Candidates standing in Page Electorate at 21 May 2022 Federal General Election - Part 2. Hanabeth Luke, in her own words

Dr. Hannabeth Luke
IMAGE: https://www.hanabethluke.com.au/

Hi, I’m Dr Hanabeth Luke and I am running as your Independent candidate for Page.

I’m a scientist and Marine Rescue volunteer. I teach at Southern Cross University and I’m raising a family in Evans Head.

I’m disappointed with what I see in politics and think we can do better.

We need a local champion to represent our values and views in Canberra.

I will fight for decency and honesty in government, with a fair allocation of funding to strengthen our regional industries and health systems.

I stand for a fair future where everyone has a home, with quality education and training for all the people of Page.

We need to plan for a rapid transition to a carbon neutral economy that supports our farmers and communities.

I have the integrity and decency to speak up for our region.

All I need is your vote!

Media Release: THE DEBATE IS DONE? The Conversation is Only Just Beginning by clarencegirl on Scribd

Candidates standing in Page Electorate at 21 May 2022 Federal General Election - Part 1. Kashmir Miller, in her own words

Clarence Valley Independent, 13 April 20222:

Kashmir Miller, a fifth-generation Northern Rivers woman and a passionate youth advocate, is proud to be The Greens candidate for the seat of Page in the 2022 Federal Election. Image: Contributed

 

Born and raised in Lismore, 22-year-old Kashmir Miller 

is proud to be The Greens candidate for the seat of 

Page in the 2022 Federal Election.

After experiencing the catastrophic floods which

devastated Northern NSW, Ms Miller said during the 

past month locals have “watched the climate 

catastrophe arrive in our communities and our homes.”

“I’m here to tell the government that the time for

community consultation is far from over, and that we

cannot engineer our way out of the climate crisis,” she

said.

Ms Miller is adamant Australia needs a Federal

Government that is prepared to act seriously on climate

change, by legislating towards net zero by 2030, and

adapting to the challenges of more extreme weather

events that climate change brings.

“The reality of climate change after the recent floods is 

that the existing affordable housing crisis will worsen,”

she explained.

“Comprehensive mental health care is also vital to support

displaced communities and it must be included in

Medicare.

“I am running for The Greens because they are the only

party which have fought over many years on climate

change, properly funded health and education, and for

showing proper respect to our environment and our

diverse populations, particularly Indigenous and LGBTIQ+

people.

“The Greens have a long track record in improving the

integrity of our democracy in NSW through political

donation reforms and support for ICAC, measures that

are needed in Canberra too.”

Prior to commencing her political career, Ms Miller trained

as an actor and has been involved with local community

theatre for over 10 years.

She is passionate about providing the arts community with

the support it needs to get back on its feet.

“I experienced first-hand the effects of Federal 

Government cuts to arts schools and also to student

support, and this has led me to become a youth advocate

for the Raise the Rate campaign, fighting for students to

have a liveable income and address the housing crisis,”

she said.

“We need more representation for young people, LGBTQI+

 people and women, as The Nationals and Labor are falling

 behind.

“Parliament is severely lacking in diversity, and I will not 

sit around and wait for someone to fix it. “Politics is not

 easily accessible for people in my generation and our

 current MPs do not reflect our values.”

Ms Miller is currently finishing a law degree at Southern

Cross University (SCU) and has a long history of

involvement in local community groups.

She said she is excited to engage with the communities of

the electorate of Page to understand their values and 

what they want from their elected representatives, so she

can better represent them in Parliament.

Image of the Week

 

Extinction Rebellion protest outside Nats MP for Page Kevin Hogan's electoral 
office on 21 October 2021. IMAGE: The Northern Star

Morrison's cabinet reshuffle promotes Nationals MP for Page Kevin Hogan

Fifty-six year old Kevin John Hogan (left) first became the Nationals MP for Page on the NSW North Coast at the 2013 federal election.

He became the Nationals Whip in February and Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives in March 2018.

In the eight months before the May 2019 federal election, worried he might lose his seat, Hogan briefly pretended to sit on the cross-benches while remaining a member of the parliamentary National Party, Nationals Whip and Deputy Speaker.

