25 February 2019
Local Businessman To Contest ACT Senate Race from the Sensible Centre
Local businessman Anthony Pesec will today announce that he will run as an Independent for the Senate in the ACT on a centrist platform.
Given the recent success of candidates from the “sensible centre” the 43-year-old renewable energy investor believes it is time for a new approach in the ACT.
“I recently moved back to Canberra after working in London and Croatia and was dismayed at the lack of a centrist voice in Canberra,” Mr Pesec said.
“I’m from a business background and believe we need to be fiscally responsible but equally I believe we need action on climate change.
“The major parties have become more polarised and it seems to me that there is a large volume of voters in the middle who feel like they have nowhere to park their vote. I’ve met a lot of people locally who oppose Labor’s changes to franking credits, capital gains tax and negative gearing.
“But they are also sick of the Morrison Government’s lurch to the right since they dumped Malcolm Turnbull. Moderates including Julie Bishop and Kelly O’Dwyer are leaving the Parliament and we need more small l Liberal voices. We know from experience and also saw during the same sex marriage debate that Canberra is a modern, progressive city and our politics and politicians need to reflect that.
Mr Pesec criticised the move by former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to Tamworth.
“There needs to be a guarantee that no more agencies will be moved to prop up the political popularity of particular candidates. This APVMA move was a flop – it disrupted people’s lives for no gain,” Mr Pesec said.
“I also have concerns around the Commonwealth Efficiency Dividend and what that is doing to some of our beloved institutions including the National Library.
“I am also worried about the increasing instances of outsourcing of core work by the Australian Public Service to private contractors – we need to bolster the APS not cut it in order to continue to deliver the best expert advice to Government. All of this adds up to the fact that I believe the time is right for a centrist to be successful in the upcoming federal election campaign.
