Wentworth Falls resident Greg Keightley is the Animal Justice Party's candidate for Blue Mountains in the March state election.
Mr Keightley has lived in the Mountains for 40 years and has been active in conservation, wildlife rescue and community-based organisations over that time.
His experience in community campaigns began in 2001 with the Western Sydney Conservation Alliance - a group of biologists and conservationists trying to save the remaining critically endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland and creation of wildlife corridors in Western Sydney.
Mr Keightley was also the Animal Justice Party's candidate in the 2019 state election and stood as their candidate for Macquarie in the last two federal elections.
A long-term member of WIRES, Mr Keightley was Disaster Coordinator for WIRES Blue Mountains in the region's big fires in 2001 and 2013 and was a rescuer in the Black Summer fires in 2019.
"I know the Mountains well and I love the landscape and the wildlife it supports. I think everyone realises that we now have a real climate emergency, our region deserves special treatment, and someone with real strength and energy to protect what we have left," he said.
"This city within a national park, encompassing a world heritage area, remains under constant pressure from urban encroachment into our natural environment, including the impact of a new airport, proposed highway construction, the commercialisation of the Gardens of Stone and the raising of Warragamba Dam wall.
"We need to retain and enhance the unique biodiversity of the Blue Mountains whilst giving greater protections to our native animals and their habitat. For far too long, very little consideration has been given to nature and native animals, with bureaucratic decisions putting profit over planet, leaving volunteer wildlife rescuers to pick up the pieces.
"But the biodiversity we have here is crucial to our future, both economic and environmental and animals are truly vital to that.
Mr Keightley said over the last eight years animals have increasingly featured in government decision-making because of the work of the Animal Justice Party's two MPs.
"They have made it 'normal' to ask what the consequences are for animals and biodiversity in legislation," he said. "They have driven parliamentary inquiries into water allocation and the commercial use of wildlife and they have strengthened animal cruelty laws and penalties. They hold government to account and do so without the burden of pressure from vested interests and lobbyists. They represent the animals and the momentum is growing."
Mr Keightley said the party is not a single issue organisation.
"In 2022, we passed more private members' Bills than any other party. Due to legislation introduced by the AJP, people who commit serious animal cruelty are now disqualified from working with children.
"We are directly responsible for dramatically increasing the penalties for animal abuse and obtained mandatory lifetime bans on serious animal abusers owning pets.
"We have had animals included on Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders to make it easier for women and children to escape a violent home life and secured funding for refuges. We have also stopped strata management banning animals in apartments and raised serious money for animals sanctuaries during the bushfires," he said.
