The United Australia Party has announced a strong team to put Tasmania back on the map at the 2019 Federal Election.
Federal Leader of the United Australia Party, Clive Palmer, said that for too long Tasmania had been left off the map and isolated from opportunities the nation had generated.
“The established parties talk about helping Tasmanians but are more concerned about protecting their own self-interests and stifling political alternatives,” Mr Palmer said.
“Tasmania has an opportunity to be a significant contributor to the Australian economy with the right people in place to get the state moving again.
“Only the United Australia Party can reinvigorate Tasmania with fresh ideas and common-sense policies to turbo-charge the economy,” he said.
The United Australia Party is fielding outstanding candidates for the House of Representatives including café owner and Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame inductee Darren Winter (Franklin), champion Tasmanian racing driver Allan Roark (Bass), finance broker Mick Warne (Lyons) and hospitality business owner Karen Spaulding (Braddon).
Married with four children and one grandchild, Mr Winter is a long-time Hobart resident and owner of the Lauderdale café and bakehouse which he has operated for 16 years.
An excellent footballer, he played with the Geelong and Essendon reserves before moving to Tasmania in 1989, where he amassed 240 games and was part of nine premierships with the Clarence District Football Club, three as a playing coach.
Mr Winter currently coaches the Lauderdale senior team which competes in the Tasmanian State League. He is in his 10th year as senior coach.
“Australian politics is in a mess. I want to be part of the solution cleaning the mess up and gaining much needed respect. Our politicians are embarrassing not only in Australia but also overseas, this needs to be fixed urgently,” he said.
A former motor racing driver with numerous wins and several state championships, Allan Roark now works as a corporate driver trainer and high performance race driving coach as well as running his own marketing company.
He has extensive experience in small business, originally with his involvement in the metal fabrication and building supply sectors and then the hospitality industry as licensee of a large hotel and function centre.
He is also passionate about the rural and agricultural community and has been patron of Agfest for the last two years.
“I will represent Bass with a fierce determination to turbo charge the economy and ensure no one is left behind economically,” Mr Roark said.
As a self-employed entrepreneur for 19 years backed by 28 years as an employee including with Australia’s largest telecommunications company, Mick Warne brings an outstanding work ethic and strong people skills to the United Australia Party which he first joined in 2014 when under the PUP banner.
He has worked across Australia including as an Area Manager in the Kimberley and Northern Territory but has always called Tasmania home. With wife Raelene holding the home front in Brighton, Mick is traveling the state serving and advising across a number of different and diverse industries with senior management.
“I’m old enough to remember when we could trust our elected leaders to govern for the people not necessary for their own vested interests,” Mr Warne said.
“I have two grandchildren with a third due in September and I wish for them the country I started my adult life in, not what can be expected from our current situation with a two-party system,” he said.
With a Diploma of Agriculture from Tasmanian Polytechnic, Karen Spaulding grew up near Latrobe, Tasmania, on the family farm.
For 10 years she owned and operated an agribusiness supplying vegetables to the major supermarkets in Tasmania, Victoria and Sydney.
She currently runs accommodation for young people and backpackers and is passionate about giving back to the community through girl guides, scouting and Lifeline.
“I am proud to belong to a political party leading Australia with clear purpose, strength and confidence,” she said.
Experienced government advisor and business advocate Kevin Morgan had been pre-selected to lead the party’s Senate team in Tasmania.
Mr Morgan contested the north-west Tasmanian seat of Braddon for the former Palmer United Party at the 2013 federal election, polling 9.29%
Born and bred in Tasmania, Mr Morgan learned the importance of dedication, team work and leadership as a player, coach and administrator in multiple sports.
He studied electrical engineering and began work with the Hydro Electric Commission in 1977.
Mr Morgan started and operated his own electronic monetary processing system from 1993 to 2009 before working as Adviser with the Department of Premier and Cabinet supporting Business and the vegetable processor McCain’s Community Taskforce from 2010 to 2013.
He has since worked as a marketing specialist for small business and has extensive campaign experience with the former Palmer United Party where he was state leader in Federal and State elections and the party’s Tasmanian Senate Leader.
Number two on the United Australia Party’s Senate ticket is respected educator David Williams.
Currently a registered teacher in a relief teacher capacity at high schools in southern Tasmania, Mr Williams has worked on contract and as a relief teacher for the Tasmania Department of Education for the past four years.
He has taught at college, secondary, primary and special education schools in northern and southern Tasmania, as well as at TasTAFE, where he teaches music industry and music business units to Cert III, Cert IV and Diploma students within the music and sound production team at TasTAFE, Alanvale.
“I believe in the capacity of creativity and innovative thinking to solve problems, develop opportunities and improve people’s lives, especially in relation to education, business development and employment,” Mr Williams said.
