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: Stewart Hine
Party: United Australia Party
What is your campaign message?
The United Australia Party has many campaign messages, all of which benefit the people of Nicholls in one way or another. I would like to focus on this one as being the most important for the hard-working people of Nicholls:
Abolish the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. We need to scrap the current Murray-Darling Basin Plan and completely rethink the entire scheme. It is critical that this river system is healthy, sustainable and functional. Corporate interests are being put before the needs of Australians and the government must now be held accountable for their actions.
What is your plan of action to give the people of Murray/Nicholls the things that they believe are important?
The return of water that farmers so desperately need to the irrigation system is fundamental not just to the farmers, but the entire economy of the Goulburn Valley. The retailers, service providers, factories and warehouses all rely on the agricultural industry in one way or another. Employment relies heavily on the farm sector being strong and healthy, and it’s not. The United Australia Party is going to change all that.
What is your opinion on the MDBP?
Pause the Plan, then scrap it and replace it with something that works, because it just doesn’t; it’s a disaster. Somehow the connection between the land and the water has to be re-established because that connection is broken and so is agriculture in the Goulburn Valley.
What is the most important topic you have heard the electorate talking about?
The three most important topics are: water, water and water. I have now met with many people from many places and walks of life, including all of the mayors in Nicholls except Mitchell and the views expressed by all concerned have only reinforced the importance of the irrigation issue.
What is your vision for the electorate?
To restore the halcyon days of green pastures, full milk production, a vibrant economy, full employment and people who are happy, healthy and have a sense of well-being and security.
Name: Damian Drum
Party: The Nationals
What is your campaign message?
The people of Murray gave me the opportunity and responsibility to be their federal member. After nearly three years I am very proud of what I have been able to deliver, including amazing projects in nearly every space, including transport, infrastructure, education, and health. These projects are going to happen here now, where previously they were overlooked.
What is your plan of action to give the people of Murray/Nicholls the things that they believe are important?
You can only ever really know what the people want and need if you are connected to them in a grassroots manner. This connection comes through the people that contact or come into the electorate office, and by attendance at many different and diverse community functions and events. Only by continually being a genuine part of your community can you ever hope to understand what is important to them, and to represent them accordingly.
What is your opinion on the MDBP?
The MDBP is causing an enormous amount of hurt, pain and detriment to the communities that rely on irrigated agriculture. We have worked very hard to put safeguards around the additional 450 gigalitres of water that South Australia, The Greens and Labor continue to call for, and I think we have succeeded in this with the socioeconomic neutrality test that we were able to have every state sign last December. We’ve also initiated a review into the social and economic cost of the MDBP, as many of the ‘Pause the Plan’ groups are calling for. There is no doubt that this review will present a very clear picture as to how much the MDBP is costing irrigation communities, including the Goulburn Valley.
What is the most important topic you have heard the electorate talking about?
There is no doubt the most important issue in the electorate at the moment is water. Water is an incredibly diverse topic, and just some of the factors in play include: the cost of temporary water, the availability of water, the way water is charged, the amount of water that has gone to the environment, the impact of carryover on water availability, and the impact of investors and water barons in the water market.
What is your vision for the electorate?
My vision is for a prosperous region revolving around a dynamic Shepparton. My vision is for a region that has full connectivity to other regions, and also to Melbourne. Ongoing investment in important areas like roads, health, and education, like to those I have delivered in the last three years, will see the Goulburn Valley in a positive light when compared to any other region of Australia.
