ALP, Jason Brandon shares his passion for Kennedy

The North West Star has sent eight questions to all candidates asking for their specific plans or policies to North West issues and their responses are to compare below.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I currently work for Mount Isa Mines in Health and Safety. Prior to that I worked with Qantas for 13 years as an aircraft maintenance engineer all whilst completing my degree at University of Queensland in Health and Safety Science (with honour). I live in Mount Isa with my wife, my 3yo daughter and 6 month old son. I'm involved in the community through my soccer club and am vice president of the Mount Isa Agricultural Show Society.

Why should people invest in the North West?

The North West has a great opportunity to capitalise on the transition to renewable energy. With minerals like Copper, Zinc, Cobalt, Nickle and Vanadium that are needed in the manufacturing of renewable infrastructure, the North West will be a key region moving forward. Businesses will be attracted to the area because there is so much potential for growth.

What are your specific projects to develop Northern Australia?

Private enterprise will make those decisions. If elected, my job as the local member would be to work with private enterprise to make this happen. Labor's National Reconstruction Fund provides a crucial financing vehicle that allows for this to happen. Aiming to drive investment in projects that will build prosperity across the country, broadening our industrial base and boosting regional economic development.

What commitment can you make to curb the crime wave in Mount Isa?

There's no doubt this is a major issue out in the community and every Government should be striving to make our community safer. When it comes to the Federal Government the difficulty is most of the direct methods of tackling crime rest with the State Government, whether it be Bail laws, most criminal laws or policing. The best thing we can do at a Federal level is invest in projects and programs which are proven to make our communities safer.

OTHER CANDIDATES:

What incentives will you provide to curb housing shortage?

Labor's Housing Australia Future Fund will build 30,000 new social and community houses across Australia, with 10,000 being for frontline workers, creating more houses for more people.

It's hard to attract new employees to the region if there are no quality houses available. If elected, I would work with the state and local governments as well as major employers in the region to find a workable solution to the housing shortage in the North West.

There are renewable businesses waiting on the development of CopperString 2.0, what's your timeline for CopperString and what steps will you take to encourage growth of renewable in the area?

Like Mount Isa Mayor Danielle Slade, I want CopperString to be under construction next year - Mount Isa's centenary year. I strongly support the project because of the jobs and prosperity it will deliver to our region during construction and beyond, with more mining, more manufacturing and more renewable energy.

I know the Queensland Labor Government continues to strongly support the project and it is finalising the Environmental Impact Statement assessment for the project.

Labor's Rewiring the Nation and the National Reconstruction Fund are both designed to support transformational projects like CopperString, and I will be encouraging CopperString to work with those programs if Labor is elected.

What are your specific projects to support the agriculture industry?

Private enterprise within the agricultural industry will dictate the projects that they want. Through the National Reconstruction Fund, I would work with the agriculture industry to ensure that we get value adding projects for the region.

There are daycare shortages/long wait times across the North West, what measures will you take to alleviate it?

We need to make childcare cheaper and more accessible to more families. Currently families are locked out of the workforce and their children are missing out on important early learning. Labor's plan for fee free TAFE in Industries with skills shortages will make it easier for people to get trained and start working in the childcare sector.

If elected, I would pursue the re-introduction of the Zone Tax Allowance, giving people an incentive to live in remote areas. This would help places like the North West attract people in industries with skills shortages like childcare.

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