IMPROVING bipartisan agricultural policy and the reliability and affordability of bush internet services are just two motivating factors behind Queensland cattle producer Sherrill Stivano’s tilt at federal politics.
“As part of the CountryMinded Senate team for Queensland, I am looking forward to representing rural and regional Queensland, without being bound by Party machinations, as seen in our two major parties,” Ms Stivano said after her nomination was unveiled.
Ms Stivano won the Queensland Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Rural Women's Award last year and is also a Roma feedlot operator.
She said CountryMinded – with party founder Peter Mailler running first on the Queensland ticket – would represent local people and empower them to find effective and workable solutions to identified issues.
“The future of Australia is reliant on a strong and healthy agricultural industry across all sectors and we need to ensure we have consistent long term policies that allow certainty and confidence for the sector and all who rely in it not only to exist, but to thrive,” she said.
“CountryMinded is the vehicle that can help to create bipartisan policies to reduce the fluctuations that currently occur each time there is a change of government.”
Ms Stivano said her fledgling political party had a policy focus on agriculture and small business issues but had more to offer.
She said another one of her motivations was supporting changes to the family court systems and contact centres to make them more accessible to those living outside metropolitan areas.
“I believe everyone is entitled to have the same expectations of our health services, no matter what their postcode is,” she said.
“The fact that the life expectancy for regional Australians is lower than their metropolitan counterparts is not acceptable.”
Ms Stivano said she would also push for the provision of reliable and affordable internet services.
“What currently exists in rural and regional Australia is not acceptable, nor is the lack of alternatives,” she said.
“Education is also an issue close to my heart with three young children.
“The current support offered to those families living in rural and remote areas is simply not sufficient to ease the education cost burden and in this day and age where the expectation is for the majority of children to have access to a tertiary education, the costs are simply prohibitive.
“Most importantly for me, is empowering people and communities to find the solutions to issues which may be unique to their locality.
“It’s often easy to identify the problems, but let’s all be part of the solution.”
Colin Bettles
Has been the Canberra Bureau Chief for Fairfax Agricultural Media since 2010 - survived the hung parliament - former media manager at Western Australian Cricket Association now covering national agricultural and rural issues in federal politics.
Has been the Canberra Bureau Chief for Fairfax Agricultural Media since 2010 - survived the hung parliament - former media manager at Western Australian Cricket Association now covering national agricultural and rural issues in federal politics.
