26 August 2013

Steven Bailey, Katter’s Australian Party for the Senate, Candidate Questionnaire, Election ’13

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Steven

You gave us questions, and we gave those questions to the ACT candidates.

Katter’s Party Candidate Steven Bailey was the first to respond, so we present his answers below.

Candidates, the readers of RiotACT are your voters and they have questions for you! If you’d like to answer those questions and prove you care what your voters think then email us at contact@the-riotact.com.

You can find the questions here.


1. What are your views on euthanasia?

I believe that every person has the right to end his or her life, but no one should have the right to end it for them. My problem with euthanasia is
1) that mistakes will be made
2) We need to support palliative care instead
3) euthanasia inspires fear in many older Australians.


2. Do you support a High Speed Rail Link between Sydney/Canberra/Melbourne?

Yes, just build the bloody thing. It will be great for the economy while we’re building it and after. The best way to get it built is to give KAP (the party of developmentalism) the balance of power in the Senate. The other parties would prefer that we were all dead before Australia got a High Speed Train, and the greens will find an endangered earthworm and cancel the production half way through.


3. Are you comfortable with the distribution of wealth in modern day Australia?

No, if Labor and Liberal governments didn’t sell out Australian public assets to private enterprise wealth distribution would be more equitable. The best way to distribute wealth isn’t to damage markets with uncompetitive taxes; it is to support small enterprise over large corporations wherever possible such as lending practices, government tenders and government regulation.


4. Recent polling (Auspoll) shows housing affordability to be a critical issue for a majority of Australians, with 84% of respondents saying it was important to them or their families, putting housing affordability ahead of issues such as education, border security, the NBN and NDIS.

Australia’s wealth is concentrated too heavily in the unproductive housing market. Subdivision laws need to be relaxed and land released at a higher, but controlled, rate. This will lower the cost of housing – incentives need to be given to people who own more than one house to invest in more productive areas. I would vote and push legislation according this sentiment.

(P.S Auspoll is a disgraceful advertisement for the major parties – paid for by the ABC)

The same poll also revealed that 84% of respondents also believe that Australia is not performing well on housing affordability. Australian Governments are failing badly on this issue of critical importance to Australians.

What would you do to improve housing affordability?


5. To me the NBN seems like a great idea, can you tell me why you think it’s ace/a dumb idea.

It is a great idea and anyone who says that it isn’t, is misinformed or misinforming.


6. Do you think cyclists should be registered?!

No. Katter’s Australian Party stands against the Nanny State.


7. What is your position on gay marriage?

I support it, and if given the honour, I will vote for it. And I will set out to inspire others to do the same.


8. Would you be willing to cross the floor on matters of strong personal conscience or of significant concern for your electorate?

Yes, it is in my, and my party’s, constitution to do so. To my knowledge the Greens have never split on the floor of the Senate.


9. What are your views on the NSA collecting private information of Australian citizens and corporations, of the Australian government’s participation in similar programmes, and of the apparent silence of Australian politicians on the matter?

I meet any intrusion into the personal lives of private citizens with a great deal of disapprobation, unless it is completely necessary. People do have to take into consideration our international relations when lobbying the government to speak up against other nations.


10. We hear so much negativity about the opposition when election time rolls around– what three things do you consider to be positive about any of your opponents and why?

1) Many of my opponents are extremely boring. This is a positive because when they meet each other, they all have something in common.

2) Zed Seselja has a pudgy face; this is a positive because it will make him an adorable old man – to look at anyway.

3) I have a crush on Annabel Crabb.

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54-11 said :

LSWCHP said :

Gungahlin Al said :

Well done Mr Bailey. But you can’t have Annabel. She’s mine.

Now this is getting more than a little weird!

All tongue in cheek – a few people here on RA require a humour transplant. I thought it was good from both Steven and Al.

Good grief…that’s the first time in my life I’ve ever been told I need a sense of humour transplant, even though I’m now a fully certified cranky old bastard.

So sorry all…I should’ve put a smiley face there. It was getting weird, but in the nicest possible way.

🙂 <== Please note smiley face this time! 🙂

TIL: ACT senators get 4 year terms these days.

LSWCHP said :

Gungahlin Al said :

Well done Mr Bailey. But you can’t have Annabel. She’s mine.

Now this is getting more than a little weird!

