Announcement

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MEDIA RELEASE 22 September 2006

Greens Choose Cr Keith Parsons for Wallsend Seat

Newcastle Greens today announced Newcastle City councillor Keith Parsons as the Greens candidate for the seat of Wallsend for the 2007 State election.

“I'm honoured to have been preselected by the Greens for the State seat of Wallsend. Part of the seat lies within Ward 3, the area I represent in council and I’m pleased to able to present our progressive polices and to be part of a team that includes our talented and effective Upper House members and candidates.

“As a councillor I am aware of the many important issues facing the people of Wallsend electorate.

“The flood-prone areas of the electorate are of particular concern,” Cr Parsons said .

“According to council experts, Wallsend shopping centre has the highest ranking for flood risk in the state. Government funding is urgently needed to acquire property and implement strategies to deal with the problem. The threat of climate change makes this even more serious and urgent.

“I’ll be actively campaigning on issues such as the future of public health, public education, and the state industrial relations system as well as local issues of particular concern to the people of Wallsend.”

“The Greens have comprehensive policies on all matters that should be of concern to State Government. Unlike the major parties, The Greens do not accept donations from the property development, hotel and gambling industries. We are therefore free to make decisions in the best interests of the community.’’


Phone 49 265301 or 0408446022

Keith's profile

KEITH PARSONS – PROFILE



Keith Parsons was elected as a Greens councillor for Newcastle City Council in March 2004 and served as Deputy Lord Mayor in 2004-5.

Keith has lived in Newcastle for 49 years and has been a committed community activist for over 30 years. He was educated locally and after working as an industrial chemist, taught Science and Maths from 1972 until he retired in 2000.

As an active trade unionist, Keith was a delegate to Newcastle Trades Hall Council from 1983 until 2005, President of Newcastle Teachers’ Association and a state councillor for the NSW Teachers’ Federation from 1984-2000.

He has a long background in environmental and heritage groups in the Hunter region and has been an active member of the National Trust and Parks and Playgrounds Movement since 1973. He was also president of the Newcastle Civic Association in the 1990s and vice-president of the Newcastle Cycleways Movement in the 1980s. He is currently vice-president of Newcastle Gallery Society.

Keith was an active member of the Labor Party from 1977 to 1999. He was an ALP Newcastle City councillor from 1995- 99 and Deputy Lord Mayor in 1999. Like many ALP members, he became disillusioned with Labor’s gradual merging of policies with the Coalition and the manipulation of party rules by Labor’s head office. He left the ALP in 1999.

Keith has been an active member of Newcastle Greens for over five years. In 2003, he was the Greens candidate for the State seat of Charlestown.

As a councillor, he is deeply involved with planning, heritage, environmental and cultural issues.

Some of his campaigns over many years include:
· Heritage listing of many Newcastle and regional buildings and sites
· Establishment of Glenrock State Recreation Area
· Establishment of King Edward Park on the National Estate Register
· Development of the Newcastle Bike Plan
· Stockton Bight National Park
· Save our Rail
· Citizens Earthquake Action Group
· Opposition to inappropriate high rise in the CCBD especially Honeysuckle and RNH sites
· Opposition to AWAs for Council employees
· Access and disability issues
· Initiatives which led to free Museum admission
· Establishment of a Council community newspaper and annual community awards
· Moved to commission the Currie Report which led to the State Government reversing its decision to cut the rail line into Newcastle


Phone 49 265301 or 0408446022