The former WA Nationals leader is seeking National Party pre-selection for Federal Parliament.
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00:00I made the announcement that I was going to seek pre-selection for the Nationals WA for the new seat of Boolingbrook.
00:07It's an unmissable opportunity to take the Nationals WA brand of common sense politics to Canberra
00:14in an environment where the Albanese government is creating so much pain for us as a sector.
00:21You know, we're talking agriculture today, but as a state.
00:25I mean, red and green tape binding up our mining, our agricultural industry, our small businesses.
00:31We've got the live export issue, which is obviously very topical and something that we've been passionately opposing.
00:37The Nationals have been steadfast on that.
00:40And so I'm comfortable with my decision to say 16 years in state parliament is enough.
00:45And I'm really pleased that Shane and the team are pre-selecting great candidates.
00:49Lachlan Hunter coming through.
00:52This is an opportunity for me, a bit of a recharge, fire in my belly to take that brand of common sense to Canberra.
01:00Was it the live sheep debate that really got you over the line?
01:04Certainly one of them. I mean, obviously as a federal member and as a state member, you have to be able to deal with a whole raft of issues.
01:12And the communities that I represent now, I spend an enormous amount of time not only talking about live exports,
01:18but about access to GPs, about telecommunications, around aged care, childcare services, cost of living.
01:25These are things that are all in the federal realm.
01:27They're all federal issues.
01:28And I feel like I've got something to offer that I can hit the ground running.
01:32I've talked about it at length. I may as well go and have the debate in the federal parliament if I'm given that opportunity.
01:37Did it take you long to make your mind up?
01:42I considered it seriously.
01:44You know, from when the boundaries were released, my decision was really only made last week.
01:50And that's because I know what it means to step into this world.
01:54I'm already a state member.
01:56I'm not afraid of hard work.
01:57My electorate currently is 27 local governments, 100,000 square kilometres.
02:01I've taken on senior leadership roles and travelled the state.
02:05It's not about the hard work.
02:07It's about making sure I'm doing it for the right reasons.
02:09I cannot see how an Albanese or a Labor government is going to be of benefit to our state going forward.
02:15I want to be part of changing it.
02:17What's the electorate telling you when you're travelling around at the moment?
02:20What's the mood like in the country?
02:22And is it ready for a change of government?
02:24The temperature for the Albanese government in my part of the world,
02:28in the centre of Wheatbelt, where I currently represent in the state parliament,
02:32don't bother turning up if you're from the Labor Party.
02:35Absolutely devastated on live export.
02:38Absolutely over it when it came to the bungled Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act.
02:43They feel forgotten, left out.
02:46They see billions being poured into infrastructure,
02:49which is great when there's an opportunity to deliver for the Perth metro.
02:55But when we don't have decent health, education, roads, let's get the basics right.
03:00And that's what they say to me.
03:02The state and the Perth government are failing them.
03:08For more UN videos visit www.un.org