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: Andrew Bock
Party: Independent for Nicholls
What is your campaign message?
I’m listening, I’m hearing and I have the policy positions and passion to deliver for the communities of Nicholls. Having an Independent in the former coalition state seat of Shepparton has forced the major parties to sit up and listen to us – let’s replicate that federally.
What is your plan of action to give the people of Murray/Nicholls the things that they believe are important?
In short – to work hard. I’ve been representing the interests of our community all of my working life. I’ve visited every town in the electorate already during this campaign and I have a range of arguments to convince whoever is in government to provide what we need and deserve.
Not having a ‘party line’ to adhere to will make it far easier for me to provide real representation for the Goulburn-Murray region.
What is your opinion on the MDBP?
It was supposedly created to save the environment, yet they’re trying to push so much water through that the Barmah Choke is silting up, the Barmah Forest is being flooded too often and at the wrong time of year and the native fish breeding areas in the Goulburn are affected by cold-water pollution – and that’s just in our region.
Our farmers are struggling, our towns are contracting, people are going out of business – all because the major parties want to secure seats in Adelaide.
We need to stop the basin plan, fix the issues with carryover and inter-valley transfer, and hold a royal commission to punish wrongdoing and find an equitable way forward.
What is the most important topic you have heard the electorate talking about?
Water, water and water – directly or indirectly, it affects us all. If our primary producers fall over – as is happening in dairy – then our processors will too and they’ll take so many businesses and government services with them.
Equally important is mental health – increased inpatient services, via stage two of the GV Health upgrade and we need to get the number of subsidised psychology visits back up to 18, at least.
If elected, I will also self-fund mental health first aid education right across the electorate, so that our community is better equipped to recognise when someone is experiencing mental ill-health and can ensure they get the help they need.
What is your vision for the electorate?
When people hear ‘Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong’ they think of strong regional centres with ample services and of cities that showcase their history and their story to visitors. I want Shepparton on that list.
When people think of the Clare, Barossa or Yarra Valleys, they think food, wine and fun. I want the Goulburn and Murray Valleys included in that list.
There is so much potential here, we just need to join forces – political, community and business – to see that potential realised.
Name: Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell
Party: One Nation
What is your campaign message?
Here to listen and be your voice in parliament.
What is your plan of action to give the people of Murray/Nicholls the things that they believe are important?
First listen to them. I cannot stress how important it is to actually listen to people and look at their situation through their eyes. Empathising with the people of your electorate is something many politicians seem to miss. If they did listen and tried to understand how the people actually feel, struggle, work and generally lived then I think our country would perhaps be governed quite differently. I believe in treating others as I want myself to be treated. And I am not at all a dishonest person or someone that feels gratification of wealth at the cost of others. If someone comes to me asking for help I listen, study the issue and work with that person/s to achieve an outcome.
What is your opinion on the MDBP?
I think that it is a system that has no positive outcome for our seat and many others that rely on the Murray Darling Basin. Both for the people and the environment. It is flawed. It needs a Royal Commission into it. The ‘science’ into it is (in my own opinion and many others I have spoken to on the reports) total bogus!
What is the most important topic you have heard the electorate talking about?
Water! It is the hot topic on everyone’s lips and for good reason. Our land is parched, farms are closing down in every corner of the seat, our agricultural production has dropped immensely and the ripple effect from the lack of business on the land is seeping into town. Many stores are laying off staff because the economy is feeling the impact. Local families with young, hardworking parents are packing up and leaving the seat all together even because of the water!
What is your vision for the electorate?
A rehydrated landscape with water being reattached to the land. Many exhausted farmers don’t believe this will ever happen. I don’t feel that way. Why? Because I know I will try every avenue I have to until I see it happen. We have an amazing irrigation infrastructure that farmers pay to have access to and they have a constitutional right to water as irrigators. Yet somehow they are having to pay insane amounts of money for that water. I believe it is unjustified and we deserve better from our government. Much better.
