Shortcuts to topics you most ask about: housing, stadium, budget, salmon, forestry, environment

My general position is environmentally conscious yet moderately conservative, a perspective missing in the traditional party spectrum. I put ideas before ideologies, policies before politics.

My key platform as an independent candidate is equitable access to healthy, dignified housing and sustainable, resilient and beautiful built environment everywhere.

I want small government where possible, strong government where necessary.

Housing and built environment

The evidence is clear: a beautiful, resilient, high quality urban environment grows a successful and healthy society, while poorly designed cities surrounded by endless suburbia are harmful to every aspect of human experience.

Like healthcare and legal representation, a sustainable, resilient, healthy and beautiful living environment is not a luxury but a pragmatic necessity and a human right.

1. Establish a simple pathway for all Tasmanians, including public housing tenants and applicants to build their own homes and communities, under builder’s supervision, gaining significant equity in their new rent-to-own houses, as well as skills and income potential. Like in the 50s, neighbours lending each other hand can again build streets, suburbs, villages and strong, cohesive, long-term communities. Houses will be homes again.
2. First home owner grants carefully targeted to result in better homes and stronger communities, not just increased prices as has been the case.
3. Support owner-builders by a simple step-by-step online portal to guide them through the complete process, from conception through permits to completion. Enable owner-builder finance.
4. Well considered land release for new development, designed for liveability according to and new urbanism principles. Build urban villages and communities, not more sprawling, isolated suburbs – future ghettos.
5. Generally align our urban design and planning with successful international models of mixed-use low-to-medium rise, compact forms, urban forest and diverse public spaces.
6. Clean up and streamline the planning and building process, as well as the consumer protection.
7. Adopt successful European models of guaranteed affordable lifetime rental housing, co-housing and cooperative housing, with a sense of security and ownership, especially for single-person households.
8. Beauty is not subjective. We all know where tourists like to take photos and it is not the Australian suburbs. Evidence overseas shows that building ugly is not an economic necessity and that beauty pays. Establish clear guidelines for minimum aesthetic standard, without increasing construction costs.
9. Local traditions and strong, unique character draws both tourists and new residents, but none can tell the country nor even the continent from looking at our new inner city buildings. Establish guidelines for recognisably Tasmanian built environment. Expedient, short lived, globalised design trends should be avoided. Support and promote our traditions, craftsmanship and locally produced materials. Expand the brand Tasmania into our built environment.
10. Expand the role of the government architect; establish council architects, common in Europe.

Tasmania has the potential and the opportunity to become the leading state in quality of housing and built environment.

Stadium

69% Tasmanians say the Tasmanian Parliament should renegotiate with the AFL to avoid building a new stadium.

1. Yes to the team, no to a stadium ruining the historical character of central Hobart (our key tourism drawcard) and the very significant unnecessary cost of building it right there.
2. Renovate an existing stadium, or if necessary, build a new stadium where it will be cheaper to construct, fit better the scale of surrounding development and bring more benefit to its immediate community, who actually wants it there – listen to the people.
3. Spend the saved hundreds of millions on healthcare.
4. Open Macquarie Point to a locally appropriate, Hobart-scale, uniquely Tasmanian mixed-use development – create more business, more housing.

Healthcare

As this is not my expertise, I will listen to healthcare professionals and patients, and work with all parties on necessary improvements.

1. Health and healthcare is first priority, naturally.
2. Improve access and affordability of healthcare.
3. Prevention, including man-made environmental pollution.
4. Respect and protection for emergency services.

Education

I will encourage and reward excellence in education.

1. Free university and TAFE for diligent students.
2. Education debt waivers for essential professionals, such as doctors, nurses or teachers who live and work in Tasmania.
3. Honour and encourage trade and craft training as a better alternative to unproductive university study, such as dropped degrees.
4. Respect and protection for teachers.

Cost of living

1. Demonopolise. Competition to Coles & Woolworths – bring Aldi to Tasmania.
2. Review energy pricing structure, especially for low income households. Current system is poorly designed.

Economy

1. Balance the budget with realistic, responsible spending and no unnecessary debt.
2. Support local production, resource processing and manufacturing.
3. Revive traditional industries, such as boot making or furniture manufacture. Expand and diversify wood-related industry. Creating more jobs and skills.
4. Grow and promote “Made in Tasmania” brand.
5. Expand environmentally sensitive tourism and access to natural destinations and features.
6. Develop tourist train services on existing railway network, including steam from Don River Railway, with possible joint or parallel passenger services to follow.
7. International flights at Hobart.
8. Could the new ferries be used as an alternative to flying to Europe or other destinations while we wait for the delayed terminal?

Environment

1. Support responsible farming (including salmon), forestry or mining. Where necessary, incentivise businesses to improve practice. Protect both jobs and the environment by discouraging lazy shortcuts.
2. Replace forestry and agricultural burn-offs and toxic chemicals with international best practice alternatives.
3. Phase out man-made toxins from our food chain. Phase out non-essential use of plastic (packaging, clothing, construction, etc.) – stop microplastics pollution.
4. Free rubbish tip for private individuals – stop illegal dumping. Disposal costs should be included in new price, not an afterthought penalty imposed on those buying second-hand goods.
5. Increase container deposit to meaningful amount to discourage littering. Reward for-profit cleanup. Refunds must be hassle-free.

Infrastructure

1. Incentivise leadership for timely and economic delivery of infrastructure projects. Clear accountability for delays.

Government

1. Absolute transparency in politics. The recent abandonment of lobbying disclosures in Tasmania makes no good sense. Nothing to hide – nothing to worry about.
2. No privatisation of essential government assets such as power supply or transport.

Anything missing? Let me know.