Let’s start again… Greens’ chosen Federal candidate steps down, replaced with newcomer Tony Hickey

Joel MacKay, who was standing for the Greens for the Federal seat of Macquarie in the upcoming election, has withdrawn from the race and been replaced by Tony Hickey.

Tony Hickey – The Greens’ new candidate for Macquarie

The move – made after Mr Mackay decided to step down so he can undergo treatment for a medical issue – means the Greens have lost some momentum, but given the election date has still not been announced they believe there is still time to make an impression with voters.

The new candidate is a Blue Mountains resident and a language teacher who has worked in several NSW high schools including Hawkesbury High, aswell as overseas in Germany and Poland.

Tony Hickey teaches English as a second language and is now an education manager at the University of Sydney, working with international students. He moved to Katoomba in 2015 with his partner and says the Blue Mountains is his home.

“We love the local community and the proximity to the natural magnificence of the Blue Mountains National Park, and know how important it is to the local community I want to represent,” he said.

“I am running for The Greens because I was brought up with and continue to have a strong sense of social justice, which has driven my political activity.”

“Soon after reaching voting age, I became disenchanted with the two-party stranglehold on Australian politics. I watched with disgust as successive Labor and Liberal/National governments took Australia backwards.

“We lost free university education, we started locking up refugees who were begging us for help, and we continued to rip up our natural heritage for mines which continue to drive up carbon emissions.”

Mr Hickey says he’s proud of Greens policies and The Greens’ commitment to strong grassroots democracy.

“I have campaigned with The Greens on a number of fronts, including peace and nonviolence, refugee protections, marriage equality and climate action,” he says.

Mr Hickey wants a newly elected Federal government to provide Medicare to cover dental and mental health services, reliable telecommunications, free public education at all levels, and immediate action on climate change.

“A lack of clear action on addressing climate change and the flooding in the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains are ongoing major concerns,” he says.

From the damage that they have caused in the Macquarie electorate it is clear that we cannot sustain a future with extreme drought, fires and floods.”

He is against raising the Warragamba Dam wall raising and says the new and underway Western Sydney Airport is a “social and environmental issue for not just Macquarie but for Sydney. It has serious health implications for our community”.

“Voting 1 for The Greens will send a strong message to Labor and the Coalition that the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains want better from our political representatives and the Federal Government,” says Mr Hickey.

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