2022-03-26
It’s never been clearer that climate change hits everyday people the hardest. Getting Greens in balance of power means we will get action not just on climate, but on housing, income support and cost of living.
By Adam Bandt
I spent this week in the Northern Rivers, NSW, alongside locals Mandy Nolan (Greens candidate for Ballina, Byron and Tweed shires) and David Shoebridge (Greens NSW Senate candidate).
Together, we visited community members affected by the floods and listened to their stories.
We met pensioners who were talked out of flood insurance after their premiums increased by 70%, who are now facing astronomical bills to repair their homes.
We met with single mothers who have paid more than $10,000 for a month of rent, in an extortionate market where most rental properties have been converted into short-stay luxury accommodation, and there’s nowhere for locals to go.
We met with single parents who couldn’t compete in the rental market and are now bush camping indefinitely. They told us how their kids are so unsettled, how they have no routine, how they’re all waking up from nightmares about waters rising again.
We heard of First Nations people who have lived on and cared for Country for generations, who are no longer able to afford to live on Country.
It’s absolutely crystal clear in the Northern Rivers how interlinked climate and inequality are. If you’re a renter or you’re precariously employed (say, as a casual disability support worker), you’re hit the hardest when your home becomes unlivable and your car is no longer driveable.
In the Northern Rivers we committed to an urgent build of 15,000 public homes. Low cost, secure, long term rentals, and high quality housing is what the community is desperate for.
We’re also campaigning to lift every Centrelink payment to $88 a day. Jobseeker is currently $45 a day, and the age pension is $63 – both far below the poverty line and unacceptable.
It’s never been clearer that climate change hits everyday people the hardest, and getting Greens in balance of power means we will get action not just on climate, but on housing, income support and cost of living, so that nobody is left behind.