Saturday, May 3, is Federal Election day, a time when those over 18 years of age have the opportunity to vote for who they want to represent them, and ultimately who should run the country for the next term of office.
Early voting centres open on April 22
These are at Cessnock Scout Hall, Abermain Plaza Hall, Singleton Youth Venue, Stan Thiess Memorial Centre, and the CWA Hall Quirindi.
Candidates for Hunter in the order on which they appear on the ballot paper are: Stuart Bonds One Nation, Sue Gilroy Nationals, Andrew Fenwick Legalise Cannabis, Victoria Davies Animal Justice, Paul Farrelly Family First, Kyle Boddan Shooters, Fishers & Farmers, Suellen Wrightson Trumpets of Patriots, Dan Repacholi Labor and Louise Stokes Greens.
See the candidates for New England
Stuart Bonds – One Nation
The Hunter has been at the forefront of the coal mining and energy sector for generations and it is my hope that it will remain that way for generations to come.
Our agricultural sector, vineyards, lakes and rivers make the Hunter a beautiful place to live.
Unfortunately Australians are doing it tough right now due to terrible mismanagement of the economy and over
1.2 million people moving to the country in the last few years alone.
One Nation hopes to address these issues by putting more money back into your pocket and keeping it out of Canberra. Shared income tax relief will provide families with a way of lowering their tax bill without relying on
hand out. It’s your money, you should keep it.
Our Superannuation policy will allow Australians to put their Superannuation against their home loan, potentially lowering the interest they pay to the big banks by tens of thousands of dollars and allowing first home buyers an instant pool of money they can use as a deposit.
Our policy can deliver immediate relief to families with their own money that they are earning rather than printing money and driving up inflation.
Sue Gilroy – Nationals
As a resident of the Hunter since my teenage years and having raised my family here, the Hunter is more than just where I live, it’s where my connections run deep – ‘it’s were my heart is’.
I am an accomplished leader with extensive experience in business development, management, and leadership.
My career, which spans health, business consulting, and community involvement, has given me the skills needed
to drive meaningful change.
As President of the Singleton Business Chamber for six years and a respected figure in the local business community across Singleton and the Hunter Valley, I am dedicated to making a lasting impact on the region.
Andrew Fenwick – Legalise Cannabis
Many may think I am just a single-issue runner. In fact, as the potential member for Hunter there is a broad life experience and a long-term connection to the Hunter behind my run for office, having lived and worked
throughout the Hunter most of my life; currently driving coal trains.
My aim is to be a true representative for Hunter, working in parliament to solve problems, secure better outcomes for the people of Hunter and to build bridges between the opposing sides. Time to end pointless
political division and start working for the people. This is my only election promise; always work for the best
outcomes possible.
With a small change in thinking, we could add more than $3B to the national economy each year, launch multiple new regional industries and create thousands of new regional jobs.
These are just a few of the positive outcomes that will come from the legalisation of cannabis in Australia; with the whole Hunter Region being a huge beneficiary of such a change.
Victoria Davies – Animal Justice
I am determined to be the voice for the animals, people, and our environment. I have lived and raised my family in the Hunter region for 45 years and am familiar with the needs and concerns of the community. I have dedicated my working life to caring for people as a Registered Emergency Nurse, supporting individuals on
what is sometimes the worst day of their lives.
I am committed to creating a fair and compassionate society, which extends to my volunteer work in dog rescue,
providing care and sanctuary to abandoned and unwanted animals. I am also passionate about environmental and wildlife preservation.
If elected, I will work to promote responsible pet ownership, protect wildlife and the environment, and advocate for sustainable urban development, ensuring both animals and people have a voice in the community.
Key issues in the Hunter include the destruction of wildlife corridors due to urban development and farmland
rezoning, air pollution caused by industrial estate expansion, the proposed increase in hazardous and medical waste processing near residential areas, and the rise of unregulated puppy farms and backyard breeders.
(From Animal Justice Party website)
Paul Farrelly – Family First
I have been married for 32 years, lived in Singleton for 30 years and raised a family of six children.
After 29 years working as an engineer in electricity generation, I have spent the past three years in small business providing handyman services around Singleton.
I am representing the Family First Party led by Lyle Shelton who is running as a Senate candidate.
At Family First, we remain uncompromising in our advocacy for virtues which help families flourish.
