Meg Edwards Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrats candidate Meg Edwards wants to offer voters a “genuine and sensible

alternative.” The Fish Creek farmer has lived across the electorate from Drouin to Phillip Island and is committed to standing up for the principles of freedom, liberty, free markets and individual choice.

A former South Gippsland shire councillor, Ms Edwards resigned two years into her term in 2018 so she could stand as a Liberal candidate for the upper house Eastern Region of Victoria seat at the 2019 election.

Turning her attention now to the lower house, Ms Edwards said she was standing for the Liberal Democrats because the Liberal Party was not acting on what it claims to stand - “they are saying one thing and acting on another thing in parliament.”

She denied being a stooge vote for the Liberal Party. “I thought at the time (while a Liberal Party member) that I could be part of the change but then realised there was no room for that.”

“I decided I can’t vote Liberal this time, I can’t support what they are doing. And, I thought I’m not the only one thinking that so

let people have a choice.”

The Liberal Democrats stand for less government and bureaucracy. “We need to let people do what they do best and that’s making decisions for themselves.”

“We are on a trajectory of huge national debt and huge over governance. There is significant over regulation of small business. Businesses are exhausted after the past two years and exhausted by the over compliance.

Roads, access to essential health services and internet access are three key priorities that Ms Edwards said were directly impacting people in Monash and were raised with her “time and time again.”

She said with people working from home and population growth in regional areas, the government needed to ensure the infrastructure was in place to provide basic services.

Ms Edwards said the Liberal Democrats promised to deliver on 10 key platforms, including cheap and reliable energy.

She said government needed to remove prohibitions on nuclear energy because it had

the potential to provide cheap, affordable and clean energy.

She said the government needed to stop over-regulating the power industry and allow energy providers to provide all types of energy, including nuclear.

“The environment is owned by all of us...the change starts with us as individuals. I am passionate about the environment from a position of hope, not from a position of fear.

Ms Edwards said she supported the principle of an independent commission to review corruption in governments, but questioned how it would be independent.

“There are so many questions and a lack of trust in government and institutions. The only thing that will bring that back is transparency.

Ms Edwards said there was a sense of excitement for change in the electorate. “People are anecdotally more politically aware and much more aware of the direct impact of politics. I am excited that in the main people are finding the party that they are suited to - people want to have a say.”