Gold Coast Greens

Larissa Waters - Qld Greens' lead senate candidate - met members and Greens' supporters on 22 May at Main Beach and Mudgeeraba, to answer their questions on Greens' policies, talk about the election campaign and introduce herself.

Branch members set up "Vote 1 Greens" signs prominently around Southport Surf Life Saving Club and in the hub of Mudgeeraba, where Larissa was speaking.

Issues raised included a stronger population policy, jobs, the mining super tax, asylum seekers, whether the Greens were open to negotiation with the major parties or simply opposed to all the major parties' policies, sustainable economy and small business concerns and climate change.

Larissa assured the relaxed and informal gatherings, that climate change was going to be highlighted in the Greens' campaign as the Greens believe that climate change poses the greatest threat to our world in human history. She said that such a pending disaster requires urgent local, national and global action and the cost of addressing it now is far less than the cost of failing to do so. Furthermore Larissa pointed out that green jobs' opportunities were out there just waiting to be created, that protecting the climate is a job for everyone and that, under the Greens, greens jobs will be prioritised through training and the transfer of subsidies and government support, including funding for research and development, into energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The Greens senate candidate said that the Greens support the mining super tax and will ensure that laws governing corporations and business practices promote social and environmental responsibility and respect for human rights. The Greens will establish an independent Corporate Responsibility Index, ranking the financial, social and environmental performances of businesses and corporations, and they will create tax incentives for socially and environmentally responsible initiatives, including participation in the United Nations Global Compact.

With regard to business she said that the Greens want an economy that meets human needs without unnecessarily damaging the natural environment, and that in the exercise of their functions, corporations and governments must be fully accountable to the broader community. Furthermore industry policy and major infrastructure decisions must be consistent with national environmental and social goals.

On population Larissa stressed that the Greens believe Australia must contribute to achieving a globally sustainable population
and this involves a very complex interaction of many issues. Our population policy should be determined by its commitment to ecological sustainability, global and domestic social justice and equity, intergenerational equity our international human rights obligations, decent wages and conditions for all workers and multiculturalism.

Lastly, Larissa said that the Greens were always prepared to talk with the major parties on developing policies that would fit with the Greens four pillars - ecology, democracy, social justice and peace.

Discussions were lively and both events were illuminating and enjoyable.

The Cadjler solar stove - a prize in the branch raffle- was also a big hit!