Green for Bligh

A 24-year-old political science graduate is the Greens candidate for the seat of Bligh in next year’s state election.

Anita Ceravolo told the Star she was excited to be nominated, and looked forward to a hectic campaign.

The Greens have such a broad spectrum of policies -“ their social justice policies are pretty much flawless -“ and I think I’ll be able to reflect that with my campaign, Ceravolo said.

Ceravolo has named five key issues -“ an alternative law and order approach, industrial relations, public education, over-development and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex law reform.

On gay and lesbian issues she has consulted with Emelia Holdaway, who prepared the Greens’ GLBTI policy.

The Greens are committed to full legal recognition of same sex-relationships, protecting all Australians from vilification and discrimination on the grounds of sexuality or gender status and equalising the age of consent, Ceravolo said.

Lesbian and gay relationships must be accorded the same legal status as heterosexual relationships.

Ceravolo told the Star the image of the Greens as a one-issue environment party had faded with the party’s success in last year’s Federal election.

The environment’s pretty bloody important, she said. [But] the Greens are as committed to social justice issues as we are to the environment.

Locally, those social justice issues included public education -“ fighting to keep Ers-kineville and Redfern public schools open, treating drug addiction as a health issue rather than as a law and order issue and controlling over-development.

Meantime, another contender has also thrown his hat in the Bligh ring. Malcolm Bruce Duncan has nominated as an Independent candidate, standing on policies of law and order reform. This is in addition to the previously announced candidature of veteran gay campaigner Gary Burns, who is also running as an Independent.