Election Candidate Surveys
Candidates for Maitland / NSW Legislative Assembly Election 2015
Show
| All | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5 | Q6 | Q7 | Q8 | Q9 | Q10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scoring Key
| Yes, Definitely10 | Probably7 | Unsure5 | Unlikely3 | Definitely Not2 | No Comment1 |
Candidate scores
| BP | Candidate | Party | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5 | Q6 | Q7 | Q8 | Q9 | Q10 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PENFOLD, Philip | Independent | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | |
| 2 | AITCHISON, Jenny | Country Labor | 10 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 39 | |
| 3 | THOMSON, Steve | Liberal Party | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 43 | |
| 4 | BROWN, John | The Greens | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 26 | |
| 5 | ESPOSITO, Tania | No Land Tax | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | |
| 6 | BALFOUR, Anna | Christian Democratic Party | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 100 |
Questionnaire
The tradition of Christian prayers in parliament is part of our Australian heritage -reminding MPs, like all other people, that they are imperfect and need guidance. This tradition recognises that three out of five (61%) of people in Australia identified themselves as adherents of Christian faith in the 2011 Census.
Would you vote to support the current practice of opening each day of parliament with Christian prayers?
Bullying of any kind is never acceptable. But the Safe Schools Coalition Australia “anti-bullying” program normalises homosexual and transgender behaviour. It could increase identity confusion, and has been linked with reverse bullying. By contrast, programs such as the CASSE Peaceful Schools program are successfully addressing the root causes of all bullying.
Would you recommend that schools replace the Safe Schools Coalition Australia program with a program that encourages respect and courtesy for all?
Abortion is currently illegal under sections 82-84 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), subject to the Levine ruling which allows an exception to avoid “serious danger to the pregnant woman's life or to her physical or mental health”. Abortion should remain unlawful because it terminates a human life and may result in mothers experiencing physical and mental suffering.
Would you oppose any move to legalise abortion in New South Wales?
International evidence demonstrates that children raised by married parents are at significantly less risk of abuse than children being raised by parents in a de facto relationship. However, New South Wales 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 for the protection of children.
Would you support measures to require the collection of data on marital status in relation to confirmed cases of child abuse?
Prostitution problems - including drug abuse, street and child prostitution - have escalated in NSW following the decriminalisation of prostitution. Local councils currently have no power to refuse brothel applications even if opposed strongly locally. Local councils should have the legal right to refuse all brothel applications without such refusals being overturned.
Would you support local councils being given the power to prohibit all brothels in their local government area?
Many public libraries have refused to install filters to block hard-core pornography, terrorism and suicide promotion websites from their computers. Children and others have been exposed to such sites, despite claims of librarian supervision.
Would you support a requirement for public libraries to install filters to block pornography and other harmful websites?
Children placed for adoption deserve the best possible care. Research evidence confirms the common sense view that children flourish best when raised by both a mother and a father. Allowing same-sex couples to adopt intentionally deprives a child of the love of either a father or of a mother, and is unfair to the child.
Would you vote for measures to repeal provisions allowing same-sex couples to adopt children?
The Medically Supervised Injecting Centre at Kings Cross aids drug use by allowing users to inject illicit drugs. Users of the Centre have admitted that they take greater risks with the amount of drugs and mixtures of different drugs because the Centre is ready to revive them if an overdose occurs. Claims that the Centre has saved lives fails to account for the increased risk behaviour facilitated by the Centre itself. The huge cost of the Centre could be better spent supporting effective rehabilitation programs.
Would you support the closure of the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre at Kings Cross in favour of rehabilitation?
The Productivity Commission recently found that between 80,000 and 160,000 Australian adults suffer significant problems from their gambling. About 40% of poker machine profits come from problem gambling, which can lead to poverty, suicide and family breakdown. Governments need to end their dependence on revenue from problem gambling.
Would you support legislation to phase out poker machines in New South Wales over a ten year period?
Proposals for laws allowing health professionals to kill their patients pose a serious threat to all people in New South Wales – especially the elderly, the frail, the disabled and the socially vulnerable. Evidence from the Netherlands, Oregon and the Northern Territory (1995-96) shows that legalised euthanasia and physician assisted suicide have led to the deaths of persons who are not terminally ill, who are suffering from treatable depression, or who have not even asked for euthanasia.