JORDAN Jensen, the Port Stephens Greens candidate for the upcoming State Election, is calling for greater government support for small business.

Mr Jensen, 29, is a local entrepreneur who has lived in Port Stephens and Morpeth most of his life, and runs both a cafe and an eco-adventure sport tourism business.

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“Small business is the backbone of a healthy local economy and an important part of developing a local culture you’re proud of,” Mr Jensen said.

The Greens candidate said the current State Government and local councils could be doing more to back Port Stephens small businesses, including “preference for local businesses in government contracts, and more training and incentives to meet local skills shortages by investing in local small businesses”.

“Government at all levels should have a commitment to supporting local businesses and prioritise the development of Australia as an autonomous and self-sufficient nation,” Mr Jensen said.

“Many people unfairly paint the Greens as against business just because they value environmental conservation, but I want to show how Greens policies are in fact far more supportive of local small businesses than the major parties, which are too heavily influenced by large corporate donors and vested interests,” he said.

Mr Jensen is also campaigning on the issue of affordable housing.

“The lack of affordable housing is also a major constraint on young people in particular being able to live and work in Port Stephens.

“We don’t have a property shortage in this region.

“Anyone who actually lives here can see that for nine months of the year an enormous proportion of the residences are vacant.

“I support the Greens’ policy to apply a five percent empty homes levy with some exemptions, for homes left empty for over six months with the funds going towards creating more public, social and affordable homes.”

Jordan believes that we need innovative approaches to increasing the range of genuinely affordable housing in existing built up areas.

“There is no need for land clearing for major new greenfield developments, for building on flood prone land or for more high-priced high-rise apartments that will forever change the character of our coastal towns,” he said.