This episode we are joined by former Australian Federal Policeman and former Pauline Hanson One Nation Candidate Troy Aggett in Brisbane to get a view from the right for what changes are needed for Logan as we move forward into living with the Covid Pandemic and into the last few weeks of the federal election period for 2022. Troy was first a candidate for One Nation in Logan federally, and ended up running for One Nation four times.
Pauline Hanson started with One Nation twenty-five years ago after she quit the liberal party in 1996. Troy says Pauline then set about removing the original members of One Nation after she joined. Troy says the One Nation policies are created by Pauline and James Ashby but don’t have to be accepted by the PHON candidates as generally One Nation candidates are paying customers to the One Nation party in order to enter politics.
According to Troy, the One Nation candidate pays $3500 to become a candidate for One Nation, then pays for all their printing costs and other candidate costs in order to campaign. If they win over a certain percentage of the vote, the AEC pays a certain amount per vote back to the party. Therefore, having candidates is a way of making money for the party. The candidate doesn’t have to agree with One Nation’s policies.
Troy says the National & Liberal party work the same way too. And that if a liberal member is unable to make it through as a candidate in the liberal party, then they move to One Nation. So in this way, Troy says there isn’t much difference for voters between the National / liberal party and One Nation.
He does feel sorry for the way that Pauline has been treated over the years though with relentless trolling, although he agrees that she is racist and that she does say inflammatory remarks which have continued to ensure air time for her and the party.
Troy has also been for an interview with Clive Palmer. He is aware that his wealth has made him an extremely powerful man. This combination of wealth and power is not useful for the people of Logan if they wish to be paid fairly as Mr Palmer has previously been caught for not paying his workers superannuation, until he subsequently “decided” to do so.
In short; Troy doesn’t hold much hope for change for the people of Logan as we build back better after the Rona. This is due to the influence of power, greed, corruption and lack of democracy that is now apparent in our system of politics. He agrees we need an ICAC to clean up politics and says we need to turf out the politicians who have been in these jobs for twenty years too long. He thinks we need new people every two years so they aren’t sitting in the jobs for twenty years doing nothing.
Other concerns: Troy says sole traders are not being looked after by any political party, instead it’s always medium to large size businesses that are always having policies directed towards them.
Troy is also concerned about people ripping off the dole who are able to work.
He believes more housing needs to be built in more regional areas to help with housing affordability.
Troy’s 3 Big Ideas:
- New people in Government every two years who will get something done
- ICAC to clean up politics and bring back democracy
- More policies to help Sole Traders
Beyond the Rona Podcast is recorded in Logan, Queensland on Yuggera country. We acknowledge the traditional owners past and present. Join us next time on Beyond The Rona Podcast.