Bass Coast Post
  • Home
    • Recent articles
  • News
    • Point of view
    • View from the chamber
  • Writers
    • Anne Davie
    • Anne Heath Mennell
    • Bob Middleton
    • Carolyn Landon
    • Catherine Watson
    • Christine Grayden
    • Dick Wettenhall
    • Ed Thexton
    • Etsuko Yasunaga
    • Frank Coldebella
    • Gayle Marien
    • Geoff Ellis
    • Gill Heal
    • Harry Freeman
    • Ian Burns
    • Joan Woods
    • John Coldebella
    • Jordan Crugnale
    • Julie Statkus
    • Kit Sleeman
    • Laura Brearley >
      • Coastal Connections
    • Lauren Burns
    • Liane Arno
    • Linda Cuttriss
    • Linda Gordon
    • Lisa Schonberg
    • Liz Low
    • Marian Quigley
    • Mark Robertson
    • Mary Whelan
    • Meryl Brown Tobin
    • Michael Whelan
    • Mikhaela Barlow
    • Miriam Strickland
    • Natasha Williams-Novak
    • Neil Daly
    • Patsy Hunt
    • Pauline Wilkinson
    • Phil Wright
    • Sally McNiece
    • Terri Allen
    • Tim Shannon
    • Zoe Geyer
  • Features
  • Arts
  • Local history
  • Environment
  • Bass Coast Prize
  • Community
    • Diary
    • Courses
    • Groups
  • Contact us

Seven line up against veteran MP

22/4/2022

20 Comments

 
Picture
By Catherine Watson

INCUMBENT Liberal MP Russell Broadbent is facing seven challengers from across the political spectrum in next month’s federal election.​


Nominations for the seat were declared in Warragul at midday yesterday, and the ballot draw carried out immediately afterwards. 

Inverloch's Mat Morgan (Greens) scored the coveted top position on the ballot paper, with Mr Broadbent second and Phillip Island's Deb Leonard (Independent ​) third.
Picture
Mat Morgan
Greens
Picture
Russell Broadbent
Liberal Party
Picture
Deb Leonard
Independent
Picture
Allan Hicken, Pauline
Hanson’s One Nation
Picture
David Welsh, Australian
Federation Party
No photo available
Aged 71, and after 32 years in politics, Mr Broadbent was widely expected to call it a day and hand on one of the country’s safest Liberal seats to a younger successor. He surprised many when he announced he wanted another term.
 
​He will be feeling comfortable that he can withstand anything less than a landslide against the current Liberal government.

​He 
has held the seat (formerly McMillan) for 23 of the past 32 years. He won the 2018 election with a 46.3 per cent primary vote and 57.4 per cent on a two-party preferred basis. Fifty-one of the 66 Monash polling booths recorded a Liberal majority.

But there is just enough happening to suggest the Monash election could be more interesting than it looks on paper.

The great unknown is how much support the minor parties will attract in Monash. They include an intriguing mix: Pauline Hanson’s One National Party, Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party (with its massive advertising budget), the Liberal Democratic Party and a newcomer, the Australian Federation Party.

 
There is also the presence of a credible Independent candidate with a lot of local support and a budget. Deb Leonard is part of the Voices for … political movement (not a party) that has attracted plenty of media attention for its challenge in supposedly safe Liberal seats.

The Monash electorate consists of Bass Coast, Baw Baw and South Gippsland shires, Moe-Newborough in the City of Latrobe, and very small parts of Cardinia and Yarra Ranges Shires. 

A minor distribution of the electorate last year removed Koo Wee Rup and Lang Lang, making the seat slightly more marginal.  Election guru Anthony Green estimates the majority drops to 6.9 per cent.
 
It remains to be seen how his public anti-vax stance will affect votes in an electorate that is 95 per cent vaccinated.​ While it will probably attract a proportion of new supporters, it may alienate other traditional Liberal supporters.

What matters most to you

​
The next edition of the Bass Coast Post on May 6 will include our federal election coverage with profiles of all candidates standing in the Monash electorate. 

​We want to know what issues matter most to Post readers so we can quiz the candidates on their policies and priorities.


  1. What are the three most important issues to you in the federal election?
  2. How do you usually vote?
  3. How do you intend to vote this time?
  4. Why?
Please email responses to editor@basscoastpost.com or reply via the Comments section below.
Picture
Jessica O’Donnell
Labor Party
Picture
Meg Edwards,
Liberal Democrats
Picture
Christine McShane
United Australia Party
20 Comments
Anne Don
23/4/2022 10:00:37 am

Surely, the time has come for Mr Broadbent to be beaten. His electorate voted for same sex marriage, Mr Broadbent voted against in the Parliament. Mr Broadbent does not believe in Vaccinations against the Carona virus. Beware, as he campaigns in Monash, don’t shake hands with him! It is time for a change, Jessica O’Donnell, ALP, a great candidate. She is young, progressive, intelligent and a delightful person.

