Local housing advocate and founder of the "Housing is a Human Right" campaign, Ellisa Parker is the Greens candidate for Maranoa in the upcoming federal election.
Ms Parker, who has worked in conservation, farming and community outreach, including for the Religious Response to Climate Change working group, believes the major parties have neglected rural and regional Queenslanders.
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"Rural areas like ours have a beautiful landscape and strong sense of community like nowhere else, but we're neglected by the government when it comes to public services, infrastructure and jobs," she said.
Ms Parker moved to Mareeba in 2005 to study at the Australian Agricultural College, and said during her 18 years in the area she has witnessed many towns boom and bust from coal and gas exploration.
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"If the major parties keep approving new coal, oil and gas, our rural and remote communities will experience further economic losses," she said. "Food, insurance and health costs will go up, we'll pay much higher energy bills, and over a million jobs in industries including tourism and farming will be at risk."
Ms Parker said the Greens would support workers and communities to transition into new industries with good, long-term jobs as the economy changes, including by reskilling workers into similar industries and providing grants to help new employers get off the ground.
"We'd also invest in more indigenous rangers to ensure First Nations knowledge and practices, such as cultural burning, are properly funded.
"Alongside Penny Allman-Payne, a public school teacher from Gladstone who only needs a 1.5 per cent swing to join Larissa Waters in the Senate, I'm running for the Greens because we're not afraid to fight for ordinary people.
"By making billionaires and big corporations finally pay their fair share of tax, we can deliver free childcare, bring dental and mental health into Medicare, and create tens of thousands of good jobs tackling climate change."
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At the ballot draw for Maranoa, sitting MP David Littleproud drew the number one spot, while Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party candidate Malcolm Richardson was next.
ALP candidate Dave Kerrigan is in third position, followed by the United Australia Party's Nathan McDonald then Ms Parker representing the Greens.
Rounding out the ballot paper are Mike Kelly from Pauline Hanson's One Nation, then Brett Tunbridge from the Australian Federation Party.
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications.
