Sally Edwards: Libertarian

1. Briefly tell us about yourself and your background. With my family, we run an agricultural business in the Warrumbungle region. I am a long-time volunteer and have spent 15 years working in the rural community development space. I am a passionate advocate for rural people, the land and water, and helping communities survive and thrive. 2. Why have you put yourself forward as a candidate, and if elected, what principles would govern your representation as Parkes’ federal MP? After 15 years working alongside community and local and state government, I believe it is time for honesty, transparency and accountability from our elected representatives that puts community and the people first. Collaboration and cooperation will help regional Australia thrive, not endless blame and responsibility shirking. 3. What are your three key issues in Parkes and what action/policy/plan do you have to make a difference? • Healthcare and education services that are in a worse delivery state than they were 30 years ago • Safety – including roads, crime and access to mobile coverage • Cost-of-living (which is in reality cost-of-government decisions) – includes taxes, energy, housing, immigration. I believe that looking at these problems with a fresh common-sense perspective and through the Libertarian lens of "get government out of the way", empower local communities to contribute knowledge and build local solutions, and consider potential market mechanisms, could help us make real progress in the bush. Building rural communities from the ground up, creating strong and thriving communities by our design we can grow industry and business without government central-planning and attract professionals and families to towns that are buzzing and growing. This is a long-term, multi-pronged solution that requires a level of thinking not demonstrated by previous governments. 4. Explain how you would help create more opportunities for youth in Parkes – specifically around employment and education – to help diminish the need for people to leave the area? I believe the best way to support and retain the youth is to support communities and help them thrive by fostering an ongoing collaborative approach between all three levels of government and most-importantly, involving community from the start. Too often impactful legislation becomes known by community when it is too late. We need to end top-down policy and enable and encourage ground-up community-led policy reform. Thriving communities with abundant services and culture will attract the youth to stay or see them return to raise their families. 5. Specifically for the towns of Parkes and Forbes, what change would you like to see or actions implemented? Parkes and Forbes deserve to see their future designed by them, the people who call the towns' home, the people who care. It is time for elected representatives to actively represent the communities themselves, not be there to advocate and defend government policy, plans and agendas. 6. An Energy from Waste plant has been proposed to be built in Parkes NSW - while we understand this is a state matter, it is also the biggest issue in our region right now. Where do you stand on the Energy from Waste debate? I oppose the Energy from Waste Incineration project and the central-planned Special Activation Precinct as it is currently presented. I oppose the importation and incineration of metropolitan waste in Parkes. I fully support the community's call for transparency, genuine consultation and community-led decision-making, and adherence to environmental and public health standards. I will commit to advocating for genuine, sustainable regional development that prioritises recycling, reuse and innovation over incineration. 7. In your final pitch to the Parkes electorate, why should they vote for you? If you can reflect on the last three decades, not just the last three years and you too believe we have got some serious changes to make and work to do, maybe for the first time it might be worth considering a minor party candidate who is standing for communities first and standing to protect families, small business and the rural way of life. Don't forget the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result.

Sally Edwards: Libertarian

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