Not once it that period did he cast a vote that was not in support of the Coalition's proposed legislation and policy positions - including refusal to genuinely act on climate change mitigation.

Having retained the seat of Page, this week's hurried cabinet reshuffle sees him now adding the title of Assistant Minister to Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack to his quiverfull of positions.

* Image from the South Coast Register.

Nationals MP for Page Kevin Hogan told he has ‘blood on his hands’

Echo NetDaily, 29 November 2019:

Around 200 people have joined together outside Kevin Hogan’s office in Lismore this morning declaring he has ‘blood on his hands’ as the federal government continues to refuse to take real action on climate change.

Red hand prints are covering the pavement and the front of Hogan’s office. Around 20 kids and students are currently in his office writing him letters about their climate concerns.The police have been in attendance and asked protestors to remove themselves from the road. They said that if protestors remain on the road they would be back with more staff.

One local parent with two children, Ivy Young, was there to point out that politicians need to listen to the experts on climate change and take action.

‘We live on Wallace Ridge which is the ridge dividing Tuntable and Terania Creeks. The fire got to within about two or three properties from us, about 5km up in the forest,’ Ivy told Echonetdaily.

‘I’m here today because I care. I see the urgency to act. I’m worried for the future. We have a window of time where we can actually take the steps to mitigate the worst effects of climate change before we reach tipping points where the sea levels rise and temperatures become too high for many of the places in the world to become habitable......

Even when trying to do the right thing are Morrison Government MPs hampered by the penny-pinching ways of their leader

Lismore City Council, 9 April 2019:

As a result of the significant flood event of April 2017 that impacted Lismore in the wake of ex-tropical Cyclone Debbie, Lismore City Council was successful in securing funding for the repair and remediation of a major landslip located at Beardow Street, Lismore Heights.

The initial works at an estimated and approved cost of $1.12 million were funded by the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).

Contaminated soil was discovered during the restoration process and the cost of remediation is significantly greater than the currently available funding.

When contamination was discovered, eligibility for compensation through the NDRRA changed outside of Council’s control. Council was initially advised that the remediation was eligible for NDRRA funding. This advice was rescinded in late 2018. Negotiations with State agencies continue on this matter and work has stopped while funding issues are resolved.

The area is still contaminated and material needs to be removed. A schedule of works has been developed for full remediation of the site.

The residents in the vicinity of the landslip rightly seek a resolution to the issues associated with access to property, remediation, repairs to the landslip and the lack of clarity around timeframe for completion.

Residents have worked with Council to manage the issues and need closure. They are acutely aware of the process Council needs to follow and have justifiably reached a point where a solution is both required and demanded.

Council’s estimated cost to complete the remediation works is an additional $2.4 million. Council’s December 2018 quarterly budget review provides $700,000 to address the remediation at Beardow Street. Council has been advised of an alternate estimate to complete the works in the order of $5.7 million undertaken by an affected landowner. To date Council has been unable to source the estimated funding shortfall of $1.7 million from Government.

Council is continuing to negotiate a funding outcome. Council held an emergency meeting with Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) on Thursday, 14 March 2019 to find a solution. RMS management attended the site on Tuesday, 19 March 2019 to discuss options. A steering committee has been formed with Council and RMS staff. RMS has made available their geotechnical and environmental specialists, however no alternate solution has been recommended. RMS has made application to the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) for a review of NDRRA eligibility. OEM have escalated the matter to the Federal Government for review of eligibility, however there is no guarantee of success and no time frame for a response. On 29 March 2019 RMS requested Council make application for a Specific Purpose Grant. The outcome of this application is unknown.

The nearest licenced disposal site for the asbestos contamination is in Queensland. The Queensland waste levy comes into effect on 1 July 2019. The levy will add $2 million to the cost of the project in contaminated soil disposal costs.

Council has engaged litigation specialists to provide advice on NDRRA eligibility and options to secure funding. The current advice is to commence with formal correspondence to RMS and/or OEM. This action is underway.

The solution proposed is for Council to obtain the required $1.7 million shortfall from government. We require support from Council for the actions taken to date as well as support for any legal proceedings instigated to recover the restoration costs associated with this natural disaster event. 

