Independent Senate candidate David Pocock has narrowed in on his core concerns of climate, integrity, housing affordability and cost of living as the hotly contested fight for the two ACT senate seats takes shape.
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At his official campaign launch in Canberra, the rugby great and long-time environmental advocate has also repeated his call, given in an interview on Saturday with The Canberra Times, for the ACT's "fair share" of multi-billion dollar infrastructure funding, including a need for world class facilities to help Canberra "build back stronger."
The campaign speech in front of several hundred supporters was a broad brush of his platform with Prime Minister Scott Morrison yet to call the election. Mr Pocock has promised to roll out the details of his election policies and pledges over the next few weeks.
He declared he is to target 'too-hard basket' concerns such as restoring integrity and rebuilding public trust, bold action on climate change, backing a "frank and fearless" public service and the rising cost of living in Australia. Mr Pocock is also to pursue action on housing affordability, a First Nations voice to Parliament and greater infrastructure funding for the ACT to "ensure Canberra is the capital city we can continue to be proud of."
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With the uncertainty of war in Europe, the former Wallabies captain said leadership is needed more than ever but "many of us feel a deep frustration and anger with national politics."
"Our so-called leaders are not serving us, they're not working for us, they're not making decisions every day to make our lives better and turn the big challenges we face into opportunities," he said.
"We're all human and we will make mistakes, but we can be committed to something bigger than ourselves.
"Changing that for our community here in Canberra is one of the main reasons I am running for the Senate. To ensure people across the ACT have someone representing them who cares about their future, who isn't afraid to tackle the issues that matter and who, at the end of the day, is accountable to this community."
Mr Pocock is one of four candidates in 2022 vying for just two ACT senate seats. He and fellow independent Kim Rubenstein and the Greens' Tjanara Goreng Goreng are taking on Liberal minister Zed Seselja and Labor frontbencher Katy Gallagher. Since 1975, the two seats have been returned every election to the Liberal and Labor candidates.
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