Lismore Greens candidate Adam Guise has set his sights on ending the almost 50-year reign of the National Party in Lismore.
At the opening of a campaign shop in Keen Street last night, Mr Guise urged voters to number all the boxes on their ballots, and to put the Nationals last.
“I’ve been encouraged by the enthusiastic support I have received so far in the campaign, and we hope to grow this people power campaign to take the fight to the Nationals on March 28.
‘Thomas George and the National Party have betrayed our community.
‘This government and the previous Labor government 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 our 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 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.
‘To secure a gasfield free Northern Rivers this election, it’s critical for voters to number every square and put the Nationals last.
‘The Greens stand for clean air, clean water, clean energy and clean politics.’
Former Greens MLC Ian Cohen, Cr Vanessa Ekins attended the opening as well as members and supporters packing out the office.
Mr Guise was pleased with the turnout and said he was confident he could increase the Greens vote.
The Greens received 21 per cent of the primary vote in the 2011 state election, ahead of Labor which scored just 13 per cent o primary votes.
Mr George attracted 61 per cent of the primary vote.
The Greens first must put in Lismore a new Art Gallery as the Gallery there now was only meant to be temporary. That replacement is one historic step.
Every day a temporary Art Gallery remains permanent means that conservatism will not be moved.
To set the record straight………
The Seat of Lismore has not always been a National Party stronghold for 50 years.
Robert Bruce Duncan (10 October 1928 – 7 May 2005) was the member for Lismore in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1965 to 1988, first as a member of the Country Party and then as an independent.
Duncan was born in Lismore to farmer Robert Duncan and his wife Mary Mustard. He was educated at public schools in the Lismore area and became a dairy farmer at Konorigan. On 21 August 1953 he married Marlene Brown, with whom he would have two sons.
In 1965, Duncan was preselected as one of two Country Party candidates for the marginal Labor seat of Lismore, held by Keith Compton. The Liberal Party also endorsed a candidate, making the seat a three-cornered contest. In the event, Duncan easily led the non-Labor candidates and was able to defeat Compton on the other candidates’ preferences. Duncan established a strong electoral record, making Lismore a safe seat in 1968 and being elected unopposed in 1971. He continued to hold the seat with large margins over the following years. In 1982, the National Country Party, as it had become, changed its name to the National Party. Duncan objected to the exclusion of the word “Country” from the party’s name, and resigned. The National Party, however, did not oppose his election in 1984 and he won his seat easily as an independent. Duncan retired in 1988, when the seat went back to the National Party.
Duncan was also a driving force in helping establish the Northern Region Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service in Lismore.