Name: Carmel Mary McCallum
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Political Party: The Greens
Age: 63 years old but feel like 43.
Family: Eldest of eight children, married to Howard (Naval officer), and four grown-up children, three boys and a girl.
Where do you live? Cambewarra, on a small holding.
What do you do for a living? I have been a pharmacist for 43 years, a mother for most of that though that has no economic value in our current government's vision.
How long have you lived in the Gilmore electorate? I moved here in June, 1978, but we moved with a Navy posting to California from January 1985 to July, 1987, then another posting to the Blue Mountains from January, 1993, to May, 2012, and have been back here since. We continued to own property in the area for the whole period.
What is the best part of living in the Gilmore electorate? Our good friends, the beauty that is ever surrounding us, a great environment, and the great beaches.
Why are you running for the seat of Gilmore? Because I am really concerned about how our country, and especially our electorate, is developing into an unequal society with the greatest inequality ever, between the wealthy and the corporations, and the most vulnerable, who are growing in number because government policy is neglecting them, with 290,000 Australians living in poverty. The median income in Gilmore is about $38,000 which shows that so many are on very low incomes, and have housing stress and health issues. Our biodiversity and environment are under threat from dangerous climate change
Click on the name to be taken to the profile. If the name is in black the candidate has not returned the profile.
- Grant Schultz, Independent
- Milton Leslight, United Australia Party
- Fiona Phillips, Labor
- Serah Kolukulapally, Christian Democratic Party
- Katrina Hodgkinson, Nationals
- Warren Mundine, Liberal
What is your political experience? I have been a member of The Greens since 2004, when I joined to support Andrew Wilkie's campaign to run against John Howard in Bennelong, after we, Australia, had invaded Iraq, based on the lies of weapons of mass destruction. Andrew had worked in intelligence, for the Office of National Assessment, and so was brave at announcing this. I ran in the federal electorate of Macquarie in 2007 and 2010, and also ran for council in 2008 (Blue Mountains) and 2011 (Shoalhaven), and for Gilmore in 2016.
What are you doing to address the plight of dairy farmers who say they are not paid enough for their milk?
Richard di Natale, three years ago, said "...a floor price for milk was an option up for debate...But the point is we cannot continue to have a sustainable dairy industry while Coles and Woolies are ripping off dairy farmers."
I will fight to regulate for a fair floor price, so that fresh milk, an essential part of our diet, is not compromised through closing down dairy farms, or importing from overseas. The supermarkets should be paying a fair price to the farmers; this may require regulation. Milk has become a commodity for the supermarkets, which is used as a loss-leader, at the farmers' expense.
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?
Firstly, the Greens believe that immigrants do not put pressure on metropolitan infrastructure. We do need to show regional leadership to create safe pathways for people seeking asylum in Australia. We will increase the humanitarian intake to 50,000 per year, end off-shore detention. Country towns are struggling and need skilled and non-skilled workers to remain viable and there have been many good-news stories of immigrants settling in country towns, where they are welcomed and become members of the community. It would be their choice but having grown up in a country town, I see many benefits for immigrants, moving to the regions.
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 Gilmore electorate?
I believe that decentralisation of government departments, or sections of them, is essential to spread the benefits of government funding and diversity of employment options. Establishing and maintaining government departments in rural and regional areas increases the local population and commerce far more than just by the members of the department: their families also contribute. For Gilmore, departments relevant to fisheries, maritime research, feral animals, dairy production, envrionmental conservation, etc, would all be good for this area.
What will you do over the next four years to ensure more funding for the Princes Highway?
I fully support the upgrade of the Princes Highway to a safer dual highway and will continue to fight for forward estimates to complete this work.
Name your priorities for urgent safety improvements on the Princes Highway.
My priorities, in chronological order are:
1. The Far North Collector road must be built first, before the new Shoalhaven River bridge is commenced or those construction works will bring the highway traffic to a complete stand-still for too long.
2. The new Shoalhaven River bridge (as it has to be replaced in less than eight years).
3. Jervis Bay Road intersection with Princes Highway; this must be a grade-separation intersection and its design compatible with the upgrade to the Princes Highway. Similar intersections further south to be treated similarly to the Jervis Bay Rd intersection.
