2024-04-11
City of Vincent Councillor Sophie Greer has been preselected to run as the Greens candidate for Perth in the next federal election against incumbent ALP Member Patrick Gorman.
The Greens need just an 8.4% swing to win the seat of Perth at the next federal election, which is smaller than the swings achieved to win the Greens electorates of Melbourne, Griffith and Ryan.
The Perth campaign is expected to scale a massive field campaign akin to previous winning campaigns in Victoria and Queensland, with the intention to speak with more than half the voters in the electorate.
The campaign will focus on the key areas of climate, housing and healthcare. Emissions have surged in Western Australia, with the state’s 2024 totals on track to reach about 20% above 2005 levels, and Labor’s continued iterative support of Woodside’s Burrup Hub and Scarborough gas projects have demonstrated the government’s failure to stand up to gas corporations. Thousands of voters in the electorate work for Royal Perth Hospital, which has been plagued with ramping issues as well as pay disputes and concerns about nurse to patient ratios.
Patrick Gorman is already running paid attack ads featuring the Greens on social media and digital channels according to the Facebook ads library.
Lines attributable to Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP
“Perth voters are some of the most powerful in the country. They can choose between a Labor MP who supports opening up new coal and gas projects including Scarborough and the Burrup Hub, or a Greens MP that helps hold the balance of power in both houses of parliament.
“More than 40% of households in Perth are renting and they know that the system is stacked against them, because Labor backs unlimited rent increases while giving billions in handouts to wealthy property investors that deny renters the chance to buy their own home.
“Sophie is a true community representative who will fight for the people of Perth on housing, healthcare and climate.
“More Greens in parliament will fight for no new coal and gas, limits on rent increases, an end to unfair tax handouts to wealthy property investors and for big corporations to pay their fair share to fund the services we all rely on.”
Lines attributable to Greens candidate for the federal electorate of Perth, Sophie Greer:
“Right now so many in Perth are struggling to get by. Each month prices go up, rents go up and calls for investment in the services and programs our community needs go unanswered.
“If just 1 in 10 people vote Greens for the first time, we’ll turn Perth Green, and our doorknock strategy is aiming to speak to more than half the voters in this electorate.
“In Perth, less than 1 in 6 GP clinics offer bulk billing services, nearly half the community are facing the worst rental crisis in generations and the other half are being squeezed by the rising cost of living.
“Meanwhile the Labor party has held this seat for nearly half a century and in that time they have helped legislate a system that punishes too many and rewards far too few.
“In a wealthy country like Australia, a roof over everyone’s head, food on everyone’s table and healthcare for all shouldn’t be an aspiration; it should be the reality.
“Together, we can prove that community power can take on the big party machine and elect someone who will work for our community’s interest and not the corporate interest.”