Update: 11th April, 2025 – 5.55pm
This article has been amended to include responses from Todd Juchau, a last minute addition to the ballot for New England and candidate from the Trumpet of Patriots.
Update: 27th April, 2025 – 11.35am
This article has been amended to include responses from Holly Masters.
With the federal election being called for 3rd May 2025, Glen Innes News approached the candidates for New England to find out more about their plans locally if elected.
In the interest of fairness, all candidates were contacted on the same day, and given the same questions to answer.
The order in which the candidate profiles are shown here is completely random. Answers from each candidate have been published without edits.
For those interested in finding out even more about these candidates, a Meet The Candidates event will be held at the Glen Innes & District Services Club on 28th April at 6pm.
Wendy Wales – Greens
1. For those who don’t already know you, please tell us a bit about yourself?
Born in the late 50’s, I grew up and studied in Perth, travelled, sailed a lot and worked before coming to Armidale to study teaching science in the mid 1980’s. I settled in Armidale for a few years, with my partner and we had our first child there. Armidale and New England were a wonderful discovery for me. I joined the Peace Group and the peak state conservation group, National Parks Assoc. Armidale provided significant influences on the rest of my life.
I have co-founded walking and conservation groups when living near Hawks Nest and again when I moved to Muswellbrook.
I moved to Muswellbrook mid 1990’s and taught there for 20 years, making sure students had access to all the enviro education programs and extra-curricular environment and science offerings.
I joined The Greens about 20 years ago finding hope in their policies . I have always had a commitment to the environment and social justice and believe education is the key to living sustainably on our Earth. The Green’s foundational pillars: Ecological Sustainability, Grassroots Participatory Democracy, Social Justice and Peace and Non-violence are a natural fit for me and offer us solutions needed to address the cost-of-living crisis.
2. Outline the top 3 issues for the New England electorate, in this election, and indicate the specific policies you have to tackle these?
• The number one issue for the Greens this election is the cost-of-living crisis, first and foremost the cost and availability of housing. I have heard too many first-hand accounts of extreme housing issues across the electorate, be it Muswellbrook, Guyra, Inverell or Glen Innes.
The Greens have already achieved an extra $3B to be spent directly on the Labor Government housing budget and propose caps on rents and to phase down negative gearing to one house per person and work to stop price gouging by the supermarket chains.
• The Greens will also get dental and mental into Medicare and free doctor’s appointments. The last time Greens had the balance of power they were able to negotiate free dental for school children and increase the number of people studying to join the health professionals.
• The Greens insist on the responsible roll out of the renewable energy transition. All Impacted communities, property owners and their neighbours need to be consulted and benefit from the major shift in our energy supply. The transition is essential as we face up to the realities of climate change and a Net Zero Emissions world.
3. Do you have any policies that relate specifically to the Glen Innes district? Please detail.
Everyone in Glen Innes deserves a secure home. In a country as wealthy as Australia, no one should struggle to afford essentials like housing, food, or healthcare.
Australia is a wealthy country yet many people in Glen Innes are experiencing homelessness and the shortage of housing stock affects everyone, including the professionals trying to live in the area. The Greens do not take donations from the property industry which means they can properly negotiate for renters and first-home buyers.
The decades of profit-driven policies have left too many people with skyrocketing rents, substandard housing, and long-term homelessness. This is the case in Glen Innes as it is across the country. It’s time for real change.
The Greens are advocating for the fast roll out of renewables and the end to export coal and gas. These harmful industries are driving climate change and extreme weather events, which means Glen Innes will need sustained infrastructure and road funding to mitigate against the road wash outs and fire devastation.
4. If elected, will you commit to supporting local news and media publications like Glen Innes News?
Absolutely.
We are all aware of the loss of so much local news coverage and the voices of the different communities as media ownership has become ever more centralised and limited across Australia.
The local newspaper is vital for rural and regional communities; it helps to connect people often separated by vast distances.
