By Parker McKenzie
United Australia Party candidate for Casey Anthony Bellve is a former Army infantryman, Air Force navigator and Australian Federal Police member.
He said he was inspired to enter politics because he has a duty to leave his family in a better position than what he inherited.
“I became concerned for the future and the country, my daughter and our all of our children and I asked myself, under the Liberal-Labor duopoly, are we leaving our country, our communities and our environment in a better position and the answer to me was no,” he said.
“I wanted change and I felt the only way to get that was to stand up and try and be that change.”
Mr Bellve said two key issues for the community leading into the next federal election are the rising cost of living and freedom.
“We’re all starting to really feel the pinch of ever-increasing food, fuel and energy costs. We still have got to pay off the $1 trillion debt that we’ve racked up,” he said.
“Freedom, and by that I mean permanently ending the government overreach into our lives and livelihoods, and health. I think the last two years has exposed just how decayed our health system has become under the Labor-Liberal duopoly.
“I think to sum it all up neatly would be we deserve better than the best the two major parties can offer.”
The national UAP policies include ending lockdowns, banning domestic “vaccine passports,” abolishing the national cabinet, investing in new nuclear technology, protecting free speech from international technology companies and protecting “Australian values”.
Mr Bellve said a vote for him wouldn’t be a vote for controversial members of the United Australia Party like Clive Palmer and Craig Kelly.
“I think for all political candidates, you can get tarred with other members of your party and I don’t think the UAP is any different to any of the other major parties,” he said.
“Ultimately, I’m here to represent the people of Casey, not the other members of the party. All they need to focus on is am I the right person and is the party the right party to represent them, not the other candidates.”
UAP party leader Craig Kelly has expressed a number of controversial or factually incorrect views throughout his time in parliament. He has said requiring children to wear masks is child abuse, advocated for the use of hydroxychloroquine despite research showing no clinical benefit to Covid-19 treatment and has repeatedly denied climate change as man-made.
Mr Bellve confirmed he would support a federal anti-corruption commission and action on environmental issues, which he would “leave to the experts.”
“Me being selected by the UAP to be their candidate is an honor, being given the opportunity to run and hopefully make a change is a privilege,” he said.
“People will be surprised if they look into the United Australia party by just how normal the candidates are.”
