Dear Editor,

As the Greens Federal Candidate for Moreton, I naturally read your election update with interest about how Queensland’s marginal seats are likely to fare now that Kevin Rudd has returned to Labor’s leadership.

However, it seems an important fact was not included in the article – the fact that so many Queenslanders swung to the Greens in 2010, particularly in seats like Brisbane and Moreton.

A significant 16% of people in Moreton voted Greens with some booths in Yeronga and Annerley seeing 26% of the vote go to the Greens.

If this swing is replicated in 2013, Moreton can easily make history and see representation from someone who cares for vulnerable people, sees the urgent need to act on climate change and wants to protect rather than destroy our beautiful biodiversity such as the Great Barrier Reef.

Today, Moreton is Queensland’s most marginal seat, but it can’t be discounted that it was those who – at the 2010 election – voted 1 for myself and 2 for Labor’s Graham Perrett who determined the outcome of that seat. Graham won on Greens preferences.

The race in Moreton is far from a two-party contest. If Graham wants to hold Moreton, Labor must start to show true policy leadership in areas like climate change and refugees.

You highlight rightly that all LNP’s Malcolm Cole has to spout is that Labor is dysfunctional and divided (as if that’s a reason in itself to vote for him), but all I am waiting on from either of the two old parties are policies that focus on caring for people and valuing the environment in which we live.

The three major tenets of my campaign are compassion, community and courage. The policies I support are publicly available – and decided on by everyday members of the community rather than big business and bill polls.

As the only woman running in Moreton, I’m in with a chance to win – not because I’m a woman – but because I’m part of a party voters can trust – a party that is not only united, but respects its constituents, has a transparent suite of policies (at www.greens.org.au) and truly cares about providing a better way of life for Australians.

Kind regards,

Elissa Jenkins
Greens Candidate for Moreton
Moorooka