All tongue in cheek – a few people here on RA require a humour transplant. I thought it was good from both Steven and Al.

Steven Bailey was, IMO, the stand out candidate at the Tuggeranong Community Election Forum. He just spoke a lot of common sense. And he is right about the perception clinging to Zed, who elucidated many extra votes in Tuggers on the basis of fighting systemic neglect of the area, but then almost immediately abandoned that task to pursue personal ambition via a rather underhand strategy.

Gungahlin Al9:35 am 26 Aug 13

LSWCHP said :

Gungahlin Al said :

Well done Mr Bailey. But you can’t have Annabel. She’s mine.

Now this is getting more than a little weird!

Geez It’s a joke Joyce. Although I very much appreciate the difference Annabel brings to the press gallery. Intelligent writing, appreciates politicians as people serving their communities, looks beyond stupid soundbites, gotcha games and the usual press gallery mind meld.

StevenBailey said :

Freewheeling said :

Steven, I noticed you were campaigning at the Raiders earlier today. You had a big sign saying “you can’t trust Zed”. Is that the most important policy you want to get out to the electorate?

No, we don’t have slogans as policies, but the sentiment is a true one. To seek a four-year mandate from the people of the ACT whilst planning an overthrow of one’s mentor with a pack of intellectually impoverished louts does not exemplify the dignity and character of good leadership.

Worked for Julia…

StevenBailey9:49 pm 25 Aug 13

Freewheeling said :

Steven, I noticed you were campaigning at the Raiders earlier today. You had a big sign saying “you can’t trust Zed”. Is that the most important policy you want to get out to the electorate?

And of course I would take that position with anyone from any party including my own.

Freewheeling said :

Steven, I noticed you were campaigning at the Raiders earlier today. You had a big sign saying “you can’t trust Zed”. Is that the most important policy you want to get out to the electorate?

What’s the problem? It’s a pretty fundamental aspect of local politics. In fact, it should be superfluous to state it, but bizarrely, many people in the ACT will vote 1 for Zed and his crew come the day of reckoning.

And I reckon their trust will be betrayed. A hard rain’s gonna fall on this town in the next couple of years.

Gungahlin Al said :

Well done Mr Bailey. But you can’t have Annabel. She’s mine.

Now this is getting more than a little weird!

StevenBailey9:38 pm 25 Aug 13

Freewheeling said :

Steven, I noticed you were campaigning at the Raiders earlier today. You had a big sign saying “you can’t trust Zed”. Is that the most important policy you want to get out to the electorate?

No, we don’t have slogans as policies, but the sentiment is a true one. To seek a four-year mandate from the people of the ACT whilst planning an overthrow of one’s mentor with a pack of intellectually impoverished louts does not exemplify the dignity and character of good leadership.

Freewheeling7:07 pm 25 Aug 13

Steven, I noticed you were campaigning at the Raiders earlier today. You had a big sign saying “you can’t trust Zed”. Is that the most important policy you want to get out to the electorate?

justin heywood10:41 am 22 Aug 13

astrojax said :

i agree with poetix – it [the line ‘I have a crush on Annabel Crabbe’] neither answered the question or contributed to the debate; it smacks of a freudian flaw in the candidate’s psyche.

Freudian flaw in his psyche? I trust you are joking there Astrojax.

I’m happy if a candidates has a functioning heart and half a brain.

justin heywood said :

poetix said :

Shame that you had to make that inane comment about a journalist in #10…touch of the Abbott sense of humour.

Jeez Poetix. If you find that comment (or Abbott’s) offensive, you must have trouble getting through the day.

i agree with poetix – it neither answered the question or contributed to the debate; it smacks of a freudian flaw in the candidate’s psyche.

Steven @#10 very well said.

For those of you who haven’t met Bob, he’s a character but there’s a reason his electorate love him. In Parliament he asks the hard questions and around town people aren’t very nice to him even though he tries very hard to make friends. But does he give up? No! He continues to thrive, learn and work very hard.

Like Steven, I see him more believing in doing the right thing than actually believing his own crazy.

Anyway Steven is Steven. He seems a lovely type of human and deserves a reasonably high ranking for being willing to work hard, help the country and bring out the best from Parliament.

beejay76 said :

poetix said :

Not really. It’s just like Spotto, only the colour is stupid and that hue is so common that it is sometimes hard to pick out. I still think it’s worth doing though, until I get bored, because of that very ubiquity.

