Federal Election 2019: Your guide to every Tasmanian Senate candidate
With 44 candidates to choose from, it can be a confusing task picking who you want to represent Tasmania in the Senate. Here is our comprehensive guide to all candidates running for a seat on Saturday.
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WHILE the House of Representatives may be a slightly more predictable affair, the Senate will provide a bit more interest for keen poll watchers.
Tasmania has 12 Senators, and six are up for election this time around. (As an interesting exercise, try naming all 12 Tasmanian senators. It is a comfortable bet that most of us would fall well short of the full dozen). The major parties usually perform predictably well in Senate elections.
The 2016 full Senate election returned five Labor, four Liberal, two Green and one Jacqui Lambie Network senator. Ms Lambie was later ruled ineligible and replaced by Steve Martin, who sat as an independent and then joined the Nationals.
YOUR GUIDE TO THE HOUSE OF REPS CANDIDATES
Conventional wisdom holds that the major parties will grab two quotas each at this election and that the fifth and sixth seats will provide the most interesting contests.
There are a few high-profie condenters for those seats. Labor’s Lisa Singh faces a tough task to hold on from down the ticket and Senator Martin has run a strong campaign but is standing for the first time as a National. Greens Senator Nick McKim only scraped in last time, but can hope that he might benefit from a mood in favour of climate change action being detected in the polls.
And then there are the longer shots. Jacqui Lambie has a strong profile but faces a challenger with some momentum behind him in Craig Garland. And independent Steve Mav has run a spirited campaign — but will struggle due to a poor position on the ballot paper.
As we have done at state and federal elections in the past, the Mercury asked all candidates to provide a short explanation of their story — and their personal pitch to voters. Most did but for those candidates who ignored our request, the Mercury has used information from party websites for a short biography so that voters can at least have some understanding of that candidate.
The blurbs below are the candidates’ own words, unless otherwise stated.
INCUMBENT SENATORS UP FOR ELECTION:
Catryna Bilyk (Labor) | Carol Brown (Labor) | Richard Colbeck (Liberal) | Steve Martin (Nationals) | Nick McKim (Greens) | Lisa Singh (Labor)
JUSTIN STRINGER
AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES
No response received
IT troubles me to see the government with its reckless spending that will not benefit my children and their children. I believe a great society starts in the home with a solid family, sound morals and value-driven traditions. (Source: Party website)
NIGEL FRAME
AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIVES
I WORKED for more than 25 years as a Radiation Therapist. I am married with three children and a practising Christian. I believe only countries that allow us to buy their land should be able to buy Australian property. I am against child indoctrination programs such as Safe Schools.
STEVE MARTIN
THE NATIONALS (SENATOR SINCE 2018)
AS a proud Tasmanian, with a passion for education and strengthening communities, Steve is committed to continuing his work helping to build stronger communities and a stronger Tasmania. As a senator Steve has been working hard to ensure a fair share for Tasmania.
WENDY HILDITCH
THE NATIONALS
LIFELONG East Devonport resident, Wendy would like to see more people in jobs and people willing to take on work such as seasonal berry jobs. She is passionate about protecting the little guy, creating jobs in agriculture and for produce to be shipped direct not via Melbourne.
TODD DUDLEY
SUSTAINABLE AUSTRALIA
TASMANIA’S environment and low population are its top assets. I will advocate for stronger environmental laws, funding for ecological restoration, weed and feral animal control to provide jobs in rural communities, more resources for park rangers and climate change action.
CHRISTOPHER MACLAY
SUSTAINABLE AUSTRALIA
FOR too long Governments have only planned up until the next election. I want a long-term vision. I stand for a government which prioritises a sustainable environment. I believe this must include a plan to reduce rapid population growth to limit our environmental impact.
NICK McKIM
THE GREENS (SENATOR SINCE 2015)
TASMANIA needs a Greens voice in the Senate for strong action on climate change, cleaning up politics and holding major parties to account. We will fight for our environment, our wilderness and a future for all of us, not just the big corporations and the wealthy few.
HELEN HUTCHINSON
THE GREENS
I AM standing as a Senate candidate for the future of all life on this planet. We are in a climate emergency. We know the cause of the emergency, we know how to address it, we have the tools to do it, but we lack political will. Only the Greens have the courage to do this.
SIMONE MARSH
THE GREENS
WE are the only party who can prioritise a social, environmental and economically healthy, renewable energy future. We need to stop foreign donations, address transparency, integrity and conflicts of interest, climate breakdown and environmental destruction.
RICHARD COLBECK
LIBERAL (SENATOR 2002-2016, 2018-)
THIS election is a choice between Bill Shorten and his high tax and spend agenda or the Morrison Government with a plan for a strong economy; investing in health and jobs. That’s our priority, not $25 million for an AFL team or $50 million to MONA.
