2 May 2025

Greens candidate for Cunningham Jess Whittaker says the party remains the only one putting forward a genuine plan to address the climate crisis and the devastation of the environment.

The Wollongong councillor and paramedic said the party still holds the ecological sustainability values of its founder Bob Brown, and stressed voters were eager to see positive action taken to combat the worst effects of climate change.

“Ecological sustainability is one of the four pillars of the Greens, and it was a key reason I became politically active,” Jess said.

“People during the campaign still rightly mention the role Bob Brown played in our movement, and his relentless advocacy for the environment goes on with the amazing work of the Bob Brown Foundation.

“You have seen from Bob’s comments throughout the campaign he still very much believes in the Greens.”

Speaking previously in the campaign, Bob Brown, who was the leader of the Australian Greens from 2005 to 2012, said the party remains committed to the environment.

“The Greens are what we’ve always been - a dynamic party committed to protecting our environment, acting on climate and working for social justice,” Bob said.

“Saving what is left of our forests and wildlife is an urgent task. Like whaling in 1978, this election should see the logging of our native forests brought to an end."

The Greens are taking a raft of environmental policies to the election, including, but not limited to, stopping new coal and gas operations, ending fossil fuel subsidies, ending native forest logging, expanding publicly-owned renewable energy and creating thousands of jobs during the transition.

Jess, who is regularly involved in community-led climate protests, beach cleans up, and tree-planting days, said dealing with ecological sustainability is something everyone should play a part in.

“Ecological sustainability is core to the Greens at all three levels of government - from the community to Canberra,” Jess said.

“The old parties are not the answer to the climate crisis. Parties in the pocket of coal and gas, and big business, cannot be the answer.

“We see the contempt Labor and the Coalition show the environment often, but even in the last week of parliament, they were prepared to kill off the Maugean skate, a literal living dinosaur, for a couple dozen jobs and some votes.

“Labor have gutted Australia's environmental laws which will have a far broader impact than just Macquarie Harbour. It is appalling these laws are now weaker than when coal-holding Scott Morrison was in office.”