The Greens are committed to fostering greater diversity in media ownership to ensure the coverage of local issues, the expression of local opinions and the cultivation of local voices.
Brent Larkham – One Nation
1. For those who don’t already know you, please tell us a bit about yourself?
Brent Larkham is a Tamworth businessman and local for more than 50 years.
Brent, along with his family has been involved in the Automotive business and been operating throughout the New England since 1987.
Also being involved in music and the arts, Mr. Larkham has travelled the world extensively and has seen how a country can be destroyed by bad government.
Aside from his business, he is currently on a Tamworth Council think tank and the board of directors of 88.9 radio.
2. Outline the top 3 issues for the New England electorate, in this election, and indicate the specific policies you have to tackle these
• Allowing aged and veteran pensioners to work part or full time without it affecting their pension. Apart from the fact that they could make some extra bucks, it could also bring up to 600.000 of Australia’s most skilled people back into the workforce.
• Allowing couples with dependent children to file “Joint Tax Returns”. That would save a family earning $120.000 a year through 1 parent $9500 a year.
• Saving Australians billions of dollars in Government waste.
Every year the Government wastes billions of dollars on impractical policies and agendas making all Australians poorer. Here are just a few amongst many, bad money wasting policies we would like to change:
Abolishing the Department of Climate Change- $30 Billion per year, Replacing the NIAA with a less costly version- $12.5 Billon per year, Capping the NDIS at $50 Billion per year. Saving up to $20 Billion a year.
3. Do you have any policies that relate specifically to the Glen Innes district? Please detail.
Brent Larkham is dedicated to making the New England more prosperous by lowering Electricity bills, lowering petrol prices and thus bringing down the cost of living.
4. If elected, will you commit to supporting local news and media publications like Glen Innes News?
Brent Larkham is also committed to the ongoing wellbeing of all businesses in New England including news and media publications like Glen Innes News.
Barnaby Joyce – Nationals
1. For those who don’t already know you, please tell us a bit about yourself?
For the purpose of brevity, I will not torture you too long with this. I was born in Tamworth, grew up at a property at Danglemah where I live and still work in my spare time at the same cattle property. I went to the University of New England, studied to be an accountant and worked in this field for 13 years including my own practice. I was a Senator for Queensland from 2005 to 2013 and have since been the Member for New England to this date. I am married and have six children. Representing New England is one of the great honours of my life.
2. Outline the top 3 issues for the New England electorate, in this election, and indicate the specific policies you have to tackle these?
• Cost of living. Our policy is to reduce and remove the affliction of intermittent power which is putting the price of power through the roof and putting up the price of everything.
• Build the infrastructure that underpins the economic activity of the New England and gives our children the opportunity to be born here, grow up here, have a career here and retire here. That could be infrastructure as wide ranging as sealing roads, building dams and staffed medical and aged care facilities.
• The incursion of government into the rights of landholders. We need to repeal laws that suggest the government has a right over your assets that they never paid for, nor do they deliver any service for.
3. Do you have any policies that relate specifically to the Glen Innes district? Please detail.
To build on what we have already done in the Glen Innes district such as the building of netball courts, the provision of mobile phone towers, upgrading the New England Highway, the Bolivia Hill project, the construction of new bridges and the upgrading of local roads.
4. If elected, will you commit to supporting local news and media publications like Glen Innes News?
We always have and will continue to support local media.
Holly Masters – Family First
Glen Innes News approached Holly Masters a number of times. We received the following response:
Thankyou for your email. As a busy mother of 2 little children and a business owner, I am unfortunately quite limited with my time.
If you would like to know more about me and my priorities this election, please visit my FF page (https://www.familyfirstparty.org.au/holly_masters). General FF policies can be found here (https://www.familyfirstparty.org.au/policies)
Update: Glen Innes News received responses to our questions from Holly Masters on 27th April. Despite being received past the deadline, we have made the decision to publish these responses below in the interests of ensuring that local voters have as much information as possible when making their decision when they vote.
