Elections > Federal Election 2007 > Candidates

Willy Bach

The Australian Greens candidate for Griffith

Greens candidate for Griffith

Why I am standing

I am running in this election because I am concerned that the trickster political operators of the major parties are toying with urgent issues like climate change. I have a granddaughter and will soon be seeing the arrival of her sibling. The Liberals have already squandered the reserves from the mining boom and plan to subsidise the dirty coal and dangerous nuclear industries.

Labor will be only marginally better. Neither of these parties have set intermediate targets for CO2 emissions reduction. You couldn't run a news agency with business skill like these. I nominated for Griffith because I live in the electorate and because I want to influence Kevin Rudd to behave like the Prime Minister of a democratic country that takes its responsibilities.

I also think that the Howard government has abused power and dismantled the democratic institutions of this country. The list that stretches back to 1996 is a long litany of illegal, callous and scurrilous acts. Ministerial responsibility is all but non-existent. Even the process of setting the election date at the whim of the incumbent Prime Minister, John Howard depended on how much of our tax money the government could misappropriate to send us propaganda and bombard us with inane TV advertisements.

I want to see a new government that works in a more accountable and consultative way. I do not want our government to send us to war for bogus concocted reasons and without a healthy discussion. I want a government that is prepared to listen because there is a healthy representation of Greens in the Senate to keep government under review.

If the people of Griffith elected me I would strive to be a good local Member. I will be watching Kevin Rudd very closely if he is elected and if he becomes Prime Minister.

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Important issues in my electorate

The Greens have a full suite of policies at the federal level. I am most concerned for the people of Griffith with affordable housing, global warming, renewable energy, public transport (including the Greens light rail plan), free public education, including tertiary level, health care and dental care.

Airtrain should be returned to public ownership in order to achieve the social and environmental outcomes we need in Griffith. I will oppose expansion of the airport and the development of an aerotropolis with its unacceptable impacts on the city of Brisbane.

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Important policy documents

Global warming, wetlands, biodiversity, renewable energy, water conservation, harvesting and recycling.

Bring the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ethical standards for business, an ethical foreign policy for Australia, justice for veterans, no more wars for foreign powers, peacekeeping duties for the ADF, a fair and humane refugee policy, end the excision of islands in Australian territorial waters, close the detention centre at Christmas Island.

Remove from the Prime Minister the power to declare war or send our ADF to undeclared wars.

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Contact Details

Other Candidates

COTTERILL, Rob - DEM
HASSALL, Andrew - FFP
HOWARD, P - IND
MCILROY, Jim - SAL
MYERS, Samantha - LDP
* RUDD, Kevin - ALP
THOMAS, Craig - LP

* incumbent

Previous Elections

Willy has also been a candidate in the following elections:

Queensland Election 2006
Federal Election 2004