Roy Broff

"Growth isn’t always progress: Our planet is not an inflatable ball & has limited resources. It’s great to watch our children or income grow, but every growth has a limit. Beyond it lie greed, overpopulation, environmental destruction, conflict & misery. Ever-growing population & industries wouldn’t make life better, but surely lead to imminent catastrophe. Unlike many mad/blind economists & politicians, I’ll work for preserving the current population levels & the development of cleaner, sophisticated & sustainable steady state economy."

Inspired by the new on-line voting sites that allow you to practice and research your vote before the big day, I've been looking at what's on offer in my own electorate, which is Dunkley. I will, of course, be voting below the line for the Senate, but I am keen to find some alternative to the usual suspects. In previous years I've not found any joy in the choices, however this year there is an independent running in Dunkley for the House of Representatives who seems interested in kindness to other creatures, conserving natural amenity and in containing growth. For this reason I am publicising his blog, which you can connect to here: https://www.facebook.com/156682354535525/posts/156906901179737 and I have transcribed it below:

Vote for real change - Federal Elections 2013

August 20 at 2:40am ·

Dear voter

Like most of us, I’m appalled by the impotence of the major political parties and their inability to bring anything but more taxes, bureaucracy, spin, back flips, backstabbing & nonsense. I’ve watched this show for decades, but now realize that if we don’t challenge it, it may never change. While I’m seriously interested in social reform, I’m by no means a career politician or lawyer. I’m an engineer. From my purely technical point of view our current political system is no better than a steam engine. It makes lots of noise, fire & smoke but has less than 10% efficiency. It’s outdated!
If elected, I’ll do my best to build a prosperous, progressive & peaceful nation led by caring, modern government.
Below are some of the key issues I strive for:

The republic

I’ll promote a fair referendum & do my best to dump the monarchy as obsolete & useless form of government. We’re one of the very last colonies in the world, but surely mature enough to be an independent nation & govern our lives without the “help” or the exuberant bills of the royals.

Abolition of the states

A tiny nation, the size of big Asian city doesn’t need states, territories & armies of bickering, often useless politicians. Having too many governments doesn’t make our life any better. Exactly the opposite: disorganized, very expensive & often wasteful. One & only federal government having less than half of today’s politicians will be infinitely more expedient, efficient, fair & affordable.

Five years government terms

Big social, environmental & engineering projects take many years to complete. They’re only successful if a team of dedicated people can manage them from start to completion. Our government is in charge of these projects, but has no time to focus. Minister or expert - it takes some time to learn a new job. Then usually comes the next party leadership challenge & the compulsory cabinet reshuffle - back to the beginning, one more time... By the time the ministers know what they’re doing - it’s election time again. Time to forget the big projects & focus on getting votes for another term. No wonder that here it takes half a century to deliver projects that in other countries are accomplished in just a few years. Increasing the terms of government to 5 years will vastly improve the efficiency of our government & bring us in line with the rest of the modern world.

Unicameral parliament

The two-house parliament we have now is modeled on the early Westminster, where lords & aristocrats could overrule the commoners any time they liked. If we’re to really embrace 21-st century’s definition of equality, we have to assume that everyone (member of the public, MP or senator) is equal. Merging the 2 houses of parliament (i.e. abolishing the senate) will make the whole legislative process much quicker, far more efficient, fair & definitely less costly. Parliaments have to make laws, not shows...

Foreign affairs

Many politicians still can’t learn that sending our troops to invade foreign lands doesn’t help democracy but only brings death & misery for all. Alliances, empires, armies, war, aggression & conquest would never set anyone free, nor make this planet a better place. Countless lives & billions of dollars were wasted in the name of British & American imperialism (think of Gallipoli, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan...). Enough! Now is time to give peace a chance!
I’ll work for harmony & cooperation, not confrontation or dominance. Our world shall be governed by UN, not superpowers, NATO, Pentagon, Bilderberg, CIA or Wall St.

Healthcare

Everyone who ever needed medical care knows that our healthcare is not yet “world class”. I believe that the following measures will make us healthier & happier nation:
• Provide free dental care covered by Medicare
• Strengthen the Medicare system & stop pushing people into private health insurance
• Provide free ambulance service for everyone in need
• Build new hospitals &/or increase the number of beds in existing ones in areas where they’re needed
• Support better pay & work environment for health professionals – doctors, nurses, etc.
• Encourage organ & blood donation, medical & health literacy, education, research & technology
• Legalize euthanasia (covered by Medicare)
• Introduce affordable capped govt. medical indemnity cover for all health professionals
• Promote Zero drugs tolerance & random drug & alcohol testing in schools, work places, etc.
• Discourage drinking, smoking & obesity by ads, bans, restrictions & higher taxes

Education

We’ll never become a smart & prosperous nation while our schools are hampered by outdated thinking & poor standards. I’ll support the following solutions which will give our children the wisdom to build a brave new world:
• National curriculum & education standards with focus on work, science, humanities & technology, not just sport, entertainment or dogma
• Free university/tertiary education (ATAR-based)
• Equal funds for every student (nation-wide)
• Free text books for primary & secondary students
• Support national tests, school assessments & ratings
• Introduce flexible school terms & holidays
• Canteens offering healthy food at affordable prices
• Promote higher standards & fair pay for teachers
• Improve discipline & eradicate bullying
• Free pre- & after school care (07:00 – 19:00)

