With the Wagga byelection being held on September 8, we’re asking candidates to share their vision for the electorate. The Christian Democratic Party’s Tom Arentz has the number five spot on the ballot paper.
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Why did you decide to stand?
I’ve always been interested in politics, basically.
I’ve been a long supporter of the Christian Democratic Party and they were looking for candidates.
They had three people lined up, I was one of them. They had a local vote and I was sort of neck and neck with another guy and he decided to pull out.
I was a bit hesitant to put in for it because I knew it would be very demanding and very public, but then I thought I’d leave my name in there and see what happened.
Why did you join the Christian Democratic Party? What it is about the party that appeals to you?
They’re not sort of embroiled in party politics.
They have a good Christian moral base and they have a drive to meet the needs of the people.
Foremost, it is about putting people first. People are important, life is important, and stability and unity.
I chose the CDP because of its longstanding trustworthiness, moral value, practical solutions and, above all, its community and people-first approach.
But employment’s a bit of an issue in Wagga for younger people as well because a lot tend to drift off to the city and we’d like to stop that if we could, or at least reduce it.
- Tom Arentz, Christian Democratic Party candidate
Tell me a little bit about yourself?
I have a building/carpentry certificate from TAFE, specialising in drawing and estimating.
I am aware of environmental extremes: drought, flood and fire consequences. The CDP is in favour of immediate and practical financial assistance to keep the farming community alive and viable and have a sustainable water supply for farming.
I have never seen Tumut as a ‘challenge’ as a place to live, but more often than not it is regarded as a second-rate ‘suburb’ of Sydney.
As you say, you’re from Tumut? Do we get a bit too Wagga focused in this electorate?
It’s naturally going to be Wagga focused because Wagga’s got 65,000 people versus the whole of Tumut Shire’s only 12,000. The electorate is Wagga focused. We can’t do anything about that.
The Wagga area has needs of its own, as do the smaller areas like Tumut and Lockhart and all the little areas in between.
What do Tumut people think their community needs?
After-hours policing, I think, is pretty important and also something to provide activities for young people, as well as employment. But employment’s a bit of an issue in Wagga for younger people as well because a lot tend to drift off to the city and we’d like to stop that if we could, or at least reduce it.
Did you grow up in Tumut?
I was born there, grew up there. I worked all but two years there and those two years were in Wagga.
Do you see opportunities for the community in Snowy 2.0?
There’s good business opportunities for the whole electorate in that.
What about the Brindabella Road? Would you like to see that upgraded?
Yes. It’s a lot better than it was, but there are still parts that are still dirt.
There was some discussion about 10 years ago, but they said they couldn’t do a lot with it because it snows so much, and they'd need equipment like a snow plough.
I’d be happy with a tarred two-lane road where you could do maybe 80km/h. I don’t know what other people mean when they talk about putting in a road through the Brindabellas.
We’ve seen what’s happening with the road from Tumut to Gundagai. They’re really upgrading that. It’s a tremendous upgrade, and they’re spending millions on it.
There's always been accidents on the Gocup Road.
How do you feel about having to travel around the electorate. Would that bother you?
No, not at all. It’s not a huge electorate. It’s only roughly four hours, end to end, the electorate.
What feedback are you getting about the electorate and what voters consider the issues to be?
There are a lot, from the drought and the disaster fund and after-hours policing and honesty in government.
In health, there are concerns about hospital waiting times, hospital parking, mental health, domestic violence and prescription drug abuse.
What else would you like to achieve as an MP?
A lot of young people who have additional physical needs are put into nursing homes that cater to elderly people.
It can be very lonely. They don’t have other people their own age around them.
They need better care facilities to cater for these younger people. Sometimes they just want to be able to talk to people their own age, or to be able to do things for themselves.
Forced council amalgamations has been a huge issue in some areas. Given that Tumbarumba and Tumut shires were amalgamated into Snowy Valleys Council, what are people telling you about the issue?
Half of the Snowy Valley council is not able to vote in this byelection. The old Tumbarumba area is not in this electorate. It’s following the old boundary area.
How do Tumbarumba and Tumut people feel about the amalgamation?
Tumbarumba people are really cut up about it. A lot of Tumut people don’t like it either.