Extending from McLaren Vale in the north, down the Fleurieu Peninsula to Cape Jervis in the south and across to Kangaroo Island, the seat of Mawson was a close run race in 2018 and is expected to be a decisive seat in the upcoming election. Candidates in 2022 are Labor's Leon Bignell, who has held the seat since 2006, Liberal's Amy Williams, The Greens' Jason Garrood, Animal Justice Party's Steven Campbell, One Nation's Jennifer Game, Australia Family Party's Peter Ieraci and Family First's Lynton Barry.
What do you believe is the biggest challenge facing Mawson?
BIGNELL: Health, infrastructure and getting people and businesses back on their feet are important as we emerge out of a global pandemic.
WILLIAMS: The issues most often raised by Mawson residents have been roads, road safety and public transport, telecommunications and infrastructure; a range of health issues, including mental health, attracting and retaining rural GPs and regional health services. I'm also particularly mindful of challenges faced by local businesses, including recruiting, managing and retaining staff - and cost of production and business costs.
GARROOD: I believe the biggest challenge facing not just Mawson, but all of us, is the climate crisis. More than 60 per cent of Mawson voters want to see more action from politicians to stop the release of greenhouse pollutants into the atmosphere.
CAMPBELL: I would be working to guarantee affordable, accessible and fit-for-purpose health and aged care for the people of Mawson. Mental health is a huge challenge across regional Australia and AJP believe spending on mental health is vital.
IERACI: Mawson is held by one of the major parties, which continue to disappoint. Power prices, house prices, water prices are stressing family budgets and family businesses. They are under siege and the unbearable cost of energy, regulation and taxation is sending them to the wall.
BARRY: By far it is family breakdown, suicide and drug use. It is affecting almost every family in some way.
What do you see as the major issue affecting SA agriculture? How would you rectify this?
BIGNELL: A shortage of housing and workers in regional SA is holding back production across a range of agricultural sectors. I'd work with Regional Development Australia, all levels of government and housing, business and agricultural groups to implement solutions.
WILLIAMS: Key issues vary by sector and by region, but recruiting, managing and retaining staff is a key issue, which has been exacerbated by COVID. Opening of international borders and net interstate migration into SA should assist, but training and education pathways which meet local and regional needs are also vital.
GARROOD: The major issue already affecting our agricultural industry is climate change and this will only get worse before atmospheric CO2 levels fall - bushfires, drought, storms and floods. Rectification is obvious but consideration also needs to be given to increasing farmers' climate resilience.
CAMPBELL: While this may be confronting for readers, animal agriculture is responsible for over 15pc of all global greenhouse emissions. We owe it to future generations to urgently address the climate crisis. AJP are not anti-farming, but we'd like to work with the agriculture industry to reduce the overall number of animals kept as stock and help farmers transition to food crops or other beneficial plant-based products.
IERACI: The Australian Family Party wants to end delays in approving major initiatives for the regions and wants to guarantee farmers' rights to extract water from their dams. Australian farmers produce some of the best food in the world and it's time we had clear food labelling on all products on our supermarket shelves. The AFP understands agriculture and its pivotal role in Australia and is committed to being at the forefront of policies that support farming communities.
BARRY: Getting workers is too hard and it needs the state government to request easier farm workers' visas. Also, the rebuilding of KI and its tourism facilities needs to be supported more.
Do you think enough funding is being directed to regional infrastructure, eg roads and health facilities?
BIGNELL: Labor is offering big overhauls in Mawson when it comes to road and health facilities. We will spend $10 million on the KI Hospital and fund 24 extra paramedics and ambulance officers on the Fleurieu. Labor will spend $125m on Main South Road from Aldinga to Cape Jervis and $4.2m fixing dangerous local intersections.
WILLIAMS: The Marshall Liberal government has invested $1.8 billion upgrading our regional roads, but I'm well aware of the need for further investment in regional infrastructure. The $560m Fleurieu Connections project is significant for our region. Attracting and retaining rural doctors and health professionals to regions is of critical importance. Recent federal initiatives under the Stronger Rural Health Strategy, including the Bonded Medical Program and Workforce Incentive Program, will complement the SA Rural Health Workforce Strategy.
GARROOD: Too much funding is being wasted on major road infrastructure - billions to shave a few minutes off urban travel time - while regional roads languish unsafely from too little spending. Also more funding should go towards improving and extending rapid rail public transport.
CAMPBELL: There is no doubt the regions are overlooked when it comes to government spending, such as roads, infrastructure and health. As the member for Mawson, I will work with the state and federal governments of the day, and others, to ensure the regions are prioritised in the state and federal budgets.
IERACI: Whether it's taking kids to school or taking farm produce to market, good roads are absolutely essential and the deterioration of our roads over the past two decades and the failure to fix the state's notorious black spots has been disgraceful. If elected, AFP will use its balance of power on the crossbench to redress the appalling neglect of roads in regional SA.
BARRY: The road to Cape Jervis should be dramatically improved, with the increase in farm and tourism traffic from KI.
- Jennifer Game was invited to participate but did not respond before deadline.
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