Brown backs 'clean green' candidates
MELBOURNE — Victorians would get best value by voting for independents backing small business, local control and "clean green" produce, Tasmanian Green MP Bob Brown said on September 24.
Brown spoke at the campaign launch of Monbulk independent Jenny Saulwick.
"Independents are free to vote issue by issue for their electorate and not according to the dictates of caucus rooms", said Brown. "Jenny Saulwick has a long history of community involvement, in particular work for the special environment in the Dandenongs.
"Contrary to big party thinking, care for the environment creates jobs. The future is in labour-intensive small business, not the job-shedding mega-industries of the past. 'Clean and green' produce is in growing demand on local and world markets.
"Seventy per cent of jobs are created by small businesses these days. Green policy is to foster such businesses, and Monbulk is ideally situated for them."
Brown said Victoria and Australia had been let down by the two party system. "We are in a new political era. People are turning to independents and small parties. That has already proven healthy for democracy", he said.