Senate Candidates

House of Representatives Candidates

Candidate Profiles

Peter Whelan

Peter is a successful businessman. For 25 years he was Managing Director of electrical engineering company Uniserve Pty Ltd and more recently Chairman of CSE-Uniserve Pty Ltd and director of several related companies with extensive interests in the mining industry.

In 2007 he resigned those positions to concentrate on his investments and interests in beef cattle farming and deer hunting. He is also Treasurer of Glenorie RSL Club.

Peter is a foundation member and currently President of the Coalition of Law Abiding Sporting Shooters Inc (CLASS Action) and author of the publication "Gun Prohibition in Australia: an expensive mistake". He has been a major contributor and supporter of the Shooters Party and was involved with David Leyonhjelm in the Outdoor Recreation Party's federal campaign in 2004.

He is a qualified electrical engineer, a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers and holds an unrestricted private pilot's licence. He is married with three grown children.

Peter is the LDP's Communications Officer. He can be contacted on info@ldp.org.au.

David Leyonhjelm

David has had an interest in politics since the early 1970s when, as a member of Young Labor, he worked on the "It's Time" campaign to help end military conscription.

The following decade he joined the Liberal Party in an effort to promote economic freedom, resigning in 1996 in reaction to John Howard's extremist gun laws.

He joined the Shooters Party in 1992 (while in the Liberal Party), became the party's Chairman in 1999 and managed the successful 2003 campaign that retained the party's NSW Legislative Council seat.

When the Shooters Party was deregistered federally just prior to the federal election in 2004, he used the Outdoor Recreation Party to run a team of shooters for the Senate and marginal NSW seats. The party's Senate preferences helped prevent the Greens from taking the final seat.

David is married and runs his own company in Sydney. A former veterinarian, he also has degrees in business and law.  His sporting interest is target shooting.

David is the LDP's Federal Treasurer and acting Secretary.  He can be contacted on treasurer@ldp.org.au.

David McAlary

President of the ACT Division of the LDP since 2005, David was elected Federal President in 2007.

After completing an Accounting degree in 1992, he worked and travelled before establishing his insurance broking business in 1997.

David is married and lives in the suburbs of Canberra.  

Lisa Milat

Lisa is currently a small business owner and has been running a swim training centre for the last 6 years.

She is a member of the Australian Council for the Teaching of Swimming and Water Safety (AUSTSWIM), with responsibilities including training and competency assessment for instructors.

She is sports volunteer and an active target shooter and member of the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (SSAA).

Jonatan Kelu

Jonatan is an engineer, scientist, and proponent of freedom. He spent 7 years as a software engineer and consulting to organisations on their software and IT infrastructure needs. In that time, besides leaving behind a number of happy and grateful clients, he was granted 14 international patents. He is currently the face of a Sydney based organisation with national operations, which sees him regularly travelling between state capitals.

Jonatan is a strong advocate of political freedom, human rights, and individual liberties. To this end he has been a member of Freedom Force International (founded by G. Edward Griffin) and was one of the founding members of what was to become its Sydney chapter. Jonatan is also a member of Amnesty International and supports that organisation's efforts to protect human rights worldwide.

Jonatan has an honours degree in computer engineering, a science degree in physics, a diploma in gemmology, and lives on the outskirts of the Sydney CBD in the suburb of Surry Hills. He enjoys bushwalking and the sport of target shooting.

Steve Clancy

Steve was born and raised in Wonthaggi, on Victoria's south-east coast.  He moved to Melbourne in 2000 to attend Swinburne University before leaving study to work in the insurance industry. 

Steve has previously stood as a candidate in both State and Federal elections.   He first stood as a Liberal candidate for the seat of Pascoe Vale in the 2002 Victorian State elections.  This was followed by his Victorian Senate candidacy for liberals for forests in the 2004 Federal election. 

He attended the Centre for Independent Studies' Liberty and Society Program in 2001 and participated in Bureaucrash's Operation Capitalism Heals, Bangkok, 2003.

Steve currently works as a general insurance broker in Melbourne's bayside and attends Melbourne Japanese Christian Church in Canterbury. 

