Greens state election candidate John Mackenzie has slammed both major parties for ignoring Newcastle and going missing on key issues such as Stockton beach, the port container terminal and affordable housing.
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Greens upper house MP Cate Faehrmann announced Dr Mackenzie's preselection for the seat of Newcastle in Pacific Park on Friday.
Dr Mackenzie, who has been a City of Newcastle councillor for the past five years, said it was "no secret" the major parties "don't deliver for our city".
"Labor takes this seat for granted and the Liberal party don't take it seriously," he said. "They save their election commitments for their more marginal seats, and once again we see that Newcastle will miss out."
The Greens' policy platform includes $25 million to address erosion at Stockton and mandating 50 per cent affordable and social housing at the proposed Hunter Park redevelopment precinct at Broadmeadow.
He said the major parties' attitude to Newcastle had let the city down.
"That's the reason why we don't have sand on Stockton right now.
"That's the reason our container terminal is burdened with unfair penalties that prevent our city from going ahead and making that transition to a life after coal and gas.
"It's the reason why we don't have a decent public transport system in our city.
"And it's the reason we've been left right out of the room on discussions about the future of Hunter Park, which is a prime urban redevelopment location and also the prime location for building the affordable and social housing that our city most desperately needs."
Dr Mackenzie won 15 per cent of the vote in the seat of Newcastle at the 2019 federal election.
Fellow councillor Charlotte McCabe won 16 per cent of the vote at the state election the same year.
Incumbent MP Tim Crakanthorp, who enjoyed a 10-point swing in his favour at the last election, will contest the seat for Labor.
The Liberals have not yet named candidates for Newcastle or other Hunter seats.
Dr Mackenzie challenged the major parties to match the Greens' commitments to Stockton, removing the container penalties and affordable housing.
"The people of Stockton are angry, and we hear that all the time.
"They don't understand why we have these delays and what is holding up the process of getting that sand onto the beach.
"We have a plan. The plan's been approved by the state government; it's approved by the community. It's a plan for mass sand nourishment, but the Liberal party are sitting on their hands and the Labor party aren't stepping up to match the requirements set out in that plan."
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Michael Parris
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
