Election Candidate Surveys

Candidates for Unley / SA House of Assembly Election 2014


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All Q1Q2Q3Q4Q5Q6Q7Q8Q9Q10

Scoring Key


Yes, Definitely10Probably7Unsure5Unlikely3Definitely Not2No Comment1

Candidate scores

BP = Ballot Position / = previously sitting member / = personal response / = party response
BP Candidate Party Q1Q2Q3Q4Q5Q6Q7Q8Q9Q10 Total
1Blesing, JoanneDignity For Disability327257513540
2Golding, LaraAustralian Labor Party----------0
3Mortier, NicoleGreens----------0
4Pisoni, DavidLiberal Party75103557510562

Questionnaire


Prayers in parliament are an important daily reminder that we must all ultimately answer to the higher authority of Almighty God. The prayers, which consist of the Lord's Prayer and a request for God's guidance, are an expression of the Christian foundation of our state and nation. According to the latest national census, about 61% of Australians identify with Christianity.

Would you vote to support the continued daily opening of State Parliament with Christian prayers?

In South Australia, the only couple relationship registered by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages is true marriage – between a man and a woman. Some states have legislated for registered civil unions of couples (including same-sex couples), thereby giving them marriage-like status. The unique status of marriage should be preserved, since marriage provides public benefits as the optimal environment for raising children.

Would you oppose any bill that would legalise same-sex civil unions?

In recent years a number of Australian babies have been abandoned and later died in parks, bus stations and bins. Baby safe havens – secure, warm hatches in walls of hospitals, police or fire stations, with bells to alert staff – have worked well in Europe, USA and Japan. They enable women in difficult circumstances to relinquish their newborn babies safely, legally and anonymously.

Would you support the introduction of baby safe havens to preserve the lives of babies at risk of abandonment?

Euthanasia means the intentional killing of a person who may be suffering pain or mental distress, instead of providing medical treatment or palliative care. It does not mean ending treatment that is futile or burdensome, since treatment can always be declined. Evidence from the Netherlands, Oregon and the Northern Territory shows that legalised euthanasia has led to the deaths of persons who were not terminally ill, or were suffering treatable depression, or did not ask for euthanasia.

Would you vote against any proposal that would facilitate doctors intentionally killing their patients?

Problems with prostitution – including drug abuse, street and child prostitution – have escalated in other states following legalisation or decriminalisation. By contrast, the Nordic model of prostitution law which criminalises the purchase of sex, has been proven to protect sex workers from exploitation and reduce trafficking.

Would you support the adoption of the Nordic model of prostitution law that protects women from exploitation?

International evidence demonstrates that children raised by married parents are at significantly less risk of abuse than children who are raised by parents in a ‘de facto’ relationship. However, South Australia currently does not record the marital status of the parents in a household where a child is living when child abuse is confirmed. Collecting adequate data to identify risk factors for child abuse is essential to help protect children.

Would you support the collection of data on marital status in relation to confirmed cases of child abuse?

A 2010 Productivity Commission report found Australians lose a staggering $19 billion a year on pokies – 40% from problem gamblers. This is associated with high social impact, including family breakdown. Poker machines entail a particularly addictive form of gambling, and should not be conveniently accessible in hotels and clubs. State governments that depend on revenue from poker machines are failing to provide for the welfare of the people.

Would you support a bill for poker machines to be phased out of hotels and clubs over the next few years?

Assisted reproductive treatment in South Australia was wisely restricted to married (or long-term cohabiting) infertile women, on the basis that children do best when they are raised by their natural mother and father. Extending assisted reproductive treatment to fertile women would give endorsement by parliament (at taxpayer expense) to the deliberate creation of fatherless children.

Would you oppose any bill to extend assisted reproductive treatment to fertile women?

SA cannabis users have been exploiting the option to choose a drug diversion program instead of facing court. They can do this multiple times with no limit, making a mockery of a law that is meant to foster rehabilitation.

Would you support a limit of two for the number of times a cannabis user can choose a drug diversion program?

Most voters in SA Legislative Council elections choose to place a number ‘1’ above the line for one party – but are thereby denied their own preference allocation. Recent changes to SA electoral laws do not address this problem. True democracy would be restored by giving voters the option to allocate their own preferences by party, numbering all squares above the line, or by candidate, numbering all squares below the line.

Would you support a law to allow Legislative Council voters a choice to record their party preferences by numbering all the squares above the line?

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