John Humphreys

John established the LDP in 2001 and led the party in two ACT elections (2001 & 2004). He currently holds the position of Federal Vice-President.

He is also the founder of the Australian Libertarian Society.

John has an honours degree in economics and has worked previously as a policy analyst with the Commonwealth Treasury and consultant with the Centre for International Economics. He currently works as a Tutor of political economy at the University of Queensland and manages a small investment company.

He also holds the honorary position of Adjunct Scholar with the Centre for Independent Studies and is the author of several books and articles including "Free Trade Agreements: making them better" (with Andrew Stoeckel) and "Reform 30/30: Rebuilding Australia's Tax and Welfare Systems".

In his spare time John manages a small non-profit organisation in Cambodia helping fund university education for poor students, and has a recreational pilots licence. 

Terje Petersen

Terje (pronounced tay-a) is a committed advocated for low taxation, small government and individual liberty.

He runs an IT consultancy in Sydney in partnership with his brother.  Prior to that he held various positions in the telecommunications industry.

Terje says that his most formative years were growing up on the family farm on the NSW north coast.

He holds an honours degree in Electrical Engineering from UNSW and is married with three young children. 

Tim Quilty

Tim Quilty is a 34 year old sheep and cattle farmer from Adelong and a lifelong believer  in freedom and the rights of the individual..

Born locally, he  attended school and briefly university (UNSW) in Sydney, studying economics, before returning to work on the  family farm. While at uni Tim was a member of the Liberal party but left in disgust, disillusioned by their lack of belief in any principle of liberty or freedom, or anything except winning elections.

Tim has a continuing involvement with his local community, believing passionately in the ideas of volunteerism and civil society - he has been closely involved with the establishment of a Community Bank in Adelong, currently being a board member and treasurer of the Adelong bank, and is an active member of the Rural Fire Service.

Other than farming, Tim has backpacked extensively in Europe (where he met his wife) and other parts of the world. He is also currently finishing his degree in Accounting by correspondence.

Shem Bennett

Shem was born and raised in Launceston, graduating from Newstead College in 2002. In 2003 he spent 18 months in the Kansai region of Japan teaching English to primary school children.

He is currently studying for his Bachelor of Arts, majoring in political science and linguistics. In the future he hopes to open a bilingual school, as he feels education is the foundation of a strong society.

Shem has had an interest in politics since High School and he explored many political parties before joining the LDP. He has a particular interest in fighting for social equality, in particular equal legal rights for same-sex couples.  

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Ken Lee

Ken has a Masters degree in Sustainable Development from Australian National University. Previously a Curator at the National Museum of Australia, he has a strong interest in the history of the land and people of this nation. 

He strongly believes that some of our greatest challenges lie in developing models for a sustainable future.  He is keenly interested in the involvement of science and technology in our society and the development of sunrise industries for Australia especially in the areas of Biotechnology and Energy.

A resident of Perth, he works full-time and has a young family.  He is also undertaking further study in the area of Biological Science.

Kevin Ramsey

Kevin has a degree in philosophy and a diploma in community services.

He has previously tutored philosophy and currently teaches community services at a tertiary level. He primarily works within the community services industry and started a community/welfare business "Compass Community Services" in 2005.

For many years Kevin identified himself as left wing on the political spectrum. However after extensive evaluation of left wing policies and through working in the community service industry his political perspectives changed. He  became convinced that traditional left wing policies contributed to a welfare mentality, an unnecessary reliance upon government intervention and decreased the need for personal responsibility.

Traditional right wing conservative politics were also a cause for concern due to their willingness to enforce conservative morality and populous fear-based campaigns to attain votes.

Kevin is enthusiastic about running for the Liberty and Democracy Party. He values small government, personal responsibility and individual freedom and believes a genuine political shift towards those principles will provide a significant benefit to the broader community.

Daniel Farmilo

Daniel Farmilo is civil libertarian who believes that too much of our freedom is being squandered in the name of security. He advocates limits to government, including limiting the powers of Police to ensure they protect people rather than infringe on our rights to privacy with no judicial oversight.

He is an active community member who spent two years on the Mountains Youth Resource Organisation (MYRO) committee, playing a role in the running of a youth centre in the Blue Mountains as well as assisting with various satellite projects.

