to meet community needs.

- Investing $400m to provide multi-carrier mobile coverage on roads with coverage black spots, and in regional communities.

Jim Jackson – the Great Australian Party

Did not respond.

Christian Young – UAP

Of the $3.5 trillion of superannuation invested overseas, the UAP has pledged to return $1 trillion to Australia for investment in Australia.

A portion of these funds will be allocated to critical infrastructure projects.

Within Dawson we know that the Bruce Highway upgrade, the Northern Beaches Community Hub and Bowen water pipeline are examples of infrastructure projects that required federal funding now.

Ciaron Paterson – KAP

Hells Gate Dam the other Burdekin scheme.

Bob Katter has been fighting for this project since the dawn of time.

This project will not only deliver sustainable irrigation but reliable low water costs, cost-effective sustainable electricity, sugar production, biodiesel, 20,000 new permanent jobs, cattle industry prosperity, reduce atmospheric carbon, ethanol production, stockfeed source, native timber propagation and then an inland rail system owned by the people, the list goes on.

The LNP however has proposed the wall height of the dam is lower than the original proposed height.

This will not allow the water to run in the end of the upper reaches of creeks rivers in farm land, reducing availability for crops in stock feeds to move ahead.

Paula Creen – Greens

Regional Queensland is often neglected by the government. We won’t get fair funding until we end the rorts and pork-barrelling carried out by both major parties.

The Greens have a plan to make infrastructure funding allocation fairer by requiring independent assessment of applications for infrastructure grants, with clear criteria and decision making transparently determined and recorded.

We’ll also put communities at the centre of planning for public infrastructure, by requiring independent evaluation and consultation on major projects over $100 million.

The Greens’ plans for better infrastructure across the country include:

An extra $25bn for rail and bus services, particularly to connect the regions with the city

– $500m per year for cycling and walking infrastructure

– $2bn for publicly owned electric vehicle charging stations

– A $3bn fund to deliver local sports facilities, playgrounds and parks and invest

– An extra $400m per year in school buildings and infrastructure.

The skills shortage

Increased funding for TAFE, skills training and university was considered the most important factor in improving the skills shortage in Dawson, scoring 46.2 per cent.

Expanding worker, holiday and agricultural visas, by contrast, scored 14.8 per cent.

Andrew Willcox – LNP

We are making significant progress on skills, and the following must be noted:

– Australia currently has the highest level of trade apprentices on record with more than 220,000 in training

– Our Vocational Education and Training and TAFE system is going from strength to strength with numbers up 27 per cent in the last financial year (June 20 to June 21)

– About 5800 are in mining (more than 1100 are in Queensland)

– The resource sector has created almost 40,000 jobs since the start of the pandemic

– Completion rates are also up by 21 per cent.

Julie Hall – One Nation

Access to regional training and development is fundamental to the growth and job security of our region.

I will work hard to secure funding to increase the regional training and development available for our young people so they can be skilled in the region for our relevant industries.

This will keep our future workers here and keep our families and communities together.

We also will increase the national apprenticeship scheme with a second roll out which can be combined with nation-building infrastructure projects like water, rail, roads and energy.

It is also time to stop the rorts and get those able to work back into the workforce, this is a national problem impacting the skills shortages, I would support training programs and policies that address this issue both locally and nationally.

Shane Hamilton – ALP

Everywhere I go in Dawson, I hear how skills shortages are holding business and workers back.

Under the Morrison Government there are at least 70,000 fewer people doing an apprenticeship or traineeship than there were almost a decade ago, which has led to a crippling skills shortage.

Labor will work to reverse this- offering more university places and 465,000 fee-free TAFE places – including 45,000 new places – which will help people find decent jobs and help businesses find employees.

This will help fix areas of skills shortages and fill future skills needs by training Australians in jobs including engineering, nursing, tech, and teaching.

Labor will also deliver the $9m energy and electric vehicle training hub at CQ University Mackay to train local workers in the skills they need for the jobs of the future.

