Thread by @helenhainesindi

Last night on #QandA we spent most of the show arguing about politicians' bad behaviour. At a time when so many issues need attention, this was a miss. Every minute politicians talk about themselves is a minute not spent on our real jobs: making people's lives better. 👇

In a time of immense challenges for so many, we should be laser-focused on supporting Australians to get back on their feet. Here are five issues that are critical to people in Indi right now that we could have spent an hour discussing last night on QandA.

One: the unemployment crisis. In Indi the number of people on JobSeeker has gone up 68% since March. Look at these numbers - in some towns it's up 200%. For a small town, suddenly having 300+ people out of work is a full blown crisis - and right now there's no real plan out.

Two: mental health. In a recent survey I ran, 71% of people in Indi wanted the Government to do more on mental health. Access to mental health is much harder in regional areas. This comment from a constituent in Benalla was one of many people crying out for more support.

Three: aged care. The stories I hear from constituents waiting for home care packages are heartbreaking. There are almost 1000 people in Indi on the wait list. And at the current rate it will take 26 years for Australia to fully clear that list. These people are entitled to care.

Four: bushfire recovery. Huge swathes of my electorate were hit by the fires. Tourism, beef, dairy, wine and forestry sectors were particularly hard-hit. People lost homes. And yet the bushfire recovery has not been good enough - we need more resources, delivered faster.

Five: JobKeeper. Some businesses are starting to recover, but many are still in dire straits. They're looking at the end of JobKeeper and seeing no plan to help them stay open. In Benalla recently, a much-loved small business owner told me that without more support they'll close.

This is what politics should be about. Creating jobs. Delivering mental health services. Caring for our elderly. Supporting the bushfire recovery. But when politicians behave badly, we all get caught up discussing them, and not the Australian people. That's the real scandal.