This will most likely be my last blog post before the
election. If elected, I aim to identify and respond to individual cases of
abuse and neglect that are currently creating serious harm in the South
Australian community. Systemic abuse is rife and the extent of unnecessary
suffering demands a response that supports early intervention with urgency. I
believe there is broad community support for enforceable laws to prevent
further injury when inflicted repeatedly following clear identification by
first responders, witnesses and health professionals. Whilst recognising that
some instances of serious harm and injury will be of a complexity ill-suited to
such a direct approach, there remains a frightening amount of instances where
victims and perpetrators have been clearly identifiable and often brought into
sharper focus through the occurrence of further serious injury, stonewalling,
cover ups and failures of due process and procedure. Over the course of six
years, I hope to bring about a focus upon this systemic failure, change the
conversation by the major parties and create legislation that will strengthen
in law everyone's right to be safe from clearly identified harm.
Tragically, it has been a bad week for stories about abuse and neglect – particularly the disturbing content aired in the ABC’s stories into neglect in the aged care sector and the abuse of children in Queensland detention centres, and the more disappointing examples of the
juvenile argy bargy of the political circus that occurs at many polling booths.
I’ve lost track of the amount of instances I’ve been called names or been told
that I am initiating disputes simply by standing up for decency, fairness and factual,
informed debate. I’ve witnessed many representatives and volunteers from
political parties and the AEC wilfully engaging in aggressive and vexatious conduct,
the reasons for my nomination continually become more compelling every day. No
wonder so many voters are disenfranchised with Australian politics and over
half of electors who arrive at Pre-polling booths appear to have their blinkers
on and are power walking into the booth and out again. The experiences of the
last three weeks have proved to be both character building and somewhat
daunting, and I question whether our next parliament will be able to regain the
trust of Australians.
I have received quite a number of emails this week from
electors concerned about the rights of the unborn, freedom of religion and speech,
and a number of issues from individuals concerned about a range of issues
focused around religiously conservative viewpoints. Given my determination to
always remain open and honest, I have recommended that these electors consider
voting 1 for one of the more conservative aligned parties who more accurately
represent their viewpoints. In the interests of honesty, I remain quite
concerned by the ongoing disparagement of the LGBTQI+ community which is
significantly out of step with mainstream Australia, as clearly evidenced in
the results of the 2017 referendum on same sex marriage. This issue has
re-entered the public discourse as a result of Israel Folau’s views and recent
religious and political leader’s commentary on this matter. I remain staggered
that public figures feel compelled to make repeatedly hurtful statements about
such a broad cross-section of individuals, and then claim a position of
victimhood as a result of people calling them out on their behaviour. Everyone
is entitled to their views but when they are representing an employer,
organisation and any broader group – they must clearly understand that their
actions will bring some focus on these groups and have a range of consequences
and impacts far greater than just their lives. As I’ve stated before, this need
not be a politically correct position and everyone is entitled to their private
views but we all should be held to account for any hurt we are causing in our
community. This issue has been made unnecessarily complex and seems stuck in
this endless loop of reverse victim blaming, despite very few public LGBTQI+ figures
making sweeping statements disparaging all churches or all people of faith. However,
I do wish Bill Shorten didn’t use the opportunity to trot around on his high
horse earlier in the week – I’d rather he simply say that the Australian
community has moved on from this debate, next question. Today is the International
day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, and I wish to stand by everyone
in the community and demand that no person suffer unnecessary, needless harassment
and suffering. Thank you to all the inspirational figures of the LGBTQI+
movement who have inspired my campaign, and I wish to particularly highlight Karl
Heinrich Ulrichs. It’s fair to say I can fully identify with being ignored.
