If you would like any other questions answered, please do not hesitate to use the contact page to write to me.

Read Andrew's letter to Victoria Park voters.

About Andrew

Andrew is 27 years old, and has a Bachelor of Science (Business Information Systems) at Murdoch University, with electives in law, chemistry and mathematics, and is presently studying Economics and Project Management. He is an active member of the local chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Andrew has over 10 years of commercial and voluntary experience in customer service, complaint management, problem solving, and training employees, and prides himself on finding creative, non-traditional solutions to problems which arise, and on his high rate of satisfied customers. If elected, Andrew has a strong track record to fall back on in delivering solutions to the people of Victoria Park.

Frequently Asked Questions

Andrew has received a lot of your questions since announcing his intention to run, and has decided to address some of them on the site. As more come in, this may be added to.

1. Why have you decided to run?

I feel that Victoria Park is not being offered an adequate democratic choice. The lead-up to the nominations (see Poll Bludger's blog) seemed undemocratic to me, and on talking with friends and with local residents, I felt that as a successful customer service officer with good people skills and a well-developed understanding of electoral politics, I could provide a feasible non-party-based alternative. As an Independent, my only allegiance would be to the people of Victoria Park.

2. What difference do you believe you can make? What do you see as the role of an Independent in a Parliament where 31 of the 57 other parliamentarians vote as a bloc?

My goal is to try and hold the parties and members accountable on behalf of the people they are paid to represent. Actions available to an Independent include asking questions on the floor of Parliament, as well as negotiating with members of the parties to achieve fairer outcomes, encouraging feedback and presenting petitions from voters on major pieces of legislation to Parliament, and so on.

My role would be to ensure that both parties fulfil their duties under the Westminster system, that is:

• the Government governs for the people who elected it, and
• the Opposition provides a critical check and balance, as well as raising alternative policies from their own constituency.

A 31-seat dominance of one house of Parliament may not be the case after 2009, or 2013 - parties always have to look to the next election, and the one after that. To win their seats in an era where party affiliations mean less than ever before, members of both parties need to be able to demonstrate that their constituents are getting adequate representation.

The end result is that Independents, even in a majority parliament, form a key role in blunting ill-considered initiatives and promoting good-quality solutions for the people of Western Australia.

3. If I want to help, what's the best way to do so?

A good campaign needs two things - volunteers and money. At the present time, both are needed, but volunteers are more useful in a practical sense - especially for polling day. Read the "Join" page for more information.

4. What can young people contribute to politics?

Many people - young and old alike - perceive politics as boring and irrelevant. Young people can contribute an enthusiasm and vitality to issues that may have previously been regarded as too hard, and can work with other people in parliament to create

Young people have some distinct advantages in some areas of policy, even considering disadvantages in others, which can be easily compensated for by working with and listening to a wide variety of people and opinions and taking on board the wishes of their community as a whole.

The parliament should adequately reflect all interests - a parliament fully stacked with people of the same age group, class and race would, even with the best of intentions and abilities, be limited in its capacity to represent a wider group in society, and the quality of its decisions would be impacted.