The Central West Greens this week announced Councillor Trish Frail the candidate for Parkes and Ben Parker as the candidate for Calare at the upcoming Federal Election.
Cr Trish Frail, the Greens candidate for Parkes, is a Ngemba woman who calls Brewarrina home. Trish is a Councillor on Brewarrina Shire Council and is currently working with the Council and the community to put the Biami Ngunnhu Fish Traps on the world heritage list as the oldest man-made structure in the world. Previously, Trish led a successful campaign against the establishment of a nuclear waste facility in the shire.
“Parkes is in need of a change. We don’t need a local member from a party pushing the nuclear fantasy as a solution for our energy needs. We need someone who cares for the whole electorate, for our environment, and for our future generations,” she says.
In Calare, the Greens candidate is Ben Parker, a university student studying Information Technology at Charles Sturt University. Ben’s primary goal is to inspire young people to get involved in politics and show them how powerful their voice really is.
‘With Gen Z and Millennials set to outnumber Baby Boomers in this upcoming federal election, I believe my perspective as a young candidate makes me uniquely positioned to connect with and represent the younger voters in our electorate. By advocating for urgent action on key issues like climate change and the cost of living crisis, I am committed to fighting for policies that put people and the planet first,’ he says.
In the Senate, electors in Calare and Parkes can re-elect current Greens Senator and Deputy Greens Leader, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, for a second term. Mehreen is a civil and environmental engineer and life-long activist for social and environmental justice.
In 2013, she joined NSW State Parliament, becoming the first Muslim woman to sit in an Australian parliament. In 2018, Mehreen became Australia’s first Muslim Senator.
Mehreen is a hard-working and passionate advocate against racism and misogyny.