Because when families flourish, individuals flourish and the nation in turn flourishes.
There are many issues in every local community, but as a small fledgling party we are focusing on three areas:
– Lower your power prices – families have been hit with massive price hikes
– Parents matter in schools – no more poisonous ideas pushed on our kids
– Stop radical gender ideology – keep politics out of sports and change rooms
Australia has a bright future if we put what Australian families value first. That’s why we must raise courageous voices in our parliament who will influence policy for the freedom of your faith and family. We believe this is
worth fighting for and we hope you will join us.
Kyle Boddan – Shooters, Fishers & Farmers
I am a veteran of the Royal Australian Air Force with a background in IT and customer service. I am a strong believer in the importance of regional Australia, calling it the last bastion of hope for the nation.
A recreational hunter who enjoys camping, I support full public access to bushland and waterways. While not a
farmer, I respect their role as land stewards and oppose environmental policies that restrict land use under the
guise of conservation.
Though not formally involved in community organisations, I assist fellow veterans navigating government
bureaucracy when I can, staying quietly committed to supporting those around me.
My political focus is on reducing government size, cutting wasteful spending, and lowering the cost of living
by removing unnecessary regulation.
I believe in:
– Absolute private property rights.
– Minimal firearms regulation focused solely on criminal misuse.
– Complete abolition of foreign land and water ownership.
– Stronger regional education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
– Energy policy centred on nuclear power and clean coal, without subsidies.
– Full free speech, robust data privacy laws, and a national Bill of Rights.
Suellen Wrightson – Trumpets of Patriots
I come from a family of four generations of coal miners and am party leader of the Trumpet of Patriots. I have lived and worked in the Hunter for many years. I am a former chief of staff to a federal Senator who resigned from her job to fight for people of the Hunter.
My top priority is to exit the Paris Climate Agreement and abolish net zero targets because it is responsible for driving up power prices for struggling Australians and causing a sharp decline in living standards.
The Labor Government must stop subsidising unviable green energy projects with 600 billion dollars thereby pushing up power prices. I want to urgently, bring coal-fired power stations back into the grid to lower power prices. The welfare of Australians must come before net zero targets.
This essential policy will lower the cost of living by lowering the cost of power, groceries and ease the financial burden on households and business.
We have an abundance of cheap clean coal in the Hunter and we should use it like other nations to power manufacturing, jobs and to alleviate cost of living pressures.
Dan Repacholi – Labor
From the day I was elected, I’ve been focused on one thing, delivering for the Hunter.
Whether it’s making it easier and cheaper to get the care you need by establishing Medicare Urgent Care Clinics and the new Medicare Mental Health Centre in Cessnock, or building the long-overdue Singleton Bypass to make our roads safer and less congested, I’ve fought every day to get real outcomes for our region.
I’ve backed workers by delivering Same Job, Same Pay, making sure labour hire workers in our mines get the fair pay they deserve.
I’ve pushed hard for things that make everyday life more affordable cheaper medicines, cheaper childcare, and fee-free TAFE to help our young people build a future.
I’m not your typical politician. I left school in Year 10 and got a trade.
That gave me a real-world education – what it’s like to put in a hard day’s work and what it means to want a secure job, fair pay, and the ability to provide for your family.
I’ve been fighting for a better future for people in the Hunter since the day I was elected, and I’ll always stand up for our region, because this is my home too.
Louise Stokes – Greens
I’m Louise Stokes, Greens Candidate for Hunter, secondary school teacher, mother, farmer. The Greens offer a safe, healthy future and a fairer society where no one gets left behind.
Greens will implement our jobs for jobs fully funded transition package for coal mine workers, to safeguard against boardroom decisions in London, China, and America as they close Hunter mines.
The Greens will tax big corporations and billionaires to share the wealth. For example, through free GP visits, including dental and mental health in Medicare, and with free quality education where we wipe out student debt, and fully fund public schools.
The cost-of-living stress at the supermarket checkout will be stopped with new laws that make price gouging illegal. We will deliver affordable housing by stopping unlimited rent rises and with low-rate mortgages.
The transition to a clean energy economy through renewables will ensure power bills are cheaper without fueling the climate crisis. The community has witnessed devastating longer and stronger extreme weather events that threaten their lives, their homes, destroyed infrastructure, and burdened the Australian economy.
