2022-04-09
Public school teacher and climate advocate Campbell Gome has been pre-selected as the Victorian Greens’ candidate for the seat of Northcote in the upcoming state election.
At the last state election the Greens had a 4.3 per cent swing towards them in Northcote and lost the seat by less than 800 votes, making for one of the tightest contests in the upcoming November election.
Gome has been a public school teacher for more than 12 years and lived in the community for 25. He raised his two daughters in Northcote and taught his first classes at Thornbury Primary School.
As well as being a staunch unionist and community activist, he has spent his life campaigning for urgent action on climate change and for the protection of our environment.
This includes demonstrating against the destruction of native forests and the extinction of the greater glider, calling for a rapid and just transition to renewables with Extinction Rebellion Darebin and being active in local land care projects to plant thousands of indigenous seedlings.
He was inspired to put his hand up for the state election after seeing so many children in Northcote and around the world attend climate rallies in recent years to fight for a healthy and sustainable planet.
Gome said those children were his students and his daughters, and that he knew it was time to get elected so that he could fight for their futures.
He said being elected to state parliament would give Northcote a powerful local voice for action on climate change, our housing and homelessness crisis, and First Nations justice including raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14.
Northcote is filled with diverse and passionate communities that care deeply about protecting our climate and environment and tackling social inequality.
That’s why the Greens are ready to elect a bold and determined voice to Parliament - one that will help keep the Liberals out and push the Government to go further and faster on the issues that matter to Northcote.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Greens Northcote candidate, Campbell Gome:
“We’ve seen the worsening impacts of climate change in recent years and not nearly enough Government action.
“In fact, here in Victoria our state government is approving new areas for gas drilling, keeping our polluting and dirty brown coal stations open for decades longer than they need to be and logging our precious forests at an alarming rate.
“For the 25 years I’ve lived and worked in Northcote, I’ve stood alongside my community and demanded greater action on climate change. But after seeing children in their millions march for a healthier planet, I realised it was time to take up that fight in Parliament.
“At this election the Northcote community has the opportunity to have a Greens state MP that would push the next government to go further and faster on tackling climate action, housing and homelessness and social inequality.”
Quotes attributable to Leader of the Victorian Greens, Samantha Ratnam MLC:
“The Northcote community has a choice - to elect a Labor member who continues to support opening up Victoria for more gas exploration and burning in the face of the climate emergency, or a powerful independent voice who can act on their values.
“Campbell has been a passionate advocate for his community for over two decades. His dedication to public service and teaching demonstrate the care and compassion that he will bring to Parliament.
“Electing another bold Green voice to Parliament gives us a chance to have even more real progressive voices pushing the next government to go further and faster on climate action and social inequality.”
Find out more about Campbell here.