Jessica is standing as a candidate for the Animal Justice Party. Because of their strong climate policy and their excellent voting record for climate action in the Legislative Council all candidates from the AJP have been ranked with a Green light.
Jessica McAuliffe is your candidate for Morwell. From a young age, Jessica has trumpeted for the plight of animals – which was not an easy task growing up in prime dairy farming country in South Gippsland.
Now living in Morwell with her husband, 15-year-old staffy and 2 rescue cats, Jessica knows that there is a long standing misconception of what the Latrobe Valley and its townships have to offer. She believes it is overlooked by outsiders holding these myths. The district of Morwell is truly a wonderful place to live and even though Jessica is a relatively new resident, she is a proud Morwellian and believes the Latrobe Valley has the best of everything – amenities, industry, and country living. This is what ‘the Valley’ needs to champion.
Jessica’s passion lies first and foremost with the protection and welfare of our companion animals, wildlife and their habitats. She knows that animals face incredible suffering, and this is why Jessica will push for subsidized veterinary care with a priority on low income earners and pensioners.
When elected, she will also legislate to protect our native vegetation by banning the logging of native forests. The Morwell electorate is home to the Strzelecki/South Gippsland Koala. This species of koala has a unique gene pool which appears to be less effected by environmental factors like its cousins in New South Wales and Queensland. We can learn much from our native wildlife and they deserve our admiration.
The Valley also has its own social and economic issues that need to be re-evaluated. Jessica believes it has lost its once proud identity with the closure of Hazelwood power station and the imminent closure of Yallourn power station – and there is a feeling of loss and hopelessness that needs to shift.
Jessica feels that the Valley has the blueprint to become the envy of Eastern Victoria, and we can start with safeguarding the Hazelwood Rehabilitation Project so it benefits both the residents and the wildlife of the Valley. Once the residents of Latrobe Valley feel more positive about their own circumstances, this in turn will aid in protecting the lives of the Valley’s animals and nature too.
Currently studying her Juris Doctor (law) at Melbourne RMIT, Jessica is also assisting at a Gippsland family law firm. This gives her firsthand knowledge of the difficulties that local families face. Jessica is proud and dedicated to her role to try and help families in their time of need and to assist families to ‘reach the other side’ in impossible circumstances.