Like many people, I’m concerned about the future of our community. Our cost of living is going up, our quality of life is going down, and our environment, both natural and built, is degrading.
I’m concerned, not just for myself and people my age; but for our children, who find themselves living in suburbs where heavy traffic, lack of safe pedestrian infrastructure, and lack of local amenity mean they are unable to leave the house without mum or dad being available to drive them; as well as our older residents, who are being increasingly affected by heat, isolation, and a culture of fear and division.
I work from home as a writer and content creator, but over the years I’ve worked a number of other jobs, including a couple of years as a Brisbane City Council bus driver, and as a delivery truck driver for Australia Post and a major supermarket.
I’ve been active in local politics for over a decade, and the conclusion I have come to is that institutional party politics is incapable of fostering the genuine community conversations we need to tackle the challenges that face us.
I hope to see more members of our community stand up, speak out, and even run as independent candidates in the future.