Not long before for the Local Government Election on September 14, 2024 I announced my candidacy for the Byron Shire Greens team.
I joined an amazing group of women led by Sarah Ndjaye who has served as Deputy Mayor for the past four years. Elia Hague is a 28 year-old water engineer working hard on water security and urban planning for a resilient future.
There are also two fabulous Bundjalung women on there team - Arakwal leader Delta Kay who runs the award-winning indigenous tourism operation Explore Byron Bay, and Michelle Lowe who teaches jarjums at Byron Bay Public School.
I went to their campaign launch and was so impressed that when they asked me to join them as 5th on the ticket I found it hard to refuse. I've been 5th before, on the Clover Moore Team ticket with Sydney MP Alex Greenwich in 6th place. Christine Forster, Tony Abbott's sister took my seat on Council and I eventually made my way up to the Caldera and have been fully embraced for five years now. I want to give back. Even if three or four of us get in Byron will be loved back into its magical glory for sure.
Homes for All
There are so many pressing issues to tackle in the Shire. We currently have the highest rate of homelessness in NSW and we're determined to solve this massive problem. Housing for all is one of our policies. The current government has failed to fully fund Byron's homelessness service so I joined with Greens women at the Big Byron Sleep Out to raise money for Fletcher Street Cottage.
If you feel like chipping in please do! You'll be joining the likes of Chris Helmsworth who is a big supporter, and Justin Hemmes who has just donated $10,000 during our Sleep Out.
The 2022 flood event vividly demonstrated that communities have to step in where governments fail. We house and hosed and gave hope to those devastated by the deluge. The authorities dithered. Even now people are waiting for their promised house buy-backs and outstanding flood recovery money.
The unnatural disaster that struck us that fateful day in February (and then a month later) was climate induced. Humans are still addicted to coal and gas even though the poles are melting. How existential do you have to get to get it?
Byron Bay Surf Festival 2024
At the 2024 Byron Bay Surf Festival I joined with some environmental heavyweights from many different organisations who share a passion for the ocean.
CEO of Surfers for Climate Josh Kirkman and his partner Paloma were there with their new bub, as was the Surfing Senator Peter Whish-Wilson and his wife Nataie. Gabby Niuwenhof and her dad Andy from Byron Bay Dive Centre came to raise awareness about Leopard Sharks. Byron has the world’s largest aggregation of the beautiful, endangered sharks but these top food chain predators are under threat from climate change and overfishing.
My neighbour and Greens Candidate for Richmond Mandy Nolan held a press conference about their plight as they currently have no legal protection in Australian waters. The Cape Byron Marine Park is one of the few places where they can flourish and they’re a huge tourist drawcard for our region. The Greens eco-tourism plan is to protect them.
Co-founder of Take3fortheSea and OceanImpact.org Tim Silverwood was feeling the stoke of people coming together to talk solutions to our ocean's problems which are, after all, our own.
"We are all custodians of Country." - Auntie Millie Ingram
As Sydney Co-ordinator with Lock The Gate Alliance I hosted many events to protect our environment from coal and gas projects. Auntie Millie Ingram, NAIDOCs 2024 Elder of the Year, always came to acknowledge that we are all custodians, all of us who care about Country and Sea Lands - all of us eco-centric types, who have pledged to protect our planet.
You might’ve been out door-knocking with us or helping out on a market stall? Talking with people in our communities about the issues that matter, making life better for those people behind the doors is how we change the world. Folk are deeply concerned about the cost of living, the housing crisis, inappropriate development on flood plains, greed and the escalating climate crisis. Listening about these things has taught me that there is a lot of support out there for The Greens.
There’s also a lot of resistance to their popularity. Advance Australia, the group behind the defeat of the Voice Referendum, are throwing $5 million at three key Greens seats including Richmond. They don't want this enviro positive party to succeed.
While I didn't get a seat on council here, I am of course still engaged with the movement. People have the power to vote for a fairer system, one that refuses to drill baby drill for the sake of life on Earth. Together we are a force of and for nature and our collective humanity.