Reply
John Coldebella
23/4/2022 10:12:29 am

Accountability is a primary concern for me. I want parliamentary representatives who will give a direct answer to the questions asked of them. It has become an all too common response to ignore the question or dance around it with side-stepping manoeuvres. There seems to be a preference for offering a pre planned statement. Some interviewers repeat the question and still get no relevant reply to it. This kind of behaviour by our law makers would be deemed contempt in a court of law. I take this kind of evasion as a rude insult and it makes me want to reach into the television or radio and give them a good slap.

Reply
Day
23/4/2022 05:59:24 pm

Anne: there is no scientific evidence that an unvaxed person can spread any disease anymore than a vaxed, So do not fear, Mr Broadbent most likely has a much better immunity due to his robust immune system keeping him healthy.

I want to know what the Independent Deb Leonard will preference her votes to on her voting card?

Who will support getting welfare recipients at or above the Hendersons poverty line of $88 per day not $46?

Who will also support an increase in rent assistance for those struggling to meet the high rises of rent we have seen in the last 2 years?

Reply
Geoff Ellis
24/4/2022 12:06:30 am

Mr Broadbent caught COVID19 once already, so his immunity is non- existent, let alone non- robust. He has publicly stated that Invermectin is the source of his COVID19 well being, rather then any pre-existing robust immunity.

Reply
Day
25/4/2022 01:36:02 pm

Strange when no one else can get a hold of Invermectin. What doctor will prescribe it?

Bernie McComb
24/4/2022 11:45:27 am

No sense in listing particular issues considering 10 years of nothing but headline grabs followed by no action? Just one, Integrity Commission, with teeth. Obviously there are few exceptions, like crazy more than $200Billion in weapons/ infrastructure to mass kill people war.

As farmers suffer more crop failure and livestock death, mostly rain, too little or too much, at the wrong time, quitting with fire sale proceeds. LibNuts might say they’re big on border security but never a mention any alliance for food security. Australia is a net importer of food already. And imports can fail too.

Recent Economic Complexity ranking of countries by Harvard shows us 83rd, slightly more capable than Cambodia but beaten by Albania. How good is that?

Steady decline, as Frydenberg tells ever more porkies. Are they to or from Murdoch media, uncritical reporting?

Federal ICAC ASAP, then War on Emissions,

BERNIE

Reply
Theinert Ursula
25/4/2022 08:17:21 am

Broadbent is an anti vaxxer, a climate denier, voted against same sex marriage, and does not want a Federal ICAC!!! He is only standing again because of the danger of losing his seat because the Morrison govt is on the nose. After the election he would soon retire. He may be a nice person but he is an LNP loyalist first and not progressive or indeed well informed on important issues which we all must address.

Reply
Day
25/4/2022 01:37:20 pm

So when someone stands up for their right to choose what goes in their body they are an anti-vaxer? Mr Broadbent has never said he is against vaccines in general.

Reply
Les
27/4/2022 09:35:41 pm

Regardless of whether he is an anti-vaxxer, the fact that he promoted discredited therapies, in direct conflict with the government he is supposed to a member of and the electorate he should be representing, tells us all where his priorities lie.

Frank W Schooneveldt
25/4/2022 01:15:24 pm

I am of the view that in order to abolish poverty and hardship in this country we need to introduce a Universal Basic Income of around $770.00 per week. What are the candidates views on a Universal Basic
Income?
In order to provide a Universal Basic Income there needs to be an increase in taxes. Taxes in Australia are too low to provide the social security benefits our country needs. What are the candidates views on lifting taxes in Australia?
What are the candidates views on introducing negative income taxes in to Australia?

Reply
Day
25/4/2022 01:38:24 pm

No one wants to pay more taxes in Australia. There are many other ways to increase welfare but I don't think Universal basic income is the answer. Most don't need the money.

Reply
Frank W Schooneveldt
25/4/2022 01:53:34 pm

For the record I am happy to pay more taxes and I am not the only one because if you pay taxes it means you are making money.

There needs to be a total redistribution of wealth in this country so that we can support the less fortunate.