Best. Comment. Ever. Can I vote for poetix?

Inexplicably, the Poets’ Party isn’t running. Still editing the manifesto. What rhymes with ‘funding’? Should there be an apostrophe in Poets’ Party?

poetix said :

Not really. It’s just like Spotto, only the colour is stupid and that hue is so common that it is sometimes hard to pick out. I still think it’s worth doing though, until I get bored, because of that very ubiquity.

Best. Comment. Ever. Can I vote for poetix?

This will sound crazy, but…errrrmm…I’m starting to thing that Bob Katter isn’t as crazy as he sounds.

Seriously, the guy has the worst media presence I’ve ever seen. He comes across on TV as a ratbag that nobody could possibly take seriously. And I suppose that’s the danger of the modern media image. I’m pretty sure that Abraham Lincoln would’ve also come across really poorly on TV.

I’ve got some ways to go, but I’m starting to think that behind the unusual public presentation Mr Katter might have some ideas worth considering. I’m not saying I’m voting for the KAP crew at the upcoming election, but I do believe that people need to base their votes on more than just the prettiness of the candidates and the glibness of their media soundbites.

This election…every election…requires that people think.

And if Mr Rudd makes you choke, and Mr Abbott makes your sphincter clench with fear, you really need to consider some of the other options.

Oh…except for the Rise Up Australia Mob of course. They’re complete idiots. Don’t vote for them

justin heywood said :

poetix said :

Shame that you had to make that inane comment about a journalist in #10…touch of the Abbott sense of humour.

Jeez Poetix. If you find that comment (or Abbott’s) offensive, you must have trouble getting through the day.

Not really. It’s just like Spotto, only the colour is stupid and that hue is so common that it is sometimes hard to pick out. I still think it’s worth doing though, until I get bored, because of that very ubiquity.

People who want me to vote for them are a special case, too.

Well, that was less insane than I thought it would be.

Number 1, though, was a bit of a weasel answer. I still don’t know how he would vote if legislation came up. Hopefully, yes, but with safeguards that respond to his concerns.

No matter how normal this guy seems to be he has decided to run with the Katter Party, not sure I could vote for him, Palmer on the other hand

justin heywood6:59 pm 20 Aug 13

poetix said :

Shame that you had to make that inane comment about a journalist in #10…touch of the Abbott sense of humour.

Jeez Poetix. If you find that comment (or Abbott’s) offensive, you must have trouble getting through the day.

StevenBailey3:23 pm 20 Aug 13

poetix said :

Shame that you had to make that inane comment about a journalist in #10…touch of the Abbott sense of humour.

Why Katter’s Party? Why?

drfelonious said :

Sounds like a viable alternative to the major parties, although it must be quite a broad church in the KAP if they would allow a gay marriage conscience vote.

Parties should change for people, not the other way around. People should join parties for what they aspire them to be, and Katter’s Australian Party has experienced a great revolution over the past year. KAP has at its heart the conscience vote on all social issues, and KAP is the party of developmentalism.

Sounds like a viable alternative to the major parties, although it must be quite a broad church in the KAP if they would allow a gay marriage conscience vote.

Shame that you had to make that inane comment about a journalist in #10…touch of the Abbott sense of humour.

Why Katter’s Party? Why?

I would have to say this bloke is far more of a real liberal than anyone in the liberal party. good luck to him

Holden Caulfield2:15 pm 20 Aug 13

p1 said :

I don’t think Annabel Crabb is running against you…

What about running away from?

I don’t think Annabel Crabb is running against you, so technically that doesn’t answer the question.

Re: the way polling is conducted, I would be very interesting to see the results of a poll based on the premise that the two major parties were both de-registered and all candidates removed from the ballot. Who would you vote for?

Number 10. Backhanded Complements R US

Gungahlin Al1:24 pm 20 Aug 13

Well done Mr Bailey. But you can’t have Annabel. She’s mine.

A few things won me over there. i’m definately voting labor and liberal last in the senate (sorry Rise up is absolute last)…. Ordering the rest will be the challenge…

Katter’s Australian Party stands against the Nanny State

Well, you have my vote in the Senate then (in the absence of the LDP)

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