4. Commence planning for the Nowra Western By-Pass with construction to start as soon as possible, as Nowra, and Batemans Bay likewise, are suffering bumper-to-bumper traffic every day, morning and night, even without the tourist traffic.
What's your vision for our region and how will you encourage more people to live here?
My vision is that Gilmore will remain a desirable place to live with adequate nservices for all people; needs-based standard free public education from pre-school to TAFE and university; good local jobs incorporating new technologies; world-class health care and hospitals; aged-care that is available to all people regardless of income; thriving centres for business and tourism; National Parks, rivers and forests providing tourism and recreation amenity, carbon sink and conservation values; agriculture and aquaculture resources supported by good government policy; decent affordable housing for all; and healthy and happy communities with opportunities for all.
Do you support renewable energy? If so, how do you believe Gilmore is positioned to take advantage of the renewables market?
Absolutely! The Greens support renewable energy and The Greens Renew Australia 2030 Policy plans to reach 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030. The Greens also will phase out internal-combustion engine vehicles by 2030.
If so how do you believe Gilmore is positioned to take advantage of the renewables market?
Gilmore has a high unemployment rate and with the introduction of skills- training through TAFE and university, and utilising Port Kembla steel, there is an opportunity to create industry in renewable energy technology, battery production including the Australian Redox-Vanadium Battery, electric vehicles, solar and turbine farms, smart grids, and establishing a super renewable power zone for the south coast. The Greens want to establish a new power grid, Power Australia, owned by all Australians, supplying energy across all areas.
The South-East is seeing a big community push for significant renewable energy investment and opportunities. It is also a region partly dependent on employment opportunities in logging, and struggling with increasing power costs. How do you stand on those issues, or plan to reconcile them?
Logging of native forests must be banned as it is not viable without heavy taxpayer subsidies. National Parks should never be logged! 85 per cent of all timber used in Australia is from sustainable plantation forests already, and logging native forests is destructive to flora and fauna habitat and reduces our carbon sink - temperate
Eucalyptus forests have the world's greatest carbon sink capacity - and logging increases water-loss and soil erosion. Water retention is far greater and rainfall can be up to 15 per cent higher with good stands of forest. Economic benefits are also far greater when forests are retained. Our Renew Australia 2030 Plan will provide 180,000 jobs across Australia with a view to take-up in areas with high unemployment and mine rehabilitation, and will reduce power costs by using renewables and storage batteries.
What policy do you have to reduce power bills?
The publicly-owned Power Australia grid, will put competition into the market and reduce energy costs, just as the Commonwealth Bank used to do before it was privatised. Renewable energy will bring its newer modern technology which will, as subsidies disappear, reduce costs, while making certain that those who are more vulnerable, will be able to access adequate power at fair prices.
What policy do you have to deal with climate change?
Phasing out coal, the greatest producer of greenhouse gas emissions, by 2030, with an aim to reach zero net emissions by 2040. The greens will eliminate political donations from fossil-fuel industries, which receive $2,000 in subsidies for every $1 they donate to the older parties. This will allow the development of new technology energy industries to flourish without the chains of the old internal-combustion engines and coal-fired power production, which is not only more expensive, but contributing to dangerous climate change.
The South-East and Far South Coast would have to be among the most enticing places to live (no bias of course!) but it also one of the most unaffordable according to recent data. What are your plans and party policies surrounding housing affordability - for buyers and renters?
1. The Greens will ensure that we have a housing system that puts people's needs before property developer greed. We will establish a Federal Housing Trust, to provide funding for the building of 500,000 public and community homes.
2. The Greens will implement a Implement a national standard for renters' rights and increase funding for tenancy advice services.
3. The Greens will reform negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, and replace stamp duty with land tax.
4. Fund crisis housing services.
Click on the name to be taken to the profile. If the name is in black the candidate has not returned the profile.
- Grant Schultz, Independent
- Milton Leslight, United Australia Party
- Fiona Phillips, Labor
- Serah Kolukulapally, Christian Democratic Party
- Katrina Hodgkinson, Nationals
- Warren Mundine, Liberal