I would like to thank the Maitland Business Chamber of Maitland for an invitation to attend the Meet the (state election) Candidates Forum last Thursday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
I joked with friends that attending the forum would be like a “Daniel into the lions’ den” scenario as, being the Greens candidate I knew that I would have few friends (if any) in attendance.
However I received a warm welcome and everyone was polite and treated me well. The forum went well and I expressed my gratitude for being invited. The Mercury and other media organisations did very well in recording the event.
But there were a few little points I would like to clarify after reading “Plans to cut red tape, create jobs and use solar panels” (Mercury 20/2).
Firstly, there was a comment that it was “easy for the other candidates to just sling mud at the current government”. I don’t throw mud at anyone or anybody. It’s not me, it’s not what I do.
Secondly, I spoke about erecting solar panels at open-air car parks which was described as a “novel” idea. Solar panels were only a small point of my speech, which was based on providing clean jobs for the future in a transition from coal to renewable energy. I would dispute that the idea is “novel” as it is happening in many other countries in the world.
The third point was the comment that “three of the four candidates had experience in small business” the indication being that I was the odd-one out.
This was entirely my fault. I did not provide the chamber with my full bio, so, for the benefit of chamber members, I would point out that I grew up in a household where my parents knew nothing else but small business. My parents Bob and Marj Brown ran a number of business enterprises in Cessnock, the last two being the mixed business across the road from Cessnock hospital and lastly Browns Newsagency in Cessnock. The first 18 years of my life were involved in helping my parents in those businesses (unpaid, of course).
When they were ready to sell the paper shop, the business was offered to me and I took up the challenge for three years before deciding to go back to journalism, where I didn’t have to get up at 4am in the pouring rain. So, myself, and The Greens fully understand the importance and relevance of small business in this country.
Lastly, I believe that I was the only candidate to outline a vision for the future for Maitland and the Hunter Valley. My message was: Clean jobs for the future.
- John Brown, Greens candidate for Maitland