The Illawarra's Greens candidates have made their final pitch to voters, renewing their promises of investment in the region's groundbreaking women's trauma centre and the Maldon-Dombarton rail link should their party hold the balance of power after the election.
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Cunningham candidate Dylan Green and Whitlam's Jamie Dixon were yesterday joined in Wollongong by Senate hopeful David Shoebridge.
If the party were to gain the power of forming a minority government, Mr Dixon said the Greens would funnel $24 million into the future Women's Trauma Recovery Centre.
"We've got a $2.5 billion infrastructure fund that will see the Maldon-Dombarton rail link completed," he said.
Mr Dixon said the Greens had concentrated "very heavily" on the Illawarra and backed the creation of renewable energy in the region through solar, offshore wind and green hydrogen, as well as the production of green steel.
"It will create the jobs that the people in the Illawarra need, it will use the skill set that we've already got, and it will benefit the entire Australian economy in terms of green renewable manufacturing," he said.
The Greens' $19 billion 'jobs for jobs' guarantee for coal workers, Mr Dixon said, would ensure that decarbonisation did not disadvantage anyone in the coal industry.
"It will provide 10 years' worth of wages and entitlements, equal to what they're currently getting in the coal industry, as they transition to a new industry," he said.
Mr Green said the Greens were the "only progressive voice" in the Cunningham electorate, which ABC's Vote Compass determined was the seventh most progressive seat in Australia.
"I've been really proud to be a Greens candidate this election... I believe that the Greens have a really strong policy platform, and I would love to be the representative of these people so that I can stand up for what makes a safe society for all of us," he said.
As well as the balance of power, Mr Shoebridge said the Greens were hopeful of having a record 12 senators in parliament.
If the Greens got the numbers in parliament, he said, they would "kick the Morrison government out" and "make a minority Labor government better".
"We want to take real action on climate, we want to keep coal and gas in the ground, but we also want to look after coal-dependent communities with a 'job for job' guarantee for miners," Mr Shoebridge said.
"We know we need to tackle the housing affordability crisis."
Mr Shoebridge said the Greens would also "get dental into Medicare, we'll prioritise public education over private schooling, we'll make Australia a far fairer place".
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
