For the race in Hornsby, the Sustainable Australia Party (SAP) have preselected candidate Justin Thomas.
This is not the first time Justin Thomas has run for the party. In both the 2019 and 2023 State Elections, Justin Thomas received just under 1.70% of the formal votes.
‘People are looking for alternatives to the failed Liberal/Labor model. They want representatives they can relate to and trust at a time where trust in politicians is evaporating,’ says candidate Justin Thomas. ‘We are educating people that you can use your number 1 vote in a preferential system to send a message… Put your favourite major party second. This tells them you are not happy.’
Justin lives in Berowra with his young family and has resided on Sydney’s North Shore for many years. Putting the environment, heritage and community at the centre of decision-making is a large part of his campaign. Focusing on the housing crisis which, in Justin’s view, has been facilitated by the tax concessions made for property investors and foreign buyers, and the population growth fuelled by record high immigration, is a top priority. Justin wishes to temper the policies that have allowed the housing crisis to explode, and push for more public housing.
‘We need to recognise that the rapid population growth supported by the Liberal, Labor and Greens parties is unsustainable,’ explains Justin. He continues with his stance on Labor’s transport-oriented development. ‘It delivers massive overdevelopment to areas with already significant infrastructure deficits including schools, health care, sporting and recreational spaces. We need to fix the infrastructure deficits first.’
A recent pain point for the Hornsby electorate was the blow brought by Labor’s withdrawal of $36 million in grant funding for Westleigh Park. Many candidates for both the Local Government Election and for Hornsby’s by-election have chastised Labor for the decision. Justin and SAP agree with the state government’s choice to withdraw.
‘In our opinion, the NSW state government is correct to apply proper standards to such spending commitments,’ says Justin. ‘The best and simplest way forward would be… a new, more modest environmentally sustainable proposal for grant funding with the right economic and environmental governance parameters.’
Alongside housing, Justin is focused on greater investment to the education and health care systems.
‘I would like to see public schools in Hornsby and the state receive better resources… continuing improvements in inclusivity in all schools and the breaking down of discriminatory attitudes,’ says Justin.
Justin Thomas is the Sustainable Australia Party candidate for the Hornsby by-election.