CLAIRE CHANDLER
LIBERAL
I AM passionate about serving the community and want the best opportunities to secure our long-term future. I want our economy to to grow so that our community can reap the benefits — including more jobs, lower cost of living and more opportunities for young people.
TANYA DENISON
LIBERAL
AS a Hobart alderman since 2014, I know what it means to make budget decisions while delivering the essential services. That is why we need the strong economic plan of the Morrison Government to deliver a strong economy, invest in health and protect our way of life.
KAREN BEVIS
ANIMAL JUSTICE PARTY
I AM passionate about creating change for animals that can only come about through law and politics. Now is the time for urgent action on climate change, protection of wildlife habitat, the end of the mass killing of native animals, a ban on live exports and an end to factory farming.
ISOBEL TURNER
ANIMAL JUSTICE PARTY
I AM concerned about the way animals are used for the production of consumables, and their exploitation for entertainment. It is clear that animals used for food and entertainment live and die in ways that are completely unacceptable to many Australians.
RAY WILLIAMS
CITIZENS ELECTORIAL COUNCIL
AS a CEC candidate I see an urgent need to reform our banks to avoid another financial crisis. Creating a government bank and large publicly-owned infrastructure projects will boost employment and provide roads, power, water and housing for our population.
STEVE KUCINA
CITIZENS ELECTORAL COUNCIL
No response received
THE CEC is fighting for the little guy against the corporates who are stealing the future from our youth. I support that fight: to expose the fraud of the banking system and for it to be reorganised before the next financial crisis. (source: party website)
CLINTON MEAD
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
I WILL work to cut tax and red tape, including the increasing the tax-free threshold to $40,000 and a tax rate for all incomes of only 20%. I would cut Commonwealth regulations on states to allow Tasmanians to institute a friendly environment for business and local job creation.
MATTHEW RABEY
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
MATT is a young libertarian who believes in the principles of personal liberty through people being held accountable for their own decisions. This includes the legalisation of recreational cannabis, the removal of sin taxes and the fuel excise to return cheap fuel to Tasmanians.
CAROL BROWN
LABOR (SENATOR SINCE 2005)
I JOINED the ALP at 20 to fight for access to employment, education, health and other services. I was elected to the Senate in 2005, and been Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers since 2016. I believe people with disability and who care for others deserve our support.
CATRYNA BILYK
LABOR (SENATOR SINCE 2007)
I WORK with my Labor colleagues as part of a team to get results. Among other successes, I have put pressure on to keep the Kingston Centrelink and Medicare offices, restore funding to Palliative Care Tasmania and invest hundreds of millions of dollars in cancer research.
JOHN SHORT
LABOR
I HAVE spent my career standing up for working people and those who are doing it tough. I was fortunate to get an apprenticeship, so I understand them, traineeships — and a TAFE system that will give our young and not so young people the chances that they deserve.
LISA SINGH
LABOR (SENATOR SINCE 2011)
IT has always been my goal to put the interests of Tasmanians first, to stand for the values Tasmanians care about and make a difference in their lives. This election is about what kind of country we want. Better schools and hospitals, a living wage and care for our environment.
WAYNE ROBERTS
LABOR
A COMMITMENT to fairness, social justice and inclusion underpin my reasons for standing. Tasmania is being treated poorly by the current government, especially in education and health. I believe in the power of education to change lives and all schools to receive fair funding.
ROBERT FLANAGAN
LABOR
I BELIEVE we need a fairer Australia where the big companies pay their share of tax and fairer workplace laws to ensure employees share in the wealth they generate and have safe and secure jobs. I believe we need quality education, better healthcare and greater public housing.
MATTHEW STEPHEN
PAULINE HANSON’S ONE NATION
STOP the Greens, Labor, Lambie and Garland with their crazy climate and death taxes from ruining Tasmania’s economy again. Expensive electricity and more taxes will never stop natural climate change. Help our kids get decent jobs at home. Take out insurance, vote for me.
ADAM LAMBERT
PAULINE HANSON’S ONE NATION
MY kids and their future are the reason why I’ve joined One Nation. Our policies will stop the foreign takeover of Australia’s best farmland, ports, and other vital infrastructure. One Nation has the guts to stop the importation of ISIS’s dregs and Sharia law supporters.