We’re investing in our biggest asset – our people – and creating more jobs in more industries.

Jim Jackson – the Great Australian Party

Did not respond.

Christian Young – UAP

The UAP has declared that we will abolish HECS debt – this will result in an increase in university intakes to increase the skills within our region.

We also believe that our 20 per cent zonal tax relief for individuals will promote the migration of skills to the Dawson region.

Ciaron Paterson – KAP

Better VET in schools with more links to industry so students are job ready.

Students should be allowed to undertake a significant portion of their apprenticeship while at school.

Government could revise tax incentives such as the remote area allowance to encourage more migration to regional areas experiencing skills shortages.

Paula Creen – Greens

The Greens plan includes the biggest investment in education of any of the parties this election, funded by finally making billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share.

One of our key priorities after the election will be pushing the next government to make TAFE and university free.

Not only is free education a basic right, but it’s entirely possible – many current MPs, including the Prime Minister, got free uni.

The Greens will fund free uni and TAFE by taxing the wealth of billionaires, ending public subsidies to coal and gas companies, and making big corporations pay their fair share of tax.

We led the fight against the Liberals’ funding cuts and fee hikes, and have committed to reverse the cuts and boost university funding by 10 per cent to enable quality teaching, learning and research.

Industrial relations

Respondents registered an almost even split over concern about casualised labour versus concern about excessive labour regulations and red tape on business.

Anger over alleged casualisation in the Queensland mining sector has garnered a significant amount of attention in the campaign, with Labor’s Same Job, Same Pay policy designed to win back blue-collar votes across the Central and North Queensland mining belt.

Our survey reveals there is near equal concern over the issue of excessive labour regulations and red tape on business.

Andrew Willcox – LNP

This government passed legislation early in 2021 to allow casual miners doing de facto full time work the right to convert to permanent employment.

Labor voted against that law. The mining sector needs labour flexibility and I believe we now have the balance right.

As a former small business owner myself, I will strongly support any moves to reduce regulation and red tape affecting the 17,900 businesses in this electorate.

I know that initiatives such as the instant asset write-off – to write off the full value of eligible assets purchased for your business – has greatly assisted our businesses.

Julie Hall – One Nation

The over regulation and red tape proposed on business in this electorate has largely come from the climate change sustainable policies driven by the United Nations.

This is one policy that I have publicly stated I would like to address especially for our agricultural, mining and fishing industries.

Heavy sanctions and over regulation are crippling industries and small business and driving this region into global and social governance.

I will be an active voice against the United Nations and World Economic Forums’ great reset and a voice for fairness in our industries.

One Nation does not support the casualisation of our workforce, we instead support initiatives that embrace secure, permanent employment that sees workers doing the same work getting the same pay.

Shane Hamilton – ALP

Labour hire jobs are now all too common not just in the mining industry but also in other sectors.

Under the LNP, casualisation has exploded. The Morrison Government supports workers being paid less.

Labor is the only party that will end this rort and make Same Job Same Pay law.

Labor will legislate to ensure that workers employed through a labour hire company will not receive less pay than workers employed directly.

We will also define casual work in law so this permanent casual rort will end.

Permanent employees and more productive because they are valued.

Have safer workplaces because safety improvements can be discussed openly without fear and build community.

Jim Jackson – the Great Australian Party

Did not respond.

Christian Young – UAP

The UAP does not currently have an industrial relations policy, as our primary focus is on dealing with the debt, saving people’s homes, and supporting growth in our regions.

Like any government, if elected a minister would be accountable for industrial relations and policy positions developed from this point forwards.

Ciaron Paterson – KAP

Same job same pay casualisation of the workforce within businesses should be brought to attention on all levels.

If you work side-by-side with a co-worker who is a permanent employee to the client and you are a casual worker, namely labour hire, you should be able to receive the same pay and same benefits as that permanent employee.

I would also like to add during the Covid pandemic we have seen many businesses close down because of mandates and employee shortages.

