Adam Bandt

Adam Bandt is the Australian Greens candidate for Lord Mayor of Melbourne.

Background

Adam Bandt is an industrial and public interest lawyer living in Parkville. He was a partner at Slater and Gordon ("doing Julia Gillard's old job" [ [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/guide/melb.htm Melbourne - Federal Election 2007 - ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) ] ] ) and is completing his PhD in Law and Politics at Monash University. During his time studying law, Adam Bandt was an active campaigner for higher living allowances for students and free education. He was also president of the student union. [ [http://www.makemelbournegreen.com/council-elections-2008/adam-bandt/ Adam Bandt for Lord Mayor | Make Melbourne Green ] ] Adam Bandt has written on links between anti-terror legislation and labour laws [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/state-waxes-rights-wane/2006/04/03/1143916461852.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 State waxes, rights wane - Opinion - theage.com.au ] ] and worked on issues facing outworkers [ [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/lawrpt/stories/s831469.htm The Law Report: 15 April 2003 - Outworkers - Out in the Cold ] ] in the textiles industry.

2007 Federal Election Candidate

Adam Bandt stood for the federal seat of Melbourne at the 2007 election against Labor's Lindsay Tanner, the then Shadow Minister for Finance, and nationally was the most successful candidate from any minor party contesting a House of Representatives seat. By out-polling the Liberal party's Andrea Del Ciotto (on a two candidate preferred basis) he created the country's first ALP/Green marginal [ [http://results.aec.gov.au/13745/Website/HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-13745-228.htm House of Representatives Division First Preferences ] ] .

Campaigns

East-West Road Tunnel

Adam Bandt has been a vocal critic of the East-West road tunnel proposed by Sir Rod Eddington [ [http://www.makemelbournegreen.com/the-eddington-report/ Eddington Report | Make Melbourne Green ] ] and the climate policies of the Labor and Liberal parties [ [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/06/10/1181414132498.html Liberal and Labor, make a call: how much heat can you stand? - Opinion ] ] .

2am Lockout

Adam Bandt made his first public speech as Lord Mayor candidate at a rally against Melbourne's "2am Lockout" regulations at Parliament House on May 30th 2008. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6tkd3aPCR8 YouTube - Melbourne 2AM Lockout Speech ] ]

2008 Lord Mayor Candidate

Adam Bandt is standing for Lord Mayor of Melbourne City Council with Deputy Lord Mayor candidate Cr Kathleen Maltzahn, a current Green Yarra City Councillor. Mr Bandt was the only publicly declared candidate for Lord Mayor for the six months prior to August 2008. The 2004 Lord Mayoral race saw the Greens finish second behind incumbent John So.

Adam Bandt has identified transport and climate change as some of the key issues in the upcoming race for Lord Mayor. Mr Bandt strongly opposes the proposed toll road tunnel through the middle of the city and has continued to campaign for better public transport and safer bike paths. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/vic/content/2006/s2381759.htm John So's decision to quit throws open the contest to be Melbourne's next Lord Mayor | Stateline ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Broadcast 05/10/2008 ] ]

Plan to improve Swanston Street

The Greens' new plan for Swanston Street involve the building of a safe bicycle route along the length of Swanston Street; the banning of buses, taxis and cars from crossing Swanston Street; and the paving of Swanston Street with bluestone from Flinders Street to LaTrobe Street, in order to allow increased pedestrian access on the currently overcrowded foorpaths.

Under The Greens' plan, trams would remain in Swanston Street and have priority access in the CBD. [ [http://www.theage.com.au/national/jeffs-a-noshow-but-what-about-so-20080923-4m27.html?page=-1 Jeff's a no-show, but what about So? - National - theage.com.au ] ]

"The People Plan" - Discussion Paper on the future of Melbourne's Public Transport System

On the 6th of October 2008, The Victorian Greens released their transport plan in preparation for the upcoming Local Council Elections in November. [ [http://www.thepeopleplan.org.au/Support%20Docs/The%20People%20Plan%20Discussion%20Paper.pdf The People Plan | A Discussion Paper on the future of Melbourne's Public Tranport System ] ]

The $14-billion visionary discussion paper plans to triple capacity on public transport by 2020. [ [http://www.thepeopleplan.org.au/ The People Plan ] ] It also proposes higher frequency train, tram and bus services; and 33 new or extended train and tram lines throughout metropolitan Melbourne [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/06/2383106.htm Greens transport plan for new trains, tram lines - ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) ] ]

External links

*http://adambandt.com Personal Site

*http://www.makemelbournegreen.com Campaign Site

References