stands for what any more. Here are some of the Greens policies.

Genuine social investment means helping young people see their future in their home town. We need more funding for public education and TAFE. We need sustainable industries where they can find meaningful work. We need recreational facilities for them, and responsive public transport. We need youth support services to help young people who have problems.

No Nymboida water for coastal overdevelopment. Moratorium on new development connecting to the Regional Water Supply until a truly sustainable supply is in place. This doesn’t mean a dam or a pipeline from the Nymboida. It means desalination, reuse and raintanks.

No more logging of old growth forests at Sherwood, Chaelundi and Sheas Nob. Protect central western forests. Support improvements to and gazettal of the Clarence Vegetation Plan.

Provide incentives for land managers to protect native vegetation. Encourage sustainable land management and promote organic agriculture. Set up a group including the indigenous, farming, scientific and environmental sectors for research into sustainable land use practices suitable for local conditions.

Farmers risk losing their markets and crop ownership because of GE contamination. GE material should not be released until there is convincing evidence proving the safety of genetically engineered organisms.

Solar and wind = true green power. Biomass = greenhouse. No wood-fired power station at Grafton, and no biomass plant at Broadwater and Harwood sugar mills. Biomass power generation is bad for biodiversity, air quality, roads, river health and our quality of life.

Setting sniffer dogs on people does not make a more peaceful community. Crime is linked to education, employment and how a person feels about their community. Poverty, mental health and parenting practices can also play a role. We need funding for support services and education, and community crime plans.

The proposal to fill flood-prone land at West Yamba for housing will only benefit developers. It will affect local waterways and wetlands, and threaten wildlife. It will increase pressure on services. People in Yamba don’t want a city. Filling floodplains is a bad idea.