Greens hope to replicate council poll success

Larissa Waters, front, headlined the launch alongside candidates, from left, Anna Sri (Kawana), Rhonda Prescott (Noosa), Andrew McLean (Glass House), Raelene Ellis (Caloundra) and Sue Etheridge (Nicklin).

The Greens are aiming for success at the coming state election, hoping to replicate their results at the council elections where they polled over 22 percent and ran a close second in Division 5 as well as Division 10.

Senator Larissa Waters said the Sunshine Coast deserved representatives who would serve the community, not corporate interests.

“For too long, the major parties have taken the Sunshine Coast for granted because they are beholden to their corporate donors,” Senator Waters said.

“Our party does not take corporate donations, so we will always put people first.”

Greens candidate for Nicklin, Sue Etheridge is a small business owner with extensive experience in banking, finance and business management.  She is part owner and operator of a building company and aviation theory school, and has lived on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland for 38 years.

“I’m tired of the stale old parties who place the interests of big business ahead of our community,” Ms Etheridge said. “The Sunshine Coast needs a major investment to deal with the region’s growing unemployment rate.

“The Greens will create more than two thousand jobs for the Coast by investing in public housing, infrastructure, publicly-owned renewable energy, and revitalising local manufacturing.”

Greens candidate for Glass House Andrew McLean is a former youth pastor and small business owner who lives in Maleny.

“The major parties have left our rural communities floundering with a lack of job opportunities and inadequate services,” Mr McLean said.

“We will invest in health care and create 200 more jobs for doctors and nurses as well as 16 more community health centres.

“We will invest in genuinely free education with more teachers, smaller class sizes, and no more fees.”