Ultimate guide to Toowoomba federal election candidates’ final pitches to voters in Groom

Groom voters will finally decide this weekend who represents the community in Canberra for the next three years — and it’s one of these eight people. Check out their final pitches here:

The eight candidates running for Groom in the upcoming federal election.

After five gruelling weeks, dozens of announcements, several forums and plenty of promises — voting day for Groom is here.

The safe conservative seat’s eight candidates have been given one final chance to impress the tens of thousands of undecided voters who will cast their ballots at locations all over the Toowoomba region.

Here are their messages to you:

RYAN OTTO – AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION PARTY

My primary platform is that of people first, not profits. Unfortunately the major parties have horribly mismanaged tax payer dollars.

Reality is they only serve themselves, instead of the people they’re meant to represent. Disappointingly, they continue to give themselves pay rises and are becoming more and more out of touch with the concerns of their constituents.

Our party wants to change that with our six-step community pact, helping independent freedom-loving candidates such as myself united under a common ethos to conserve our values and liberties.

‘Change is here’ is our party slogan.

Serving the people is what we’re meant to do. Australians think politicians should be held accountable for their actions. Let’s stand against usury and corruption.

I want to see more done for our farmers; Australia should be self-sufficient again. Returning our manufacturing domestically, advocating for transparency and accountability for politicians and media are among my top priorities.

One Nation Groom candidate Grant Abraham.

GRANT ABRAHAM – ONE NATION

As your One Nation Candidate for Groom I have not made any false promises.

I have not burdened people with requests for donations for my campaign when they are already stretched after the last two years of federal and state government mismanagement of Covid-19.

I stand for honesty and integrity and if elected endeavour to be an advocate for the people of Groom.

If elected I also intend to hold career politicians accountable for their decisions that don’t represent or protect the Australian people.

To bring real change to Groom the people need a real person to represent them and I intend to be that person.

I believe that this federal election is one of the most important elections we have had in decades to bring pivotal change that will protect our children’s future.

This election vote for the people and for our children’s future.

MICKEY BERRY – THE GREENS

I have lived in Toowoomba most of my life and have first-hand experience of what our region needs. I love living here, but ordinary people are hurting.

Toowoomba only has a one per cent housing rental vacancy rate, pushing many into homelessness.

Health care is too expensive and hard to access. It doesn’t have to be this way.

We can solve our local housing crisis by building affordable housing for everyone, and repair our health crisis by extending and protecting Medicare.

All paid for by making billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share.

This election the Greens can win the balance of power in the lower house and the senate, and push the next government to bring dental and mental health into Medicare, build 1 million affordable public and shared ownership homes over 20 years (7563 in Toowoomba), and create new jobs tackling climate change.

This time, vote 1 Greens.

MELISSA BANNISTER – UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY

As a true local who’s spent my entire life here, I care about my community and the people in it.

We have a plan to address the trillion dollar national debt with an iron ore export licence, allowing us to support you by increasing the aged pension $180 per fortnight, permanently freezing the fuel excise and abolishing and forgiving HECS debt.

We believe in lean government and less taxes so we’ll make provisional tax payable at the end of the year and cancel fringe benefits tax.

For homeowners we’ll cap interest rates at 3% for 5 years and make the first $30,000 paid on home loans tax deductible yearly.

We’ll ensure manufacturing and the processing of our resources returns to Australia.

Please look at the policies on our website before you vote and you’ll see we’re the common sense party who’ll put Australians first, every time.

KIRSTIE SMOLENSKI – INDEPENDENT

Living and working here for over 30 years, raising a family and supporting local businesses with my social enterprise #tlcfortrc, I understand what Groom needs and will use the hard work ethic I honed in my nursing career to get the federal recognition we deserve.

Passenger rail to Brisbane, a better hospital, a federal Integrity Commission and improved housing with the initiative my team released earlier this month – these are priorities I will work hard for in Canberra.

My only goal is to support Groom and vote in our best interests on the federal stage.

Voting for me means the benefit of a genuine independent – never affiliated with any political party, no alliances, parties or groups dictating my vote.

I will work for Groom to get the funding and recognition we have lacked for the past 120 years.

Based on the extraordinary support on the street, I am quietly confident.

SUZIE HOLT – INDEPENDENT

I represent our region, not a political party and our community’s priorities are my priorities:

1. Progressing a new hospital, mental health, aged care and disability services, with a public-private partnership model backed by developers

2. Advocating for our region as an agriculture and agribusiness hub

3. Delivering Inland Rail for the region’s communities to benefit from it, not be damaged by it.

4. Bringing live music and investment in entertainment with my plan to ensure regular events.

5. Progressing an all-levels of government approach to our region’s housing crisis.

6. Fixing the digital black spots. We need 4G not no G.

7. Investing in industries of the future, like our local advanced manufacturing industry.

8. Improving regional sports. Let’s get the Western Clydesdales to top competitions.

9. My plan to make Groom the region of choice for work, family and lifestyle.

Let’s Grow Groom together.

Vote 1 Suzie Holt.

GARTH HAMILTON – LIBERAL NATIONAL PARTY

This election provides a clear choice, with real consequences for Australia.

The Liberals and Nationals are delivering a strong economy and a stronger future.

In Groom, we are making long term investments to improve our roads, bridges, and flood resilience, and strengthen our health, manufacturing, and education sectors.

My local plan also includes transformative projects to grow our region. As your representative, I have fought hard to secure funding for Toowoomba’s $25 million Railway Parklands under the SEQ City Deal, stood up for the nation-building Inland Rail project, which was under threat from endless reviews, and put a plan on the table to double our local Defence industry over the next ten years.

In contrast, Labor has no plan for Groom or the nation. Anthony Albanese would weaken our local economy and put Australia’s recovery at risk. With your support, I’ll keep working hard for you.

GEN ALLPASS – LABOR PARTY

Labor will win with a majority.

Think of what we could do here if we had a Federal Member with direct contact to the decision makers of this country.

Someone who is capable of getting things done, with the proven ability to work with our council and state members; who has lived, worked, and represented this region across all sectors and demographics.

I love this community and have worked and volunteered here for decades, including six years volunteering full-time to support people when government funding did not.

I built a charity which assisted families suffering from violence and mental health issues; where I won the 2018 Social Justice Award.

My party is aware that I will stand up for my community first, to get the very best outcomes right here because I am – us.

Please give me this chance, to give all of us a chance of a better future.