THE race to determine the victor for the seat of Murray/Nicholls has begun. Over the coming weeks, The Adviser will be offering each candidate the opportunity to answer four questions, to give the people of the electorate the chance to get to know their prospective Federal Member.
Name: Nigel Hicks
Party: Independent
What is your campaign message?
The main focus of my campaign revolves around abolishing the Murray Darling Basin Plan (MDBP) and returning water to the electorate. Irrigated agriculture was the foundation of our community supporting a wide range of businesses that provided jobs. By returning water we can build on issues such as education, health and looking after the less fortunate. A common sensed approach and practical approach is needed not more excuses and in action.
What is your plan of action to give the people of Murray/Nicholls the things that they believe are important?
Having lived in the electorate since 2006 I have lived and experienced many of the issues. Prioritising the needs of the electorate to needs as opposed to wants would be a starting point combined with action to fight to scrap the MDBP to return our foundation, water. Local members of parliament need to be a true voice for the electorate so I would establish regular lines of community feedback on current concerns for them.
What is your opinion on the MDBP?
The MDBP is based on the flawed science of turning a natural estuary into a freshwater lake. Every day that it continues the mistake is compounded, destroying agriculture, communities and the environment. We need to ‘can the plan.
What is the most important topic you have heard the electorate talking about?
The disastrous impacts of the MDBP and the failure of government to reverse it is a topic that has been expressed as the major issue on people’s minds.
What is your vision for the electorate?
I firmly believe that if we can return irrigation supplies to the region we can return prosperity to the electorate. It will generate jobs in service and processing industries that would flow onto ancillary industries and community services. We need to get sound foundations to build on.
Name: Jeremy Parker
Party: Independent
What is your campaign message?
Everyone deserves the opportunity to get ahead.
What is your plan of action to give the people of Murray/Nicholls the things that they believe are important?
Primary producers are struggling, businesses are closing down, and workers are losing their jobs all over the place. A lot of people are leaving our region.
My plan of action will be to create cheap water for irrigators, call for tariffs and other measures to protect our producers, processors and protect our region’s jobs and workers.
We have empty shops and houses for sale everywhere. I want to see a region where everybody is doing well. It is the government’s job to give people the means to get ahead and make something of themselves.
What is your opinion on the MDBP?
The MDBP is the worst economic mistake to ever happen to regional Australia, it was ultimately just another environmental experiment that has failed and has cost our people billions of dollars.
We have spent decades of hard work building some of the most impressive water infrastructure in the world, we should be using it to its full potential.
What is the most important topic you have heard the electorate talking about?
The most important topic is bringing the cost of water down for our farmers. But there is so much more that can be done. We need to prioritise our primary producers so everyone else can benefit from the flow on effect.
What is your vision for the electorate?
My vision for Murray/Nicholls is a region which is thriving with agriculture and industry, and where everyone has the opportunity to get ahead.
