Election Candidate Surveys
Candidates for Cook / CTH House of Representatives Election 2013
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 | SCAYSBROOK, Peter William | Australian Labor Party | 10 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 39 | |
| 2 | PALISE, Matthew Gary | Palmer United Party | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
| 3 | SMITH, Beth | Christian Democratic Party | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 100 | |
| 4 | SALEAM, Jim | Australia First Party | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 59 | |
| 5 | COX, Mithra | The Greens | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 23 | |
| 6 | MORRISON, Scott | Liberal Party | 10 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 55 | |
| 7 | STRANG, Graeme | Independent | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
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 nation. According to the latest census, about 61% of Australians identify with Christianity.
Would you vote to support the continued opening of parliament with Christian prayers?
In 2004 the Marriage Act 1961 was amended to reaffirm the understanding across cultures throughout history, that marriage is the union of a man and a woman. The purpose of marriage is to ensure that wherever possible, children are raised with both mum and dad role models in a stable environment – shown by research to be the safest family type.
Would you vote to retain the Marriage Act 1961 definition of marriage as “the union of a man and a woman, to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life”?
Paid parental leave and baby bonus laws have allowed women whose babies are delivered stillborn after 20 weeks gestation to receive the payments (on average about $9000 paid leave or $5200 baby bonus), even though there is no live baby to care for. A form obtained from the SA government’s Pregnancy Advisory Centre (abortion clinic) in 2013 advises women who have had abortions after 20 weeks on how to access these payments.
Would you vote to amend the paid parental leave laws in order to abolish access to these payments by women who undergo a late abortion?
Harm minimisation has been one of the key principles of Australia’s drug strategy since 1985. Harm minimisation measures include needle and syringe exchanges, injecting rooms, heroin prescription, methadone substitution, liberal cannabis laws and drug testing kits. This strategy has largely failed. By contrast, Sweden has shown that “drug free” policies can dramatically reduce the use of illicit drugs.
Would you support changing the “harm minimisation” focus of the current national drug policy to “harm prevention”, and treatment with a drug-free goal?
The current classification system for publications, films and videos bans (i.e. refuses classification for) dangerous material including child pornography, and material promoting crime, suicide or terrorism. Unfiltered, the internet can bring explicit pornography and material that promotes terrorism, crime or suicide into the family home – and to children outside the home via mobile phones. Voluntary computer-based filters do not protect children in vulnerable situations. Mandatory filtering at the ISP level is essential to protect children and maintain a healthy society.
Would you support mandatory filtering of the internet at ISP level to exclude all material currently refused classification in print, film or video media?
Sports betting is a greatly increasing form of gambling in Australia. A 2012 survey of 4,680 adults who have gambled online found that 88.9% used the internet to bet on races or sports. Promoting live odds during sports broadcasts on all media places viewers, especially children, at risk of gambling addiction and serious financial loss.
Would you vote to prohibit all forms of gambling promotion during radio, TV and online sports broadcasts?
The national curriculum currently being introduced in schools throughout Australia has been criticised for – among other things – being too detailed and inflexible, sidelining great texts of English literature, a flawed approach to teaching reading and a biased approach to history that marginalises Christianity.
Would you support a rewrite of the national curriculum to give states greater flexibility and to cover the key role Judeo-Christian values and the Bible have played in our culture and democracy?
Surveys indicate that a large majority of parents would prefer one parent (usually the mother) to care for their children full-time at home if they could afford it. Current child care benefits are much more generous to mothers who place their children in child care centres than to those who care for their own children at home. All parents should be treated equally, receiving the same benefits – enabling them to choose whether to spend the money on childcare or on helping one parent stay at home.
Would you support legislation to provide equal benefits to all families with young children, either baby bonus, parental leave or child care, whether the mother is in the workforce or not?
Euthanasia means the intentional killing of a person who is suffering pain or mental distress, instead of providing medical treatment or palliative care. Euthanasia 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 to facilitate Territory bills allowing doctors to intentionally kill their patients?
Laws that prohibit vilification on the grounds of religious belief or sexuality are an unwarranted interference with free speech and religious liberty. Those who point out the health risks of homosexual behaviour or who question claims and practices of a particular religion, such as Islam, should not be penalised. Australians are already adequately protected by sedition laws, which prohibit incitement to use force or violence against others that would threaten the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth.