1. What is your background?
I live in Maryborough with my wife and three kids. Over the years, I’ve worn a few different hats: I’ve worked as a painter, run a food truck with my wife, taught at university, and worked as a research analyst in Sydney. I hold a PhD in Applied Economics and Finance. I grew up in regional Australia, with working-class roots.
2. Why do you think you would be a good candidate to represent the seat of Wide Bay?
Because I’m independent – and that means I don’t take orders from a party machine. I’m not here to win points in Canberra; I’m here to represent our region with honesty and principle. Wide Bay is often overlooked because it’s considered politically safe. I want to change that. I listen, I show up, and I’ll work hard for every part of this electorate – including Noosa, which adds so much to the cultural and environmental fabric of our region.
3. If elected, what would you do to address the following issues?
Health Services
This is the reason I’m running. Last year, my wife had a health emergency – and the care she received wasn’t what it should have been. Since then, I’ve heard too many heartbreaking stories: missed diagnoses, delayed treatment, critical gaps in care. Things that should never happen in a country like ours. Wide Bay has one of the oldest and fastest-growing populations in the country, yet we still don’t have a single Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. That’s pork-barrelling. I’d fight for clinics, better hospital funding, and stronger mental health services.
Cost of Living
Right now, people can’t find a home they can afford – whether they’re starting out or downsizing. To get cheaper housing, we need more of it. And to build more homes, we need more builders. That means training the next generation of tradespeople – something we’ve neglected for decades. Nearly half of apprentices don’t complete their training. That’s a failure of support, not talent.
Immigration and Border Control
I support a well-managed system that welcomes skilled migrants – especially in healthcare and trades – while maintaining strong, fair border processes.
Electricity Prices
I support renewables and local innovation, like the battery tech being developed in Wide Bay. Let’s invest in smart, scalable solutions – not billion-dollar energy projects like nuclear that may be obsolete before they’re finished.
Roads and Rail
I back the My Safety Counts campaign – because road funding should be based on real crash data, not politics. I believe in evidence-based funding that puts safety first and prioritises the worst roads, not the most marginal seats.
