Ku-ring-gai
Susie Gemmell
Greens candidate for Ku-ring-gai
Susie joined the Greens in 2001 the day after the Tampa incident in response to the Howard Government’s disgraceful handling of asylum seekers. She felt the time had come for fair minded people to stand up and voice their opposition to the repressive social values on offer from the Howard government.
In 2004 Susie began working with Greens MP Lee Rhiannon in the NSW Parliament. Prior to this she worked in the IT industry as a software designer, trainer, documentation writer and project manager.
“I have enjoyed working as a Green in the mining portfolio, promoting solutions to climate change and challenging the stranglehold that the coal industry has on the major parties, and my involvement in the Greens political donations project, democracy4sale."
“I decided to be a Greens candidate in Ku-ring-gai to provide a progressive choice for people who are fed up with the major parties and want to add their voice to the growing social justice and environmental movement of the Greens.”
“Our beautiful bushland suburbs need more Greens MPs to scrutinise the planning and environmental legislation of the major parties that is changing forever the character of Ku-ring-gai. More Greens MPs in the NSW Upper House would also help protect public services from the economic rationalists in the major parties."
Susie lives in Turramurra with her husband and three school aged children.
“We try to reduce our footprint on the earth by living in a modest size home, owning one car (which can be tricky with three kids), cycling to work, using public transport, reducing our consumption of packaged and processed goods and having a fully native garden."
“Four years ago we converted our backyard pool into a micro-wetland complete with native fish, frogs, dragonflies, ducks, kingfishers, water dragons, lizards and the occasional goanna, heath monitor, diamond python or red-belly black snake. It’s great!"
“We dream of converting our house to solar power and recycling our grey water, but the high upfront costs and pathetically low subsidies for retrofitting our home are a big barrier."
“The thing that first attracted me to vote for the Greens was the forward thinking policies on making the transition from polluting coal to renewable energy, energy efficiency and water recycling, as well as their strong voice for the conservation of native habitat and species."
"No giant coal companies will influence my action on climate change. No developers will fund my election campaign. It's great to be Green."
Susie holds a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Technology, Sydney and has also worked as a journalist and computer teacher.
To contact Susie Gemmell, please e-mail: kuringgai@nsw.greens.org.au or call 0431 458 102. You can also vistit the Ku-ring-gai Greens website. A map and full details of this district are available from the NSW Electoral Commission.
