Sustainable Australia Party is an independent community movement with a science and evidence-based policy platform. We have developed a broad policy platform with sustainable solutions to address Australia's growing economic, environmental and social problems.

We are the only political party to put our environment first - and therefore our health, economy and quality of life.

SAP is campaigning to:

• Protect our environment
• Stop overdevelopment
• Stop corruption

There's also much more in our broad policy platform.

James Holgate for Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council

Lead Candidate

James lives and works in Queanbeyan, having been born and raised in Cooma NSW. He has studied and followed politics in Australia at all levels as well as overseas during an extensive international career while living and working in a number of countries.  He became interested in the Sustainable Australia Party while campaigning as an independent candidate for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro, as the policies and values align with his own.                                                   

Having grown up and lived in the Monaro region, James returned to the area he loves after many years living and working in Asia, the Pacific and the Americas.  He loves the natural environment of the Monaro region and enjoys the range of outdoor activities available locally, from the snow to the sea.  He loves the traditional and diverse cultural richness unique to this region and wants to ensure that we fulfil our primary moral responsibility to pass on an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable Australia to future generations.

During the last 10 years James has witnessed the effects of rapid and excessive urban growth and the impact it has had on both the natural and urban environment.  This includes increased congestion, greater pressures on and costs of infrastructure, as well as the loss of natural flora and fauna. If elected, James looks forward to working constructively with the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council to ensure our local community interests are prioritised over property developers and other vested interests that pay lip service to protecting the social, natural and cultural legacy of our region.

Videos

Coming soon...

Campaign issues and policies

In the 2024 Council election, James Holgate and all Sustainable Australia Party candidates are campaigning to protect our environment, stop overdevelopment and stop corruption:

Protect our environment and green spaces

• Preserve and enhance our beautiful outdoor spaces including our parks and bushland areas.
• Take real action on climate change at a local level, including stronger laws to prevent inappropriate land and tree-clearing.
• Adopt a biodiversity and native species program including land and marine animal habitat protection.
• Aim for a zero waste outcome by reducing then eliminating local waste production and increasing recycling and repair capabilities, including through the establishment of a local repair cafe in Queanbeyan-Palerang.
• Support sustainable transport initiatives including:
  • Better bus and rail services to ease congestion and improve local travel times.
  • Better and safer bicycle networks including a fully connected network throughout the Queanbeyan-Palerang area.
  • Better and safer pedestrian infrastructure, including more access and lighting in parks, lanes and other walkways.

Stop overdevelopment

• Return real planning power to local communities through proper engagement, rather than state government property industry appointees on so-called 'independent planning panels'.
• Reject the State Government's proposed housing growth targets and determine new targets following a full audit of local infrastructure capacity and proper community consultation.
• Deliver new community infrastructure before more housing density is approved (including new schools, hospitals, public transport, roads, recreational and sporting facilities, green space, etc).
• Ensure that planning and zoning changes protect Queanbeyan-Palerang environment, heritage and local liveability (e.g. access to direct sunlight, scenic views and open space).

Stop corruption and increase transparency

• Adopt more transparent reporting of political lobbying and all financial contributions, including the requirement for all Councillors to declare any non-personal time they spend with registered lobbyists and property developers.
• Campaign to ban all property developer donations and contributions to political parties and all candidates - including at federal level, which is often used to support state or local government candidates.

And much more. including:

Coming soon...

SAP's state and federal policy platform can be found here:

sustainableaustralia.org.au/policies

Get involved

> Donate

Please donate to our campaign: Coming soon...

> Volunteer

If you'd like to help letterbox or staff an early voting or election day voting centre, please contact us.

> Contact

• Email: Contact Us

> Social media

• Coming soon...

Volunteering

Letterboxing

Do you live in or near the Council electorate? If so, we'll send you some flyers to letterbox.

Please contact us ASAP.

Voting centre

Important: SAP volunteer and voting centre behaviour guidelines HERE

Early Voting Centres / Election day Voting Centres

Early voting:  Saturday 7 September - Fri 13 September (excluding Sun 8th), 9AM - 5PM (exact times TBC)

Coming soon...

Polling day: 14 September, 8AM - 6PM

Coming soon...

Postal Voting: Click here

How to vote SAP (enrolment, preferences)

How to vote SAP (preferences)

As an independent community movement, after you Vote 1 for Sustainable Australia Party, we prefer that you decide where to direct your own preferences.

HTV card coming soon...