Charles Jago – Greens candidate for Drummoyne

NSW State election date: Saturday, 25th March 2023. See more Greens state candidates.

I first joined the Greens because I was concerned about climate change. Horrific climate change is now taking off, with frightening bushfires and floods. We must limit climate change to a 1.5 degree temperature increase to avoid untold damage. The major parties are acting too slowly with policies that don’t follow scientific advice.

Addressing climate change immediately as an urgent priority means no new coal or gas projects and transitioning our entire economy to zero carbon, getting to 75% of net zero by 2030. Whatever targets we adopt, it’s still a race for implementation as rapidly as possible. Greens policies will develop renewable energy, lower electricity prices, create employment and transition our economy to zero carbon. See more…

Corruption

The NSW Coalition has dishonestly allocated over $500 million of taxpayer funds in grants for its partisan political interests, and tried to cover up its actions. Examples of funding disproportionately given to Coalition seats include: the $252m “Stronger Communities Fund”, Round 1 Bushfire Recovery funding ($177m), and ClubGRANTS ($100m).

The Greens will ban all corporate political donations and protect whistleblowers. We will double ICAC funding, create new criminal offences for corrupt conduct and extend financial disclosure and transparency requirements for politicians. See more…

Overdevelopment

Drummoyne electorate in Sydney’s inner west area has long been targeted for intense high rise residential development by the NSW government, especially Rhodes and precincts along Parramatta Road.
In Rhodes, the government is planning for another 9,500 people with towers up to 45 storeys. How will those people get to work, to school or to recreation areas from this peninsula which already has major transport constraints? The Greens are calling for a public inquiry into the plans for development in Rhodes.
Along Parramatta Road, the Government has directly rezoned precincts for medium and high density including towers over 20 storeys. See more…

Transport

Despite the NSW Coalition Government spending billions of dollars on expressways, the rail and road networks are already completely overloaded. Here are the key areas include:

• With the T9 Northern Line the most congested railway line in Sydney, residents often experience packed trains in Rhodes, Concord West or North Strathfield. The line needs greater throughput, most likely by adding new tracks.
• The NSW government promised a “Rapid Transit System” along Parramatta Road from the CBD to Burwood station to open with WestConnex – not delivered.

Experts say that only public transport has sufficient capacity to reduce congestion. A recent study completed by Strathfield, Burwood and Canada Bay councils predicts even greater congestion. See more..

Education

Long-term under-spending by the NSW government has created an education crisis. Underpayment of teachers has created a teacher shortage, while under-investment in schools has left schools struggling to cover basic maintenance. A new Concord High School upgrade will accommodate existing students now in some twenty demountables (more than 40% over capacity), but the government has no plan to provide for hundreds of additional public high school students in Canada Bay over the next 10 years, forcing many families to put their teenage children into private schools. Canada Bay LGA will need an additional public high school within five years.

Health

While the government has implemented specific high-profile hospital upgrades including a new building at Concord Hospital, the health system’s ongoing crisis continues with extensive staff shortages and underpayment, beginning before the onset of COVID. The government must expand the health system with more doctors, nurses, ambulances and other personnel, and must significantly improve their wages.

Environment

The NSW Government still supports current and new coal mining and gas fracking projects, despite the need for no new coal or gas projects, and to phase out all coal and gas by 2030. The NSW Government has presided over huge loss of species due to their atrocious record on logging, land clearing and development decisions. They have managed the Murray Darling into awful decline, ignoring their promises under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

Greens policies will stop unsustainable logging, restore biodiversity protections and severely limit biodiversity offsets. See more…

Housing

The Greens will treat housing as a necessity for everybody, not just something for investors to get a return on. Housing is a basic need, like healthcare and education. Access to a secure home should not depend on how much money you have. We will secure the rights of renters, including ending unfair ‘no-grounds’ evictions, capping rent by linking it to the Consumer Price Index, allowing people who rent to keep pets (note that federal Labor has now adopted this long-standing Greens policy) and allowing renters to make minor changes. More on renters rights…

The Greens have a broad platform which includes building 300,000 social homes in NSW to banish waiting lists and end homelessness. We will act to substantially increase the energy efficiency of homes. See more…

First Nations Justice

The Greens will establish treaties now with each of the First Nations peoples in NSW, release First Nations people from jail through a De-Incarceration Commission chaired by a First Nations judge and repeal the culturally destructive forced child removal laws. The Greens support the Uluru Statement from the Heart including the First Nations Voice to Federal Parliament. See more…

Ending violence against women

The Greens will implement a broad program for gender equality, and introduce a holistic whole-of-government approach to tackling family violence. We will provide immediate and ongoing support for those experiencing violence, including specialist services for women from different backgrounds. See more…

Jobs and employment

Millions of people are struggling to keep their head above water, while big corporations are making big profits and have too much power. Working people need better rights, higher pay and more secure work. Working people need to be safe at work. See more…

What can you do to support your Greens candidates?

• Become a Greens member
• Become a Greens supporter. Volunteer to help on our campaign:
  • Social media and other communications
  • letterbox,
  • hand out at pre-poll, and
  • on election day
• Donate – every $ helps. The Greens don’t take corporate donations.
• Like Canada Bay Greens on Facebook and Instagram.

Relevant past posts

Charles Jago in Daily Telegraph climate picnic article [12/4/2022]

Transport issues [9/4/2022]