Intro
Hi my name is John Forster. It is good to see so many people come and give up their time. I am just going to give you a bit of background about me, why I am motivated to stand and a couple of things I believe we need to do to get Tassie going.
Who
I grew up in Kingston and worked for 15 years in Hobart as an accountant in advertising, private education, forestry, civil construction and waste management, before taking the opportunity to help implement a nationwide IT project for a multi-national company based out of Sydney.
I have a strong sporting background as both player and coach. This has given me the ability to organise and develop a group of people to achieve a common goal. It also required making tough decisions for the good of the team.
My diverse work career and sporting experiences have given me the range of skills and talents that I believe are essential qualities to be a successful member of the Legislative Council.
But why would I be prepared to give up a safe career in the real world to enter the rough and tumble of politics?
Why
Like many of you, I have grown frustrated with politicians who say one thing and do another. Rather than just screaming and shouting from the sidelines, I have reluctantly put myself forward in an attempt to make a difference and change the status quo. This requires the Legislative Council to act as a genuine house of review, with members who are prepared to act in the best interests of the State, not the party.
Unfortunately, the success of the party often comes before the success of Tasmania. The major parties would sooner see Tasmania fail then their cross bench colleagues succeed.
As a truly independent member, my sole concern will be holding the government to account, whether they be liberal, labor or green.
A key part of holding the government to account will be to bring some much needed financial discipline to the Upper House. This government’s expenditure has been out of control. Tasmania’s Legislative Councillors have stood by while the Government has blown budget after budget by some $1 billion over the past five years. I would be committed to bringing the budget back into balance, but not at the expense of future generations. Measures to bring the budget back under control need to be well thought out and transparent.
I accept the reality that we are likely to have reduced growth in government expenditure over the next few years. However, this does not mean that we can’t create the jobs that Tasmanians need to bring up their families. What it will require is more people in Parliament like myself, who have achieved something in their own right, people that have worked in different systems, experienced different cultures and lifestyles and can see the benefits that Tasmania has to offer and the opportunities that exist for future growth.
I will now briefly outline three of the main areas that I am keen to see reformed.
1. Health
The first thing I would do is lobby the Government to keep the pressure on the Commonwealth government to take over funding of the Tasmanian public health system. The problem with the current duel funding responsibility could not be starker than the current bizarre situation where hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent to upgrade the Royal while we can’t afford to pay the doctors and nurses to work there.
2. Forestry
No matter where you stand on the IGA, I am sure you have to agree that the current status quo isn’t sustainable. Forestry Tasmanian can’t make a dollar and the market is saying that Gunn’s are broke. I support the IGA, as it will bring forward the inevitable restructuring that must occur in the forestry industry. It will bring much needed Commonwealth Government financial support to enable the economy to adapt to the changing global conditions.
3. Tax Reform
The state’s current financial situation highlights the boom and bust nature of the current taxation system. We need to do more to make our state taxes more efficient and fairer. Uncle Ken has given us a great starting point, all we need know is our politicians to have courage of their convictions and finish what they started, not run away when it all gets too hard.
Getting rid of inefficient taxes and expanding the efficient ones means tax reform is a good thing to do in its own right, even if it doesn’t increase the tax collected. A more efficient system is a cheaper one. I suggest we start the ball rolling by removing stamp duties from private property transactions and replacing them with an expanded land tax.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe that we need an Upper House that offers a diverse range of skills and talent to hold the Government to account. We are currently facing severe financial conditions and we need politicians with the courage of their convictions to implement the policy changes to right the ship.
Thankyou
Why Should you Vote for Me
Skills and abilities to be a vibrant member of the upper house.
Real world experience, not beholden to the party machine.
I come to this with no political baggage or debts
The Financial experience and discipline to analyse a budget.
Analytical skills to understand when the Government is not acting in the State’s best interests.
Ability for independent thought that is so desperately needed in Tasmania
Review of the 2010-11 Tasmanian State Budget – Saul Eslake – Tasmanian Times
http://oldtt.pixelkey.biz/index.php?/weblog/article/saul-eslake1/
Web: TheReluctantPolitician.com
John Forster
Independent Candidate for Hobart
Authorised by Alex Muller, 57 Balmoral Road, Kingston Beach