Environment

I’ll do my best to protect Mother Nature by:
• Retiring all dirty coal power stations within a decade & build cleaner, economically viable alternatives
• Stop logging in old growth forests
• Ban exploration by hydraulic fracturing (fracking)
• Protect our parks, rivers & seas from disposable glass & plastic packaging by introducing bottle deposits
• Commit to realistic global CO2 reduction targets
• Reduce car registration for small & fuel-efficient cars
• Protect all wildlife & limit animal farming, racing, pet trade, cruelty & slaughter
• Reduce our dependence on animal & forest products
• Expand marine & national parks, remove all entry fees

Defense

Global peace, democracy & prosperity will never be a reality if we continue to arm, train & keep armies, navies & air forces. Burning our hard-earned tax dollars by acquiring new, trillion $$ fighter jets, frigates, submarines & the likes will never make us more secure or “friendly” nation, but shall only bring us a step closer to the end of the human civilization. Instead of digging our graves & lining the pockets of arms producers & dealers, our money can sponsor much more humane initiatives outlined in other paragraphs. As a devoted pacifist I’ll work for:
• Drastically reduce & soon eliminate our exuberant military expenditure
• Quit NATO, ANZUS and similar military alliances
• Close military training institutions & soon (within few years) disband army, air force & navy
• Close espionage & secret security agencies such as ASIO, ASIS, DIGO, DIO, IGIS, ONA, etc.
• Provide ex-defense & intelligence staff with peaceful civilian jobs (e.g. build a capable Federal Emergency Service able to fight natural disasters like bush fires, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.- home or abroad)

Law & order

Over the last century our society made a tremendous leap from one of the worst places on earth to a developed & civilized nation. Despite this huge achievement there is a lot of work to be done until we uproot the crime culture inherited from the penal colony days. For this to happen we need to close the loopholes in our legal system & change our attitude towards crime. Our laws are still very lenient & convoluted, while jails & courts are outrageously expensive. Instead of fixing these problems our governments & police are much happier to book each of us for driving at 3 km/h over the limit, rather than chasing real criminals. We also have to stop the suffocating violence invading our media, movies & computer games before it’s too late. Lawlessness, bike gangs, hooligans, drug dealers, graffiti & vandalism also pose huge problems which need tough & urgent countermeasures

Taxation

Our tax system is incredibly hungry, complex & ineffective. I’ll encourage a simpler & fairer system that will:
• Promote (by lowering the company tax rate to 25%) socially & environmentally responsible businesses
• Discourage socially corrosive industries such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling, tattoos, sex, etc
• Plug loopholes allowing many billionaires to pay less tax than factory workers
• Freeze the overall tax rate & reduce the number of taxes
• Increase the tax-free threshold to $25 000
• Increase the tax rate for incomes > $1M to 90%
• Promote health by abolishing the Medicare levy for people who have a healthy lifestyle (e.g. use no drugs, alcohol, tobacco & aren’t overweight)
• Make ATO exclusive (sole) tax & rates collector

Growth isn’t always progress

Our planet is not an inflatable ball & has limited resources. It’s great to watch our children or income grow, but every growth has a limit. Beyond it lie greed, overpopulation, environmental destruction, conflict & misery. Ever-growing population & industries wouldn’t make life better, but surely lead to imminent catastrophe. Unlike many mad/blind economists & politicians, I’ll work for preserving the current population levels & the development of cleaner, sophisticated & sustainable steady state economy

Welfare

I’ll work for a fair, efficient & helpful system based on:
• Providing real (govt. & private) jobs for everyone who wants to work (think of Roosevelt’s (FDR) New deal)
• Reform Centrelink & hugely reduce staff, queues, size, bureaucracy, time & career-wastage
• Get rid of parasites, useless formalities, job clubs, networks, agencies & “training” institutions
• People who still have no job (despite the above) shall get the dole in their bank accounts without queuing/reporting
• Ensure that dole isn’t used for gambling, alcohol, smokes & similar unwise products or services
• Make welfare benefits independent of marital status – the current system unfairly penalizes families/couples by providing more benefits for singles

Industrial reform

It’s no secret that with just a few exceptions most of our industry is in crisis. In order to get it out of the doldrums, increase productivity & attract more investment we need to consider radical improvements like:
• Introduction of 7 day working week where individuals & businesses can decide if & when they want to close or have their 2 or more weekly days off (incl. flexible holidays letting each of us to celebrate different occasions on different days of the year) These will allow most businesses to operate 365 days/year
• Complete overhaul of the 457 Skilled Working visa often used to undermine established wages & conditions
• Ease the burden of excessive red tape, costs & bureaucracy of compulsory insurance, licensing & OHS

Retirement

Our retirement age is amongst the highest in OECD but many politicians are openly talking of 70 or more.
Would there be any retirement after another decade or two? Can we work until death? I’ll do my best to bring retirement age back to 65, provide equal benefits for all retirees (disregarding of sex & marital status) & let older people enjoy their hard earned retirement.

Last but not least

You may call me radical, heretic, or a dreamer, but I’m certainly not a spin doctor or hypocrite. I use plain English, simple maths & sharp pencil. None of the above solutions is based on running a budget deficit, borrowing money or selling the country to a wealthy neighbor. They can be a reality tomorrow if you have an open mind & can think outside the square. Unlike professional politicians, I have no sponsors pulling the strings behind the scenes. I pay my bills & fight for our ideas. Together we can build a better world and your vote will bring us a step closer!
Thank you

Election day volunteers wanted – please contact me on
Mob 0421 328 629 * [email protected] * 4 Wilson Gv Seaford 3198