David Fawcett (Wakefield, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to address one of the areas of politics that is often talked about cynically by people in Australia. It is not helped by articles that come out in the press. I refer to an article in the Advertiser in Adelaide by a journalist who talks about the fact that political parties do fundraising activities. He complains about the fact that some elected ministers, leaders of oppositions et cetera charge fees. I recognise that goes on. He refers to Premier Mike Rann in South Australia, who charges $2,500 for people to go along and join him for a dinner. I think people recognise that this is an attempt by political parties not to use taxpayer funds. Particularly concerning is the claim:

One of the sad developments in modern politics is the growing distance between politicians and people. It wasn’t many years ago that politicians held public meetings in town halls—

where people could speak their minds, and hecklers and interjectors could ask questions. He then makes the claim that we have reached the point where people are required to pay to get close to their politicians.

I would like to draw Mr Jory’s attention to the Wakefield Forum, something I run in Wakefield, where we open up the government of Australia to people in the electorate. For example, last year, if not free, for the price of $2—purely to cover afternoon tea costs—members of the public were welcome to come along to talk with Minister Dutton, when he was the Minister for Workforce Participation, and Minister Nelson, when he was the Minister for Education, Science and Training. The 97 schools in the electorate, the principals, the governing councils—which are made up of parents—and any other interested members of the public came along. They had an hour or two with the minister both in a country high school, at Riverton, and in Fremont-Elizabeth City High School in the south. People were able to listen to the minister and, importantly, ask him questions about government policy and how it impacts on them. This was not just open to the public. Members of the Education Union came along and were able to engage with the minister.

There are many examples where in Wakefield people have access not only to me through listening posts but through the Wakefield Forum to a range of ministers covering spectrums such as health, agriculture, education and the workforce, to the Treasurer and even to the Prime Minister. Despite the assertions by Mr Jory that people have to pay huge amounts of money to see the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister came and met with around 300 representatives from schools and community groups in my electorate last year. He gave a short speech and then spent the majority of the time mixing one on one and speaking with people from the community. I commend the Prime Minister for giving the commitment to the people of Wakefield to be accessible, without the cost that Mr Jory so cynically remarks on.