Environmental activist and local union organiser Asren Pugh will be seeking preselection nomination to run for Labor in the seat of Ballina at the 2019 NSW state election.
‘This bungling Liberal National Party state government is prioritising building new sports stadiums in Sydney, rather than local services in the bush,’ he said.
He says he would focus on issues such as high-quality health and hospital services, and local public education from preschool to university.
Other priorities include homeless, refuge and disability services, public transport and tourists paying their ‘fair share through a bed tax instead of lumping residents with higher council rates.’
‘I want local roads that don’t pop your tires.’
Mr Pugh joins Ballina Shire Deputy Mayor Keith Williams, who threw his hat in the ring for ALP preselection last month.
If you’re planning to stand in the this seat surely you would include the environment in your priorities. Failure to do so shows a worry lack of familiarity with your chosen electorate
Hi Meg,
The article above is edited by the journalist from my press release so doesn’t include everything I said. I can guarantee you that the environment is very important to me and close to my heart. Climate change, our forests and oceans and our native wildlife are all under threat and need protecting.
Hmmm… i think when someone is an ‘environmental activist’ it ticks that box
I think you will find he has done more work on environmental issues than the greens who have achieved, oh a rate rise of 33% in Byron Shire.
Let’s face it, it’s the nats/Libs who have to be fought in this electorate for there failures across all areas like lack of action on the Richmond River(think of how well they are doing on the Murray/Darling River System), uncontrolled land clearing and lack of action on Koala protection( not token small scale habitat protection – they don’t get it).