In order for businesses to recover after this pandemic, I would like to see payroll taxes halted for two years for businesses to recover and get back on their feet.

Paula Creen – Greens

The Greens will outlaw insecure work, create a secure job guarantee and rewrite the labour laws so working people have secure work and better pay.

We will:

– Raise the minimum wage to 60 per cent of the median wage

– Outlaw insecure casual work and legislate a presumption of ongoing employment

– Give workers more bargaining power to increase wages and improve conditions

– Ensure workers are paid, and treated, equally for the same kind of work

– Stop migration laws and free trade deals undercutting local labour laws

– Stop government attacks on working people and their unions and establish an independent workplace commission to enforce labour laws

Trust in politics

The survey reveals a startling collapse in trust in politics across Dawson.

Just 26.4 per cent of readers answered ‘yes’ to the question: ‘Are you satisfied with the representation you have received in the past 10 years?’

Andrew Willcox – LNP

The men and women I have worked with in politics have been not only hardworking but also very dedicated to achieving results for the people who elected them.

While trust must be earned, truth must also be believed.

Politicians must display the same characteristics we expect of anyone regardless of their line of work.

Tell the truth, do what you say you will and act with integrity.

On integrity, this government has a consistent position on establishing a National Integrity Commission.

There is a detailed piece of legislation, which was tabled in parliament, and the support of other parties and representatives is needed for that to progress.

I have no doubt that will occur in the next term of parliament.

Julie Hall – One Nation

Talking to people during this campaign I have found there are a lot of people who no longer trust politicians or think they have our best interests at heart, and they are worried about the future for their children and grandchildren.

I chose to stand for One Nation because their policies address my concerns and also the concerns of a lot of Australians.

I chose to go into politics because I could see we needed more people to represent the people, and this is what I believe the role of a politician should be.

Instead, we have politicians who would rather represent their own agendas and those of unelected bureaucrats and multinationals which is often in detriment to the people and our nation.

As a peoples’ representative I will be a political watchdog for the people and work for the best interests of Dawson for them.

Shane Hamilton – ALP

I work in the mining industry here in CQ and I’m raising a young family with my wife. I think I’m very representative of the community who lives here in Dawson and I know the challenges facing local people.

I’m not going into politics to get ahead financially or whatever.

I’m motivated by meeting everyday people and wanting to be a voice for them. I’m a people person and if I’m elected I’ll work hard for the people of Dawson everyday.

The rorts and waste under this government has been huge. Integrity in politics is important, that’s why Labor will introduce a National Anti-Corruption Commission to hold all politicians accountable, no matter their political persuasion, and I support that.

My views on leadership are this: in order to lead you need people to work with you. People elect you to help them, because they trust you, it’s not them electing you to give you power.

Jim Jackson – the Great Australian Party

Did not respond.

Christian Young – UAP

I will be fighting for transparency and accountability.

The UAP has already declared that we will establish an Independent Commission Against Corruption at a federal election.

Something that was promised by the previous government but did not eventuate.

Ciaron Paterson – KAP

The days of voting for a major party because that’s what your grandparents and parents did are over.

Political goals have changed/shifted.

It’s time to give Katter Australian Party the chance to represent you, let me be your voice in parliament fight for your fair share in the Dawson electorate.

It’s time we get off the hamster wheel and fight for what we all deserve.

Paula Creen – Greens

This is an easy one.

People have good reason not to trust politicians who are up for sale to the highest bidder. The Greens refuse all corporate donations, so we’re taking the fight to Canberra to clean up politics and make our representatives work for all of us, not just their donor mates. We will:

– Ban mining, banking, developer and gambling companies from donating to political parties

– Cap all political donations at $1,000 per year and require real-time disclosure

– Strengthen lobbying rules to stop ministers and their staff walking out of parliament into a cushy lobbyist job

– Publish a register of meetings between Ministers and lobbyists

– Introduce a Federal independent anti-corruption commission (an ICAC)

Originally published as Dawson votes 2022: Key issues revealed in federal election 2022