On 26 April 2019 during the recent federal election campaign The Northern Star reported that all the candidates, including sitting Nats MP Kevin Hogan, had been asked to commit $10 million to fully remediate this site.

On 27 May 2019 a Lismore journalist stated that Hogan has committed $2.4 million to remediate the asbestos and chemical contaminated landslip. Although it was not explained how he could do this when the new Lib-Nats Coalition Government is weeks away from being sworn in by the Governor-General or why he was committing to less than a quarter of the money requested.

Council is still considering instigating legal proceedings to progress the eligibility of its initial claim for state funding.

Tweets of the Week

Lismore this morning: a PUBLIC READING OF THE FAILURES of the Coalition on climate. Our town crier read a list of 22 failures. Crown yelled ‘shame’ after each of them. #auspol #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/MVBh4DcCwW

— Annie Kia (@AnnieKia) May 1, 2019

The Prime Minister and Opposition Leader both visited Agfest in Tasmania today. At the bar the guy pouring the beers says to Bill Shorten, "At least you paid Scomo didn't pay." pic.twitter.com/lwGxxmCAm4

— David Sharaz (@DavidSharaz) May 2, 2019

The Liberal & Nationals answer to all the water policy mistakes they have made in the past. Full speed ahead to make some more!

In 2006 the Howard Coalition Government’s then Minister for Water Malcolm Bligh Turnbull attempted an under-the-radar progression of a proposal to dam and divert water from the Clarence River system into the Murray Darling Basin. He was sprung and it lost his government the seat of Page in 2007.

When Tony Abbott was prime minister he was all gung-ho for damming east coast rivers, but was by then wary of the mood of Clarence Valley communities.

Despite a certain coolness on Tony Abbott’s part and Turnbull's silence once he followed Abbott as prime minister, the wannabee water raiders within the Basin have never given up on the idea of destroying the Clarence River in order to continue lucrative water trading for profit and inappropriate levels of farm irrigation in the Basin.

This is a mockup of what these raiders would like to see along the Clarence River. 

North Coast Voices, 1 March 2013

On 30 April 2019 Scott Morrison and Co announced the proposed creation of the National Water Grid which in effect informs communities in the Northern Rivers region that our wishes, being “political” because we are not their handpicked ‘experts’, will be ignored when it comes to proposed large-scale water diversion projects including dams if they are re-elected on 18 May 2019.

The Daily Examiner, 4 May 2019, p.10:

“Just add water” is the Nationals’ answer to “unleashing the potential” of regional Australia but it would come at a cost to areas flush with the precious resource.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack announced on Tuesday at the National Press Club that a returned Coalition government would establish an authority, the National Water Grid, to manage water policy and infrastructure.

“We know the key to unlocking the potential of regional Australia is simple – just add water,” he said.

The announcement of the National Water Grid has sparked fears the Clarence and Nymboida rivers may be dammed to irrigate drought-stricken areas of the country – a prospect the Clarence Valley community has faced before.

The Nationals’ Page MP, Kevin Hogan, said there were “no plans to dam the Clarence River”.

“There are proposals in other drought-affected areas of the country,” he said…..

The planned National Water Grid would ensure water infrastructure would be based on the best available science, “not on political agendas”, Mr McCormack said.

It would “provide the pipeline of all established, current and future water infrastructure projects and then identify the missing links”.

Mr McCormack said dams were the answer to “create jobs”, “back agriculture and back farmers”.

“While we are being bold and building big, we are often stopped at the first hurdle when it comes to short-sighted state governments that choose politics over practicality, and indeed science,” he said…..

Preferences show the quality of the politiciian

Kevin Hogan rising from his seat among Coalition MPs to greet his prime minister

Nationals MP for Page Kevin Hogan has never voted against Coalition policy positions or the Abbott-Turnbull Morrison Government's proposed motions and bills being considered by the House of Representatives.

When the media coverage were going badly against the newly installed Morrison Coalition Government he took fright and declared he was that grotesque chimera - an "Independent  National".

As a so-called "Independent National" Hogan is still a member of the National Party of Australia, still attends Nationals partyroom meeting, remains the Nationals Whip in the House of Representatives and also remains the Morrison Government's Deputy Speaker and never - I repeat never - votes against Coalition policy positions or the Morrison Government's proposed motions and bills.

