As the Libertarian candidate for Barton, NSW, Vinay Kolhatkar believes in truth-telling and not compromising on his views. He is keen to address the improper transfer of wealth and to use federal power to make an impact on local issues.
What prompted you to run for Federal Parliament?
Vinay Kolhatkar: Most Australian politicians are either ignorantly making appalling decisions or lying to you. This is true virtually of all countries though. Libertarian theory understands these issues. I have studied real economics, politics, and ethics, since being a teenager. I wanted to know how well the truth sells. I was invited to stand for the federal by-election triggered in April 2024 by Scott Morrison’s resignation, and to market the new name the Libertarian Party (formerly Liberal Democrats). The message resonated with over 5,000 voters (6% of voters). Now I am doing it again.
Australia is very rich in coal and natural gas, and we need to let the free market work in energy, as we used to. Inflation is also hurting our community. And all inflation, everywhere, is caused entirely by delinking money from real value, by giving governments the right to issue any amount of debt and create more “fiat” money. When the gold standard was in place, there was zero inflation in the UK for a hundred years.
What do you think are the pressing needs of the local community in your area?
Vinay Kolhatkar: I have lived in the St. George area for over 36 years. Part of our community needlessly suffered when the state government absurdly delinked transport from population density. Oatley started having faster and more frequent trains than Rockdale or Kogarah. I have made many appeals on our community’s behalf to both Coalition and Labor state governments. Some, like a new traffic light along General Holmes Drive, have succeeded. Now the density in Rockdale and Kogarah has gone up even more since when there was abject transport injustice. This is a state issue, but the local federal MP who fights for you can make a positive difference.
The pressing needs, though, are cost of living and energy bills. I know how to end inflation permanently. Also, there is no climate emergency. Climate alarmism will prove needlessly costly to the world.
We have addressed many community issues in our policies. A key plank is to remove income taxation for taxable income below $50,000.
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There is much disillusionment with politics and politicians in current times. What would you do to change that public perception?
Vinay Kolhatkar: The primary goal of most politicians is to stay in power at all costs. They compromise endlessly to focus groups polling results. Bureaucrats and politicians control most research funds. This leads to science doing their bidding. The result is that it pits politics against the people generally, other than a few cronies who benefit from the improper transfer of wealth. We desperately need more truth-tellers in government. The electorate of Barton now has a chance to elect one. Another 25 electorates in NSW also have that opportunity. Crucially, one politician who never compromised his views at the cost of his political career was Craig Kelly and he is now our number 1 Senate candidate. I am a fervent fighter for free speech and what in philosophy is called “natural rights”.
Tell us a bit about your background – personal and professional
Vinay Kolhatkar: My home is here, in the St. George area, Sydney, NSW. I was born in India. I studied at UNSW. I am married with two children. I had a 25-year career in finance before I switched to writing screenplays and novels. Later I co-authored two nonfiction books (both with American nationals), one on the impact of neo-Marxism on the economy, culture, art, and politics. The other book is about ethics. So, I write, both fiction and nonfiction, and I also do podcasts (The Savvy Street Show on YouTube). My latest fictional work is a completed manuscript in search of a literary agent. It’s my first fictional work to be set in India. The story unravels in the period between 1990-93, a period of huge upheaval in India. The narrative deals with human trafficking and Bollywood, and major real events of the time are integrated into a fictional narrative.