Finally, I have been surprised by how difficult it has been
to have my views heard by the public during this campaign and this does not
seem to purely be the fault of Rupert Murdoch or any perceived right wing media
agenda against someone who holds quite progressive views. Whilst I hope to do
well in tomorrow’s election and have received a largely positive reaction from
most individuals and the very few media and public broadcasters I’ve spoken
with, the reaction from progressive advocacy groups and media organisations
identified routinely labelled as having a leftist agenda has been surprising. I
certainly understand what it is like to coordinate a resource stretched
operation so will choose to detail a few instances from larger organisations that
hint at my frustrations. Our (maybe at times not so) beloved Aunty’s ‘print your own how to vote guide’
simply doesn’t list all candidates running this election so if you wish to
consider a vote for any independent Senate candidate tomorrow, you will need to
do your own research. I previously have detailed my responses to VeganAustralia on this site and whilst I do not fully support all their
propositions, I am a lot more supportive than some of the parties and
individuals whose views they have promoted on their website. My contact with
GetUp has been the most surprising having been a long-time supporter and
promoter of many of their petitions and campaigns for over twelve years. I have written to
GetUp both prior to the election and during the election, and I only recently
got a response from them as I sent a rather tersely worded email expressing my
dismay at their neglect to mention my campaign on their site, or even reply to my emails. Instead they choose to highlight Katter’s Australia Party, the Liberal Democrats, the LiberalParty, the National Party, the United Australia Party and the Shooters, Fishers & Farmers non-response to their enquiries. There are a number of conclusions that readers may
choose to make about GetUp’s stance but I wish to highlight that the most effective way we can initiate strong action addressing the climate emergency in our next
parliament is to elect as many Greens and progressive / centre aligned
independents as possible, not more diluted Labor or Liberal versions of
environmental policy and protections. I’m unsure if GetUp's stance this election
is truly reflecting their Statement of Independence nor their commitment to the
environment. In conclusion, for the consideration of electors – I provide my responses
to the questions that GetUp chose not to send to me but I recently sent to GetUp. I also want to thank the individual GetUp volunteers who I've met during the campaign for their support.
I hope everyone has an enjoyable democracy sausage tomorrow,
and that the vegan not sausages are freely available.
Thanks for reading my blog this election,
Brett
RESPONSES TO GET
UP! QUESTIONS – BRETT O’DONNELL, INDEPENDENT SENATE CANDIDATE FOR SA
1.
Will you stop the Adani coal mine and the
exploitation of the Galilee coal basin, as a first step in a moratorium on new
coal mines and expansions?
YES
2.
Will you review Adani’s environmental approvals
and take action if new evidence is available?
YES
3.
Will you rule out any direct or indirect public
subsidies to Adani?
YES
4.
Will you implement policies in line with the
Paris Agreement to limit dangerous global warming to 1.5 to 2 degrees,
including a process to regularly strengthen these policies when needed in line
with independent scientific advice?
YES
5.
Will you rule out counting Kyoto carryover
credits towards your emissions reduction target?
YES
6.
Do you accept that carbon pollution can and must
be reduced faster in the electricity sector than in other sectors of the
economy?
YES
7.
Will you implement a national plan for a just
and orderly transition away from coal power to clean energy, phasing out all
coal-burning power stations by 2030, and establishing a statutory authority to
make sure that affected workers and communities are supported in the transition?
YES
8.
Will you establish a new national Environmental
Protection Agency and pass a new generation of environment laws that includes
binding National Standards on Air Pollution (including from vehicles and
coal-burning power plants) to protect the health of all Australians, with
sufficient penalties to ensure that requirements are met?
YES
9.
Will you work with the states and territories to
ensure Australia’s renewable boom continues in your first term of government
(i.e. that the roll-out of renewable across the country continues at the rate
of at least 6GW’s a year)?
YES
10.
Will you unleash investment and jobs in
renewable energy by protecting and extending ARENA’s mandate beyond 2022,
supporting new transmission for renewable energy zones, supporting the
development of a clean energy exports industry, and helping businesses seize
the benefits of low-cost renewables and energy savings by underwriting clean
energy contracts for at least 250 energy-intensive businesses?
YES
11.
Will you ensure that all households, especially
low-income households, renters and indigenous communities, can access the
benefits of clean energy and energy efficiency, including the establishment of
community clean energy hubs and solar rebates for renters?
YES
12.
