Media release – Tasmanian Greens, 15 February 2021

Greens Launch Lead Candidates for State Election

The Greens launched their lead candidates for the upcoming State Election in Launceston today.

Led by Greens Leader and Member for Clark, Cassy O’Connor MP, and joining incumbent Member for Franklin, Dr Rosalie Woodruff, are Jack Davenport (Bass), Liz Johnstone (Lyons) and Dr Darren Briggs (Braddon).

Cassy O’Connor and Rosalie Woodruff bring, between them, almost 20 years of Parliamentary experience. Jack Davenport, Liz Johnstone and Darren Briggs are passionate, committed social justice, health and environmental campaigners.

The Greens are proud to launch five climate champions, including a former Climate Change Minister, as lead candidates for the 2022 State election.
Support candidates will be announced in coming months.

Cassy O’Connor MP: Lead candidate for Clark
Greens Leader and Member for Clark

I am proud to lead this team of climate and social justice champions to the upcoming State election. In a time of climate emergency and as the State recovers from the pandemic, Tasmania needs more Greens in State Parliament.

Tasmanians just need to look at the Greens’ team to know we’re serious about climate action, protecting forests and wilderness and making sure no one is left behind.

As Tasmania recovers from the pandemic, the Greens are ready to help rebuild to create a more sustainable and fair society, while tackling the climate emergency. Our team includes an epidemiologist, doctor, social worker and social justice and forests campaigner – we have the skills, commitment and heart needed in Parliament right now.

I was part of a team that protected Ralphs Bay from privatisation, extended the World Heritage Area and protected hundreds thousands of hectares of lutruwita/Tasmania’s high conservation value, carbon-rich forests. That work isn’t done – the threat to our forests, and wilderness rapidly being privatised continues under the Liberals, backed in by Labor.

Under a Green Minister, the housing waiting list was the lowest it had been in a decade. Under the Gutwein Government, close to 4000 people are languishing on the public housing waiting list, and private rents are skyrocketing. We need to create a society where no one is left behind.

I am proud to lead such a great team of Tasmanians committed to making this island a greener, fairer and even kinder place.

Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP: Lead candidate for Franklin
Greens Member for Franklin

I have been proud to represent the Greens for the people of Franklin for six years. The Greens have been a strong consistent voice on critical issues like climate action, increasing funding for health, and protecting public land, water and forests.

Franklin has extraordinary waterways and forests that are rich in stored carbon. The people of Franklin, like the rest of the island, need a Green voice as we confront a climate and biodiversity crisis. We are there to help communities protect our bush reserves, native forests and marine environment.

By default, under the Liberals in government, wildlife come last – whether it be ducks, swift parrots or seals – killed by shooters, forestry or industrial fish farming.

The Greens understand we need intact ecosystems to sustain us for the future, which can’t be put behind the interests of industries or political lobby groups.

I am an epidemiologist who contributed to the work of the International Panel on Climate Change, and I understand the government has to tackle the pandemic and the climate emergency together. In Tasmania, t’s only been the Greens calling for action on both, and we won’t stop.

Jack Davenport: Lead candidate for Bass
Social Worker

To ensure the wellbeing of future generations, there is an urgent need for climate action from all levels of government.

Tasmanians who are struggling should not be forgotten by government. My experience as a social worker in child safety means I understand the social issues facing many within the community – family violence, housing stress and mental ill health.

I was an elected local government member in the UK and have worked in child services across Australia, including Northern Tasmania. I have leadership experience and I am active within my community as a volunteer.

I am passionate about social justice and climate action. I’m a former Labor Party member, who left because of their aggressive refugee policy, lack of policies on tackling inequality, and support for fossil fuel industries in a time of climate emergency.

I am committed to a fairer and climate-ready future for Tasmania, and I am proud to represent the Greens in Bass.

Liz Johnstone: Lead candidate for Lyons
Social justice and forests campaigner

We are in the midst of a climate emergency and rampant social inequality is being felt across the state. The Greens understand bold change is needed to tackle the climate crisis, and to ensure no one is left behind.

I am a mother and a grandmother, and have spent my life fighting for social justice both in Australia and internationally. I spent the last decade campaigning to protect Tasmania’s wilderness and carbon-rich forests.

Tackling climate change, and building strong, resilient, caring communities will better protect us from the challenges we face today and into the future. The Greens aren’t the party of the future, we are needed now.

The people in the magnificent electorate of Lyons – the heart of Tasmania – deserve a Green representative in Parliament. Communities up against expansion of industrial fish farms in their waters, increased native forest logging and priviatisation of National Parks – and the residents on the magnificent East Coast, fighting the mega-development at Cambria Green.

Those people deserve a local member who will fight for their children and grandchildren’s future. I’m proud to stand for the Greens in Lyons in the upcoming State election.

Dr Darren Briggs: Lead candidate for Braddon
Emergency doctor and GP

When I learnt about climate change in high school in the 1980’s, it was defining moment for me. As a doctor, I am up to date with medical evidence and am well aware that climate change is making us sick.

The health of the Tasmanian environment and tackling the climate emergency is critical to the health and wellbeing of its people. The climate emergency is a health emergency.

Pre-existing medical conditions are made worse, others are become more frequent – like asthma, emphysema, heart attacks, strokes, mental health complaints and some infectious diseases among others – due to increasing heat, bushfire smoke and other effects of climate change.

I was proud to be one of the 250 doctors who wrote to the Premier, asking him to put the health of Tasmanians first by protecting Tasmania’s carbon stores and ending native forest logging.

As both a doctor and father, I understand it is essential to make socially-just, environmentally sustainable decisions. As a small tourist accommodation operator, I can also see first-hand how protecting our wild places, which make the North West so special, also makes economic sense.

I am standing for the Greens because they, ultimately, put the long term health of people first – my kids, your kids, our family and friends.