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Newcastle Greens
Monday, 7 March 2011
Greens release criteria for Newcastle and Wallsend preferences decision
Newcastle Greens today made public the list of criteria for determining their preference recommendations to Greens voters in the Newcastle and Wallsend electorates.
The Greens candidates for Wallsend (Keith Parsons) and for Newcastle (John Sutton) said that the local campaign team was aiming to make a final decision about local preference recommendations as soon as possible after the close of nominations on Thursday, when the full field of candidates would be known.
Both candidates said that they were surprised at the lack of apparent interest from other candidates in Greens preferences, despite the fact that they could be decisive in their electorates.
Mr Parsons said that some Wallsend candidates had contacted him to discuss Wallsend issues, but had not yet mentioned preferences.
Mr Sutton said that none of the three other major candidates for the seat of Newcastle (Jodi McKay, Tim Owen and John Tate) had yet approached The Greens to ask for preferences.
“The Greens don’t do backroom deals on preference recommendations,” Mr Parsons said. “If we’re going to recommend that Greens voters preference particular parties and candidates we do it transparently, and make everything public. That’s what this list of criteria is about, and why we’re releasing it today.
“The list was developed by local members from the key local election campaign issues they determined.
“Any candidates who approach us about preferences will be referred to a group of local Greens members delegated to ask the candidates about their stance on the ten listed issues.
“That group will report these responses to a meeting of local Greens members later this week, which will then decide the final preference recommendation for the how-to-vote cards that local Greens boothworkers will be handing out on election day in Wallsend and Newcastle.
“In the absence of any direct approach from other candidates and parties, local Greens members will decide the preference recommendations on Greens how-to-vote cards based on their knowledge of the relevant parties’ or candidates’ records and positions on these issues,” Mr Parsons said.
Mr Sutton said that the optional preferential system used in state elections meant that many voters often choose not to allocate preferences at all, making them less important than in federal elections.
“But – in the tight finishes that we might see in some local seats – even a small trickle of preference votes might just make the difference,” Mr Sutton said.
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Newcastle Greens Preference Criteria Statement
(Released 7 March 2011)
In considering and making preference recommendations to Greens voters in Wallsend and Newcastle for the March state election, Newcastle Greens will consider any relevant record, policies and public statements of candidates and their associated parties on the basis of their:
1. willingness to reverse the privatisation of the state’s electricity assets;
2. opposition to the alienation of Newcastle’s public coastal lands and assets for private benefit;
3. support for increased funding to public education and for ceasing public funding of wealthy private schools;
4. support for an integrated transport plan for Newcastle that is controlled locally and includes funding for a transport interchange at Glendale and maintenance of the rail line and intercity train services to Newcastle station;
5. support for establishing a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:4 in our public hospitals, and for funding community and preventative health measures in the Hunter region;
6. support for phasing out coal-fired power stations and coal exports, and for no new coal mines and no further coal-seam gas exploration and mining;
7. support for investing in renewable energy research and projects to boost and diversify the Hunter economy and to create jobs;
8. support for building publicly owned renewable energy generators;
9. support for a major review of the NSW Planning system, including repealing Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, returning planning power to local communities and councils, and introducing an independent planning commission to oversee genuinely state significant development;
10. support for the principles stated in the Unions NSW “Better Services for a Better State” agreement.