Daniel currently works full time in the financial services sector.

Doug Swanborough

Doug is a Gold Coast-based forensic accountant and owns a small business that operates on the Darling Downs. He previously served as a member of the Queensland Police Service and witnessed first hand how poorly conceived, politically expedient laws eroded the liberties of Queenslanders without improving their safety and security. He opposes gun control and the "war on drugs."

He favours a limited constitutional government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. 

Doug holds a Master of Business degree, is a Professional National Accountant and a Certified Fraud Examiner. He is married with three children.

Graham Nickols

Now semi-retired, Graham Nickols is a former Industrial Chemist with a background in management, mostly with packaging companies. One of his most rewarding positions involved the establishment of the glass recycling division of Glass Containers Ltd at Penrith.

Graham is passionate about the need to restrict government involvement in our lives and to let each individual decide what is best for them.

Sukrit Sabhlok

Sukrit migrated to Australia from India as a 13 year old and regularly makes trips back to visit friends and family. He says that India provides first-hand evidence of an inverse relationship between the size of government and individual freedom.

Sukrit is currently completing undergraduate degrees in Arts and Law at the University of Melbourne. In 2007, he attended the Liberty and Society Conference organised by the Centre for Independent Studies.

Sukrit is a keen writer, and has been published in a variety of newspapers and magazines. In his spare time, he enjoys playing tennis.

Sukrit is passionate about immigration policy, and believes the freer movement of people is both economically beneficial and morally just.

Martin Walsh

After completing high school Martin studied accountancy.  When he had learned enough to get by in business he went to Wollongong university to study Philosophy.

He put a hold on his studies while he took self-funded time to write a movie script, for which he has since won an award. During this time Martin began to realise that our civil rights were being eroded by various levels of government, particularly with the introduction of anti-terrorist legislation.

Martin then pursued a career in sales which bought him into contact with many small businesses, all of which had one thing in common: they all faced oppressive government legislation. It is this experience that led Martin to realise someone has to stand up for our rights as free Australian citizens.

He has been involved with a number of movements to help bring about civil rights and free enterprise and is a valuable asset in the pursuit of freedom.

Benj Beatty

Benj is a committed libertarian who favours the reduction of the Australian welfare state and the removal of governmental interference in everyday life. He supports and encourages the principles of free trade and personal responsibility.

He has a BA in Sociology, a BSc with Honours in Geosciences and is currently completing a Masters in Business Management. He works in the energy industry and is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM).

In his spare time, Benj is a foster carer for abandoned and neglected pets. He is married with one child.

Clinton Gale

Clinton grew up in the Gippsland region of Victoria. After a rather average stint at high school he travelled across Australia, spending a year in WA only to return to Melbourne where he spent five years in the dry cleaning industry while completing VCE.

He took a private interest in the works of Edward de Bono and Ayn Rand resulting in a more comfortable career position in administration and an interest in politics as a branch of philosophy.

Clinton has been the vice president of the Victorian LDP branch since its formation in early 2007 and was a volunteer campaigner for Prodos Marinakis in the recent State by-election for Albert Park.

Mark Dixon

A native West  Australian, Mark Dixon and most of his extended family live in the Swan electorate. He operates an information technology business in Perth which he founded in 1985 and has a PhD from the University of WA on “Effects on International Trade and Trade Finance of a Transition to  Electronic Methods”. 

Mark is dedicated to free trade between people, states and nations as the basis for wealth as well as the abundance of choice that it brings to all who participate. 

He is also  dedicated to individual choice in all personal matters. Thus he is committed to the classic liberal democratic principles of small and limited government and the devolution of decision making.  Such devolution can usually put decision making in the hands of individuals; those who bear the benefits, consequences and responsibilities of those choices.

Kirk Fletcher

Kirk has a computing degree from the University of Western Sydney and is a partner in an Internet company providing web hosting and related services.

Frustrated by government intervention in virtually every aspect of both personal and business life, Kirk is a committed small-government advocate, favouring lower taxes, less red tape and more individual liberty.  He believes that the best thing the government can do for small business is simply get out of the way.

Kirk would like to see parents given greater choice in the education of their children, and believes a voucher system would go some way towards achieving this.

Bede Ireland

Luke Hamilton

Luke has worked in market research for about 10 years including in Canberra where he designed surveys to find out how happy Ford and Mitsubishi were with their government handouts. That experience confirmed his strong opposition to corporate welfare.

He is very interested in Aboriginal health and sees current problems as a function of generations of enforced (and racially based) welfare.

He is 33 years old and currently studying medicine at UTAS.

Huw Grossmith

Huw Grossmith is a former member of both the ALP and Democrats. He believes that since 1975 Australia has been run by the politics of deception or fear. Both major parties use these (eg the flag, Green issues, the Republic and terrorism) to advance their cause and take our eyes off what they are doing. He considers we are being treated either like little kids or morons.

We pay more taxes than ever and get less for it than we ever did.  Our health, education, publicly owned infrastructure and general government services are a decrepit mess.

He wants Australians to take some responsibility for the future of their country and their own lives. He believes it's time to give both Labor and Liberal the flick.

He says he will represent Brand first, then the bigger interests of the nation, the LDP, then himself, with oligarchs last.

Huw is 47 and works in engineering document and data management in Australia and overseas. He donates his spare funds to a charity that he and friends formed called Renew Faith International – www.rescue-a-kid.org. 

Geoff Saw

Geoff is a small business owner from Melbourne and a longstanding advocate for the principles of economic freedom, individual liberty and small government. He has a particular interest in the liberalisation of immigration policy and the protection of private property rights.

In his spare time Geoff is a keen chess player. He was the 1998 Australian Junior Chess Champion and was awarded the title of "Master" by the World Chess Federation in 1999. He is currently the Victorian delegate to the Australian Chess Federation Council.

Nick Stevenson

Nick Stevenson holds a BSc from the University of Melbourne and is currently a student at Monash University. From his family experience Nick was taught how lucky we are in Australia: we have the free market system that's made Australia rich and we have free government.

He was attracted to the LDP because of its low tax, low regulation, individual choice policies. 

Nick says 'The Coalition and Labor are both terrible. Billions of dollars of taxpayers' money are constantly being wasted. Small businesses are tied up in red tape.  Civil liberties and freedom of speech have been eroded. Politicians use the law to control people's private lives. You don't have to approve of everything someone else does to accept that some things just aren't the government's business.'

'Some of the LDP's policies, like legalising marijuana and gay marriage are usually called left wing. Others, like cutting taxes and relying more on private schools and health care are called right wing. But the LDP isn't right wing or left wing. It's pro-freedom.'

Nick can be contacted at ldp4deakin@gmail.com

Janos Beregszaszi

Janos was born in Hungary in 1962. From an early age he found constant government interference into people's lives, freedoms and rights intolerable. Being unable to change the system he was born into, he escaped to Australia in 1980 and became a useful and productive member of society.

He now works as a small business owner but continues to feel the government interferes too much, preferring dictating to governing.

Janos was a candidate for the Outdoor Recreation Party in 2004.

Don Nguyen

Don Nguyen has a BSc from the University of NSW and is currently enrolled in a PhD in Economics at the University of Sydney.

He strongly believes in giving back to the community and has spent time volunteering to work with disabled children. He is also involved in the funding of tertiary level scholarships.

He has worked in stock market surveillance and currency trading. From this he has seen the effectiveness of free market forces along with the deleterious effects of excessive government interference.

Don ran as an independent Senate candidate in the 2004 Federal Election. In his spare time he enjoys martial arts training and skiing.

Sam Ward

Felicity Tilbrook

Felicity is a 37 year old Enrolled Nurse with Diploma currently working in the emergency department of a major public hospital

She is also President and  Events Manager for the Street Machine Association of South Australia Inc and was previously a spray painter before changing course to see if she could make a  change in the world.

She has a particular interest in the LDP's policies for  tax reform, euthanasia and traffic laws because they promote freedom of choice for voters. 

She strongly believes in motor sports and says, "I hope to make a difference, even if it is the smallest difference."

"I own a Street Machine myself and often participate in many motoring events throughout South Australia.

