THE Animal Justice Party has endorsed Austin Cram as its Upper House candidate for Eastern Victoria in the November state election.
Eastern Victoria includes the three seats of Hastings, Mornington and Nepean.
The seat is currently represented by four MPs, Cathrine Burnett-Wake (Liberal), Melina Bath (The Nationals), Harriet Shing (Labor) and Jeff Bourman (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers).
In October last year, Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor Steve Holland missed on being chosen to fill the Liberal Party vacancy in Eastern Province created by the resignation of Edward O’Donohue. The position was won by Burnett-Wake.
The Animal Justice party’s candidate Cram lives near Korumburra along with 29 rescued animals, including 17 roosters.
A town planner, Cram says he is standing “due to continuing state government inaction on ecological, environmental and climate issues, especially in our planning system”.
He says he is passionate about “incentivising revegetation of native habitats”, ending duck shooting, proper care for domestic and farm animals as well as reinvesting into regional public transport.
“When elected, I will push unapologetically to end duck shooting, tackle climate change and build an intersectional and equitable society for all,” Cam said.
“We have a planning system that still doesn’t recognise the harm urban sprawl and car dependence has on animals and the planet and a government with no interest in changing it.
“The major parties have been inexcusably inactive on animal and ecological issues. We need change now to avoid irreversible collapse to our ecosystems.”
The AJP was formed in 2009 to represent voters who believed laws and processes were needed to recognise animals’ needs, capabilities and interests, whether they were domestic, farmed or wild.
In 2016, the party’s 27 lower house candidates for lower house seats received 23 per cent of the vote, making it the fourth largest party in Victoria.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 9 August 2022
