Last, but certainly not least, of the Independents is Eric Vadarlis, who I am pretty sure I will be getting on well with, since he is best known for his work on the Ruddock vs Vadarlis (Tampa) case.  If you don’t have time to read that, suffice it to say that he is pro-refugee.

Mr Vadarlis has the slogan #supportpolicies not parties, and his website cycles through a bunch of images, which include the slogan ‘leave Medicare alone’.

Here’s his sales pitch:

I’m an Independent Candidate for the Senate 2016. Melbourne Lawyer. Dairy Farmer.
Would you prefer a voice in government for greater social justice and human compassion?
If yes, then vote policies not parties come election day on Saturday 2 July 2016.

Not a bad starting point.  His three key principles are also good:

  • Humane treatment of asylum seeker refugees
  • A fair go for the Australian Indigenous population
  • Properly fund and encourage education

Mr Vadarlis wants to put refugees back on the agenda.

His priority is to resettle the Christmas Island, Nauru and PNG refugees in Australia. Vadarlis believes the current border protection and the stop the boats policy is a dog whistle.

“Our borders are safe. Coalition and Labor policy has no regard for genuine refugees at all. It’s purely designed to attract votes” says Vadarlis.

He also stands for those working in the dairy industry, and is concerned about falling prices.

So far so good.

Mr Vadarlis’s policies are, again, two or three lines long and thus difficult to summarise, but are basically nicely progressive and people centred. You already know how he feels about refugees and Medicare, so I won’t repeat those policies.

On education, he wants to get rid of HECS and forgive all existing HECS debt, to properly fund education and also to re-establish Technical Schools focusing on ‘technology, maths and science, and trade skills’.  This is an interesting idea, actually, and deserves thought.

On the environment, he wants immediate action on climate change, including funding and supporting renewable energy, but not nuclear power.

On things financial, he wants better super for everyone, no reduction in tax for people earning over $100,000, and no reduction of company tax.  He wants us to invest in long term infrastructure and rail, and also in farmers and primary industry.

He wants us to support returning soldiers, and asks whether we really need to be involved in so many wars.  He would like to curtail defense spending, and especially not spend 60bn on submarines.

He wants self-determination and better healthcare and education for the Australian indigenous population.

And, like all our other favourite independents, he is anti-corruption…

Corruption exists EVERYWHERE
Establish a Federal Anti-Corruption Commission

(Drink)

I like him.

And that, my friends, is the end of our great carnival of independents!  I’m going to take a walk while there is still sunlight, and then return to the final two political parties.