STEVEN CLARE

Independent Candidate for Herbert

When I decided to run at the 2022 federal election, I wanted a platform to air my grievances about how our country is being deliberately demolished. Then I realised if I get 4% of the vote I get most of my money back. This helped to make the decision to spend more money to have a realistic chance of being elected. With Phillip Thompson reneging on the drug test, I owe him nothing and my campaign strategy has not changed. This is second time he has renegged, the first being removing his support into an inquiry into the disappearance of Mick Isles. One candidate has taken up my challenge and she is tougher than a front row forward (Greg Dowling), braver than our ex-service men, no disrespect, (Phillip Thompson and John Ring), smarter than our doctors and business operators (Angela Egan and Toni Mcmahon), all of 50kg, Larna Ballard from the Great Australian Party. I am not looking for preference but as a citizen she is my first preference choice. Larna’s results will be made available at her discretion.

Now that I realise our drug problem is so deep, I’m making it my policy that all candidates, MPS and Senators throughout Australia will be required to undergo this test at their own expense. It is on the candidates onus to prove to the community they are of good standing and this is part of that process. I am now calling on NICK DAMETTO, ROBBIE KATTER, ARON HARPER, STEPHEN ANDREWS, DALE LAST and all members of QUEENSLAND PARLIAMENT to step forward and take the drug test. The excuse given by the National Secretary of the KAP, Sarah Major, on behalf of Clynton Hawks for not taking the test, that they are down to the last $150 of their campaign budget, is hard to believe (I have witnesses). During this conversation on speaker phone on April 27 one of my supporters has offered to pay for Clynton’s test. I then attempted to contact Clynton on both his phones without success . I then drove to Bob Katter’s office and asked to contact Bob on my behalf for payment. No return call.

We need to clean out the pigsty they call Parliament House and if elected this will be my first challenge. Many politicians talk big but don’t have the criminal intelligence to know how to deal with corrupt politicians and this is something I bring to the table. I will take them on all at once or one at a time, whichever they prefer. Five billion dollars is squandered on useless diesel powered submarines that we didn’t get and the rest of us are fighting for toilet paper. Have a look at our empty grocery store shelves. Every dollar needs to be accounted for including the $440 million for the Great Barrier Reef Grant that has vanished.

I will stand up for ALL CITIZENS OF HERBERT, no matter what race or gender, we need your support to end the corruption. Politicians make promises which they never keep. The only promise I will make is that I will never, ever lay down and I will fight for honesty, accountability and justice.

Politicians and corruption

I believe politicians should be honourable individuals. To be honourable you should be trust worthy; that is someone true to your word, a speaker of truth and a person of integrity. Our politicians are far from this. Time and time again they say one thing to be elected then do whatever they like once in government. This is lying and deceit in my book! We the people have become accustomed to this. We talk about it and get upset but accept it. This is not good enough. If we the people do not insist on high standards and vote accordingly we will continue to get substandard politicans who think they can walk all over us.

Many times they vote for legistlation and laws that result in harm to their constituents. For example – why hasn’t this government organised the anti-corruption body that was promised by both major parties? Could it be because corruption is rife throughout all parties? You don’t need experience to be a politician you just need to be a decent human being, a trait the hierarchy don’t seem to possess.

Australian Anti Ice Campaign

Residents of Townsville know too well of the drug problem in our community. I have firsthand experience of the effects of ICE in my family, having my brother John hang himself in 2007. It states on his death certificate he died from hanging and does not use the word suicide. Suicides are not reported publicly so as not to alarm the people in our community. The toxicology report (which I had to push for) states he was a heavy user of methamphetamine. I support an inquiry into all suicides, veteran and civilian and to have mandatory toxicology reports done on all suicides and suspicious deaths.

It is well known that I am involved in the Australian Anti Ice Campaign (AAIC) which is an organisation which educates our children in the classroom of the effect of hard drugs. The speakers and educators in these classes have firsthand experience of the struggles in life due to addiction, these are chilling to listen to. AAIC survives with no funding from the government. If elected I will lobby for this program to be funded to get the AAIC into every secondary classroom in the country.

