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Giovanni Ebono interviews Kerry Nettle in Richmond

Senator Kerry Nettle visited the electorate of Richmond this week. Kerry addressed an Education forum in Murwillumbah on the 25th September and in Byron on the 26th September.

Senator Kerry Nettle and Richmond candidate Giovanni Ebono also attended a meeting at the old Tweed railway station. A challenge was issued to both major parties to honour their promises from the 2004 campaign to save the Murwillumbah to Casino railway.

Greens Richmond candidate, Giovanni Ebono interviewed Kerry Nettle in Byron Bay on Thursday.  view video

Kerry said that one of the most satisfying things that she has achieved during her term in the Senate is that dozens of asylum seekers are now out of detention as a result of both her personal efforts, and the support of The Greens.

Giovanni asked Kerry if the major parties have colluded to defeat private members bills proposed by the Greens in the Senate.

Kerry replied,  "I have a 50 percent  chance of being re-elected this time, primarily because the major parties joined to change the electoral system to make it very difficult for minor parties to get elected. They did this in Tasmania. We overcame that in Tasmania by getting more Greens elected, and, hopefully we can do the same in this Federal election."

"Yes those private members bills are often defeated. I put one up concerning climate refugees that Labour and Liberal opposed just recently. However, Bob Brown put up a bill opposing mandatory detention in the Northern territory. It was one of the few private members bills which have passed through the  senate."

Kerry also spoke about renewable energy targets, and how the current government is not taking any leadership on this critical issue.  Also, it is important to vote Green in the Senate, because Labour  will find it almost impossible to gain control of the Senate without the support of the minor parties. What a lot of people do not realise is that if the Liberals still have control of the Senate after this election, they can still block the removal of workchoices, and that would leave a lot of disappointed people.