PRESS RELEASE: Stephen Hegedus: An Independent Candidate for Richmond
27 July, 2010, BYRON BAY — Dismayed by the state of the election
debate, Byron Bay lawyer Stephen Hegedus has registered as an
independent candidate and will run for the seat of Richmond in the
upcoming federal election.
Mr. Hegedus hopes he can raise the standard of
debate in the electorate beyond the poll-driven rhetoric currently
favoured by the major parties.
In particular, Mr. Hegedus is disappointed with the major parties’
attitudes on the asylum seeker issue. “It’s clear that both parties
are exploiting the issue of asylum seekers for political gain,” Mr.
Hegedus said. “It shows disdain for the electorate. They
are so afraid of marginalizing voters that they have forgotten what it means to have a point of view. It’s classic dog whistle politics squarely aimed at the lowest common denominator.
Mr. Hegedus said both parties’ policies on the issue are short-sighted
and fly in the face of Australia’s obligations under international
law.
“If you have to construct a solution to the asylum seeker issue that
flouts the UN convention (on the status of refugees) or says we don’t
want people on shore, then you may as well withdraw from the
convention,” Mr. Hegedus said.
“What we have here from both sides is laughable. We’ve got Gillard
wanting to sign East Timor up to a UN convention so we can ignore it
and Abbott’s trying to put a hard limit on immigration during a
mining boom. If that chokes off the flow of skilled workers into
Australia it’ll drive up wages, push up inflation and lead to higher
interest rates.”
In addition to raising the level of the debate, Mr. Hegedus hopes to
send a message to the established parties by drawing a significant
protest vote.
Over the last several weeks Mr. Hegedus has been out and about meeting
and surveying voters in the electorate. He’s been surprised at the
number of voters interested in big picture, national issues.
“What I’ve found is people want a better debate, they want more of a
say on the big issues,” he said. “The problem is the major parties
only talk about issues of interest to marginal electorates. They lack real vision because their ultimate concern is simply success on polling day.”
Mr. Hegedus feels our leaders should be discussing issues such as
regional development, sustainable mining and industry, indigenous
relations, the simplification of the tax system and addressing the skills shortage. Furthermore, Mr. Hegedus believes that this debate should take place within a broader discussion regarding nationhood and the Australian identity moving into the 21st Century.
“Reconciliation didn’t end with the apology,” said Mr. Hegedus, who
has worked as a native title lawyer in the resource-rich Pilbara region of WA. “The
solution to the crisis facing indigenous communities — the so-called
‘intervention’ — required the suspension of the Racial
Discrimination Act. If you have to suspend the Racial Discrimination
Act to remove an imbalance affecting a minority, then you’re obviously
doing something wrong.”
Mr. Hegedus will continue to meet and greet voters in the electorate,
and get a feel for the local issues they feel are important.
“I’m not tied to party politics. If I’m elected I can openly discuss
the needs of Richmond without fearing retribution from some
factional leader or party donor,” he said. “This electorate is being
ignored. When I hear the major parties speak I hear Western Sydney, I
hear Brisbane, I hear marginal seats. I don’t hear the voice of this
electorate, we are not being adequately represented.”
Mr. Hegedus, who was elected chair of Southern Cross University’s
student representative council in 2000, will not preference either major party during
his campaign.
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