Peter Lynch
25/4/2022 06:56:22 pm

Hard fact: Monash voters in previous federal elections have voted to make it a safe LNP seat. Consequently, both major parties continue to treat it with utter contempt when it comes to investing taxpayer funds in the electorate.

The formerly safe LNP state seat of Bass was similarly ignored until our current, energetic representative Jordan Crugnale, won the seat for Labor at the last state election. While it remains a swinging seat, both major parties will fight hard to win Bass by wooing voters.

Hard fact: Safe seats are for losers!

Despite the pork-barreling and questionable rorting that Broadbents LNP government is notorious, not made one major pre-election investment announcement has been made for the seat of Monash. (Oddly though, Broadbent has declared that a ICAC investigation is not required).

Sadly Broadbent has blocked me along with quite a number of other constituents from his FB page. (I humbly apologise for publicly questioning his decision to take horse drugs in preference to his own governments vaccination mandate; but it didn’t stop him littering my letterbox with a deceptive mail voting application form).

Broadbent is known locally by some as the ‘Member for Dirt Roads’. (Similarly to George Christensen, a former LNP parliamentarian, who was internationally known, colloquially, as the ‘Member for Manila’).

Almost all selfies Broadbent posts (which would shame even the most ardent foreign tourist) have him posing on a dirt track. And, after the length of time he’s held the Federal seat of Monash, and all the ‘fix’ promises he’s made, there shouldn’t be any dirt tracks left for him to pork-barrel about!

Sadly, LNP’s ‘Minister for Dirt Roads’ has repeatedly
undelivered in his own almost impoverished seat of Monash.

Time for him to be retired from his safe LNP seat of Monash so that it becomes a swinging seat which both major parties need to fight for to win.

ANYBODY BUT BROADBENT FOR MONASH

Reply
Paul Cross
27/4/2022 04:51:56 pm

Deb Leonard is supported by Climate 200.
Climate 200 is financed by Billionaire Simon Holmes a Court.
Deb Leonard is pushing Climate Action and renewables.
Simon Holmes a Court has huge investments in renewable energy.
Simon wants to get more wealthy

Reply
Day
27/4/2022 05:04:48 pm

Thanks for that Paul, very interesting. But will she fight for freedom? And protecting Australian industries and jobs?

Reply
Glenn Sullivan
27/4/2022 05:58:04 pm


What are the three most important issues to you in the federal election?

1. Climate action and renewable energy
2. Federal ICAC to keep politicians honest
3. Lowering house prices / stop negative gearing

How do you usually vote?

Greens or Labor

How do you intend to vote this time?
Why?

Independent because we have a really strong independent candidate and we need more women in parliament

Reply
Leone Thiele
27/4/2022 07:12:02 pm

The Cape Paterson Residents and Residents Association wants to ask all the candidates should vote for them BUT I can't find their contact details anywhere. I've written to the AEC and got a reply telling me to contact the candidates to get their details.😂 Does anyone know where I can get the contact details?

Reply
Iain Ritchie
29/4/2022 03:56:27 pm

Hi Leone,
Wonthaggi Neighbourhood Centre at Mitchell House will be hosting a Meet the Candidates Forum at the Wonthaggi Baptist Church at 6.00 – 8.30 pm on Wednesday 4 May 2022.
Why are we running a candidates forum? We believe that:
• Strong democracy is important to social cohesion and to our community’s sense of belonging, participation and ownership.
• Not a single issue forum; all topics/issues/questions of concern to you, our community are welcome.
The forum will be chaired by Cr Clare Le Serve. Clare is a well-known and well-respected independent Councillor since 2012; not aligned with any political party or candidate; ran as independent in the 2014 and 2018 state election. Invitations to attend the forum have been sent to all candidates.
Everybody is welcome, RSVP to 5672 3731 or respond to the event post at: https://www.facebook.com/events/520562689650767

Reply
Sally Conning
28/4/2022 07:26:56 pm

i will be there as a LGBTIQ Elder ... want to know what is their [the candidates] position on working with and for LGBTIQ people and will they be totally knocking that religious freedom bill right out of parliament
and a general comment of "leave transgender people alone we shouldn't be a deflective whipping post"

Reply
Elizabeth Wirtz
22/5/2022 05:55:51 am

Democracy and voting is part of a game that allows us all to go through the motions as if it made a difference. When there are sufficient true independents a way forward may develop.That opportunity was lost when digital connections allowed for monitoring of all. Fear of terrorism and subsequently covid gave cause to monitor people movement and actions. The voting for who has power over the media is more relevant than voting for a political party.

Reply



Leave a Reply.