Thor Kerr, Greens candidate for Tangney.
Camera IconThor Kerr, Greens candidate for Tangney. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Tangney candidates: Thor Kerr, Greens

Headshot of Josh Zimmerman
Josh ZimmermanMelville Gazette

WITH the Federal election approaching, Community Newspaper Group is here to help you understand where your local candidates stand on issues important to you.

From now until the election, each week we bring you your Tangney candidates’ views on a different aspect of the national debate.

Thor Kerr, Greens

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Should the Perth Freight Link project be completed?

The Senate enquiry found the Government should withdraw funding for the Perth Freight Link because the project does not support economic development. The cost of this poorly conceived project will exceed $2 billion. The $1.2 billion in Federal funding for this road to nowhere should be reinvested in infrastructure for real innovation, supporting industries in Tangney. Organisations in research, healthcare, education and clean energy will sustain us, but they are routinely undermined by the old parties. Greens will redirect the $12 billion currently subsidising the fossil fuel industries of the past to the jobs growth areas of the future.

Does the current negative gearing system need to be changed? The Greens have led national debate on negative gearing and the establishment of a Royal Commission into the financial sector. Australia requires citizens to pay their fair share of tax. Negative gearing has distorted the housing market, risking a property bubble and putting home-ownership out of reach. It has sucked billions from tax collection, enabling this Government to cut millions in funding for homelessness and housing affordability programs. Now, we face the cost of kids on streets and families sleeping in cars. The Greens will double funding for homelessness services, using revenue from changes to negative gearing on future properties. Do you believe in trickle-down economics? Wealth is concentrated to an extent never seen before in Australia, increasing the likelihood of economic crisis. Research has argued against the trickle-down model for over a century, as reiterated by Noble-Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz. Trickle-down economics sees wealthy people only consuming so much, while most people are denied access to goods and services, causing the market to shrink and the economy to crash through unsold surplus. This became clear to me working in Jakarta before the Southeast Asian economic crisis. It is astounding that anyone still peddles the viability of trickle-down economics, even the IMF no longer endorses it. Hot-button issues The government should initiate a royal commission into banks: YES The government should further restrict foreign land ownership: YES Weekend penalty rates should be abolished: NO The government’s small business tax cuts are a good idea: NO The Australian Building and Construction Commission should be reintroduced: NO MORE: Dennis Jensen, Independent MORE: Ben Morton, Liberal MORE: Marion Boswell, Labor