Deb Leonard - Independent
Independent candidate Deb Leonard says action to address climate change and rebuild trust in politics by making Members of Parliament accountable are the key issues voters in the Monash have raised with her.
Ms Leonard, a small business operator and lawyer from Phillip Island, is campaigning under the Voices for Monash brand but has no formal links with other “Voices of” candidates or to organised political organisations.
She said that as a community nominated candidate she would be able to put the needs of Monash residents first and believes there should be more independents elected to parliament to hold the government of the day to account and that hung parliaments can be more effective than the two (major) party system that she claims is letting democracy down.
Action needed to address climate change by replacing coal-fired electricity generation with renewable resources provides great opportunities for new industries in Monash and the Gippsland region, Ms Leonard believes.
She supports the proposed wind farm around Delburn in the Strzelecki Ranges, sees chances for farmers to derive a second income by providing land for solar farms and says the Latrobe Valley would be ideal for development of green hydrogen energy.
The area has many skilled people that provide a ready-made workforce for new generation technologies as they transition from the coal industry.
As an independent Ms Leonard believes she would be able to put the needs of Monash residents first rather than follow party lines and would increase the electorate’s chances of getting a fair share of infrastructure funding for health services and roads especially,
She said an independent Federal Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) had also been raised by voters concerned with making government more accountable for and transparent with their decisions.
Ms Leonard said if elected she would create opportunities to facilitate open discussion on important issues to allow residents to participate in Australian democracy and allow them to identify key priorities.
Diversity and inclusivity would be supported to represent the diverse cultures in the electorate and there was much to be learnt from First Nations people and traditional stewardship of the the land at a time of climate crisis.
Ms Leonard said since commencing her campaign in January, she had been surprised at the level of animosity and disappointment in the performance of the two major political parties which had resulted in a warm reception for a moderate independent. “It’s time to take strong, positive action on climate change; it’s time to put an end to corruption with government and it’s time that we had a strong, independent candidate that will represent the communities of the Monash electorate.”
Ms Leonard is not directing preferences saying that it was the right of individuals to decide their own priorities in relation to candidates.