Wikinews interviews Sandra Jephcott, Sustainable Australia candidate for 2020 Groom by-election

November 27, 2020 Voters in the Australian of  are scheduled to go to the polls in a  this week following the resignation of  MP  for family reasons.

Groom is located in the state of Queensland, and is centred around the city of. At the last, the Liberal National Party, Queensland's dominant conservative party, won this seat by over 70% of the , and since the seat's creation in 1984, it has been held by conservative political parties.

Some political analysts considered this a foregone conclusion, with analyst Kevin Bonham having declared it on his blog as "Australia's most boring by-election", however Bonham noted the size of the swing may have been indicative of the dominant centre left 's general performance in Queensland. There was a 4.2% swing against the Labor Party in the state of Queensland at the previous federal election.

Wikinews spoke to one of the four candidates running in the by-election, Sandra Jephcott, who is running for the party. Sustainable Australia describes itself as a "independent community movement from the political centre". According to the party's website, Jephcott is a and farmer, who has completed a veterinary degree from the University of Queensland, as well as a  at  and a Master of Science at. With Wikinews, Jephcott discussed climate change, COVID-19, water security, and foreign ownership.

Interview

 * Why are you running to be Groom's local MP?


 * Sandra Jephcott: I am a veterinarian and farmer and live on a 4000- property west of . I have a broad range of experiences that I can bring to the role of federal MP []. When approached by the Sustainable Australia Party to run and help to raise awareness for our party, I was very happy to contribute.


 * I believe that the Groom by-election offers voters an opportunity to send a message to the two major parties that we're not happy with business as usual politics &mdash; including rampant and systemic political corruption that negatively impacts on the environment.


 * You've said that you want to act on climate change &mdash; what would your plan be?


 * Sandra Jephcott: There is no silver bullet to addressing climate change. Sustainable Australia Party has a plan to act on climate change, including:
 * Funding and subsidising research and development into renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency initiatives;
 * Net zero or net negative Australian by 2050 (or ideally sooner);
 * Imposing a moratorium on all new coal mines in Australia such as (and all major coal mine expansions such as )
 * Imposing a on all new, including for ;
 * Phasing out subsidies;
 * Adopting a globally-consistent carbon pricing mechanism that does not unfairly penalise Australian industries;
 * Promoting the environmental benefits of plant-based food;
 * and Lowering population growth pressures.


 * What do you think needs to be done in Toowoomba to properly protect the environment and water?


 * Sandra Jephcott: Despite holding a Carnival of Flowers each year, Toowoomba came in last nationally for its resident's access to . It is therefore important that areas in and around Toowoomba &mdash; including &mdash; are protected and where possible expanded. Housing sprawl and density is a key contributor to destroying tree canopy and green space, so stopping overdevelopment is a key priority.


 * In terms of water, we need to better manage Toowoomba's water security, including through lower wastage, an expansion of water tank usage and the revisiting of recycled water options. Strong action on climate change will also be vital to the long-term viability of Toowoomba's water supply.


 * What are your thoughts on the COVID-19 response plan federally from the ?


 * Sandra Jephcott: Overall, the Morrison Government's response has been reasonable, after initially being very reluctant to prioritise health and well-being over economic growth. Also, there were major gaps in coverage for affected workers and industries. For example, casual workers and the arts were not adequately supported throughout the pandemic.


 * Why did you decide to join Sustainable Australia?


 * Sandra Jephcott: I come from a science background. It was very important to me that Sustainable Australia Party is from the with an, science-based approach to policy. For example, Sustainable Australia Party is the only party in my view with a holistic plan to address our various . It was important for me that this plan not only includes strong action on climate change but also stabilising population in Australia and globally.


 * Why do you think that foreign ownership of farms, housing and land is an important issue to combat?


 * Sandra Jephcott: Australia is a sovereign nation. We need to be able to both manage our natural resources sustainably and ensure that we maintain profits, jobs and taxes in Australia for the well-being of Australians. Selling off our resources undermines our capacity to achieve these very important economic, environmental and social objectives.


 * How have COVID-19 restrictions impacted your ability to campaign?


 * Sandra Jephcott: I've been able to comfortably work at early voting centres and do media interviews, so there has not been much restriction at all.


 * What's one key issue in Groom that you think needs acting on?
 * Sandra Jephcott: Sustainable Australia Party has three big priorities in this by-election: Protect our environment; Stop overdevelopment; Stop corruption. But number one is protecting our environment, including strong action on climate change. Of the four parties running &mdash; the others being, and  &mdash; only Sustainable Australia Party advocates for a moratorium on all new coal mines and major coal mine expansions. Locally, this means no to the proposed expansion of New Acland Mine on the.

External link


維基新聞專訪澳洲2020年地方選舉補選候選人桑德拉·傑弗科特