Building more jails and arresting more criminals is not the answer. You could build 100 jails and fill them in a week and still not put a dent in our Drug problem. I support a full over haul of our drug laws including decriminalising cannabis for private use. Medical cannabis appears to be accepted as stakeholders profit handsomely from its growth and needs to be monitored. The use of illicit drugs needs to be monitored through a reintroduction of the National Waste Water Drug Monitoring Program (NWWDMP). If elected I intend to obtain the necessary funding to run program here in Townsville in conjunction with our local University and deliver relevant statistics for Townsville.

As stated earlier it is my policy that ALL sitting Members of Parliament be drug tested (hair follicle analysis). I have already undergone this two part process and have the document to prove this. We need to know our politicians are of exceptional character and be Blue Card holders.

Welfare review - a complete overhaul of the welfare system

There is a need to give a deterrent to the number of children long term welfare recipients are having. At the moment the government has incentivised these families to have large numbers of children.

Alternatively we should offer incentives to keep families small. Taxpayers will fund up to 3 children. Previous arrangements will remain unaltered, but moving forward the first 3 children will be funded at more than they are currently. More money for having fewer children.

Those who have trouble using contraceptives will be offered government funded free voluntary tubule ligations and or vasectomies. Those with religious beliefs not being able to use contraceptives will only be funded for 3 children. We will no longer tolerate parents bringing children into drug and alcohol fuelled environments. Parents whose relationship involves domestic violence and criminal activity will be exempt from bringing more children into that environment.

Couples who wish to have more children will be assessed. They will have to show they are good parents. The care and nurturing they have provided for their first 3 children will be used to assess their ability to raise more children. This assessment will involve, firstly, drug testing, using hair follicle analysis, after the first 3 children. This will be mandatory. Secondly, an assessment of their parenting skills. This will be assessed by checking: child enrolment and attendance at school, the making and keeping of doctors’ and other child related appointments, having filled pharmaceutical prescriptions and welfare visits in the home.

This is not about stopping people having more children. I recognise this is a choice. Couples may choose to have more than 3 children but taxpayers are not going to support their upbringing. To support their children those couples will be able to obtain part-time work and that work will not affect their part A and part B family tax benefit. Money earned will be capped at different rates for 4/5/6 children.

Money saved will be used to top up family tax benefits for those having up to 3 children, top up pension funds, particularly the old age pension and disability pension and to provide funding to charities to supply food vouchers for those who think they can wrought the welfare system.

Adopting this new look welfare system will contribute to paying off our increasing national debt.

To summarise - Those keeping families at or below 3 children will have more money for less children instead of the current situation where they receive more money for more children. A one off payment for free voluntary tubule ligation’s is not out of the question.

Juvenile Crime – An alternative program

The worst juvenile offenders will be placed at Lavarack Barracks on trial, in a 50 bed accommodation block with amenities.

They get out of bed at 5:30am. Military exercise at 6am. Breakfast and showers at 8am. They will be employed part-time on base. There will be incentives for the contractors to employ offenders to do appropriate tasks. They are paid junior wages. We educate them in reading writing and maths, managing money and filling out forms will be taught. Rotate the classes to reduce numbers. Kids who perform go off to the recreation room to relax (TV, electronic games, movies, etc). Monitored phones in the recreational room will be available to those who have caring families. Lights out at 9pm. Bedrooms will be lightly furnished, no air- conditioning or electronics, only a fan and a clock will be in the rooms. Small TVS in rooms for those who earn the privilege and paid for by the tenant. All damages to the facility will be paid for by the offender. Visits on weekend for those families who care. Children will earn the right to go home on weekends (if they have one).

Home environments will be assessed and drug testing is mandatory (hair follicle analysis will be free if they pass). The carers know if they will pass the drug test.

Driving and theory lessons will be provided. Machinery tickets will be made available to those who wish to better themselves. Australian Defence

Force has a diverse range of military machinery with civilian applications. The end game for these youths is stability, discipline and a positive future. There would also be the possibility of defence employment. Army is not for everybody but now with skills they can get employment in the community. Those who wish to leave the defence force program must have permanent work or be in a learning environment and we will assist them. Those failing to keep their employment will find it hard to get unemployment benefits but incentives will be made to work back at the army base.

