My Position on Policy Areas

Our Wahroonga electorate and adjoining electorates are home to endangered fauna and flora found nowhere else in the world! Both the Blue Gum High Forest and the Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest (STIF) are listed as critically endangered ecological communities under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. 

Other endangered communities include Duffys Forest of which only 15 per cent remain. Under NSW's destructive Planning laws, developers can commission their own ecologist and arborist reports as evidence these critically endangered species are insignificant! We've lost thousands of healthy trees and their wildlife occupants over the last 10 years. It's got to stop! 

If elected I will work to 

• Immediately repeal the 10/50 Code responsible for the destruction of so many beautiful native trees in the area. The code supposedly created to protect homes from fire was developed without any fire modelling and had no scientific validation. 
• Follow the recommendations from The Nature Conservation Council of NSW and place an immediate moratorium on new offset trades and conduct a comprehensive independent review. The government’s biodiversity offset scheme is plagued with flaws. The NSW Auditor-General found that it was dysfunctional, lacked integrity and transparency and failed to protect nature.  
• Deter developers from cutting down unapproved trees with tougher penalties including suspending or ban them from future developments, rather than the current inappropriate $3,000 fine.
• Restore community input into planning including restoring local Council's role in protection of our community and local environment Community input into planning and development decisions has diminished over the past 10 years while the rights of property developers have increased.
• Ensure no crown land is sold off to private interests.
• End native forest logging; transition to 100% sustainable timber plantations by 2024.

The residents of NSW should have confidence in the integrity of the government. Confidence is central to good governance. Yet confidence in government is at an all time low because of repeated offences by governments on both sides of politics. Many government boards, tribunals and independent agencies are stacked with people who have worked in politics. And they are dragging the performance of important government functions down. It seems more important to the major parties to 'win' votes than it does to have integrity. It's a short-term approach that will see further destruction of our precious ecosystem. 

Integrity in leadership is everything. Nothing else matters as much. It's central to my teachings as a Leadership Educator.  Winning is ego-centric whereas integrity is values-centric. As good corporate citizens we also need to strengthen our integrity to set an example for future generations. Integrity over winning. Integrity over personal profits. Integrity over entitlement. 

If elected I will work to:

• Implement a transparent, merit-based recruitment process for all public appointments, overseen by a dedicated public appointments commissioner. Eradicate the unethical 'jobs for the boys' culture that exists in NSW Government. Note: Merit based recruiting should include recruiting for capability rather than just past performance. This ensures women are included in shortlists and appointments. 
• Review of the NSW Department of Planning's destructive powers to rezone ecologically sensitive areas for large-scale development without community consultation. They are ecologically uninformed and must stop ignoring the sensitivity of our environment. 
• Select and elect community-minded people who are known for their service.
• introduce policies to stamp-out Pork Barrelling as it wastes taxpayers’ money, undermines public trust in our political leaders and institutions, and promotes a corrupt culture. 
• Implement the full recommendations of the Gratton Institute which include that: "All grants should be allocated through an open, competitive, merit-based assessment process. and that Ministers should not grant recipients."

I grew up hearing the words 'Fair Go Mate.' It was a non-threatening way to ask for what was right and just. Although Australian society is based on the principles of egalitarianism we have a long way to go before we can say we have a socially equitable society. 

To ensure that we all have equal opportunities, regardless of our gender, ability, sexuality or background, reform is urgently required. 

If elected I will work to:

• Increase the number of Women represented in Parliament and senior jobs within the NSW public service. A fair, safe and inclusive NSW starts with better representation and participation, particularly in Parliament. We all deserve a Parliament that truly represents us. Currently, NSW has some of the lowest female representation in the Country at just 33%. We also struggle to appoint women on the boards of State Owned Corporations, with only 34% of women. 
• Improve Women’s Safety: Sexual assault and rising rates of domestic violence and intimate partner violence require a holistic approach. There needs to be further education for both the community and first responders, change within our justice system and additional funding funnelled to legal support and access for survivors. We also need social housing for victims of domestic violence. 
• Improve Health Services: Ensuring adequate and targeted funding for community health centres, particularly for services that target marginalised and vulnerable communities.  
• Aim for Economic Equity: Address the housing crisis, ensure equal pay for equal work and an improvement to pay and conditions in traditionally female industries such as nursing, teaching and care work.

