Clive Hamilton to stand for the Greens

The Australian Greens announced on October 23 that high profile economist and environmentalist Clive Hamilton would stand for the party in the upcoming by-election for the federal seat of Higgins in Victoria.

Hamilton said he planned to make climate change a central issue of the by-election.
"With our country once again a laggard nation in response to global warming, and the government and opposition competing to vilify asylum seekers, never has a national and international standpoint been more sorely needed", he said on October 23.

"Only the Greens can rise above the cheap politicking and take a principled stance, and I feel privileged to be their candidate. The people of Higgins and I now have the opportunity to make a bold national statement — Australia must take a lead in global issues."

Hamilton is the author of numerous books, including Scorcher: The Dirty Politics of Climate Change and Growth Fetish.

Until last year, he was the executive director of the left-wing think tank The Australia Institute.
Higgins was held by former treasurer Peter Costello from 1990 and is considered a safe Liberal seat. However, the Greens polled just below 11% there in the 2007 federal election, higher than its 8.17% average across Victoria.

Greens Senator Bob Brown said Hamilton had "pioneered national debate on climate change and social justice".

"He offers the voters of Higgins a sharp intellect, a very strong social conscience and hard work as their representative in parliament. He will raise the level of debate on climate change and other national issues to a higher level in the House of Representatives", Brown said.

The ALP has confirmed it would not contest the by-election. The by-election date is still to be set, but is expected to take place before the end of the year.

From GLW issue 815