We are not dumping the problem on our military personnel we just need them to provide acreage for accommodation, and outer security which is already in place. This is a 10-14 year plan, in conjunction with my Welfare Review. Once the crime rate reduces the infrastructure stays on base. This means it remains part of government infrastructure rather than benefiting other parties.

I understand crime is a state issue however juvenile crime in our community needs to be addressed. This must be a combined effort by State and Federal politicians, Cleveland Youth Detention Centre (staff can be rotated to and from Lavarack), police, elders, parents/caregivers, youth justice and social workers. We need to work together to provide ongoing support services to make this work.

Commonwealth Postal Savings Bank (CPSB)

I support the creation of a CPSB and will push for Federal Parliament to pass the Commonwealth Postal Savings Bank Bill which has been drafted by the Australian Citizens Party as soon as possible. This will be a people’s bank, fully guaranteed by the Commonwealth and will operate through the 4320 Australia Post’s Corporate and licensed post offices ( we will build more ). It will ensure basic banking services Australia wide and will contribute to Australia’s economic development. All welfare recipients and pensioners will be given an account and payments will be made to these. Individuals may choose to stick with their original banking service but the transactions fees charged by the CPSB will be very attractive.

It is in our country’s best interest to reduce the power the 4 major banks have – establishing a Commonwealth Postal Savings Bank will go a long way to addressing this problem.

Iron Boomerang Project

Why are we sending our coal and iron ore overseas then buying it back as steel? This steel is inferior to the steel we used to produce. We have lost jobs, manufacturing opportunities and income.

The Iron Boomerang Project is a bold plan to position Australia to supply the increasing demands for steel across the world. Its founder, Shane Condon explains it will involve building a railroad from Abbott Point Qld to Port Headland WA to transport coal to the west and iron ore to the east. Smelters on both side of our continent will offer investment and jobs. The process has been estimated to be 20 per cent more efficient than selling our raw materials to China.

This project was close to being adopted by the coalition government in 2013 but instead they accelerated our deindustrialisation, a United Nations and World Economic Forum policy.

The Commonwealth Postal Savings Bank will contribute to the funding of this project through its economic development arm. We need to begin to bring manufacturing and industry back to Australia. We cannot and should not be reliant on other countries for our needs.

I will support industrialising our nation to increase employment, supply chain security and the creation of a more independent sovereign nation that can contribute positively to trade on the world stage. The railway line owned by the taxpayer will open up the country for freight, military transportation and mining corporations.

Gun License Review

Guns don’t kill people -people kill people. After the national gun buy-back and repeated national gun amnesties, our government has realised that many citizens haven’t handed in their firearms. I propose a Federal Firearm Registry whereby unregistered firearms will be made legal. A gun control/ licensing permit to give the citizens a first or second chance to own a firearm. Below are the conditions:

Mandatory drug testing (Medicinal Cannabis is excluded), a Cognitive

Test, Firearms Safety Certificate, National Police Certificate, Random Drug and Alcohol tests when handling a firearm, house and gun storage must be secured appropriately, applicant must have been a long term resident, age will be no barrier as long as the accuracy test is passed, Seniors will be eligible for small calibre pistol permits, Licences/permits will be issued within one month of conditions being met. (Currently a 9 month plus waiting period).

Law Enforcement and our men cannot protect our vulnerable citizens. Many of our elderly women have had their lives taken in their own home with no means to protect their own lives. We need Less restrictions and more responsibility!

Commonwealth Law will supersede State Legislation and Policy. State Licensing will continue to be available to firearm owners.

World Health

No mandates, no lockdowns – ‘your body - your choice’. No Employers can force an employee to have to choice between a series of injections or losing their job! It is against the law to coerce people to get vaccinated. On the

22 of May 2022 the Federal government is discussing passing a Bill to enable the World Health Organisation to take over Australians health system. Mandates, lockdowns, forced vaccinations and forced quarantines will happen. WAKE UP!

Digital Identity Bill

Why is our government intent on bringing in Digital Identity when we don’t have to produce photo ID at our polling booths. This is increasing government control and opens the door for digital fraud.