Holding this unofficial title of convenience also means that Hogan rarely if ever sits on the cross benches with the genuine Independents.

Hogan's how-to-vote cards mailled out during this federal election campaign also reflect the fact that he remains a National Party member of parliament with allegiance to Prime Minister Morrison and Deputy Prime Minister McCormack.

His voting preferences for the House of Representatives ballot are:

1. Kevin Hogan - National Party of Australia
2. John Damien Mudge - United Australia Party (UAP) - party leader Clive Palmer
3. Peter Walker - Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)
4. Fiona Leviny - former Nationals member and current Independent
5. Alison Waters - Animal Justice Party
6. Dan Reid - The Australian Greens
7. Patrick Deegan - Australian Labor Party (ALP)

Hogan's voting preferences for the Senate ballot are:

1. Liberal & Nationals, party leaders Scott Morrison & Michael McCormack
2. Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)
3. United Australia Party (UAP), party leader Clive Palmer
4. Liberal Democratic Party, acting federal party leader Andrew Cooper replacing David Leyonhjelm
5. Australian Conservatives, party leader Corey Bernardi
6. The Small Business Party, party leader Angela Vithoulkas

So there you have it. Kevin Hogan favours hard right candidates similar to himself, is willing to continue supporting climate change denialists, as well as politicians and wannabee politicians who wish to foist their personal religious beliefs on the Australian population and/or wish to suppress ordinary workers wages, and is publicly throwing his support behind one particular party leader who became infamous by stealing wages owed to his employees after sacking them, then leaving taxpayers footing the bill for the economic destruction he caused.

The only reason Hogan is not preferencing racist candidates representing Pauline Hanson's One Nation and Fraser Anning's Conservative Nationals Party (as his prime minister is doing) is that these parties are not fielding candidates in the Page electorate.

Page Electorate candidates ballot paper positions and early voting centre information

This is what the Page electorate ballot paper will look like on 18 May 2019:

Early voting starts on Monday 29 April 2019 at 8.30am.

Early voting centres for the Clarence Valley and elsewhere can be found at: 

https://www.aec.gov.au/election/voting.htm#voting

Australia 2018: It's not looking good for the Morrison Government

News.com.au, 23 October 2018:

IT’S not looking good for the Coalition.

New polling analysis has revealed the Morrison Government is facing an election wipe-out, with a drop in support across every mainland state and every voter demographic since Scott Morrison replaced Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister in August.

Analysis of four Newspolls since the August 24 leadership coup, published by The Australian this morning, reveals a potential loss of up to 25 seats across Australia based on two-party preferred swings since the 2016 election, with eight held by current frontbenchers.

It comes after a shocking 19 per cent swing against the Liberal Party at the Wentworth by-election on Saturday.

Swings against the Morrison Government of up to 5% in Queensland and 7% in South Australia are tipped.

While on the NSW North Coast pundits are suggesting that Nationals MP Kevin Hogan will have to fight hard to keep the Page federal electorate and that Nationals-held Cowper is also up for grabs.

Kevin Hogan is still mired in that ridiculous charade where he declared himself as an independent MP sitting on the cross bench in August 2018.

Despite the fact that:

a) he is still a member of the National Party of Australia;

b) remains the Deputy National Party Whip in the House of Representatives;

c) remains Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives;

d) was preselected by the National Party as its candidate in Page for the forthcoming federal election; and

e) has always voted at the direction of the National Party both before and after his spurious move to the cross bench.

According to Hogan himself; “I’m still a Nats MP – I still advocate and lobby for our community through the normal channels”.

Kevin Hogan's political backflip

On Thursday 23 August 2018 Kevin Hogan MP for Page announced that; “This constant rotation of Prime Ministers by both the Labor Party and the Liberal party, I cannot condone. I am announcing today, that if there is another leadership spill for the position of Prime Minister prior to the next Federal election, I will remove myself from the government benches and sit on the cross benches.”

A second leadership spill occurred on Friday 24 August 2018 and parliament went into recess.

Kevin Hogan was nowhere near the cross benches when the Australian Parliament resumed on Monday 10 September 2018.