1. For those who don’t already know you, please tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a wife and mum to 2 young children and also work part-time as a Speech Pathologist, which I find incredibly rewarding. I grew up in the Blue Mountains, studied at the University of Sydney, worked in the public, private and NGO spaces and then moved to Armidale a few years ago and have thoroughly enjoyed the community atmosphere and the benefits of country life. I enjoy reading, baking with my kids, tending to the veggie patch and I am part of a local church community also. I understand the joys and the unique challenges of raising a family and relocating to the country away from family support, in part due to cost of living pressures. In saying that, I have found Armidale a wonderful place to live, and I love the community atmosphere and the slower pace of life. I’m passionate about protecting everyday values, giving regional communities a voice, and making sure everyday Australians are properly represented in Canberra.
2. Outline the top 3 issues for the New England electorate, in this election, and indicate the specific policies you have to tackle these?
Cost of Living and Housing Pressure
The cost of living is rising sharply, and rural housing shortages are putting huge pressure on families and individuals . I will support policies that reduce household cost burdens by cutting the red tape and government overregulation that drives up energy costs, building costs and the costs associated with small business. For families, I will support measures to reverse policies that penalise families, through measures such as income splitting.
Healthcare, Maternity Care and Access to Services
Regional Australians deserve fair access to healthcare services without needing to travel hundreds of kilometres for basic care. I will advocate and cooperate with state government for stronger funding for rural health access and improved maternity services. I want to see investment in regional hospitals and primary care services and I will push for better transport options to help residents, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, access major medical centres when necessary.
Freedom of Speech and Religion
Freedoms of speech and religion are gradually being eroded, in New England as in the rest of the country. I will strongly defend freedom of speech, balanced media and reducing censorship, recognising it as essential to a healthy democracy where people can raise concerns, ask questions, and stand up for in healthy honest debate. Similarly, I will fight for religious freedom protections, ensuring individuals, families, schools, and businesses are not punished for holding or expressing faith-based values in their home, school, workplace or community. Far too many people expressing conservative views, are facing unfair prosecutions for simply expressing their views, as attested to by the Human Rights Law Alliance website. This does not bode well for a free society.
3. Do you have any policies that relate specifically to the Glen Innes district? Please detail.
All of my policies above relate to Glen Innes as well as the wider community, and I will welcome discussion to critically examine the specific needs of Glen Innes should I be provided the opportunity.
4. If elected, will you commit to supporting local news and media publications like Glen Innes News?
Balanced and independent media is of great importance to me, and supporting local news outlets I believe is an important way to diversify the information given to the public, beyond mainstream media sources. It is also an important way for regional communities in particular to stay connected and involved in local news, so I will certainly prioritise supporting these publications.
Natasha Ledger – Independent
1. For those who don’t already know you, please tell us a bit about yourself?
Ten acres / bore solar dam creek / horse, dog, pug dog, cat/ four of the best ask them they’ll tell you, the oldest married running a business North of Queensland with grandson. / studied commerce law, economics, business , accounting , run a landscaping business for 15 yrs/ as a councilor delivered Bundarra sewage, four bridges, new town halls and parks throughout, worked negotiating with federally in trade and leading negotiations with our Chinese counterparts, created the regional energy zone uralla, understanding Australians energy requirements looking forward six years ago including solar wind Clarence valley river hydro, geothermal (produces more than coal and gas combined) and look forward to delivering the trains waste incineration circular economy project, completing the diverse energy farm. Am also looking forward to implementing policies enriching our nation.
2. Outline the top 3 issues for the New England electorate, in this election, and indicate the specific policies you have to tackle these?
