VotE Purple Paper Issue 0: 8 December 2018
Issues from the Listening Tour
Mathew has spent 200 days listening… What has he heard?
Here are the stats so far. 200 days of campaigning. Almost 23,000km travelled. Over 1,000 meetings held. More than half of the localities in the electorate have received a personal knock on the door. Combining the old-fashioned shoe-leather with electronic forms of communication and you gain an impression of the effort being made. More than 8,000 followers on social media channels stay in touch with daily activities plus countless social media interactions; over 3,000 telephone conversations and more than 2,000 e-mails received gives an idea of the energy and accessibility of the potential next State Member.
As Mathew has travelled the width and breadth of this electorate, one thing has been made abundantly clear. People want their voices heard by their elected representatives whom they want to be genuine and authentic.
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One thing has been made abundantly clear. People want their voices heard by their elected representatives whoM they want to be genuine and authentic. |
“As I travel the electorate, people often ask me for the common theme across the electorate. The electorate is large: 17,352.89 square kilometres. That is only five per cent smaller in area than the entire country of Fiji! Across such a large area, issues are bound to be different and it has proven to be so. By travelling to all parts of the electorate, I am able to hear what is important to different people in different areas. I have identified a number of issues that are regularly raised by people,” Mathew Dickerson said.
“There are some key messages across the electorate but the reality is that Bronwyn in Lue has different needs to Mark in Gin Gin. Peter in Euchareena has needs that are different to Megan in Eumungerie. The electorate is diverse and varied. One size does not fit all but there are some key messages coming through.”
Mathew will maintain his discussions across the electorate to ensure that, if elected, he will be its true representative and ensure its voices are heard loud and clear in State Parliament.
The purpose of VotE Purple Paper Issue 0 is to identify the main issues that Mr Dickerson has heard in his travels. Over the coming months of the election campaign, he will add to this list and will release a series of Purple Papers that drill down into the issues and he will invite public feedback on each of those VotE Purple Papers. In this way, if elected, Mr Dickerson can hit the ground running and be ready from day one with the issues that matter to people in this electorate.
The main issues identified that will be explored in subsequent Purple Papers are listed at the end of this document. These are issues that were noted multiple times by different residents and people that Mr Dickerson met should be able to see issues they discussed in this group. Mr Dickerson will develop specific papers around these issues but still welcomes more feedback as the election draws nearer.
Safety of Residents
- Crime prevention solutions to keep residents safe.
- 24-hour policing in required towns and cities.
Power, Mining, Renewables and the Environment
- Recognition that Climate Change is real and the need to develop relevant long-term strategies.
- Balance mining income with environmental impacts.
- Coal Seam Gas – moratorium until further research has been conducted.
- Power pricing balanced against the future of the environment.
- Renewable energy strategies and development with recognition of best use of prime agricultural land.
Roads and Transport
- Road network upgrades to a better standard across the electorate particularly with links to mines.
- Holistic transport solutions to improve connectivity such as a tunnel under the Mountains.
- Review freight way (ring road) options for highway traffic in relevant locations.
- Improve public transport links including rail; air and bus.
- Work with the Federal Government to review the processes involved with Inland Rail.
- Look at potential to re-open unused railway lines for regional tourism and transport.
- Develop a business model for the State to take advantage of Inland Rail.
Agriculture
- Holistic long-term drought strategies planned in ‘good times’ and a permanent drought coordinator.
- Equity in the treatment of farmers in relevant drought strategies.
- Drought strategies for businesses in regional locations.
- Water management including water allocations and metering methods.
- Develop education offerings for farmers to improve knowledge in a changing landscape.
Regional Development
- Improved funding for regional development including Evocities; RDA and Payroll Tax subsidies.
- Effective decentralisation strategies to improve regional growth.
- Improvement in regional communication infrastructure both in mobile and Internet.
- Encourage city residents to move to regional areas before immigration is utilised.
- Look at unemployment rates in different areas (some high, some low) and associated skills.
- Look for decentralisation opportunities such as CATOs.
Health
- Access to city-like health facilities in regional areas.
- Access to mental health support in regional areas.
- Complementary rather than competing health facilities in neighbouring cities.
Tourism
- Look at museums and history across the electorate to preserve our heritage.
- Develop further tourism offerings particularly in areas with high mining employment.
- Develop further tourism offerings such as rail trails.
Education
- Review school and tertiary education offerings in the electorate.
- Development of better strategies for developing traineeships and apprenticeships.
Government
- Streamlining grant and funding application processes for individuals; small groups and Councils.
- Develop strategies to improve communication from government departments and improve transparency so residents better understand decisions.
- Deliver faster payments to individuals and organisations who have their grants and subsidies approved.
Other
- Improved sporting fields in smaller communities.
- Improve business opportunities and CBD growth in smaller communities.