Name: Daniel J Jones
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Political Party: Liberal Democrats
Age: 48
Where do you live? Dubbo
What do you do for a living? Taxi Driver or Cab Driver
How long have you lived in the Parkes electorate? I have lived in Dubbo or the Parkes electorate since 1988.
What is the best part of living in the Parkes electorate? I like the open spaces and the people are very forthright, straight forward and down to earth.
Why are you running for the seat of Parkes? I have been driving a taxi on and off since I was 21 or about 27 years. And I have been listening to people's concerns and dissatisfaction with the major parties for just as long. Also, I remember Ricky Muir who was a Sawmill worker who became a Senator. And Wyatt Roy who was from Kingaroy and 19 years old. So I thought if they can do it. Then so can I.
What is your political experience? As stated in the last question. I have been listening to people's concerns for a long time. Talking about every topic you can imagine. I was a member of Toastmasters the public speaking group for a while, to help me build self-confidence as standing in front of people and speaking publicly is not the easiest thing to do.
This list is how the candidates will appear on the ballot. Click on the name to be taken to the profile. If the name is in black the candidate has not returned the profile.
- Mark Coulton, Nationals.
- David Paull, Greens.
- Jack Ayoub, Labor.
- Will Landers, Independent.
- Petrus Van Der Steen, United Australia Party.
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?
That is a good question and I would have to get some feedback from the farming community. I have been informed that farmers have to pay for the water that falls from the sky when it rains? If that is correct it is bad policy and would review the Water Act. The entire water issue with the fish kills in Menindee, to the Murray Darling Basin Authority has been a fiasco. When it should have been Environment first. Domestic use second. Livestock third and crops fourth. That is the message I am getting from farmers. Also I have been a big fan of the Bradfield project.
Although the Liberal Democrats are meant to be the party of small efficient government. Infrastructure projects are important. There is a term called carrying capacity of the country. We have to decide do we want a large population in Australia or not? If so, then something will have to give and what the Greens stand for ideologically does not stack up in my mind. We will need water to produce crops to feed the population. We cannot have a larger population of 35 or 55+ million people living in a 200km band on the periphery of the coast of our nation. That being said. I am not in favour of Australians putting the hard work in to develop our nation just so it can be sold to foreign nations by our politicians. Like Cubby Station. We may as well just do nothing and sleep walk into the inevitable. By trying to supply water to the entire population at below market rates. Government policies have caused an unnecessary water shortage at taxpayers' expense while robbing natural ecosystems that rely on water.
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?
That is a topic that should be put to the people. Australia has benefited from immigration. I have seen with my own eyes that we have gained through skilled immigration over multiple industries. Medicine and training. Engineering and business. For myself, I have seen it via one of the most basic principles of business. That you cannot have economics without people and their needs to serve. That is the provision of goods and services. The Liberal Democrats would increase opportunities to live and work in Australia while carefully guarding access to welfare and citizenship. Under the LDP policy, Free Immigration Agreements or FIAs would be negotiated with countries that share our basic values (rule of law, democracy, market economy) and only in situations where there is no expectation of a flood of immigrants in either direction. Citizens of countries with which Australia had a FIA would be entitled to reside permanently in Australia while retaining the citizenship of their home country, and vice versa. (Non-citizens of these countries would not have the same entitlement.
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 alleviate this concern?
I would encourage farmers to have a good line of communication with local employment agencies. Our local people should have priority and preference. Encourage unemployed youth that want to work in the agriculture sector to participate, based around their Work for the Dole commitments. Which could be restructured to coincide with seasonal work and they can make some surplus income. The above mentioned would apply for Indigenous kids. People that are recovering from drug abuse would be encouraged to participate in rehabilitation. Then referred to the employment agencies.
The Liberal Democrats believe in negotiating Free Immigration Agreements (FIAs) with compatible countries to allow unrestricted movement of citizens between those countries.
How should the federal government increase the export potential of Parkes' primary producers and manufacturers?
The Liberal Democrats support free international trade in goods, services and capital. It is a simple fact that Australians benefit from free trade and foreign investment. We are a pro-trade party. In Australia, other small parties hide behind the rhetoric of 'fair trade' and protectionist populism. However, the welfare of Australians is not improved by xenophobia and irrational economics. The Liberal Democrats support the most successful form of trade liberalisation - unilateral liberalisation. The World Bank reports that 66 per cent of trade liberalisation in the last 20 years has come through unilateral liberalisation. Unilateral liberalisation can be pursued immediately and, unlike FTAs, there is no ambiguity about the benefits.
Do you agree with the idea of decentralising government departments to regional areas, an, if so, which departments would you like to see be relocated to the Parkes electorate?
The Liberal Democrats support competitive federalism as it was intended by the founders of the constitution. Where possible, government activities should be decentralised to the State level to allow the benefits of governmental competition, policy experimentation and individual choice. This will also allow the removal of bureaucratic duplication of federal and state agencies.
Policy: Support competitive federalism as it was intended by the founders of the constitution. Would encourage competition between the States in the pursuit of economic growth and development. Would seek to remove the Commonwealth government from areas in which its powers are reliant on having signed international treaties.
What's your vision for our region and how will you encourage more people to live here? I have been selling Dubbo for a long time. Telling them that Dubbo is a great place to live. Raise a family and to do business. I believe those skills would translate to the electorate and federal level. The Liberal Democrats believe in negotiating Free Immigration Agreements (FIAs) with compatible countries to allow unrestricted movement of citizens between those countries.