The Climate Crisis is here. We've had unprecedented severe weather events such as mass flooding and severe fires. The time to act has long gone so now we must run at a fast pace towards reducing our carbon emissions. 

If elected, I will work to:

• At least a 60% Emissions Reduction Target (ERT) from 2005 level by 2030, 80% by 2035, and Net Zero by 2040 
• Legislation of targets and clear emissions reduction planning for all sectors, including hard to abate sectors.
• Legislation must ensure built-in monitoring and accountability.
• Regular reporting to Parliament and a Climate Change Joint Parliamentary Committee to strengthen monitoring, reporting and public confidence. 
• Rapidly phase out fossil fuels and protect and increase forests. 
• Resist continuing the green-washing marketing spin we so often hear from Governments. 
• No new fossil fuel approvals.
• Sensible wind down of the fossil fuel economy to build a new sustainable economy for our children and future generations.
• Move our state to renewable energy sources and look to support the installation of local battery storage for our community.
• As the sun is a cheap source of energy and we have lots of sunny days, I support Michael Regan, Independent for Wakehurst's policy of making solar energy affordable by offering every household an interest-free $15,000 loan to install panels without a salary cap or a postcode qualification. It's a great initiative for our Wahroonga Electorate.
• Build electric vehicle infrastructure in our community. There's simply not enough for people to make the transition. 

Educating children not only secures their personal life but collectively contributes to the development of a more reliable nation and the world. It can yield a better surrounding in which people can differentiate between right and wrong, know the importance of voting, adhere to laws, and reduce crimes. 

If elected, I will work to:

• Support parental choice and diversity in the schooling system. This includes access to properly resourced public schooling.
• Full implementation of the recommendations of the Gonski Review to ensure a fair and just education system for all.
• Address critical teacher shortages through:
  • support for higher wages and permanent role status.
  • support for evidence based reforms which aim to improve the desirability of the teaching profession.
• Support increased funding of TAFE to lift its quality and availability.
  • recognise that TAFE has a crucial role to play in building the workforce required for the transition to a decarbonised economy.
• Ensure the government develops a strategic workforce plan: we must build the workforce required to meet net zero goals.
• Investigate other models of delivering education that motivate our children to want to come to school. There are too many children who struggle with the motivation to go to school and put in consistent effort. 
• Work with the Federal Government to introduce a compulsory ecology subject to familiarise our young with the unique ecosystem in the local area. 

We have a health system that is struggling to cope with the demands placed on it. 

If elected, I will work to:

• Work with the Federal Government to improve access and affordability of health services - including dental and mental health.
• Support the implementation of the National Preventive Health Strategy investing in holistic, evidence-based, outcomes-focused policies to reduce the human and economic costs of chronic disease and to ensure the future sustainability of our health system.
• Address critical nursing shortages through support for higher wages and nurse to patient load ratios.
• Tackle the vaping epidemic in young people, in collaboration with the Federal Government. I'd like to see more research into the root cause of the increase in vaping. Is it increased anxiety? Populisation? Lack of education? 
• Improve mental health services to young people. The number of young people seeking help is a tidal wave and the system is struggling to cope. Long waiting times of up to 6 months to make a booking with a psychologist or psychiatrist are being reported, especially in regional areas. Services should target family systems and not just the individual who is struggling. I'd also work to organise local youth climate and ecology social groups that give young people input on important environmental issues. This will give them hope. Hope is a wonderful motivator for change and action.