Wills Meet the Candidate Forums:

7pm – 8.30pm Tuesday 26 April. Coburg Uniting Church Hall, 19 Victoria Street, Coburg.
Climate Action Moreland, Neighbours United for Climate Action, and the Coburg Uniting Church organised a climate-centred candidates’ forum. The Forum was livestreamed and recorded. Registrations for in-person attendance was via Humantix. Doors openned at 6.30pm and Soulistas Choir provided pre-forum entertainment. Election Day is confirmed as 21 May 2022. 9 candidates have nominated for Wills.

Contents

• Candidates Forum Video and timeline, questions asked
• Forum Images
• Wills Candidates
• Live Twitter Thread
• Wills Electorate emissions snapshot
• Comparison on Party/candidate climate policy

Candidates Forum Video:

All candidates were invited to attend. The hall was filled to capacity.

Those who came included Peter Khalil MP (ALP), Sarah Jefford (Greens), Leah Horsefall (Animal Justice Party), Sue Bolton (Socialist Alliance) , and Emma Black (Victorian Socialists).

Tom Wright (Liberals) sent an spology. United Australia Party Candidate declined, but has been replaced on the ballot by Irene Zivkovic. Sam Sergi (Australian Federation Party) and Jill Tindal (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation) could not be contacted.

Video Timeline:

Each candidate was given 4 minutes for an introductory statement and then 1 minute each to sum up at the end. Answers to questions were for 1 minute. Questions were mostly solicitored before the meeting with late questions from the Facebook live stream. Organisers tried to ensure a cross-section of questions were asked by the Chair Anna Crabb, and that all candidates were assigned a similar number of questions.

1:54 Welcome by Ron from Coburg Uniting Church

4:44 Introduction by Anna Crabb, CEO of Australian Energy Foundation (Chair)

11:30 Emma Black – Victorian Socialists

16:00 Sue Bolton – Socialist Alliance

20:15 Leah Horsefall – Animal Justice Party

24:30 Sarah Jefford – Australian Greens

29:00 Peter Khalil – Australian Labor Party

33:40 Anna Crabb introducing questions

35:20 Question on interlinked problems by Jen

“Climate change, energy and environment are interconnected issues. You cannot address climate change without preserving the environment and biodiversity. How will you ensure close collaboration between these areas?”

Answer by Sue Bolton, Peter Khalil

38:30 Question on sustainable transport and active transport by Lisa

“We hear a lot about electric vehicles – despite Australia being a global laggard in this space – but space in our cities is as finite as fossil fuels. We need more people riding and walking – even if its for more of our short local trips. Active transport has wide ranging social and environmental benefits. If elected what improvements will you lobby for to allow more people in Wills – of all ages and abilities – to ride and walk safely – and make active transport a realistic option for more of our residents?”

Answer by Emma Black, Sarah Jefford

41:20 Question on gas as a transition fuel by Norrian of Socialist Alliance

“As natural gas produces significant greenhouse gases during its use, extraction and production, what is your policy on the use of natural gas, a fossil fuel, in the transition to a renewable energy economy?”

Answer by Leah Horsefall, Sarah Jefford

42:38 Question on Federal integrity by Ian of Coburg Uniting Church

“How would you ensure that corruption in Government is held to account by a Independent Anti-corruption Commission with teeth?”

Answer by Peter Khalil, Emma Black, Sue Bolton, Leah Horsefall, Sarah Jefford

48:00 Question on subsidies to Fossil Fuel Industries by Tom

“Will you commit to ending taxpayer subsidies to the fossil fuel industries? (YES/NO)”

 Answer by Peter Khalil, Sarah Jefford, Emma Black, Sue Bolton, Leah Horsefall

 53:00 Stretch

54:00 Question on measurement of Fossil Fuel methane, signing Global Methane Pledge by John Englart, CAMoreland

“The UN Secretary General and the latest IPCC climate report identified reducing methane emissions as very important. Methane emissions come from agriculture, mining, transport and processing of coal and gas, and waste landfill. The IEA reports that Australia’s reported methane emissions are half its own estimates. Satellite reports of Glencore’s metallurgical coal mines in the Bowen Basin show that methane emissions are being vastly under reported. What will your party do in boosting accurate measurements of methane emissions and will you push for Australia to sign on to the Global Methane Pledge of at least 30% cut in methane emissions by 2030 that 110 countries have already signed?”