He is still a fully-fledged member of the Parliamentary National Party.

Still a National Party Whip.

Still Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives.

This was Kevin Hogan on the morning of 10 September firmly ensconced in the Speaker’s Chair.

At 12:15 on the same day Hansard shows that Kevin Hogan voted as a Nationals MP against a motion by the Labor Opposition.

Hogan's official statement included an undertaking that  he was going to be an independent in a similar style to former MP for O'Connor Tony Crook*.

However Tony Crook's parliamentary entry looks like this....

and Hogan's looks like this.....

Not even a pretence of the announced independence on Hogan's part.

NOTE

* Tony Crook was elected as a WA National Party candidate in August 2010 but sat as an Independent MP for less than three years before retiring prior to the September 2013 federal election. He never sat in the Coalition party room and apparently only attended the Nationals party room for a brief period towards the end of his parliamentary career.
Crook voted with the Gillard minority government on numerous occasions.

Australian Minister for Home Affairs & Liberal MP for Dickson still has questions to answer

Peter Dutton. Image credit The Chronicle

In six days time the Senate Standing Committee Legal and Constitutional Affairs will deliver its report on an investigation into then Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's alleged improper use of ministerial powers.

Meanwhile the list of potentially questionable situations appears to be growing........

The Guardian, 30 August 2018:

One of the foreign au pairs Peter Dutton saved from deportation came to Australia to work for the family of a former police force colleague, Guardian Australia understands.

Dutton used his ministerial powers under the Migration Act in June 2015 to grant a visa to an Italian au pair who was intending to work for a Brisbane family.

The couple have worked for the Queensland police service and have two young children. The Guardian has decided not to name them.

The matter is one of at least two au pair visa cases which are now the subject of a Senate inquiry.

Guardian Australia revealed on Tuesday that Dutton had saved another au pair from deportation, intervening after the AFL chief executive officer, Gillon McLachlan, raised the young woman’s case on behalf of his relatives.

An email chain was leaked on Thursday featuring the correspondence of immigration officials, Peter Dutton’s office, an AFL staffer, McLachlan and his second cousin. The emails run over 14 pages and indicate that Dutton overruled border security advice and allowed entry to Australia for the French woman, Alexandra Deuwel, on 1 November 2015.

In the Queensland case, the Italian au pair had her visa cancelled upon arrival at Brisbane’s international airport on 17 June 2015. She was able to make a phone call and soon afterwards Dutton approved a new visa.

There are pictures on her Facebook profile showing she ate Tim Tams and Caramello Koalas on her first night in Australia, after the visa dramas were resolved. “First night in Australia.. FINALLY!” she wrote.

She later visited Surfers Paradise, Brisbane’s agricultural show the Ekka, Australia Zoo, Melbourne, and posed for pictures by the Brisbane River.

The au pair’s case file names the Brisbane family as her hosts, a source told Guardian Australia.

Dutton was a police officer from 1990 until 1999 before being elected to federal parliament in 2001. In 1997 Dutton and the family’s father completed a surveillance course together and were pictured in a group photograph.

Asked if the au pair was intending to work for his family, the policeman told Guardian Australia: “Not confirming, not denying. Just talk to Peter Dutton’s office. It’s well above my call as to what to say.”

The visa status of two au pairs have been in the spotlight since March, when it was revealed Dutton granted them visas on public interest grounds.

Crime and Corruption Commission (Queensland), excerpt from media release, 14 August 2018:

The Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) has tabled a report in State Parliament this afternoon following the completion of its investigation into Ipswich City Council.

The CCC commenced Operation Windage in October 2016 to investigate allegations of corrupt conduct relating to the then Mayor, Chief Executive Officer and a Chief Operating Officer.

The investigation has resulted in 15 people being charged with 86 criminal offences. Of the 15 people charged, seven are either current or former council employees or councillors. This includes two mayors, two CEOs and one Chief Operating Officer.

Queensland Parliament, tabled papers, 8 August 2017:

Since this issue became public Dutton has begun to publicly threaten his critics. 

Revealing he kept files on Opposition members of parliament (and presumably other individuals) who approached him as Minister for Immigration and Border Protection and, that he fully intends to use the contents of these files against his critics if he feels the need.