"All too often people make choices for us, often the wrong choices.  The word 'hoon' needs to be abolished as it has segregated the motoring enthusiast communities.  Give motoring enthusiasts good venues to practice and become worthy enthusiasts, not just the ones the media can whinge about."

Graeme Bird

Graham has an economics degree from Otago University in New Zealand, although he had read much on economics and business even before showing up. He was particularly attracted by the works of Milton Friedman.

He is a strong advocate of small government and low taxes and regards the LDP as potentially acting as the politicians conscience when it comes to reducing the depredations of government.

"Voting for the LDP is the only ethical thing to do. Even if you disagree with the LDP platform in some area or another, the ethical thing is to cast your vote for the only party in Australia that supports human freedom in all facets of Australian life."

Leon Belgrave

Leon has worked as a newsreader on SBS radio, an antique dealer, in the hospitality industry and a chemical analyst. He has also been both an employer and employee.

Born in the Netherlands and now a retired pensioner, his particular concerns are the growth in government expenditure and our ever decreasing freedom of choice, with the government forever telling us what's good for us.

His hobbies include target shooting and he retains an interest in small planes and gliders.  He was a candidate for the Outdoor Recreation Party in 2004.

Peter Cunningham

Peter is a former carpenter and  joiner with further technical qualifications and a full member of the Aust Institute of Construction. He has experience as a company director in commercial construction, civil engineering and specialist mining works in Australia and overseas - predominantly PNG where he spent 13 years and served in ADF - 177 Air Dispatch Sqn (RACT).

He is a staunch believer in individual liberty with responsibility, and in considerably less government and bureaucratic interference in our life. He has witnessed bureaucratic waste and indifference on a grand scale and, like us all, suffered from unaccountable governments and bureaucracies.

Peter's favourite analogy to our accelerating loss of liberties is via Pink Floyd:  "Welcome to the Machine" for you are "Another Brick In The Wall".

He is married with three adult children. His interests include scuba diving, marine biology, pistol shooting and graphic arts. He is an accomplished photographer above and below water. 

Jarrah Job

Jarrah was  brought up in Sydney and Canberra with a strong sense of social justice. Two years living in Mexico helped instill an appreciation of Australia's great way of life and democratic institutions, later reinforced by travel to several other countries.

He was employed as a share clerk before joining a non-profit community service company providing captioning services to assist the deaf, hearing-impaired and non-English speakers. Despite declaring at age 10 that politics was "boring", working closely with journalists and being constantly exposed to news and analysis at the ABC, SBS and Channel Ten meant he came to realise it is both fascinating and tremendously important.

The importance of politics comes from the pervasiveness of government. Jarrah found that neither left- nor right-wing parties were much interested in reducing that interference, so turned to the only party that champions freedom in all spheres of life - the Liberty and Democracy Party.

Jarrah will start a degree in economics at the University of NSW in 2008 and has never eaten his own earwax.

Michael Pope

Michael is a moderate libertarian who strongly believes in the importance of individual freedoms and the limited role of government. He is currently completing undergraduate degrees in Economics and Arts, majoring in International Relations and History at the University of Queensland. He is also employed as a Research Assistant in the Psychology Department at UQ.

Michael has always been strongly in favour of individual rights and responsibilities, and his studies in economics have convinced him that high levels of government control inevitably lead to inefficient and inequitable outcomes. For him, the LDP is a party of principle which can best protect the rights of all Australians.

A keen traveller and student of international affairs, Michael is the Vice-President of the UQ United Nations Student Association. In his spare time he enjoys live music  and playing soccer or cricket.

Trent MacDonald

Trent was born and raised in Maryborough, in South-East Queensland. After receiving the Melville Medal, as Dux of his high school, he moved to Brisbane in 2004 to attend the University of Queensland. He is  currently studying a dual degree in economics and business and has a particular interest in macroeconomic policy, political economy and economic development.

Trent advocates small government, low taxation and a cutback of the  Australian welfare state. Socially, he believes in individual liberty and self-responsibility. People should have the right to pursue their own lifestyles, provided they do not harm other people or their property  in doing so.

In his spare time, Trent enjoys playing the drums and football. He also takes a keen interest in physics and philosophy.

