Introducing the Queensland Greens BCC Candidates
Jo Bragg for Lord Mayor
The Queensland Greens are proud to announce that well-known lawyer, Jo Bragg, will be the Greens Candidate for Lord Mayor in the 2008 Brisbane City Council Election.
As a law professional with 15 years experience, I believe in the politics of justice and progress. Campbell Newman and the ALP have turned Brisbane City Hall into a bar room brawl over bad debts. The people of Brisbane deserve better. We need a Greens sweep of Brisbane City Hall to ensure our future sustainability. If we don’t take a breath of fresh air now, our children never will.
An Ethical Professional
Jo Bragg is a public interest town planning and environmental lawyer with 15 years’ experience. She began her legal career in commercial and corporate law in Sydney. Her professional experience includes court litigation, community education and law reform, in fields of law related to public interest community issues and the environment. Over the years, Jo has negotiated with all levels of government, including Cabinet Ministers. She has lent her support to progressive community issues and has championed action on issues that are often overlooked, for example, adverse impacts of pollution on school children.
A Strong Stance on Policy
Jo is opposed to the conflicts of interest between big business and government. Her extensive political involvement has exposed these connections within the Liberal and Labor parties. These conflicts exclude the community from democratic participation in decisions about Brisbane city, and impose detrimental impacts for local development. These conflicts are like a political veil of deceit that blinds a progressive community vision for the future.
A Vision for the Future
Jo believes that Brisbane’s local government needs to promote community values, environmental sustainability and accountability at all levels.
Brisbane’s direction must be changed now if we are to deal successfully with the problems of climate change, water shortages, population levels and development pressures. Jo is dedicated to restoring Council accountability, introducing world class public transportation, scaling back Brisbane’s tunnel/freeway projects (TransApex), reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving public parks, facilities and participation.
Under either Labor or Liberal leadership, Brisbane faces a future of financially disastrous tunnels and bridges, ever increasing traffic congestion, overcrowding and divided communities.
A Personal Commitment
Jo has lived in Brisbane since 1992, predominantly in West End. Jo has seen her area become increasingly congested with traffic, she has watched the population skyrocket, and she has noted with concern that our parks no longer provide adequate recreational space for the number of people in our suburbs.
As an active member of the local community, Jo is frustrated by the way the current Council ignores community views. As a woman Jo has strong values about inclusion and community participation. The West End Woolloongabba Local Planning Process and the Hale Street Bridge assessment process were mock consultations that trivialised community concerns in favour of promoting developer interests.
A Big Picture Perspective
Jo has a strong interest in human rights, women’s issues, democracy, connecting to the community and environmental protection.
As a mother, she knows first hand the pressures of managing work and family responsibilities and living sustainably. Jo and her husband Gary both cycle to work, her two children walk to school and the family makes every effort to minimise its environmental footprint.
Jo and her family shop locally and buy organic. They actively participate at their local school and enjoy volunteering on community projects.
Email: jo.bragg@qld.greens.org.au
Mobile: 0406 916 657