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 tunnelling through the Blue Mountains? Should the federal government favour (and fund) one approach over the other? If so which approach should be the priority?
Although I am aware of these two projects. I do not support either of them. The Pacific Hwy already exists heading north of Sydney. The Hunter Expressway to the New England Hwy has been completed. I would prefer an option where a Hunter Expressway type of motorway was continued as far as possible to Dubbo. With a 130km/h speed limit and no average speed or mobile speed cameras. Just the occasional Highway Patrol. Travel times could be decreased. Factoring in the current improvement of motor vehicles in regards to safety, efficiency and balance. I believe this to be achievable. Also I have also met Civil Consulting & Highway Design professionals and have their business card. See our policies on Road Safety.
What are your plans with the Inland Rail? Do the concerns of some residents who are impacted by the potential train track concern you? What infrastructure do you want to see built or fixed in the electorate over the next three years?
After spending some time looking at the https://inlandrail.artc.com.au/ website looking at the maps. I have met a member of the concerned citizens committee. One of their concerns is the route being on a flood zone? Infrastructure is important. As it will allow farmers and manufacturers to increase their export potential. Freight will be picked up along the way and taken to port. Addressing concerns and finding a balance isn't easy. Infrastructure I would like to see built? I am very big on roads.
What is your stance on the future of coal mining for the region?
It is hypocritical of us to not want to continue using coal for our own baseload power needs. While we export it to other countries.
Our policies: The Liberal Democrats do not believe in either subsidising or unfairly taxing any particular source of energy. In a vigorous, competitive energy market with all sources competing on the basis of price, quality and social factors (including environmental impact).
Do you support renewable energy? If so how do you believe Parkes is positioned to take advantage of the renewables market?
Yes I do. I have met people that have come to install panels on solar farms. And there is a solar farm at Dubbo and a very large one at Warren.
Our policies: The Liberal Democrats do not believe in either subsidising or unfairly taxing any particular source of energy. In a vigorous, competitive energy market with all sources competing on the basis of price, quality and social factors (including environmental impact).
What policy do you have to reduce power bills?
Our policies: The energy market should operate in the private sector, competing in an environment of limited regulation which does not seek to pick winners. In a vigorous, competitive energy market with all sources competing on the basis of price, quality and social factors (including environmental impact).
What policy do you have to deal with climate change?
Scientific evidence suggests that the Earth's climate has changed throughout its existence, sometimes dramatically, and that changes in climate have impacted human civilisation. Whether human activity is causing climate change or not, the important issue is whether governments are capable of implementing policies that mitigate it without reducing the prosperity of future generations. Should the evidence become compelling that global warming is due to human activity, that such global warming is likely to have significantly negative consequences for human existence, and that changes in human activity could realistically reverse those consequences, the Liberal Democrats would favour market-based options.
What are your plans to improve mental health services for the Parkes electorate?
The Liberal Democrats will drastically reduce government interference in the right of individuals to manage their own health. See our Health policies: Replace Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme with a medical expenses subsidy for citizens that rises as medical expenses increase and falls as income and assets increase. This will be paid via the savings account scheme described in our Welfare policy (If just half of government health-related spending were redirected to fund the medical expenses subsidy, the average subsidy would exceed $2000 per Australian. The subsidy for the poor and chronically ill would be significantly higher).
What do you think needs to be done to improve youth employment in the region?
Industrial relations laws hurt employees and employers and cause unemployment and dependency. They only help union leaders, lawyers and bureaucrats.
Our policies: Abolish income taxes on low paid workers.
Abolish the ban on low paid work, referred to as the minimum wage.
Abolish minimum employment conditions, referred to as the national employment standards (while retaining occupational health and safety rules).
The most pernicious feature of industrial relations law is the minimum wage. The minimum wage is a ban on low paid employment. It is set at more than $30,000 a year, while welfare payments like unemployment benefits, single parent benefits, the age pension and the disability support pension are set at less than $20,000 a year. The minimum wage hurts hundreds of thousands of Australians who would like more work than what they've got, but are banned from entering into voluntary agreements with willing employers.
In contrast, the number of people from poor households who are regularly paid at the minimum wage are few. Some of them would receive lower wages with the abolition of the minimum wage. However the Liberal Democrats' tax cuts will ensure that none would be worse off. Minimum wage recipients currently pay thousands of dollars of income tax each year, but will pay no income tax under the Liberal Democrats, which will lift the tax free threshold to $40,000.
What will you do to help reduce crime in the electorate? How are you proposing to curb the rates of drug use, particularly ice?
The Liberal Democrats believe in Peel's Principles of Policing should comprise the basis of all police activities. Criminal law exists to serve us, and should be limited to behaviours that cause harm to others without their consent. Under this approach, all citizens can support and help uphold the law. Indeed, only through widespread voluntary adherence to the law can respect for the law be maintained. The maintenance of public support is integral to effective policing.
The Liberal Democrats believe in a harm minimisation approach to substances. For more information. See our policies on our website.
This list is how the candidates will appear on the ballot. Click on the name to be taken to the profile. If the name is in black the candidate has not returned the profile.
- Mark Coulton, Nationals.
- David Paull, Greens.
- Jack Ayoub, Labor.
- Will Landers, Independent.
- Petrus Van Der Steen, United Australia Party.