Queensland
Senate (Upper House)
Rhett Martin
Rhett Martin is a senior lecturer in law at the University of Southern Queensland. He has practiced as a solicitor in medium and large firms after he graduated from Melbourne University with degrees in Commerce and Law. He also holds a LLM and PhD in sustainability regulation. Branching out into the academic field, Rhett has held positions at Monash University and RMIT before relocating to Toowoomba, Queensland in 2014 where he currently works.
Rhett has pursued research interests in environmental regulation which looks at the intersection of law with sustainability. He is the author of 'Understanding Sustainability Law' (2017, LexisNexis). He has also written a series of academic articles on ecologically sustainable forest management with a particular critique of Victorian forestry regulation. His research interests are focused on ecologically sustainable development with emphasis on natural resource management. He is of the view that the push to incorporate principles of ecologically sustainable development into regulation is more 'form over substance' and that the net results of this push since the early 1990s has been extremely disappointing in terms of reaching sustainability objectives. He advocates for change in how principles of ecologically sustainable development are regulated.
Rhett Martin is an active natural history buff with a significant interest in the study of Australian amphibians and reptiles (herpetology). A particular focus is Australian freshwater tortoises. He has two daughters and a stepson who more than accounts for his free time. He would like a sustainable world for them all to grow up in.
Timotheos Firestone
Timotheos is a senior software developer and the founder of Firestone Sanctuary, a non-profit organisation dedicated to sustainability, native biodiversity, environmental education, mutualism and incubating other changemaker projects. One of its primary focusses is preserving and restoring the 77-hectare property he bought in Laceys Creek, Queensland, which will be given to the non-profit to hold in perpetuity.
Picture: Timotheos Firestone became the 5000th signatory to join the South East Queensland Land for Wildlife Program. Article here.
Having worked for a decade to save enough to buy the property, he is very concerned about how hostile the housing market is, including to nature. The constant incentive to build more houses fuels suburban sprawl and Australia's valuable ecosystem is the first to pay for it. Instead of copying the same tired plan house in another identical new development estate, Timotheos would like to see efficient designs that encourage community living, integrate with nature, include eco-corridors, and encourage people to spend more time in productive gardens. He believes connection to nature is both psychologically vital and highly culturally important so that we don't lose touch with the life systems that sustain us.
Timotheos strongly cares about women's rights, especially those in relation to family planning. As far as he is concerned, all pregnancies should be wanted/planned by all involved, which also usually corresponds with better family outcomes. He is an advocate for free family planning services (including free vasectomies), which, apart from the considerable social and environmental benefits, would arguably pay itself back over time through reduced infrastructure costs.
In his spare time, he enjoys fitness pursuits such as callisthenics, climbing and hiking; plus creative outlets such as drawing, painting, jewellery-making, pottery, welding, web design, and photography. He personally chooses to eat plant-based as a way of lowering his consumption. He is also writing a speculative fiction romance novel set in the near future, which follows a young woman trying to save her parents' community garden from climate change and covetous developers.
Campaign issues and policies
In the 2022 federal election, Sustainable Australia Party candidates are campaigning to:
- Protect our environment
- Stop overdevelopment
- Stop corruption
And much more!
SAP's state and federal policy platform can be found here:
sustainableaustralia.org.au/policies
Contact
Contact our Senate candidates here.