North West Central by-election: Main candidates Merome Beard and Will Baston quizzed on hot topics

With Labor sitting on the sidelines, there are two main candidates to win the North West Central by-election on September 17. The Midwest Times quizzed Nationals candidate, Carnarvon pub owner Merome ‘Mem’ Beard, and the Liberals candidate Will Baston, a sixth-generation Gascoyne pastoralist with experience in regional and urban planning, on the issues that matter most to the electorate they are vying to represent. Liberal candidate Will Baston Why are you the best candidate in this by-election? I believe in the future of our region, respecting its people and lands, to achieve positive outcomes for all. My experience in life and work mean I am best prepared to hit the ground running and effectively represent North West Central in Parliament. Do you consider yourself the favourite or the underdog? I know that I’m the alternative to the National Party representative, I’m working hard over the next few weeks to demonstrate that I’m the best candidate to be the representative of the electorate. I have the passion and I don’t shy away from hard work or hard conversations. What’s the best thing about living and working in the NWC electorate? The people, the land and the sea, the natural landscapes, the resilient communities and the rich cultural history of all its inhabitants. What are the top three issues facing the NWC electorate? The main issues in this electorate is the access to regional health services, the need to address youth crime and the rising cost of living, including the shortage of workforce housing, which is affecting the rest of Western Australia and indeed Australia. What more can be done to improve the rollout of relief funding and boost workforce levels to help cyclone-affected communities like Kalbarri rebuild? 1. Key worker accommodation for the contractors and rebuilding the infrastructure that has been damaged. 2. Relief funding, there is a real need for transparency and accountability for government payments that been promised for the rebuild of the community which seemingly from my conversations with locals hasn’t hit the ground. What more can be done to attract more midwives to Carnarvon so the town’s maternity services can resume? All options should be considered to ensure midwives are attracted to our regions including bonuses and housing given WA Labor has created a massive skills shortage in Western Australia through the COVID years. What should be the State Government be doing to tackle Carnarvon’s crime issues? There is a real need to undertake a review of the funding and the community service provision of Carnarvon and how best to co-ordinate these pre-existing services in order to target and deal with the Youth at Risk, the Families in Crisis and the overall Community Safety & Wellbeing. The Shire of Carnarvon and community have supported an intervention plan . . . the State Government is ignoring the local solution provided by the Carnarvon community. Do you think voters in NWC feel neglected by the State Government? Absolutely. The Labor Government could not even be bothered turning up to the election. They have destroyed regional representation in the Upper House and mooted the abolition of the electorate at any future review of boundary adjustments. What needs to happen to improve health services generally across the Murchison and Gascoyne? In general, there simply is not enough access to medical services across the electorate, locals do not have the minimum on ground health service that they deserve for living in Western Australia. At a minimum there needs to be on ground health service provision that matches the needs of local people. Also, the patient assisted transfer system is limiting access to health services and needs to be increased in line with fuel price rises. Secondly, the State Government needs to support and grow the volunteer emergency services which in many of our communities are shrinking. Thirdly, there is a major opportunity to leverage the needs of the many FIFO and DIDO projects where it may be possible to co-share health services across the electorate. How would you feel if you were elected but the NWC electorate ceased to exist at the next election as has been speculated? I’m focused on the community and this election. It is important that the community continues to be represented into the future regardless of electorate boundary changes. I will fight for respect our regions and our representation should not be abolished. Do you think Agriculture and Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan should resign or be removed over her recent comments about foot-and-mouth disease? Labor Party has a track record of disrespecting our region so the minister’s comments are unsurprising. Nationals candidate Merome Beard Why are you the best candidate in this by-election? I was born and bred in the region and my family are fourth-generation pastoralists. My husband and I have run our business in Carnarvon for 20 years, raised our kids and are a part of the community. I experience the challenges we face firsthand. Do you consider yourself the favourite or the underdog? The people of North West Central have a clear choice — I’m part of the Nationals WA team who delivered Royalties for Region for the North West and take on all the issues that matter to regional WA. What’s the best thing about living and working in the NWC electorate? It provides diversity, employment, investment opportunities with multiple industries — something for everyone. Stretching from the coast to the desert, providing a great lifestyle and many fantastic visitor experiences. What are the top 3 issues facing the NWC electorate? I experience the issues we face firsthand including out of control crime, housing and workers accommodation shortages and a lack of vital health services and funding. Many business owners are unable to attract staff due to a lack of housing and workers’ accommodation which has a flow-on effect to the entire community. The Labor Government has dragged their feet on workers accommodation across the region. Health services and infrastructure upgrades are needed across the region, including staffing nursing posts, mental health specialists, doctors and the overdue rebuild of the Meekatharra Hospital. What more can be done to improve the rollout of relief funding and boost workforce levels to help cyclone-affected communities like Kalbarri rebuild? Nearly 18 months on and still Kalbarri’s in desperate need of attention and help to rebuild important infrastructure. Labor is dragging their feet and failed to deliver on their promise of workers accommodation needed to boost the workforce to rebuild. What more can be done to attract more midwives to Carnarvon so the town’s maternity services can resume? The Labor Government’s decision to close the maternity ward of the Carnarvon Hospital can be easily reversed tomorrow allowing for mothers across the electorate to be able to have their babies in the region. What should be the State Government be doing to tackle Carnarvon’s crime issues? In acknowledging the significant impact the issue is having on the community and businesses, there’s a need for collaboration and significant and holistic change and reform. Crime is a symptom of many complex underlying issues. This was supported by a petition presented to Parliament months ago with over 1700 signatures calling on the Government to initiate a special taskforce to review what and how things are managed to ensure we achieve better outcomes. Do you think voters in NWC feel neglected by the State Government? Yes. The Fascine in Carnarvon has now been closed for five years, no action on crime which is plaguing the regions, no action on housing and workers’ accommodation, which is now stifling businesses and damaging the tourism brand. What needs to happen to improve health services generally across the Murchison and Gascoyne? Meekatharra needs a new hospital, Cue and Yalgoo nursing posts need to be open by increasing the number of nurses from one to two. The Government needs to make Carnarvon a regional hospital again and bring back maternity services. We also need more specialists to cater for increasing mental health and drug and alcohol needs. How would you feel if you were elected but the NWC electorate ceased to exist at the next election as has been speculated? The people of North West Central will always need to be represented and I hope that their voice is not diluted. Do you think Agriculture and Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan should resign or be removed over her recent comments about foot-and-mouth disease? The “throwaway” lines made by the minister does not provide any confidence around such a serious matter which would cripple industries and regional communities.