Trains
Incineration electric generation
Small business apprenticeships
3. Do you have any policies that relate specifically to the Glen Innes district? Please detail.
Trains. As per the trains business plan I wrote for the region produced during the Northern Tablelands election , explicitly lending way to the fuel expansion hub, goods hub, between Guyra and Glen. A project locals have envisioned collectively. To obtain fuel when global prices are low, Dispersing locally when global prices are high, coupled with an inland port of sorts for product distribution . For details visit www.natashaledger.com.au
Cannery \ glass recycling \ waste incineration \ manufacturing
4. If elected, will you commit to supporting local news and media publications like Glen Innes News?
Local media is not funded well enough to be able to deliver accurate up to date information effecting the region at large. Local media does very well to perform with minimal budget locally. The abc money can be redirected, dispersed more favourable to enrich local media outlets.
Laura Hughes – Labor
1. For those who don’t already know you, please tell us a bit about yourself?
Born in Taree and raised in Newcastle, Laura Hughes moved to Tamworth nearly 30 years ago, where she raised her family and dedicated her career to education and healthcare. She is a full-time primary school teacher in Tamworth, passionate about shaping young minds and supporting the next generation.
As a volunteer Breastfeeding Counsellor, trainer, and mentor with the Australian Breastfeeding Association for 30 years, she has supported countless parents and families.
Laura understands the challenges facing her community—and she’s committed to creating real solutions.
She believes New England deserves a better choice and is ready to make it happen.
2. Outline the top 3 issues for the New England electorate, in this election, and indicate the specific policies you have to tackle these?
The top 3 issues for New England are:
HEALTH – attracting and retaining health professionals to work in New England, incentivising GPs to Bulk Bill more patients and keeping the cost of Prescriptions low – under Labor they will be the lowest price since 2004.
CARE SECTOR Aged Care and Early Childcare need skilled, well paid workers. Aged Care needs qualified nurses. Labor has delivered on this.
EDUCATION Labor will finally fully fund Government schools, families now have three days of free childcare in the year before school, we will reduce HECS debt by 20% and an astonishing 600 000 Aussies have been offered a fee-free TAFE place. This is skilling them for well paid jobs and improving the labour market.
It is clear that Labor is delivering – and will continue to deliver – for the voters of New England.
3. Do you have any policies that relate specifically to the Glen Innes district? Please detail.
No answer provided
4. If elected, will you commit to supporting local news and media publications like Glen Innes News?
No answer provided
Todd Juchau – Trumpet of Patriots
1. For those who don’t already know you, please tell us a bit about yourself?
I am the the official candidate for trumpet of patriots and a great pleasure to do so
let me introduce myself Todd Charles Juchau, my place of residence is Murrurundi my ancestor the first mayor of said address was my 4th great grandfather Charles Francis Juchau elected 29th May 1890. My ancestry also goes back to first fleeters William (bones) Eggleton, He arrived at Sydney Cove on the 26th January 1788, aboard the transport ship Alexander.
Mary Dickenson also arrived at Sydney Cove on the 26th January 1788. She was a convict who had sailed from England aboard the First Fleet transport ship, Lady Penrhyn.
On the 17th February 1788, just three weeks after arriving in their new country, William Eggleton and Mary Dickenson were married. Theirs was one of fifteen similar ceremonies performed by the Rev. Richard Johnson, Chaplain of the First Fleet, on that day.
looking forward to meeting each and everyone of you in the near future, just thought i would touch base and it is a great pleasure to steer the helm in the right direction.
2. Outline the top 3 issues for the New England electorate, in this election, and indicate the specific policies you have to tackle these?
My main priority is upgrade and develop
infrastructure and facilities where needed community buildings, roads, power our policy is nuclear, water, sewage etc
A no nonsense approach with what the expectations of the electorate needs
We are the voice for the people we serve the people.
3. Do you have any policies that relate specifically to the Glen Innes district? Please detail.
No answer provided
4. If elected, will you commit to supporting local news and media publications like Glen Innes News?
No answer provided
