Secular Party Candidate for Gilmore, Annette Williams, responds to our questionnaire

You can view our question list for all candidates here.

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Secular Party Candidate for Gilmore, Annette Williams, responded :

Good afternoon

I deplore the demonisation of asylum seekers who arrive by boat.
Better public transport of all kinds is an urgent need.
Coal-fired electricity generation should be ceased globally and all other forms including geothermal, tidal and nuclear introduced.
I oppose all forms of censorship so approve of the R18+ rating and oppose the internet filter.
I support equal rights for gays in all areas.
I uphold the right to terminate a pregnancy and the right to die.
In recent decades there has been a massive shift in funding towards private schools, entrenching privilege and encouraging indoctrination, sowing the seeds of future divisiveness and sectarianism. I believe state funding for private schools should be replaced by a tax rebate for expenses determined by the marginal cost of putting a child through the state system, and not applying to schools that exhibit a bias in favour of any religion.
Campaign donations should be fully disclosed.
Global warming is real, and a phased-in international and national carbon tax is required.
It’s good to see the uptake of rainwater tanks, especially in urban areas; I’m concerned about the Murray-Darling basin and would like to see its recovery given urgant priority.
Standing order 50 has no place in the parliament of a pluralistic society.
As a resident of only a year in Gilmore, I am not sufficiently au fait with local issues, so am sticking to the broader issues that affect everyone, but recently learned that better funding for mental health services in Nowra is required.
Regarding media coverage, candidates have been invited to submit material to the local papers, which is pleasing. Nationally, I have sensed a bias in the media’s coverage against Gillard.