Hi, I’m Mia Krasenstein, your Greens candidate for Vasse this election. I believe that our unique, small-town, relaxed lifestyle deserves to be protected and I feel so lucky to belong to this corner of the world.
My family has lived in this region for 25 years. I was born in Busselton hospital and raised on Yallingup Hill. I have local values and I share my love and appreciation for our environment with the local community. I know how important local businesses are to our community, and I believe everyone deserves a fair go and access to the services they need. As a local volunteer firefighter, I am currently training to defend the Yallingup area against the upcoming fire season.
I have worked with the Busselton Pride Alliance and other LGBTQ activists to help organise the resettlement of persecuted LGBTQ asylum seekers in the Middle East. This project resulted in the successful resettlement of Yahyia Alzandani, a trans man who is now comfortably safe in Busselton and has become a dear friend.
I was raised with strong Australian values; a sense of fairness and wanting to do the right thing. I studied law and politics at university in Perth because I was interested in learning about Human Rights. I want to help people access the resources they need to lead a safe and happy life, just like the one I was blessed with growing up.
This led me to repeatedly visiting India, where I volunteer at MITHRA, a disabled children’s orphanage. I work with children who come from nothing, and see the positivity and love that comes from them. I can see the poverty they face, and how much they struggle from lack of essential services. I see the environmental degradation from pollution around them. It is clear to me that a responsible government with good policies which support communities and protect the environment are the key to raising the standard of living. This is what I advocate for.
In sharp contrast to this I also spent 2 years in Norway. I was inspired by my time living in a country which is leading the world in social services, environmental policy, economy and wealth. I worked for a year in Norway’s most prominent climate change company, ZERO, where we created an international climate change conference that featured the Prime Minister, Shadow minister, the CEO’s of renewable energy companies and of the biggest oil and gas companies, as well as representatives from the World Bank and CEO’s of Climate Change Organisations.
My time there taught me that it IS possible for a Green-minded government to work WITH mining companies to implement greener solutions to cut emissions.
It IS possible to have a government that provides a high standard of social services and welfare and still have a strong economy.
In my work as an environmental consultant, I work mainly with land-based carbon projects spanning local and state governments, large corporations, farmers and carbon project developers. I have first-hand experience with carbon accounting and the carbon credit system, and have developed a deep understanding of the benefits, as well as the pitfalls. This experience helps underpins my advocacy for specific, targeted changes to legislation to strengthen the way in which our government tackles climate change.
It IS possible to have stronger environment policy without having to wait 20 years for a transition plan. We can subsidise electric cars, develop electric public transport, and have a waste system that recycles effectively. We can start doing those things now!
I am young, but I am qualified, I have experience, and I have our town’s values at heart. We need young blood to shake things up in Parliament. The future is in my generation, let me fight for it
