With the 11th-hour election almost upon us, candidates are making their intentions known and Kashmir Miller, the Greens candidate for the seat of Page was at Lismore Quad yesterday to officially launch her campaign in the north of the electorate.
Ms Miller was joined by Cate Faehrmann, Greens Upper House MP, and local Greens member Sue Higginson, soon to replace Greens NSW Upper House MP David Shoebridge, who is standing for the Senate in this election.
Miller is a fifth-generation Northern Rivers woman who is well-known as a passionate youth advocate. On living in Lismore and experiencing the devastating floods, Kashmir says that over the past month we have watched a climate catastrophe descend on our communities and our homes. ‘I’m here to tell the government that the time for community consultation is far from over, and that we cannot engineer our way out of the climate crisis.’
Greens fighting for climate action
Miller says she is running for the Greens because only the Greens have fought, over many years, on climate change and government transparency issues such as a federal ICAC and donations reform, for comprehensive health care that includes dental and mental health in Medicare, and equity in educational opportunities. ‘After the catastrophic flooding of the Northern Rivers, the existing affordable housing crisis will worsen, and comprehensive mental health care will become vital to support our devastated communities.
‘We need a federal government that is prepared to act seriously on climate change, unlike the big parties, legislate towards net-zero by 2030 and adapt to the challenges of more extreme weather events.
‘The latest IPCC report has shown that everything is at stake in this election and we can take this opportunity to put the Greens in the balance of power and get Scott Morrison and the Coalition out.
‘If we don’t act now, we are on track for more climate catastrophes and an unliveable world.’
Supporting the efforts of the party
Miller says that a vote for the Greens is supporting the greater efforts of the party and their MPs. She was pleased to have Cate Faehrmann come up from Sydney for her launch. ‘Cate has been a great advocate for the Northern Rivers in the NSW Parliament, and over these last few weeks has supported us with fundraising, and supplies, as well as talking with community members – hearing their stories and concerns about the recent extreme flood events. Sue Higginson has just been preselected to take her expertise on the environment to NSW Parliament, meaning we will have a Lismore local fighting for us in the NSW Upper House.
‘When you vote for me in the House of Representatives and David Shoebridge in the Senate, you are getting representatives that will not be bought by coal and gas donors, instead of getting back to the business of protecting you and the planet.’
Miller is ready to engage with the communities of the Page electorate in the lead-up to the election to better understand and represent their values.
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