DEAR News Of The Area,

AS we hurtle towards the State Election Day on 25 March, voters have many considerations, for example cost of living pressures, housing affordability, taxes etc.

For me however, the biggest concern is meeting our climate emissions reduction and more.

This is the top priority this election as everything lessens in comparison for the following reasons.

If we meet our emissions targets we will reduce spending imperatives via mop up expenses, for example the recent Lismore floods, roads and bridge repairs etc, which cost tax and ratepayers millions of dollars.

This fiscal saving would lessen cost of living pressures.

Planet A is not happy Jan and caring for it proactively makes sense/cents to me.

Allowing 116 more coal fired gas and mining start ups is an irreversible threat akin to environmental suicide relatively in 2023.

Our target was 2030, only seven years away.

If we don’t meet our targets there will be more floods, bushfires, climate disasters and we, alongside koalas and other threatened species, will also be a threatened species – there is no planet B.

Continuing to log State Forests, and destroying 400 year old growth trees directly threatens our air quality as trees are giant free carbon sinks that absorb harmful CO2 and convert it to clean oxygen for us to freely breathe.

They are a precious free resource and cannot be substituted by fledgling saplings.

That argument is a non-sense/cents.

Old growth trees can never be replaced and should be listed as part of our national heritage for the benefit of future generations.

We need to transition to renewable plantations urgently.

Planet A is hurting and angry at its abuse.

Uppermost for me on 25 March will be the party who has a genuine long term commitment, value and vision imperative to safeguard our planet’s survival and wellbeing by reducing emissions rather than adding more that will be impossible to reverse.

Like it or not we need to be in damage control.

All other voter concerns will have a flow on effect from the billions saved in disaster amelioration that is not a limitless bucket.

Children are now suffering from climate anxiety as they wonder if the planet, and themselves in turn, have a future.

Your vote is potentially a game changer if used significantly on Saturday 25.

Please come to the party for all the above reasons.

Regards,
Karin MATTHEWS,
Nambucca Heads.