Will you support a Commonwealth Integrity Commission
with sufficient funding, public hearings, strong investigative powers, a broad
scope, and the ability to make public findings of corruption?
YES
13.
Do you support protections from prosecution for
whistleblowers who expose government wrongdoing?
YES
14.
Do you support caps on electoral campaign
expenditure?
YES
15.
Will you cap an individual or corporation’s
donations to political parties, candidates and associated entities to $2000 per
year (aggregate) and require donations to be disclosed in real time?
YES
16.
Will you support and commit to implement the
‘Medi-vac Bill’ which instituted a process to allow detainees offshore to be
transferred to the Australian mainland for medical treatment and assessment at
the behest of a panel of Australian doctors?
YES
17.
Will you support the full evacuation of all
those refugees and people seeking asylum held in Nauru and Manus Island for
over 5 years to safety in Australia or an equivalent third country?
YES
18.
Are you committed to multiculturalism and a
diverse community?
YES
19.
Will you oppose attempts to introduce
English-language tests and extend the waiting times for Australian citizenship,
and ensure that the Home Affairs Department processes all current and future
citizenship applications in a timely and transparent manner?
YES (all citizenship applicants to have commenced
an English language course prior to application)
20.
Will you reverse changes made by the Social
Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 that adversely affect migrant
communities and oppose any further exclusion of migrants from the social safety
net?
YES
21.
Will you ensure that protections against racial
discrimination, including 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, remain intact
and that you will consider extending existing protections and policies?
YES
22.
Will you rule out any preference or political
deals with One Nation and similarly racist far right parties or candidates, and
will you place them at the bottom of your how to vote cards?
YES
23.
Do you support putting First Nations Affairs in
First Nations hands?
YES
24.
Will you take action on deaths in custody,
starting with a comprehensive audit of the implementation of the Royal
Commission’s recommendations?
YES
25.
Will you end the racist and punitive Community
Development Program?
YES
26.
Will you restore critical funding partnerships
between state and federal governments for remote Aboriginal community housing?
YES
27.
Will you reverse all of the budget cuts to
health, education and aged care from the 2014 budget onwards?
YES
28.
Will you reverse all ABC and SBS budget cuts
from the 2014 budget onwards?
YES
29.
Will you protect the independence of the ABC and
SBS, reform the board appointment process and commit to not interfering in
board or senior executive decision making?
YES
30.
Do you agree that Newstart is too low and that
it must be raised by at least $75 per week?
YES
*Raise the rate of Newstart and Youth
Allowance – I support an increase in the rates of Newstart and Youth Allowance,
above that of the regular minor indexation increases. The real rates of
Newstart have not risen in 25 years and Anglicare today confirmed in their
rental affordability snapshot, that there are only 2 quite isolated properties
to rent in Australia that are affordable for a single person on Newstart. I
support an urgent and immediate increase in the rate of Newstart and Youth
Allowance, and whilst supportive of the work undertaken by ACOSS, I do question
whether the recommended increase will be politically possible in the next
parliament. A modest increase combined with changes in funding and
accessibility around social housing, community, health and employment services,
and a scaling back of the more punitive aspects of the welfare system, might be
a more realistic outcome (and better than nothing at this point). The frequent
poor bashing of the unemployed by some parliamentarians is yet another example
of the growing normalisation of abuse of the vulnerable in our community. (from https://independentagainstabuse.blogspot.com/2019/04/replies.html)
31.
Will you take steps to reduce the cost of
out-of-pocket medical expenses?
YES
32.
Will you reverse cuts to weekend and public
holiday penalty rates announced in 2017?
YES
33.
Will you make housing more affordable, including
by reforming negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount?
YES
34.
Will you adopt a full employment target of 2-3%
unemployed?
YES
35.
Will you trial a Job Guarantee program?
YES
36.
Will you abolish Stage 2 and 3 of the income tax
cuts in the 2018 Federal Budget?
YES
37.
Will you stop unfair tax giveaways to high
income earners through avenues like superannuation tax concessions and dividend
imputation?
YES (However, I support grandfathering
provisions so that older Australians who have already made retirement decisions
are not adversely affected)