Answer by Peter Khalil, Sarah Jefford, Leah Horsefall, Sue Bolton, Emma Black

1:00:30 Question on dealing with vested interests

” How will you deal with vested interests in the sectors of agriculture, mining and the trade union movement so as not to be constrained in your efforts to effectively prevent global warming?”

Answer by Emma Black, Sue Bolton, Leah Horsefall, Sarah Jefford, Peter Khalil

1:06:20 Question on refugees

“Given climate change is a threat multiplier, and so will see millions more refugees in the world, what will you do to stop Australia from continuing indefinite detention of people seeking asylum?”

Answer by Peter Khalil, Sarah Jefford

1:10:00 Question on strengthening national environment laws

“Victoria’s native tall wet Mountain Ash forests are the most carbon dense forests in the world. Unbelievably, with legal exemption, they are still being logged (to make Nippon/Opal cardboard). This increases fire risk and severity, reduces our healthy water sources, increases emissions as well as destroying the habitat of many unique threatened species such as greater gliders and Leadbeater’s possums.”

“Will your party strengthen Australia’s environment laws with binding national standards that apply to all industries, including the native forest logging industry? Please reference the EPBC Act and how you would work on this with state governments”

Answer by Sarah Jefford, Peter Khalil

1:13:00 Wrap up by Anna Crabb

1:13:25 Emma Black – Victorian Socialists

1:14:26 Sue Bolton – Socialist Alliance

1:15:50 Leah Horsefall – Animal Justice Party

1:17:15 Sarah Jefford – Australian Greens

1:18:27 Peter Khalil – Australian Labor Party

1:20:00 Anna Crabb thank you to all candidates and the audience

1:21:15 Wrap up by Ron

Images from the Climate Forum:

Live Twitter Thread

Phil Jackson (@PhilDJtweets) in the audience did a great job live tweeting the event:

Follow along #WillsVotes for all the climate news from this candidate forum tonight

Tonight’s moderator is @AnnaCrabb_ CEO of @AuEnergyFdn. Live stream is over on Facebook

https://fb.watch/cDsbb_xXgZ/

Five candidates are here @emmaabblack of @vic_socialists speaking first. Emma is a teacher, trade unionist, climate activist and a socialist. Climate change is a class issue 

.@emmaabblack our human nature empowers us to to work together. We don’t need tax cuts to rich people. There should be no new coal mines opened. 

.@sueabolton: climate change is contributing to cost of living increases, has driven 6 countries to famine #WillsVotes 

.@sueabolton: started campaign against East-West link, this campaign was won. #WillsVotes 

#LeahHoresfall of @animaljusticeAU Climate Change is a huge challenge and this can bring out the best in people. We are using people power and voting power to make change #WillsVotes 

#LeahHorsefall of @animaljusticeAU: Animal agriculture and deforestation will contribute more to climate emissions in AU than all coal mines #WillsVotes 

.@Sarah_Jefford_ Climate change impacts on First Nations communities in Central Australia where Sarah grew up will be displaced to to heat and dryness #WillsVotes 

@mentionsIt’s a matter of when – not if- we will stop fossil fuel mining #WillsVotes 

.@Sarah_Jefford_ I want urgent climate action and I will take these values to Canberra #WillsVotes 

.@PeterKhalilMP we face an exestensial threat in climate change. It takes a party that can form government to take action #WillsVotes 

.@PeterKhalilMP Labor is the only party that can from government and take action. Will invest in a just transition and 600,000 renewable jobs. 3 billion dollars to be investedin renewable manufacturing #WillsVotes 

Questions now to be asked by the moderator, one minute answers by each candidate #WillsVotes 

Q: How will ensure close collaboration between Climate Change, biodiversity and ?? 