MICHAEL JONES
FRASER ANNING’S CONSERVATIVES
No response received
WE need new direction as the current direction is destroying this once great country. I believe in getting out the UN, giving us the right to say who comes here, stopping foreign takeovers, and the right to guns and self-defence. (Source: Party website)
FRANK FALZON
FRASER ANNING’S CONSERVATIVES
No response received
I AM against political correctness. I stand for free speech. I am for Australianism, not globalism. I am against foreign aid before fellow Australians. I am for Christian family values. I am for real change. I am for local manufacturing. (Source: Party website)
JACQUI LAMBIE
JACQUI LAMBIE NETWORK
I’M proud of the work I’ve done, but the job isn’t finished. We’re genuinely independent and we’re Tasmanian to the core, so if you give the JLN the balance of power you can be sure that Tasmania’s precious Senate seat won’t be controlled by mainland powerbrokers.
GLYNN WILLIAMS
JACQUI LAMBIE NETWORK
TOO many politicians have little life experience. I own a farm at North Motton and operate a legal practice. My experiences provide the ideal background to use the balance of power to help win real improvements in health, education, on pensions and for family farming.
CHRIS REYNOLDS
JACQUI LAMBIE NETWORK
THE systems imposed by government to work with people at their most vulnerable are not working. The reforms from either side only tinker at the edges rather than fixing the issues. Tasmanians deserve better — we need an independent party with the balance of power.
ALFRED INFORMAL
HELP END MARIJUANA PROHIBITION
OUR policy to legalise cannabis. I will address issues with logic and reason based on facts, and oppose all antithalian wowsers, pusillanimous prohibitionists, mendaciously misanthropic Luddites, seditious statists and hypocritical, pseudo-scientific global warming scammers.
MATT OWEN
HELP END MARIJUANA PROHIBITION
No response received
MATT is saddened by the lack of knowledge displayed by many employers when it comes to drugs and drug testing at work — pointing out that cannabis users are, in the main, responsible workers who smoke to relax. (Source: Party website)
KEV IN MORGAN
UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY
No response received
BORN and bred in Tasmania, Mr Morgan learned the importance of dedication, teamwork and leadership from roles in business, the public sector and sporting clubs. He has extensive campaign experience. (Source: Party website)
DAVID WILLIAMS
UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY
THE UAP brings real change. A Special Economic Zone. 20% less business tax, creating jobs. 20% less income tax. Home-loans tax deductible. $150 pensions increase, seniors and disability. Forgive Commonwealth housing debt. Fund health and education, properly.
CRAIG GUNNIS
UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY
No response received
CRAIG Gunnis has held a long career in commerce and the prestige car industry. He has campaigned previously for the former Palmer United Party. Craig is married with two young children. (Source: Party website)
CRAIG GARLAND
INDEPENDENT
I WANT to ensure Tasmania and its people are properly represented and ensure our best interests are at the forefront when scrutiny of policy takes place. My background in shipping/transport/small business and fishing has provided me with the ability to be a good senator.
MARK DUNCAN
INDEPENDENT
I WILL fight to strike a balance between environment and industry. Putting Tasmania first is what I am about — making sure we get our share of funding for infrastructure projects. I have a passion for our marine environment and want to help protect it so we can all enjoy it.
REBECCA BYFIELD
SHOOTERS, FISHERS AND FARMERS
I WANT to keep our politicians honest, to protect the right to earn a living free from harassment, to see an end to identity politics and a return to equality for all, to protect our wildlife and environment, and see rural communities given the same consideration as urban communities.
KIM SWANSON
SHOOTERS, FISHERS AND FARMERS
No response received
KIM was born in NSW, completed a Diploma in Agriculture, worked on horse studs as a manager. She moved to Tasmania 20 years ago. She is a believer that job availability and job security are very important. (Source: previous statement)
GREG BECK
AUSTRALIAN BETTER FAMILIES
BY investing in social policy reforms we seek to protect the rights and liberties of families — particularly those in crisis. My party brings 21 policies to the election including foreign ownership, homelessness, better family law and mental health reforms.
STEVE MAV
INDEPENDENT
MY focus is on getting more jobs, fixing health, lowering power prices and investing in roads. I want to follow in the late Brian Harradine’s footsteps. He was a Tasmanian conservative Independent who delivered millions for our State. I am a doer and will take on the elites.
FRANCIS FLANNERY
INDEPENDENT
MY aim is to change the way politics is fought, to end business as usual. Stop meddling by religious groups. If it is not in the planet’s or people’s benefit I won’t vote for it. Rethink sending lawyers, doctors and graduates to Canberra. Send a chef instead — we get things done.
KAREN STREET
LOVE AUSTRALIA OR LEAVE
AUSTRALIA needs a government who has a focus on addressing the issues of poverty, homelessness and the lack of facilities available to returned servicemen and woman, before taking on problems of foreign affairs. (Source: Facebook page)
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