I’ve had some real wins this term by negotiating outcomes, building public pressure, and organising in the local community. And we’re only just getting started.
🌭 Provided 60,000 Free Meals
I’ve given up over $80,000 of my salary to help fund my weekly community dinners, and free weekly school breakfast programs run by my office and volunteers - now in four state schools a week in Griffith! I’ve also distributed tens of thousands of dollars worth of free food through our community pantry.
🏡 Won $3b for New Social Housing
As the Greens Spokesperson for Housing I secured the single largest investment in public and community housing from the Federal Government in more than a decade (and six times what the government had planned to spend).
⛈️ Helped Locals during Extreme Weather Events
My team and I mobilised our local Greens climate response team to prepare locals and clean up after Tropical Cyclone Alfred and last December’s flash flooding. We helped fill thousands of sandbags, organise free community dinners to areas without power, coordinated a fleet of utes to take damaged furniture and green waste to the dump, cleaned up houses, and provided other support.
🌳 Stopped Public Money Going to Fossil Fuels
We’ve kept taxpayers' money out of coal and gas by banning fossil fuel investment from government funds which had previously spent around $1.5 billion on coal, oil and gas projects.
🩺 Locked In More Free GPs
Thanks to pressure from the Greens, both Labor and the Coalition have committed to the Green’s plan to triple the bulk-billing incentive rate for everyone, making it easier for anyone to see the GP for free. I’ve also secured a commitment from the government for another Medicare urgent care clinic here in Griffith.
🔨 Secured $500m for Public Housing Upgrades
Now more than 100,000 public and community homes will have life changing upgrades to insulation, air conditioning and bill saving rooftop solar and batteries.
📚 Helped Families with Free School Supplies
I organised two major back to school events where I distributed free school supplies to hundreds of families in Griffith. I also hosted a free school holiday soccer tournament for kids and two free family fun days with activities and entertainment, to reduce the cost of living.
💧 Added Protection for Water from Gas Fracking
The Greens closed loopholes that meant gas fracking projects could sail through without any environmental assessments on how they’d impact water systems. Now all fracking has to go through the legal system and communities have a right to oppose them.
✈️ Small Steps to Reduce Flight Noise
I’ve negotiated improvements on flight noise from Brisbane Airport to push more flights over the water instead of over peoples’ homes. I’ve introduced a bill for a late night flight curfew and cap on flights and pushed both the government and the airport to take more action.
🧑💻 Won Better Rights for Workers
This includes a new ‘right to disconnect’ into workplace law so you don’t have to work when you aren’t paid to, and a requirement that parents will get paid superannuation while they are on paid parental leave.
⚡️ Locked In $1.7b to Lower Energy Bills
The Greens negotiated this new funding for an electrification package targeted at low-income people and renters to get off gas and save money on their power bills.
💰 Secured $300k in Local Grants
I secured grants for more than 65 local schools, community groups, sports clubs and local initiatives including West End Community Association, Southside Eagles Football Club, Bulimba Community Centre, Carina Senior Citizens Club and Holland Park Hawks.
🎓 Secured HECS Reduction and Fairer Tax Cuts
We’ve pressured Labor into wiping billions of dollars off of HECS debt balances, and made the Stage 3 tax cuts fairer with less for the top end of town and more for ordinary people.
🏘️ Put Rents on the National Agenda
Our 3 year long campaign to tackle the housing crisis has put real pressure on politicians to take action, finally giving renters and first home buyers a voice on the national stage. But we’ve still got a long way to go.
[Featured image credit: Patrick HAMILTON / AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE]