Candidate for Hotham

About

I am a long-standing Greens member and committed environmentalist.

I have a long work history relevant to the challenges facing the people and the environment of Hotham. After commencing my career as a design engineer in government and in manufacturing, I later moved to employment management and teaching. My involvement with equal opportunity goes back many years, and my environmental interests stem from bushwalking and a year spent in the awe-inspiring wilderness of the Antarctic.

Complex issues are an irresistible attraction to me and I have had an involvement with climate change, eco-friendly living, the bushfires, economics and human behaviour. I really believe we all need to take a long term view of our future if we are to look our children in the eye when they ask “What did you do to stop the destruction?” A vote for me is a vote to ensure the long-term protection of our natural environment and to promote sustainable, responsible and equitable development of our suburbs.

When not out campaigning, I can be found cycling our pathways or messing about in the kitchen.

Policies

  • Implement the carbon tax initially at $20/Tonne as proposed by Professor Ross Garnaut – delaying its introduction now will force costs significantly upwards in future years.
  • Upgrade urban public transport and rail freight infrastructure, and in particular, fund improvements to the Pakenham railway line to reduce peak hour congestion.
  • Abolish university fees and forgive HECS-HELP debts
  • Expand the right to flexible working arrangements to everyone with caring responsibilities.
  • Return education funding to a more equitable balance between public and private schools.
  • Support tax reform incentives to transform Australian industry to lower carbon emissions and to develop products and solutions for a lower carbon future.