A future Minns Labor government in NSW would need to agree to scrap a major gas pipeline and make all 86,000 pokies cashless if it is to win the support of the state Greens.
Although Chris Minns has ruled out a deal with the Greens, the minor party on Saturday outlined seven demands it will make if it ends up holding the balance of power in the NSW parliament after the March 25 state election.
Top of the list is no new coal and gas projects, meaning the end of Santos’ planned coal seam gas project in Narrabri and a pipeline across the Hunter.
The project is on track to be completed in 2026 and is projected to eventually supply half of NSW’s gas.
“We cannot afford new coal and gas. It’s deadly, it’s dangerous and it will cost us the earth,” federal Greens leader Adam Bandt told the party faithful in Sydney on Saturday.
Cashless gaming
“Breathtaking” anti-protest laws that lock up grandmothers and students “while the coal and gas companies are given public money to mine, burn and frack our future” would also be on the chopping block, Mr Bandt said.
A mandatory cashless gaming card, which is part of the Coalition’s government’s policy platform, could also prove tricky for Mr Minns who wants a cashless trial on 500 machines before moving further.
“We won’t settle for half-measures and we won’t be fooled by a trial that has been set up to fail,” Greens lead upper house candidate Cate Faehrmann said.
The party also wants rent controls and a ban on unfair evictions, the start of a community-led treaty process, hospital-wide nurse-to-patient ratios and real wage increases for the public sector.
However, with the potential of teal independents expanding the 10-strong crossbench, Labor will likely have a number of options if it and the Coalition government fail to win 47 seats and a majority.
Tight race
Recent polls suggest a tight race, with a Labor minority government as the most likely result.
“The only way to guarantee a change of government … is to vote for a Labor candidate on the 25th of March,” Mr Minns said on Saturday.
With redistributions and resignations, the coalition has claims on 45 seats, Labor 38, the Greens three and independents seven in the 93-seat lower house.
Greens Newtown MP Jenny Leong said the party would never deal with the “toxic, right-wing Liberal Nationals” led by Liberal Premier Dominic Perrottet.
“(But) we are not willing to sit by and settle with slightly-better-than-the-other-bloke alternative,” she said.
The women-dominated party expects to retain its three lower house seats, and gets back to a quartet in the upper house.
Lynda-June Coe, a Wiradjuri and Badu Island teacher and activist sitting at No.3 on the upper house ticket, would likely face a battle for the 21st and last seat with Mark Latham-led One Nation, Ms Faehrmann said.
Promises, promises
Climate change-induced disasters have also been telling for its hopes in Lismore, Tweed and South Coast.
Meanwhile, Mr Perrottet spent Saturday preparing for the Liberals’ campaign launch on Sunday as Treasurer Matt Keann spruiked the Coalition’s promise to provide $250 in energy bill relief to households from July.
Mr Minns swung by Greens-held Balmain and then dipped into Coogee to pledge $23 million over four years for Surf Life Saving NSW.
Elsewhere, Nationals leader Paul Toole promised to double a program that takes up to 200 undergraduates a year on a week-long tour of rural and remote schools.
“Having worked as a regional teacher previously, our regional, rural and remote communities are fantastic places to live and work and we want to be able to showcase that to the next generation of student teachers,” the deputy premier said.
-AAP
