Heffron
Ben Spies-Butcher
Greens candidate for Heffron
The main reason Ben Spies-Butcher is running in this campaign is because of what is currently happening in Redfern and Waterloo.
“The redevelopment of these areas threatens one of the last bits of affordable and public housing near the city, and a diverse and significant community. It also threatens the Block and the Indigenous community of the area. I've been involved in these issues for a while and thought it was important we did something on them.”
“The Greens will be campaigning to ensure development retains the diversity of our area, and does not threaten our vibrant public housing, Indigenous and student communities. In particular we support the right of the Aboriginal Housing Company to develop its land on the Block in accordance with normal planning principles, free from state government intervention.
"It is vital that the communities of Heffron, not the developers who fund the major parties, make decisions about our area.
"I am excited about the opportunity to represent the people of Heffron in the upcoming state election. For too long this community has been treated by the State Government as a transit point between the port, airport and the CBD.
"Roads divide our community. Our train stations are either privatised or have steps, making them unaffordable or inaccessible to large parts of the community. Now Port Botany threatens to choke our community with thousands more trucks. We need planning that allows us to live sustainably, not contribute further to climate change.
"Heffron is a safe seat, meaning its residents are taken for granted. In State Parliament and in the community The Greens support community views over developer interests, propose real alternatives to address climate change, and support workers' rights against the Federal Government's unprincipled attack.
“By challenging the Labor Party stranglehold on Heffron we can give the people of Heffron a genuine choice in March," said Ben.
Ben is a founding member
and was the inaugural Secretary of resident action group REDWatch. He is an
active campaigner for rights-based Aboriginal Reconciliation.
Ben is also a founding member of the ReconciliACTION Network which organised the 2005 Freedom Ride commemorating the 40th anniversary of the famous civil rights bus ride led by Dr Charles Perkins around NSW. Ben has a doctorate in economics and currently works in research and teaching roles at the University of Sydney, Macquarie University and the Edmund Rice Centre.
To contact Ben Spies-Butcher, please e-mail: heffron@nsw.greens.org.au or call 0414 744 758. You can read more about Ben's Heffron campaign at their new website. Ben's local Greens group is the South Sydney Greens. A map and full details of this district are available from the NSW Electoral Commission.