.@sueabolton Agribusiness destroys insects. Razing bushland and local parks are important issues 

.@PeterKhalilMP it’s local and national responses. New legislation to improve environmental protection will be enacted 

Q: Active transport has many benefits, how will you support it? 

.@emmaabblack: electric cars are not the answer, the mineral extraction is damaging and can’t scale (paraphrased) #WillsVotes 

.@PeterKhalilMP : A federal ICAC with teeth will be introduced #WillsVotes 

.@emmaabblack Would like to see reforms around Misogyny as well as anti corruption. #WillsVotes 

.@sueabolton Whistleblower protections are needed for workers reporting corruption #WillsVotes 

.@Sarah_Jefford_ Want to implement #JenkinsReview , alcohol is a major contributing factor #WillsVotes 

.@PeterKhalilMP we are commited to renewable energy. Note: Peter Did not answer question on ending taxpayer subsidies to fossil fuel mining #WillsVotes 

.@sueabolton all subsidies to fossil fuel extraction must end, not just coal as labor proposes #WillsVotes 

Q from @camoreland : re Methane emissions – these are vastly under reported, what will you do? Sign onto international agreements? 

.@PeterKhalilMP , policy announced around investing in reducing agricultural emissions, available on website #WillsVotes 

.@Sarah_Jefford_ The Greens would sign up to the methane pledge. #WillsVotes 

#LeahHorseFall @animaljusticeAU : Yes, supports signing into methane pledge. Many more Horticulture jobs in AU than animal agriculture, and we should move to more of this (paraphrased) #WillsVotes 

.@sueabolton supports move away from animal agriculture but notes all current farming practices are damaging (paraphrased) #WillsVotes 

Candidates for Wills

Nominations closed 21 November. Below is the confirmed candidates list in ballot order from the AEC website.

WRIGHT, Thomas (Liberal) – Website | FB | Twitter
TINDAL, Jill (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation) Website | FB | Twitter
BLACK, Emma (Victoria Socialists) – Website | FB | Twitter
SERGI, Sam (Australian Federation Party) Website | FB | Twitter
BOLTON, Sue (Socialist Alliance) – Website | FB | Twitter
ZIVKOVIC, Irene (United Australia Party) Website | FB | Twitter
KHALIL, Peter (Australian Labor Party) – Website | FB | Twitter (@PeterKhalilMP)
HORSFALL, Leah (Animal Justice) – Website | FB | Twitter
JEFFORD, Sarah (Greens) – Website | FB | Twitter (@SarahJefford)

Note: UAP have changed their candidate from Michael EL-HAJJA to Irene Zivkovic

We have had 9 years of Coalition Government with little progress on climate policy at the Federal Level. Most of the positive actions with renewable energy and adaptation have been driven at the State and Local Government levels. This has ensured a lack of equity and national co-ordination in reducing emissions on a national level, in providing leadership in the global community, in undertaking a national climate risk assessment and drawing up detailed climate adaptation and resilience plans to limit damages from extreme weather impacts such as bushfires, heatwaves, floods and droughts. This election will be critical for climate policy and climate action for the decade and further, determining our childrens future.

Climate Action Moreland will be working with other local groups in the Moreland Climate Coalition ensuring climate action is part of the local political agenda in this Federal election.

Wills Electorate emissions snapshot

Comparison on Party/Candidate policies

Climate Action Moreland is preparing a comparison of candidate and party policies on climate, energy, environment and sustainability for Wills and assessed these policies whether they match the science of what is required to meet the commitments to the Paris Agreement Targets to limit the impacts of global warming.

The Vote Climate One website has done a party and candidate assessment for Wills and the Victorian Senate.

Background:

• AusGovinfo – Federal Government Grants to Wills
• ABC Electorate Guide – Wills
• Tally Room profile of Wills
• Snapshot – Wills greenhouse gas emissions profile 2019/20

More detail will be loaded to this page as the election is called and candidate campaigns start for real.

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