Family First Candidate for Canning, Darren Vernede, responds to our questionnaire

You can view our question list for all candidates here.

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Family First Candidate for Canning, Darren Vernede, responded :

“Dear BKoP Team,

Following are my responses and thank you for the opportunity.

Kind Regards

Darren Vernede

Family First Candidate for Canning

What are your thoughts on asylum seekers?

Family First is the only political party with a common sense and workable approach to the illegal boats coming into this Nation. The only way to stop the boats is to send queue jumpers to the back of the line in refugee camps because Hotel Christmas Island, Hotel East Timor and Hotel Nauru are not the answer.

Under the proposal put forward by Family First, queue jumpers, whether they are genuine refugees or not, would be sent to the back of the queue at various refugee camps around the world.

Australia would then take two refugees for every queue jumper sent to a refugee camp.

What are your thoughts on public transport?

We need to improve public transport in every Australian city, if people have the ability to use a cheap, reliable and efficient public transport system they will naturally reduce their use of private vehicles which are among the major pollutant and greenhouse gas producers. The Federal Government needs to take a holistic approach to public transport in consultation with the states, to design a combination of light rail and natural gas powered bus systems throughout Australia.

What are your thoughts on renewable energy?

We should be funding more research into new energy sources and at the same time providing larger incentives for people to convert to solar generation as a stop gap measure while more research is being done.

Do you support or oppose the introduction of the R18+ rating classification for video games?

I would support an R18+ category and to also give parents more information about game content of lesser rated games similar to the MA15 for violence or sex content etc

Do you support or oppose the proposed internet filter?

In principal yes I support an internet filter to filter out the worst aspects like child pornography and violent sexual images but we need more information as to the technical disadvantages etc.

Do you support or oppose gay marriage?

I would oppose the alteration of the marriage act to include gay marriage, the de facto arrangement is available to same sex couples allowing for the same rights as married couples. Our stance is the same as Liberal/National in this regard.

What are your thoughts on abortion?

Support informed consent for those potentially wishing to have an abortion so they have all the facts and available options and have abortion as the absolute last resort and not the first choice as is the case in many instances. I personally am opposed to abortion but still I believe people have the right to choose this option but only after ALL other options have been investigated.

Do you support or oppose the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia?

I oppose legalisation of euthanasia, I have personal experience of my Father who died of Bowel cancer so I have lived through this situation and even thought of this option, but my father was determined to fight to the end. Death is a natural part of life and we must live it to its ultimate end.

I support more funding for better palliative care so the person going through the dying process does not suffer pain and is supported through this time with dignity and respect as my father was, with the right care a person does not have to suffer.

Once you legislate for the right to take a life it’s a short step to start euthanizing people because of severe mental disability or other medical conditions because its more convenient or costs the state less to support people.

What are your thoughts on stem cell research?

My personal opinion is that Stem cell research needs to be refocussed into amniotic stem cells away from foetal stem cell research. I personally would support this change of direction away from foetal stem cell research and would seek funding to support this type of research.

What are your thoughts on education?

My personal belief is that we should not only index the input of funds correctly to keep from eroding funding but we should in fact increase the funding to both state and private thereby reducing the stress on Families wishing to utilise the private school system therefore giving families more choice. I would suggest an increase of funding to private schools of around 10-12%. At the end of the day this is still a cost saving to government as the students if they were not attending the private schools would be costing government 100% in the state school system so it makes good economic and social sense to keep the private schools viable and also more affordable to Families.

What are your thoughts on campaign finance disclosure?

As a minor party we would push very strongly for full disclosure and would go one step further and limit the funds available to all parties to a more reasonable level so all parties would have equal access to the voting public as it stands at the moment we are getting the Democracy we can afford not a true Democracy.

What are your thoughts on climate change?

I personally feel climate change is a real threat, I am unsure if it is a totally man made phenomena or is also a natural cycle of the planet but we are impacting on its severity I feel. Therefore any measures we can take which are practical but do not impact on industry too severely should be investigated.

I feel personally the Government needs to increase funding to households wishing to set up solar PV systems to a point of up to 80% subsidised, and to work with industry to heavily subsidise their efforts to convert to alternative energy sources also, as this is a practical and less costly method to address carbon output than imposing a tax on carbon.

What are your thoughts on water?

We need to ensure water source diversity so we aren’t relying on just one source

Do you support or oppose standing order 50?

I support standing order 50 to be kept as is. Although I would personally support the Parliament also adding the acknowledgement of the indigenous peoples after the prayer. I see these as an acknowledgement of both a greater being who guides us all and also the respect of the traditional Aboriginal land owners which as the Parliament represents our whole nation we should have these acknowledgements.

Are there any local issues you are trying to highlight with your campaign?

More funding for child health nurses and improved critical care facilities for the Canning region is one of the main issues I feel. Also more funding to improve highways in the Canning region as there are many accident black spots in the region which need road funding to improve the safety on these roads.

What do you think about the media’s coverage of the election so far?

Not very impressed. There is a serious lack of coverage of the minor parties, we keep hearing the same rhetoric from the labour and liberal camps and no real debate on the true issues and the media only seem interested in playing the sound grab political statements and no substance.”