Name: David Paull
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Political party: The Greens
Age: 54
Where do you live? Near Coonabarabran
What do you do for a living? Environmental Consultant
How long have you lived in the electorate? 18 years, property for 14 years
What is the best part of living in the electorate? Clean air, beautiful country and friendly people
Why are you running for the seat of Parkes? I am running to show the electorate that the Greens have a positive vision for the future and will be working in the next parliament to address the most pressing issues facing the electorate. Time for a change.
What is your political experience? I have run for the NSW Greens before in Barwon in 2004. I have also been active on environmental issues for 20 years.
The crippling effects of the drought continue to be felt by the electorate's farmers. What kinds of measures would you fight to install to drought-proof the region? Is the creation of more dams part of the solution, and if so, where should they be located?
We have to recognise what is going on - it is a drought exacerbated by climate change and failure of river management. We need water security. Nationals have failed to deliver any policy on water that guarantees sustainable communities that rely on river and floodwater. The Murray Darling Basin Authority and Plan need to be overhauled to ensure that the health of the river and town and smaller users is the bottom line.
Building large storages is not the solution. It is how we got in this mess in the first place. All illegal floodplain works need to be removed.
The Australian Greens will support the development of our agricultural sector to improve sustainability in the face of climate change by creating a Centre for Sustainable Agriculture and a climate smart plan for our regions.
Want to learn more about the other candidates? Find out by clicking on the name in blue below. The names in black have not yet submitted their profiles.
- Daniel Jones, Liberal Democrat Party.
- Mark Coulton, Nationals.
- Jack Ayoub, Labor.
- Will Landers, Independent.
- Petrus Van Der Steen, United Australia Party.
Do you support the proposal to relocate immigrants to regional centres as a means of relieving pressure on metropolitan infrastructure and increasing the population of and diversity in country towns and cities?
Yes, the Australian Greens support a rethink for our regional towns and how they move forward, including accepting more immigrants where it is beneficial and voluntary. There is many success stories about successful transitions of immigrants into regional towns and communities. Towns should also aim to retain young people through diversification of local economies, particularly with the promise of jobs from the renewable sector.
Many primary producers in the region lament the lack of seasonal workers to pick their crops because of restrictions with the current visas system. If elected, what changes would you push to make to alleviate this concern?
The Australian Greens support a loosening of visa restrictions for seasonal workers.
How should the federal government increase the export potential of Parkes' primary producers and manufacturers?
By building sustainable agriculture. The drive for a few big crops for export has essentially ruined the rest of the agricultural sector. We need greater diversification and a more solid economic foundation that this brings. Towns and communities s hould be the focus, not exports. The Greens want to roll out of the Carbon farming initiatives which the coalition has failed to do.
Do you agree with the idea of decentralising government departments to regional areas, and, if so, which departments would you like to see be relocated to the Parkes electorate?
Yes, where appropriate, particularly in the areas of agriculture and land and water management.
What's your vision for our region and how will you encourage more people to live here?
Regional towns will benefit from a just transition to a job secure, 100 per cent renewable energy future. No more coal and gas approvals as they not only damage our climate future, but damage our water security, agricultural viability and land values. A better supported agricultural sector along with a renewable energy grid will build more resilient towns and attract industry and services. Towns also need a healthy environment, people who want a 'tree-change' want areas of natural beauty and our rivers looked after.
What is the best way to improve links between Sydney and the Central West? Do you support a Bells Line Express Way? Do you support upgrading the Great Western Highway including tunneling through the Blue Mountains? Should the federal government favour (and fund) one approach over the other? If so which approach should be the priority?
Bells Line Road is quite dangerous as it currently stands. Appropriate tunneling would be a good solution.
What are you plans with the Inland Rail? Do the concerns of some residents who are impacted by the potential train track concern you?
Greens support an inquiry into the rollout of the Inland Rail, the role of vested interest and why existing rail routes have been ignored. The role of coal and gas needs to be clarified.
What infrastructure do you want to see built or fixed in the electorate over the next three years?
Renewable energy infrastructure and hubs. Greens see big future riles for the centres of Dubbo, Narrabri, Nyngan, Moree and Gunnedah as centres for renewable energy generation.
Services in regional towns have declined and investment is required for hospital, mental health, aged care and domestic violence centres in a strategic manner.
What is your stance on the future of coal mining for the region?
The Australian Greens do not support any further expansion of coal mining in Parkes, or indeed in Australia.
Do you support renewable energy? If so how do you believe Parkes is positioned to take advantage of the renewables market?
A just transition to a job secure, 100 per cent renewable energy future is a primary Greens objective who will be working to achieve this outcome in the next parliament. Parkes is positioned very well to take advantage of this transition with the development of regional energy zones. Key beneficiaries of this strategy will be every town as it will have its own storage, and particularly the centres of Broken Hill, Dubbo, Nyngan, Narrabri and Moree, which will become energy hubs for energy generation from hydro, solar, wind and geothermal energy.
What policy do you have to reduce power bills?
The two big causes of energy cost rises were the rises in maintenance cost of the poles and wires which occurred after it was privatised and the rising cost of gas when it went on the international market. WE need to transition to renewable energy with a publicly owned grid. This will drive energy costs down as renewable energy is becoming cheaper. In the interim, there needs to be domestic gas reservation policy with the domestic gas removed from the international market and sale price.
What policy do you have to deal with climate change?
- Three key areas of policy focus;
- 100% renewable domestic energy supply asap
- Electric vehicles transition
- Development of climate ready agriculture through better carbon sequestration
What are your plans to improve mental health services for the Parkes electorate?
Regional centres urgently require better level of front line care to prevent suicide, and offer counselling, that includes people out there in the community.
What do you think needs to be done to improve youth employment in the region?
Cuts to TAFE need to be reversed, we need to invest in our future. Communities will better retain young people if towns undertake a diversification of opportunities with new agricultural and energy opportunities.
What will you do to help reduce crime in the electorate? How are you proposing to curb the rates of drug use, particularly ice?
Ice is a massive problem, it is a symptom of the lack of opportunity and social structures for young people in most towns. Better care needs to be taken of ice victims and the sale and distribution of ice needs to investigated by Police - an Ice Task Force is required.
Want to learn more about the other candidates? Find out by clicking on the name in blue below. The names in black have not yet submitted their profiles.
- Daniel Jones, Liberal Democrat Party.
- Mark Coulton, Nationals.
- Jack Ayoub, Labor.
- Will Landers, Independent.
- Petrus Van Der Steen, United Australia Party.