SALLY Edwards, from the Warrumbungle region of New South Wales, announced her candidacy for the seat of Parkes in the upcoming federal election online to her friends and community on March 5.

Mrs Edwards says she has come to politics from the community level after many years of frustration trying to work within government plans, guidelines, policy and legislation that clearly worked against rural communities.

She wants out-of-the-box thinking in government, that partners with community.

She believes the only way to achieve that, was to put up her hand.

Sally Edwards has spent her lifetime living and volunteering across rural and remote Australia and for the past 18 years has, with her husband and family, farmed in the Warrumbungle region.

They love life on the land and being a part of a rural community. Mrs Edwards is a passionate advocate for Rural Australia – its people, its land and water – and helping these communities survive, and hopefully thrive.

Her background includes experience across tourism and hospitality, roles across the beef supply chain, small business owner, and over a decade of experience in rural community development.

She sees all Australians disadvantaged by “government red-tape, serious mismanagement and ineptitude” and says she’s witnessed “the negative effects of industry and service closures, and an ever-increasing regulatory burden”.

Mrs Edwards believes the Australian people are not being listened to, respected or truly represented, and that the answers to many challenges can be solved from the ground up by the very people directly impacted – the communities themselves.

“I’m adamant the government needs to interfere less, spend less, do a better job and return responsibility and freedom to the people,” she said.

Sally Edwards says she is standing for the Parkes electorate to protect and support family, small business and the rural way of life.

Mrs Edwards believes rural Australia has been let down by the major parties and she describes rural and regional Australia as an over-loaded ute.

“The ute to deliver the goods and take us into the future has four flat tyres and a flat battery, and no amount of money to wash and shine, or top up the fuel and oil will help us get back on the road,” she said.

She said rural Australia needs commitment and leadership that “will fix the very problems that hold

us back and replace the flat tyres with all-terrains and give us a new battery”.

“We need strength and traction,” she said.

“Regional Australia and the Parkes electorate have been let down by major party politics – we no

longer have any traction.

“We need governance that will support families and communities, small business and industry, that gives us the unrestricted foundation to work towards safety, security and longevity for regional Australia.”

Mrs Edwards priorities for Parkes is to work with a non-negotiable stance to honesty, transparency and accountability from the Government and bureaucrats to the people; lower energy costs and work to ensure reliability and security; cut red-tape and improve the process, one restriction, one department at a time; and work to restore stability and true value in money, reduce inflation and enable the economy to flourish organically.

“Any policies that I will support or put forward need to tick the boxes of promoting voluntary involvement from the people and clearly support and protect families, small business and the rural way of life,” she said.

Mrs Edwards says there is a chance a minority government will be formed.

“It is important for the people of Parkes to consider the strength and benefits of having an MP elected who sits on the cross-bench,” she said.

She believes the Parkes Electorate can be better considered and represented from a minority party on the cross-bench, than it would from the position of opposition.

Mrs Edwards says many of the barriers limiting rural communities can be removed by identifying inefficient and wasteful spending and removing irrational rules and regulations.

“Parkes as a very diverse electorate of communities and industries, with community and industry facing their own set of unique challenges,” she said.

“From the position of crossbench, communities, and businesses and industries can be better represented and potentially even individually represented on specific issues, and empowered to collaborate with government towards meaningful solutions.

“The Libertarian approach will always be less government interference wherever sensible and possible, and more empowered communities to create change and deliver cost-effective, value-for-money and long-lasting results.

“If elected, I will stand to protect and support family, small business and the rural way of life – for our kids and for their kids.

“I know I don’t have all the answers myself but will find the people who between them, do. The knowledge, skills and experience of local people are too-often overlooked, and this will be the first place I start,” she said.

“I will work hard and doggedly when I have to. I believe a strong cross-bench can help balance out an over-sized and often mismanaged government.

“While I can’t stand to promise the outcomes we work towards, I can and do stand to promise the way I will work towards them,” she said.