Why did you decide to run for the seat of Robertson?
I grew up here, my family moved to the Central Coast almost 30 years ago, and I grew up in Point Clare and I went to school at my local school. And I absolutely loved the area and probably from a teenager I’ve been wanting to give back to my community, the Central Coast. I was fortunate enough that my first full time job was a high school teacher back at my old school. My husband and I got married about 17 years ago and he’s never been able to work locally and when I changed careers I found myself with a job in Sydney so did Chris so we ended up moving to Sydney because of the challenge of the commute. It’s pretty interesting when…you have kids and you just want to come back home…because we know it’s just the very best place in the world to live.
As to my motivation, my reason for standing, my passion if you like, I’d love to make the Central Coast the very best place in the world to work.
Have you run before?
I’ve been part of the Liberal party for about 13 years now or more, and I’ve been quite actively involved. This is my first time as the Liberal candidate for Robertson, it’s something I’m really passionate about. My strength is as a teacher, I’ve been involved with community organisations, including as a youth leader at my local church and for the last 7 or 8 years I’ve also worked for Telstra in corporate affairs. So I’ve spent a lot of time I guess working with community groups and organisations and businesses.
What do you think your biggest challeneg will be in this election?
I think this election represents the clearest choice in a generation. Between 3 more years of what we’ve seen – the chaos, the disunity, the dysfunction, the higher taxes, the broken promises, the debts, the boats – or a better way under the Liberal Government. There is really a very clear choice and what we are offering is lower taxes, to scrap the carbon tax, to stop the boats, to deliver more jobs. Tony Abbott has committed a million new jobs in 5 years, and I’m fighting every single day because I want to know that there are more jobs, more opportunities for people here on the Central Coast.
Jobs are obviously a key issue, what else are you passionate about here on the Central Coast?
The first thing I want to be able to do is be part of the Government that votes against the carbon tax, that scraps the carbon tax. It is one of those things people raise with me every day, when I’m out and about. It’s interetsing when you are door knocking and talking to people everyday you actually get the heartbeat of the coast and you really do hear people who are struggling with the cost of living pressures and it’s one of the things we can do it to help scrap the carbon tax, help business by scraping the carbon tax, reducing red tape…and you know really supporting our small businesses, they do a great job of employing people on the Central Coast.
But the other thing is to build the F3/M2 missing link, that’s been a promise that we’ve heard year after year from this Federal Labor government. It still has not been built. Under a Liberal Government we have not only committed to build it, we’ve said construction will begin by the end of next year. I’m also really passionate about improving inner safety in our streets, it’s great for business, it’s also great for our community as well, and recently we committed $680 000 to invest in more CCTV cameras including to expand the exisitng coverage in Gosford and across the penninsular in Woy Woy, Ettalong and Umina and also in areas in Kariong and Kincumber.
How do you rate your chances? There’s been some media that the Central Coast seats are likely to fall to Liberals this year – how are you rating your chances?
The only thing that matters is what happens on September 7 but when I am out and about talking to people, and I’m doing that everyday, what I’m finding is what they are asking us, what their concerns are actually reflect what our plan is all about, and there is a need for more jobs, and more local jobs to reduce cost of living to reduce taxes, to stop the boats again to deliver a strong and prosperous economy and to secure Australia.
What would a vote for you mean to those voting for you?
A vote for me would be a vote for a real plan to deliver a better future for the Central Coast. A better future where there are more job opportunities, where small businesses are thriving and prospering where we are helping people reduce the cost of living by scraping the carbon tax, where we are delivering certainty and stability back into government.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I really believe in the Central Coast I am really passionate about our area. I’m passionate about seeing it not only as the best place in the world to live, but the best place to be able to work.
I really do believe it is time for change, I really do believe it is the clearest choice in a generation and I’m looking forward for the opportunity on the Central Coast for all people to make their decision on the Central Coast on September 7.
