Libertarian opposes major parties

GUILDFORD-based engineer and Liberal Democrat Party candidate Matt Bansemer said he was motivated to run for the Federal seat of Bendigo by the Victorian and Australian governments’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had our rights removed and returned to us as privileges in exchange for our personal sovereignty,” he said. “I don’t think the risk of COVID has really warranted that.

“My general ethos as a libertarian is very much to take responsibility for myself and not to engage with telling other people what to do.”

The father of two lives off-grid and works as an engineer for Bridgewater company Ceramet Solar.

He said he is “very aware of the benefits and limitations of renewable energy.”

One of 10 Liberal Democrats policies outlined in the party’s Freedom Manifesto is cheap and reliable energy and Mr Bansemer said he supports a market approach to electricity supply

The LDP support a repeal of Australia’s ban on nuclear energy and wants no net-zero emissions target.

“The net zero target from the Greens, Labor and Liberal party is technologically illiterate and dangerous if they attempted to implement it,” Mr Bansemer said. “Almost certainly they won’t, in which case it’s a lie.”

The Liberal Democrat also campaign for the decentralisation of education, allowing for schools to opt out of the national curriculum and abolishing centralised testing such as NAPLAN.

Mr Bansemer represents one of four minor parties running for the seat of Bendigo, including the Greens, the United Australia Party and One Nation.

He said while traditionally the seat is contested by Liberal and Labor candidates, it is not out of the “realms of possibility” for minor parties to preference each other and turn the seat marginal.

“I encourage Greens voters to preference LDP in the second spot, that way they can still vote for the Greens while also not endorsing the two-party system,” he said.

“Voters can expect more of the same if they return with a safe Labor seat, which is really not much.

“If it becomes marginal, I think it’ll get more Federal attention in terms of funding, if there’s an upset and a minor party is elected, then what they’ll get is representative democracy.”