James Warry

James currently lives in Brisbane and is studying for a Bachelor of Economics degree. Being an avid follower of politics in Australia has led him to believe that Government is becoming more and  more intrusive as it becomes less and less relevant to today's society.

James values individual freedom and personal choice, supports deregulation, privatisation of public enterprise and free trade.

Lisa Charles

Lisa Charles lives in Brisbane and holds bachelors degrees in both business and energy studies.

She has a special interest in energy-efficient residential design and believes that government "efficiency" schemes (pushed by well-intentioned but ignorant groups) have held back any real energy savings that could have been made in new housing.

Lisa also believes in sound money and feels that Australia should return to a gold-backed currency. She is an animal lover as well as a Deist and Ayn Rand devotee.

David Humphreys

I am a 59 year old father of two, and I believe in the right of individuals to choose their future so long as it does not adversely affect others.

I grew up in Zimbabwe (then called Rhodesia) but am now proud to call Australia home. After spending most of my life working in the agriculture industry, I am now involved in small-scale property development.

I am a committed Christian and strongly opposed to the use of drugs, including marijuana. However, I also believe in the right of the individual to decide for themselves, so long as they are prepared to accept the responsibilities that go with free choice.

Some of my policy goals include the reduction of the welfare state and the removal of government interference in everyday life, along with low tax, free trade and personal responsibility.

Ben Thompson

Ben is currently studying a Commerce Economics dual degree at the University of Queensland. His studies have convinced him that Australians would benefit greatly from increased personal freedom, free trade, deregulation and the privatisation of most public businesses. 

Ben also believes there is a need for tax and welfare reform in Australia. A restructuring would increase the incentives for Australians to undertake employment and work harder; improving efficiency within our economy.

Joseph Clark

Joseph is completing his PhD in Economics at the University of Queensland.

He worked as a tutor and lecturer at the University of Queensland between 2002 and 2006 and currently works as a commodities trader for Suncorp in Brisbane.

Joseph is involved in a non-profit organisation helping fund university education for Cambodian students. He currently lives in a shed.

Robert Norrie

Robert is a university student studying economics. As a result of his father being in the Army, he grew up in many places including Townsville, Port Moresby (PNG), Melbourne, Canberra, Cooma, and Aix en Provence (France).

He became involved with the LDP after studying political economy as part of his degree.

Robert's interest include reading, foreign cinema and going out with friends.

Samantha Myers

Samantha is currently finishing an Honours degree majoring in Economics.  She believes strongly in civil liberties and individual responsibility.  She also is passionate about the environment and believes the most efficient economic methods of environmental  management should be used, depending on the particular environmental problem.

Samantha is involved in her local community, having been a volunteer for Queensland Debating for the past several years, and also for the Queensland Youth Peace Parliament since its inception in 2006.

Siou Hong (Christina) Chia

Christina was born in Singapore where she worked as a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine.

She migrated to Australia in 1966 where she maintains her medical interest. However, she has also been a factory worker, office worker and small business proprietor. Currently she works as a courier and runs an ice-cream van part-time.

She is strongly committed to individual rights and freedoms and has a particular interest in helping Asian migrants achieve their goals through reduced taxation and regulation.

Robert Newnham

I was born in Inverell in New South Wales, grew up on a farm nearby and attended Inverell High School. When I was 18 I moved to Brisbane to pursue a retail career, and by age 19 I was managing a Fresh Produce department for Woolworths.

I have a keen interest in world travel and I recently proposed to my fiancee who comes from Texas, USA. We plan to get married in Hawaii in January.

I'm now 21 and completing a Bachelor of Economics at the University of Queensland. I signed up to be a candidate for the LDP because I believe we live under a government that robs its citizens of many rights. A smaller government would be a benefit to Australia's economy and protect the liberty of its citizens.

Aubrey Clark

Aubrey is a student of Economics and Mathematics at the University of Queensland. He strongly believes in protecting the liberty of the individual.

He has worked as a volunteer in the West Bank and as a tutor at the University of Queensland. Aubrey recently returned from study overseas at the University of British Columbia.

Gary Vandersluis

Gary was born in England and came to Australia as a three year old. He graduated as a solicitor in 1970, working in Sydney and Vanuatu. In 1982 he joined the senior management of some well known charities and not-for-profits. After retiring in 2001 he commenced a part time conveyancing practice.

