GREENS MPs holding the balance of power in the Victorian parliament “could be a successful way of going forward on climate”, according to Mat Morgan, the party’s Upper House candidate for Eastern Victoria, which includes the Mornington Peninsula.
“If we can’t get climate change right, then there’s no point,” Morgan said. “If successful in getting into parliament, I will look out for Mornington Peninsula residents on my watch.”
Morgan was speaking at Balnarring Hall at a “meet the candidate event launch” on Saturday 24 September along with three Greens candidates for the Lower House seats of Hastings (Paul Sanders), Mornington (Harry Sinclair) and Nepean (Esther Gleixner). Labor’s Chris Brayne (Nepean) is the peninsula’s only sitting MP contesting the Saturday 26 November state election.
“More public and affordable housing, a cap on rentals, action against soaring electricity and cost of living prices, and protecting wildlife and the green wedge are top of the agenda down here,” said Morgan, who lives in Foster.
“The Eastern Victoria region is huge, but I have come over here to lend my support and assure locals I am well aware of the battles they have fought and won over the years to save Point Nepean, stop AGL gas and save Western Port from the Port of Hastings expansion.”
The candidates later issued a news release stating that they were committed to helping small business “expand into more sustainable and innovative enterprises and grow local jobs and reduce overheads such as electricity costs through solar incentives as part of a clear Greens plan to transition away from coal and gas and invest in 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030”.
“Having Greens MPs across the peninsula is the only way to protect our way of life, our beautiful local environment and finally draw attention to the issues the peninsula has been struggling with for decades under the other two major parties,” Gleixner said.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 4 October 2022
