Senator David Shoebridge is quietly confident The Greens’ Hunter candidates will give next month’s election a good shake.
The NSW politician dropped into The Levee at Maitland this week to officially launch the party’s five-prong assault in readiness for Saturday 3 May.
Louise Stokes (Hunter), Charlotte McCabe (Newcastle), Paul Johns (Paterson) and Therese Doyle (Shortland) are attempting to usurp Labor from those long-held seats while Wendy Wales is targeting Barnaby Joyce’s New England, which now includes Muswellbrook.
“It’s great to be here on Wonnarua Country,” Mr Shoebridge said.
“We have an enthusiastic team, who’ve been working across their respective electorates to present people with an opportunity to vote for change.
“And, they all possess a lot of passion, which would serve their communities well.
“Charlotte, a City of Newcastle councillor, is running for the second time in Newcastle.
“She’s aiming to give the electorate a stronger voice by making it marginal.
“Louise is advocating for The Greens’ fully-costed jobs guarantee for coal workers transition plan to diversify industry in the region and make sure no family is left behind when the big mining corporations move out.
“With personal experience of disability, Paul boasts a focus on making life better for many ordinary Australians by expanding the NDIS and stopping price supermarket gouging.
“Therese strongly supports our stance on the war in Palestine as the only party in Parliament with staunch condemnation of the atrocities in the Middle East.
“Wendy is concerned that for a region that generates so much wealth for the nation, there’s still homelessness, lack of affordable housing and lack of basic services.”
Mr Shoebridge will join Ms McCabe in Newcastle on Wednesday to reject any proposed AUKUS nuclear submarine base slated for the former steel city, too.
“It’s a big ‘no’ to that and Peter Dutton’s plan for a plant in the region,” he said.
“The people of the Hunter and New England know that the future is renewable, not radioactive.
“Both Liberals and Labor have signed Australia up to the dangerous AUKUS deal, sending President Donald Trump billions in public funds in the hope the US will provide second-hand nuclear submarines.
“The Albanese government has also committed to establishing a base on the east coast of Australia, with Newcastle indicated to be a possible site.
“So, we’re calling for AUKUS to be cancelled immediately.
“And, under no circumstances, can there be a nuclear submarine base off Newcastle.”
2025 Federal Election (3 May)
Hunter
2025 candidates in ballot paper order
- Stuart Bonds (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation)
- Sue Gilroy (The Nationals)
- Andrew David Fenwick (Legalise Cannabis Party)
- Victoria Davies (Animal Justice Party)
- Paul Farrelly (Family First)
- Kyle Boddan (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party)
- Suellen Wrightson (Trumpet of Patriots)
- Dan Repacholi (Labor)
- Louise Stokes (The Greens)
Newcastle
2025 candidates in ballot paper order
- Jennifer Stefanac (Trumpet of Patriots)
- Steve O’Brien (Socialist Alliance)
- Charlotte McCabe (The Greens)
- Asarri McPhee (Liberal)
- Sharon Claydon (Labor)
- Jason Briggs (Family First)
- Robert Creech
- Phillip Heyne (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation)
Paterson
2025 candidates in ballot paper order
- Rod Holding (Independent)
- Meryl Swanson (Labor)
- Arnon Wither (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation)
- Philip Penfold (Independent)
- Paul Johns (The Greens)
- Laurence Antcliff (Liberal)
- Sandra Lyn Briggs (Family First)
- April Maree Scott (Independent)
- Peter N Arena (Trumpet of Patriots)
- Daniel Dryden (Legalise Cannabis Party)
Shortland
2025 candidates in ballot paper order
- Geoffrey Mark Robertson (Libertarian)
- James Pheils (Independent)
- Pat Conroy (Labor)
- Barry Reed (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation)
- Pietro Di Girolamo (Family First)
- Emma King (Liberal)
- Therese Doyle (The Greens)
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