“I’ve got a series of cases that have been put to me by Labor members — and I’ve kept a very good list actually of MPs who have come to me with quirky cases,” Mr Dutton told reporters.

“I will be happy to go into some matters in question time, potentially.”

When parliament resumes sitting next week Greens MP for Melbourne Adam Bandt, seconded by Independent MP for Denison Andrew Wilkie and supported by Labor MPs, will move a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Home Affairs over the visa for au pairs affair.

It will likely fail by a slim margin, as MP for Page Kevin Hogan's faux change from Nationals MP to an independent member sitting on the cross benches (in order to save his seat at the next federal election) will still see him support the dysfunctional Morrison Government and an ethically challenged Peter Dutton.

The Standing Committee Legal and Constitutional Affairs public hearing re allegations concerning the inappropriate exercise of ministerial powers, with respect to the
visa status of au pairs, and related matters commences at 9am today 5 September 2016.

BACKGROUND

House of Representatives Hansard, 26 March 2018:

Shayne Neumann (Blair):  

I refer to concerns raised in the media today relating to the minister's use of his ministerial discretion to grant a tourist visa to an au pair. Was his decision based on departmental advice? If not, what prompted the minister to intervene? And will the minister undertake to provide the opposition with a departmental briefing at the earliest opportunity so the facts can be made clear?

Peter Dutton (Dickson): I thank the honourable member for his question. At last a question from the member for Blair! Well done! Fighting away on tactics each day—finally, you've risen to the top of the pile. It is six past three. You have missed out on television but, nonetheless, it's throw the dog a bone, I guess. There are media reports around today which talk about a decision that I made in relation to a visa. There are defamatory parts of that which I'm going to address with the journalist. Our family does not employ an au pair. My wife takes very good care in my absence of our three children. We have never employed an au pair. I have instructed before that that story is completely false and yet it still continues to be published.

In relation to the matter otherwise, I will release more detail which I'm putting together at the moment. As I say, it is defamatory. I won't tolerate it being printed again. I make decisions—

I won't! I won't have my family—

I won't have false details, as the Leader of the Opposition would appreciate as well, about my wife and my children printed. I won't stand for it. That's the reality.

I make hundreds of decisions each year in relation to ministerial discretion under the Migration Act, as has been the case with many ministers passed. There are cases brought to me by members on the frontbench and members of this parliament on a regular basis. I look at the individual circumstances around each matter. If I determine that there is an interest in me intervening in those cases, I do. In many cases I look at the particular facts. For example, the honourable shadow Treasurer—nodding away—writes to me regularly in relation to matters. If I deem the circumstances to be appropriate, I intervene. In this particular matter—again I'm happy to release further detail—I was advised at the time there were two matters, only one to which you are referring at the moment.

There were two young tourists who had come in on a tourist visa and declared in an interview with the Border Force officers at the airport—I was advised—they were here on a tourist visa but intended to perform babysitting duties while here. The decision that was taken, I was advised, was that the tourist visas would be cancelled, that those two young tourists would be detained and that they would be deported. I looked into the circumstances of those two cases and I thought that inappropriate. I thought if they gave an undertaking they wouldn't work while they were here, I would grant the tourist visas and they would stay, which they did. They didn't overstay; they returned back home. Now if there are facts there you dispute or you think there is another scurrilous point you want to put, put it outside of this chamber.

House of Representatives, Hansard, 27 March 2018:

Mr BANDT (Melbourne): My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Minister, I note your recent statements in relation to your personal intervention to prevent the deportation of two foreign intended au pairs. Can you categorically rule out any personal connection or any other relationship between you and the intended employer of either of the au pairs?

Mr DUTTON (Dickson—Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection): The answer is yes. I haven't received any personal benefit. I don't know these people. They haven't worked for me. They haven't worked for my wife. I repeated all of that yesterday, and I repeat it again today. I point the honourable member to the facts in relation to ministerial intervention. The member for McMahon—we were just talking about his successful record when he was last in government. Remember, he was the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. At one point in 2012, there were 218 cases referred for consideration. In 2013, the honourable member for McMahon was there, along with the member for Watson. There were 228 cases in the year 2013; in 2014, 193 cases.