The Gazette has published profiles of Susan Templeman (Labor), Sarah Richards (Liberal) and Tony Hickey (Greens) in the last three weeks. In the final instalment, the other five candidates are introduced to readers. For the full submissions, see bluemountainsgazette.com.au.
Greg Keightley, Animal Justice Party
Mr Keightley grew up in Penrith but it wasn't long before an attraction to the natural splendor of the Blue Mountains drew him here. He moved to Glenbrook in his early twenties and has been there ever since, almost 40 years.
He became a volunteer wildlife rescuer in 2000 after witnessing the ever increasing impact of human encroachment on animals and their habitat in the Sydney Basin, Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury.
He learned that biodiversity is critical as it underpins the ecosystem which provides a healthy environment for people, animals and the planet, realising that the only way to secure our future is through legislative change. This is where he found the Animal Justice Party.
"A small group of people working hard to introduce rationality, kindness and compassion to the decisions of government, a group which represents those of us who see value in this world beyond our wallets, wealth and possessions.
"This realisation also drove me to purchase a 500-acre property off the west escarpment of the Blue Mountains solely for conservation. I now manage this property full-time and have created a wildlife sanctuary and rehabilitation facility for wildlife, focusing on kangaroos and wallabies."
For Mr Keightley the biggest threat to the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury is climate change. The Animal Justice Party has immediate and impactful policy on both how to deal with the existing effects of climate change as well as safeguarding our precious planet.
"Locally, we oppose raising the Warragamba Dam wall and the construction of Western Sydney Airport. We will take stronger measures to curb environmental damage caused to our pristine World Heritage Area by the airport."
Nicole Evans, United Australia Party
Nicole Evans grew up with three younger brothers in western Sydney and has lived in the Macquarie electorate since 2019. She lives in the Hawkesbury area.
She is a research scientist and her study areas are Indigenous health, epidemiology, biology and biochemistry. Her children all attend school and play sport in the electorate.
"I only recently joined the United Australia Party because I felt that everyday Australians are under-represented in Canberra. I believe that there are too many career politicians with too much power over our day-to-day lives and the bureaucracy is making life tough for many Australians. I threw my hat in the ring ... because I would like to listen to the people of Macquarie and be their voice in Parliament."
She believes that many of the issues that Macquarie face are state and local level issues, which will require federal funding.
"It is important that governments on all levels are able to work together to mitigate and try to prevent loss, damage and destruction from natural disasters which have hurt the electorate so badly over the years. Cost of living pressure is also a concern that I hear from people in the electorate and the UAP has policies which will ease that pressure on all Australians."
Tony Pettitt, Pauline Hanson One Nation
"I have lived most of my life in the northwest of Sydney and have resided in the Hawkesbury area for the past 10 years. As a child I lived at Northmead with my parents and younger brother. I attended Baulkham Hills public and Northmead High school."
After school he did an apprenticeship as a diesel mechanic. He attained six trade qualifications at TAFE, also an associated diploma of engineering and worked mainly in the heavy transport industry. From 1995, he was self-employed until retirement
In 1981-91, he worked in the NSW Public Service and spoke out against waste, mismanagement and corruption.
"I joined One Nation in the late 1990s. One Nation gives the voters a real choice."
He considers the biggest issues facing the Blue Mountains/Hawkesbury area ahead of the federal election are floods, bushfires and over-development and population.
Mchelle Palmer, Informed Medical Options Party
Michelle Palmer grew up in Ashfield up to the age of 10 before she and her mother and younger sister moved to Mt Druitt.
"At the age of 16, I moved out of home to live on the Gulf of Carpentaria for 12 months. Upon my return to Sydney I obtained employment with MSS Security as a conflict resolution officer for six years. This position appealed to my innate ability to negotiate positive outcomes in threatening situations in the field."
Subsequent roles included customer service advisor, apprentice mechanic, elevated work platform trainer, disabilities carer, support worker and 26 years in the health industry promoting nutritional supplements and holistic health awareness. She opened a hypnotherapy clinic in 2019.
"My tenacity and passion for seeking the truth have been derived from my life experiences and in my previous roles, together with the recent loss of my home in the 2020 bushfires, which ultimately left me homeless for nine months.
"In addition to this, two months later, after the fires, a COVID lockdown forced me to close my clinic.
"Not only did these experiences push me into self-reflection, but they highlighted the importance of transforming struggles and suffering into teachings on how to best navigate life's journey during challenging times and how necessary it is for the choices we make be of our own."
She lives in the Mid Mountains and has been a member of IMOP for just under a year.
James Jackson, Liberal Democrats
Mr Jackson is a father of two schooled in The Hills area then later post grad at Royal Melbourne (RMIT). As a 2nd Parramatta Scout he hiked across the Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains.
His first job was at Maccas. Post burger flipping career was in banking tech - which started with 5.25" floppy disks and 1200bps modems, but led ultimately to becoming a managing director at the oldest bank in America and running their Asia Pacific client technology team from Singapore.
He lives in Tennyson surrounded by wildlife, volunteers with Tennyson RFS and at a peer support, suicide prevention group for parents alienated from their children.
He joined the party five years ago. "I was attracted to the LDP as the only party that stands by its principles that champion individual liberty and responsibility. We will never vote for an increase in taxes or a reduction in liberty."
