The Greens have today endorsed former Gasfield Free Northern Rivers spokesperson Adam Guise as their candidate for Lismore for the 2015 NSW election.
The announcement took place at the site of the historic Bentley Blockade where he played an active role in the community win which suspended Metgasco’s invasive gas drilling.
Mr Guise said it was ‘a great honour to be endorsed as the Greens candidate for the 2015 election. We have a wonderful, vibrant community which I am impassioned to fight for.’
He will be running against the National Party incumbent Thomas George, who has held the seat since 1999. Mr George was returned with a 60.1 per cent majority in 2011 but the Greens’ candidate Sue Stock came in second with 21 per cent of the vote.
Lismore councillor Isaac Smith will represent the ALP at next year’s election. Labor took just 13.3 per cent of the first count last time.
Mr Guise is optimistic the Greens are in with a chance this time.
‘Thomas George and the National Party have betrayed this community,’ he said.
‘This government and previous Labor governments have allowed invasive gasfields to threaten the water, farmland and climate which we depend on for our food, wellbeing and livelihoods.’
‘The Greens want to change the way we do politics in NSW. People are tired of the major parties looking after their mining mates and vested interests who are not genuinely representing the community.’
‘The corrupting influence of mining companies on our political system has to stop. There is a crisis in democracy that can only be fixed by real grassroots representation.’
‘The Lismore region has a bright future in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and tourism which are a far better alternative than industrialised gas fields.’
‘It’s critical with optional preferential voting for voters to number every square and put the Nationals last for a gasfield free Northern Rivers.’
‘I look forward to a positive election campaign where we unseat the incumbent National Party and bring true representation to the electorate of Lismore.’
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