Dr Clive Hamilton. Credit Australian Greens
By Rich Bowden:
The Australian Greens have today announced that academic, author and climate expert Dr Clive Hamilton will contest the recently-vacated, blue-ribbon seat of Higgins.
Seeking to emphasise the climate issue prior to key talks in Copenhagen, Greens Leader Bob Brown said in a statement today that Dr Hamilton will “raise the level of debate on climate change.”
“Clive Hamilton is an outstanding Australian who has pioneered national debate on climate change and social justice. He offers the voters of Higgins a sharp intellect, a very strong social conscience and hard work as their representative in parliament. He will raise the level of debate on climate change and other national issues to a higher level in the House of Representatives,” Senator Brown said in a Greens news release.
Former head of think tank The Australia Institute and a Member of the Order of Australia, Dr Hamilton is a respected economist and author of several books on consumption, public policy and climate including “Scorcher: The Dirty Politics of Climate Change,” which described the Howard Government’s unwillingness to act on climate change.
Dr Hamilton said today that Australia, under the Rudd Labor Government, had once again fallen by the wayside on acting on climate change.
“With our country once again a laggard nation in response to global warming, and the government and opposition competing to vilify asylum seekers, never has a national and international standpoint been more sorely needed. Only the Greens can rise above the cheap politicking and take a principled stance, and I feel privileged to be their candidate. The people of Higgins and I now have the opportunity to make a bold national statement – Australia must take a lead in global issues.”
Senator Brown said Dr Hamilton’s candidacy had given the Greens a real chance of taking the seat vacated by former Treasurer Peter Costello.
“I think this is a fantastic opportunity for the people of Higgins to take up an alternative when they’ve been dudded by Labor. When Labor’s abandoned them,” he said to the ABC.
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Good article mate one day we mind end up with decent Politicians in positions capable of making change. After that PNG might get one or two as well.
Damian
Bob and Clive must be dreaming if they think they can win Higgins away from the Liberals. Even if Labor voters voted for the Greens, the Liberals would still win. Although it wouldn’t surprise me if the Liberals put in a dummy candidate just to make sure they get the winning votes.
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