WITH state elections only a mere two weeks away, communities have been hit with an influx of willing candidates, keen to capture voter’s consideration when hitting the polls. 

Greens Candidates Tim Dashwood, running for Wahroonga and Caroline Atkinson running for Davidson, are both candidates looking to break their electorate’s long-standing Liberal streak. 

Caroline has lived in Davidson for the last 15 years, having been Convenor of Ku-ring-gai Greens, Deputy Secretary of Greens NSW to now the Operations Manager running the Greens office. Caroline is overall marking her fifth year as a Greens member. 

Tim, raising his young family in Sydney’s North Shore, has a professional background in The Arts as an actor. Hitting the ground running when he moved to Ku-ring-gai, joining the Greens six years ago. 

Tim acknowledges the growing interest in community engagement, “I guess before now it was a lot of talking… However, the last week has really picked up with actually seeing more people in the local group, visiting train stations and markets.”

“It’s been an interesting mix of interactions chatting about development and climate change,” says Caroline Atkinson. “It's been great to meet people and get challenged by the community.” 

Both Caroline and Tim have worked together under the Greens banner making recent strides to prioritise ending coal and gas by 2030 and transitioning to renewable alternatives. 

“Step one is no more new Coal and Gas developments, currently there are 27 new fossil fuel facilities on the cards for NSW to be built in the future. The silliest thing about that is Australia is in the best position for renewable energy, we have wind, solar, heat and waves we just need the political will,” states Caroline Atkinson. 

Both Tim and Caroline ensure this is done economically and responsibly. 

“It has to be politically driven, it can’t be just putting solar on top of roofs it’s about setting up the infrastructure to change how we do things. The initial plan would be putting a dead stop to any new development, then properly transitioning workers for the next 10 years, that’s the current plan,” says Tim Dashwood. 

With the cost of living being the overarching talking point among most Australian conversations, Caroline and Tim are focusing on easing that pressure, as well as voicing the real concerns for community members. 

“They say the Inflation is driven by wage growth but our wages aren’t growing, however, there are large corporate profits that are pushing up inflation, it’s about responsibility to pay their fair share. It’s a balancing act trying to make sure property development is sustainable and keeping public land in public hands,” states Tim Dashwood. 

The Greens Party is outlining a plan to solve NSW’s alarming housing emergency – slashing rent, introducing a rent freeze to gain renter’s control, and ending unfair no-grounds evictions all on top of building affordable housing.

Combating the lack of wage growth, the Greens have also committed to an instant 15% pay rise for nurses, midwives, and paramedics. Both Tim and Caroline feel this commitment is paramount to ease the pressure essential workers are facing. 

“We’re the second most expensive electorate for rent and housing. Nurses and paramedics are coming up to us looking absolutely exhausted, aged care workers too, they haven’t had a pay rise for years so without that help they’re going backwards,” outlines Caroline Atkinson. 

“We are also the only state that doesn’t have a patient-to-nurse ratio. Especially during the pandemic, health and education were the two industries we really relied on, they are essential and had to keep going in difficult situations, it’s just becoming too hard, and we want to make their work more accessible,” says Tim Dashwood. 

Both Caroline and Tim are also in line with the Green’s plan to pull the pin on pokies and greyhound gambling. Breaking down an industry notorious for breaking down the lives of struggling community members. 

“I feel people are starting to see how much of the profiteering is done in the gambling industry and how damaging it is for people, it has started to reach a tipping point and people can see that,” states Caroline Atkinson. 

The NSW Greens are planning on phasing out Pokies across pubs in the next five years and clubs in the next 10 years. The Greens are also pushing to shut down gambling-fuelled greyhound and horse racing industries, funding rehoming of animals and transitioning workers. 

Both Caroline and Tim will be campaigning throughout their communities, continuing until the election date on the 25th of March. 

“The expectation for larger parties is that they deserve to be there and I think that’s starting to wear thin, I'm hopeful for more progressive policies and we can provide that, it’s really exciting,” says Tim Dashwood. 

“It’s all about pushing for real change, something I feel people deserve,” states Caroline Atkinson.