Here in south west Victoria, we’ve been a safe seat for too long and the major parties have neglected us – the unsafe condition of our roads says it all! If elected as your community Independent MP, I will prioritise our region and everyday Australians over party politics and corporate lobbyists.

The issues I’m fighting for are based on thousands of conversations with locals across the electorate and the 550 responses to our listening survey. We have heard your voices, reviewed and researched the evidence and shared this as the basis of the platform, with more information to come.

If elected, I’ll use the resources of Parliament to develop these priorities into comprehensive and actionable plans based on expert advice and genuine consultation with the people of Wannon.

Please let me know if I’ve missed something or if you have an idea that could get us a better deal for Wannon! 

My priorities

Fix. Our. Roads

Real Investment: Increase funding for roads of national significance in Wannon and push for our fair share of blackspot funding to address neglected regional roads and highways damaging our vehicles and risking our lives.

End band-aid solutions like temporary speed restrictions and signs: Work across all levels of government to commit to long-term solutions for problem areas rather than requiring road users to navigate neglected roads safely.

Funding transparency: Establish a register of how much road funding each electorate receives to ensure funding is allocated based on need, not party politics.

Support for farmers: Focus on fixing Wannon's major supply routes to ensure we can safely and efficiently bring the region's produce to market.

Decisive action on cost of living pressures

Take on grocery price gouging: By cracking down on price gouging and increasing competition, ensure families, farmers, and suppliers get a better deal from the supermarket duopoly Coles and Woolworths.

Get energy bills under control: Help more families, farmers, and businesses take control of their energy bills with Energy Independence Grants: expanded subsidies for rooftop solar and batteries that can save households up to $1,300 per year, all while producing clean energy that cuts energy costs and climate pollution.

Get a better deal on our natural resources: Australia is a massive gas exporter, but we earn about 20 times less from it than other countries! We need to establish proper royalties to ensure multinational corporations pay their fair share of their profits.

End waitlists for child care and child care deserts.

Invest in short and long-term solutions: Give every child the best start by ensuring access to affordable childcare no matter where they live – helping parents get back to work and easing the burden on generous grandparents. I support The Parenthood's Access For Every Child: Regional, Rural & Remote policy statement, which urges the federal government to provide significant incentives for childcare services and staff in rural areas.

Build a skilled local early years workforce: $5 million will support the Deakin University Childcare Centre of Excellence, which will help recruit more highly qualified carers into the local workforce.

More affordable and accessible care:

Make it easier to see a GP: Advocate for lower out-of-pocket costs and access to more bulk-billed consultations for regional areas. Introduce a national GP guarantee program to ensure that regional and rural communities can access the necessary care. This involves growing the number of GP and specialist training places in Wannon and supporting the Royal Australian College of GPs' plan to make primary care more accessible and affordable.

Better aged care for our region: Invest in aged care to help more people to stay in their homes and connect to their community as they age. Cut aged care wait lists by investing in new and expanded aged-care facilities and ensuring established facilities stay in our local towns and communities.

Invest in mental health programs and services: Support mental health promotion programs to build stronger communities in schools, on farms, in workplaces, and in sporting organisations. Double the number of Medicare-supported visits to allow people to see a psychologist or other mental health professional more often, making sure people can get the mental healthcare they need.

Take real action on the housing crisis:

A national housing plan: Work across the political divide to develop a National Housing Plan that incorporates the best approaches from industry, experts, the community, all levels of government and all sides of politics.

Fund housing and infrastructure in rural and regional locations: Advocate for collaboration among all levels of government to fund the construction of housing and essential but expensive infrastructure like water, sewage, electricity, and roads to reduce the cost of new homes.

Support regional communities in a changing climate:

Advocate for sensible action to reduce climate pollution and support renewable energy projects where communities are genuinely consulted and receive local benefits.

Fund emergency services and volunteer-run organisations like CFA, SES, and BlazeAid, so they have the resources they need to protect communities. At the same time, fund programs to reduce the long-term effects of extreme weather on people and local economies.

Work with the agricultural sector: Support economically viable and sustainable actions to help farmers participate in climate solutions.

Better funding for local infrastructure:

After decades of being a neglected safe seat, many projects need funding, from facilities and services to sporting facilities, the arts and creative industries. Alex will follow the regional Independent MP Helen Haines model by bringing together local councils and community groups to work together to get the funding our region deserves.

Stamp out corruption in politics:

Strengthen the National Anti-Corruption Commission, insist on transparency to reduce lobbyists' power, and hold the major parties accountable. Alex will fight for truth in political advertising laws to be extended beyond election campaign periods. 

Where does Alex stand on ...

Offshore Wind

Alex supports renewable energy when done right but would only support an offshore wind project if there are real community benefits and the community had been thoroughly consulted.

At this point, the Warrnambool Port Fairy offshore wind project is in a pre-planning stage, during which the project must consult deeply with the community. 

Alex wants genuine community consultation to ensure any proposed developments benefit the community and not impact our way of life or the local environment. 

Nuclear power

Alex isn’t ideologically opposed to nuclear power, but the timeline, cost, and lack of plan regarding nuclear waste disposal show that it doesn’t make sense for Australia at this stage.

For example, the CSIRO says nuclear plants will be ready by at least 2040, but all our coal plants in Victoria will be shut down by 2033. We can’t wait another seven years for nuclear; we need to replace it with renewables now.