He is married with two grown children and two grandchildren. He enjoys sailing, fishing, motorcycling and target shooting. 

Gary says: "Amongst his earliest and fondest memories as a child were Guy Fawkes celebrations (fireworks night) held every year. For weeks prior to the event the local kids would save their money to buy penny bungers and Catherine wheels and scrounge the area for scrap wood for the communal bonfire. The pleasures associated with that event are no longer legal for young Australians due to the “nanny-state” mentality of our governments.

"It doesn’t matter whether I wish to take responsibility for my own health and decline to wear a helmet when I ride my motorcycle or a seatbelt when I drive my car, governments have decided they know best.

"I don’t smoke anymore but I understand some people do. I recognise the inherent dangers but surely this is a decision for each individual.

"As an enthusiastic 15 year old  I joined my school cadet corps. I was issued with a .303 rifle  which I carried to and from school each Thursday on the bus and train, without comment. Imagine if I was to do that today.  Why have we become so paranoid about gun ownership? Legal gun owners are law-abiding citizens just like you and me.

The libertarian philosophy of the LDP demands that ordinary people be respected for their right to make decisions that impact on their own lives, provided they take responsibility for their actions. I do not like drugs, but who am I to say a person should not smoke marijuana if that is their choice?  Who is the victim?

The Liberty and Democracy Party is our best chance to see a restoration of the principles that made Australia the best country in the world to live and raise a family. We will restore decision making back to individuals.

Charles Dalton

Charles is a small business owner, running an IT consultancy in Kalgoorlie.  He has a science degree in psychology from Curtin University and is interested in promoting individual responsibility, small government and personal freedom.

Charles says: "I’ve been living and working in the Goldfields for the last 5 years and spend most of my free time actively involved with several local sporting, social and private clubs.

"I strongly believe that liberty and freedom are increasingly under attack by the federal and state governments. The major parties have shown themselves to be high taxing bureaucracies that seem hell-bent on using our money to micro-managing every aspect of our lives and businesses.

"It is my hope that voters in the Kalgoorlie electorate will join me in saying “No to the Nanny State”.

Grant Bayley

Grant is a 33-year old IT Director based in south-western Sydney.

After graduating from UNSW in 1997 with a BSc and migrating into IT in the advertising, media and printing trades, he spent 2002-2007 developing his own business. He recently joined an Australian garment manufacturing company to assist their international growth. 

Grant has a keen interest in the philosophy of libertarianism, particularly personal responsibility and smaller, less intrusive and more accountable governments and bureaucracies.

He is a keen sporting shooter and was a candidate for the Outdoor Recreation Party in 2004.

Jock Mackenzie

Jock is a PhD student and Marine Biologist at the University of Queensland. As such his primary concern in this election is the environment.

Jock says: "The environment sustains our life and without it we would not function, therefore there is a strong link between our economic activity and the environment.

"It is my believe that many, if not all, ecological dilemmas that we currently face as a society stem from ineffective and restrictive policies that fail to recognise the true resource value of the environment and do not allow market forces to dictate the direction of our decision making.

"The only way we will start to interact with our environment in a manner that ensures sustainability is through strengthening individual responsibility and enabling environmental ownership. Only then can we avert the current tragedy of the commons and ensure that our quality of life continues to improve in the future.

"I also believe we must begin to take greater personal responsibility for our own actions and that much of the social problems that currently exist stem directly from our collective 'mummy' government attitude."

Brad Cornwell

Brad was born and bred in Brisbane. He has held a number of jobs including teacher's aid, taxi driver and security guard. He now works in child protection.

The LDP appealed to Brad because of its support for civil liberties and personal responsibility. Brad is a keen shooter and is opposed to the current over-regulation of firearms in Australia. He is also committed to ending the discrimination against the gay and lesbian community and supports the legalisation of gay marriage.

Shane Brown

Shane has ten years experience as a professional Software Engineer and hopes one day to start his own business.

His policy areas of interest include taxation and the economy. During his spare time Shane enjoys playing tennis and working out at the gym

Lachlan Smith