(1)
Document Actions
Tim Williams
Independent candidate Tim Williams is running for the New South Wales seat of Macquarie. The current sitting member for Macquarie is Kerry Bartlett (Lib).
1. When and why did you decide to become a politician?
I decided to enter politics just prior to the 2004 federal election. I felt the major parties had stopped listening to the public on a range of issues and I wanted to offer the people of Macquarie a genuine alternative.
Unlike party political candidates, as an independent I can work with both sides of politics to get the best results for the community. I can take issues directly to ministers and government departments no matter who is in government.
Independents speak out about issues of community concern that the major parties ignore and they hold governments to account. It is important to remember that electorates held by independents still receive normal funding because the major parties want to win seats back from independents at the end of their term.
2. What do you think are the issues that matter to young people?
There is a wide range of issues effecting young people, including the cost of their education, broader educational issues such (e.g. VSU), lack of educational and community facilities (sporting, health and arts), cost of and access to public transportation, changes to road rules and driving restrictions, drug and alcohol use, suicide prevention and the environmental issues.
3. How do you plan to address these issues?
My staff and I will work on grant submissions to get facilities and programs up and running. I will work with government ministers to build awareness of local youth issues. While young people under the age of 18 are not able to vote, I will still consult them on issues that affect them. I am accessible to young people to talk to them about their needs, they can contact me through my website or by calling me on my mobile. I believe young people deserve a voice in the parliament.
4. How do you engage with young people to find out what issues matter to them?
I work with young people, I play sport with and coach young people, I make use of online forums (e.g. youtube etc), I also visit schools, skate parks and youth centres on a regular basis.
5. What did you care about when you were a young voter?
My main focus was on youth arts, culture and social issues. I lobbied Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC) to build Winmalee Youth Centre, and the Skate Parks at Katoomba and Glenbrook. I felt their was not a lot for local young people to do, so I gained support from BMCC and Upper Mountains Youth Services to run youth events in community halls in Blaxland, Katoomba, Springwood and Warrimoo. Safe transport for young people was a major issue at the time so I helped set up the Blue Mountains Youth Bus Service, which ran on Saturday nights. I also lobbied BMCC to set up a Blue Mountains Youth Council.
6. What is your opinion of young people in Australia?
Young people in Australia are just like young people from across the world. They are generally enthusiastic about life and want to be involved in society. They have some great ideas about how to deal with political issues such as climate change and inequalities in our society.
7. How do you think our political system can better engage with younger voters?
All local governments should have a youth advisory committee or a youth council to advise them on youth issues.
I would like to see a youth parliament held at parliament house in each school holiday. Young people could debate the issues of the day and make specific recommendations to the federal parliament through a public forum.
Younger people (aged 16 and 17) could be given the option of enrolling to vote, so they can have their say on election day if they wish.
8. What are the key long-term challenges facing Australia?
There are three key issues
9. If you could change one thing about Australia what would it be?
I would like to fix the health and social problems Aboriginal Australians face. I think the way Australia has treated its indigenous people has left a lot to be desired.
10. Describe a time when your political opinion was challenged or changed.
I recently spent a few hours talking to Professor Leslie Kemeny (a nuclear scientist) about the possibility of using nuclear energy to cover our base load energy needs. Prior to our meeting I had some hostility to nuclear energy.
Leslie makes a very strong argument for a move to nuclear on the basis of cost. All the evidence he gave to back up his arguments adds up, and as a result of our discussions I am more comfortable with the Lucas Heights reactor in Sydney.
However I still believe renewable energy sources such as solar (photovoltaic) and wind energy are the safest and most sustainable solution for climate change. It is still the case that nuclear plants consume water and no matter what safeguards you take there is always the risk of accidents.
11. What’s your favourite thing about your electorate?
I love the scenery. There are great lookouts, amazing places to bushwalk and excellent trout streams for those who like fishing. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.
I decided to enter politics just prior to the 2004 federal election. I felt the major parties had stopped listening to the public on a range of issues and I wanted to offer the people of Macquarie a genuine alternative.
Unlike party political candidates, as an independent I can work with both sides of politics to get the best results for the community. I can take issues directly to ministers and government departments no matter who is in government.
Independents speak out about issues of community concern that the major parties ignore and they hold governments to account. It is important to remember that electorates held by independents still receive normal funding because the major parties want to win seats back from independents at the end of their term.
2. What do you think are the issues that matter to young people?
There is a wide range of issues effecting young people, including the cost of their education, broader educational issues such (e.g. VSU), lack of educational and community facilities (sporting, health and arts), cost of and access to public transportation, changes to road rules and driving restrictions, drug and alcohol use, suicide prevention and the environmental issues.
3. How do you plan to address these issues?
My staff and I will work on grant submissions to get facilities and programs up and running. I will work with government ministers to build awareness of local youth issues. While young people under the age of 18 are not able to vote, I will still consult them on issues that affect them. I am accessible to young people to talk to them about their needs, they can contact me through my website or by calling me on my mobile. I believe young people deserve a voice in the parliament.
4. How do you engage with young people to find out what issues matter to them?
I work with young people, I play sport with and coach young people, I make use of online forums (e.g. youtube etc), I also visit schools, skate parks and youth centres on a regular basis.
5. What did you care about when you were a young voter?
My main focus was on youth arts, culture and social issues. I lobbied Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC) to build Winmalee Youth Centre, and the Skate Parks at Katoomba and Glenbrook. I felt their was not a lot for local young people to do, so I gained support from BMCC and Upper Mountains Youth Services to run youth events in community halls in Blaxland, Katoomba, Springwood and Warrimoo. Safe transport for young people was a major issue at the time so I helped set up the Blue Mountains Youth Bus Service, which ran on Saturday nights. I also lobbied BMCC to set up a Blue Mountains Youth Council.
6. What is your opinion of young people in Australia?
Young people in Australia are just like young people from across the world. They are generally enthusiastic about life and want to be involved in society. They have some great ideas about how to deal with political issues such as climate change and inequalities in our society.
7. How do you think our political system can better engage with younger voters?
All local governments should have a youth advisory committee or a youth council to advise them on youth issues.
I would like to see a youth parliament held at parliament house in each school holiday. Young people could debate the issues of the day and make specific recommendations to the federal parliament through a public forum.
Younger people (aged 16 and 17) could be given the option of enrolling to vote, so they can have their say on election day if they wish.
8. What are the key long-term challenges facing Australia?
There are three key issues
- sustainability/climate change
- the ageing of our population
- reversing the current under-investment in public infrastructure
9. If you could change one thing about Australia what would it be?
I would like to fix the health and social problems Aboriginal Australians face. I think the way Australia has treated its indigenous people has left a lot to be desired.
10. Describe a time when your political opinion was challenged or changed.
I recently spent a few hours talking to Professor Leslie Kemeny (a nuclear scientist) about the possibility of using nuclear energy to cover our base load energy needs. Prior to our meeting I had some hostility to nuclear energy.
Leslie makes a very strong argument for a move to nuclear on the basis of cost. All the evidence he gave to back up his arguments adds up, and as a result of our discussions I am more comfortable with the Lucas Heights reactor in Sydney.
However I still believe renewable energy sources such as solar (photovoltaic) and wind energy are the safest and most sustainable solution for climate change. It is still the case that nuclear plants consume water and no matter what safeguards you take there is always the risk of accidents.
11. What’s your favourite thing about your electorate?
I love the scenery. There are great lookouts, amazing places to bushwalk and excellent trout streams for those who like fishing. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.
