Greens unveil Toowoomba North and Toowoomba South candidates ahead of election
THE Queensland Greens will today unveil their candidates for Toowoomba North and Toowoomba South ahead of the October 31 election.
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THE Queensland Greens are today set to unveil their candidates for Toowoomba North and Toowoomba South ahead of the October 31 election.
Senator Larissa Waters will today name Alyce Nelligan as the candidate for Toowoomba North and Thomas Coyne as the candidate for Toowoomba South.
“Toowoomba, like most of Queensland, is grappling with a jobs and housing crisis, and we need bold leadership and innovative solutions to get us out,” Senator Waters said.
“The Greens will create more than 4200 jobs for Toowoomba and the Darling Downs by investing in renewables, building 3000 social houses, and creating genuinely free health care with more doctors and nurses.
“We will fully fund local state schools and hire 428 new teachers in the region.
“Unlike all the other parties, our candidates don’t take corporate donations, meaning that we always prioritise the needs of people, over party profits.”
Mr Coyne is a full-time carer who said he was campaigning for more job opportunities in Toowoomba, especially for young people.
“Toowoomba has the highest youth unemployment in Queensland, with 27 per cent of young people currently out of work, and an unemployment rate of over seven per cent,” Mr Coyne said.
“Our plan to invest in renewables will create over 3,000 jobs for the region and put us on the path to a cleaner, greener future,” Mr Coyne said.
“By building 3000 public houses, we can create more than 600 jobs and help tackle the housing crisis in Toowoomba, with over 1600 people on the waiting list for social housing, and thousands more one mortgage payment away from default.”
Ms Nelligan is a disability advocate and mother who contested Groom at the 2019 federal election and Toowoomba South at the last state election.
She also contested the Toowoomba Regional Council election in March.
“The COVID-19 crisis has exposed how underfunded and under-resourced our health system is,” Ms Nelligan said.
“Our plan will create 135 jobs for doctors and nurses and build 11 community health clinics for Toowoomba.
“We will invest $125 million over four years for our underfunded schools in Toowoomba, which will mean more teachers, smaller class sizes, and no more fees.”