Jeremy Buckingham

Jeremy Buckingham MLC
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Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 26 March 2011
Personal details
Born	1973 (age 50–51) Launceston, Tasmania
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Greens New South Wales
Spouse(s)	Sarah
Residence	Orange, New South Wales
Website	Jeremy Buckingham MLC

Jeremy Nova Buckingham (born 1973 in Tasmania) is an Australian politician. He has been a Greens member of the New South Wales Legislative Council since the 2011 state election.

Early life

Buckingham was born in Launceston, Tasmania and spent his early life living in the historic homestead 'Hillgrove', adjacent to the Taroona Shot Tower site south of Hobart. He attended Taroona Primary, Taroona High School and graduated from The Hobart College. After school he spent two years working as a benchman in a small country sawmill run by Greens MLA Kim Booth in central Tasmania.

In 1994 Buckingham fronted heavy metal band 'Amplifire' as singer with fellow members; (Brother) Jessie 'Tambo' Buckinhgam (Rhythm Guitar), Brett Collidge (Bass Guitar), Micheal Kelly (Lead Guitar) and John Salter (Drums). The band performed live and recorded their demo EP 'Powerpoint' in Tasmania.

Buckingham moved to Sydney in the mid 1990s, where he worked as forklift driver, hardware store salesman and builders labourer.

Buckingham relocated to Orange in the central west of NSW in 1997 with his wife Sarah, where he worked as production manager for monumental stonemasonry McMurtrie & Co. In his time at the stonemasonary Buckingham worked on public works such as the Australian War Memorial in London, the Federation Square project and the Sydney Olympic Games site.

After a back injury rendered him unfit for heavy lifting, Buckingham enrolled and completed an Advanced Diploma in Ecological Agriculture and Land Management at the University of Sydney, which he graduated from in 2006. He continued to work as a stonemason until his election to state parliament in 2011.

Political career

Buckingham unsuccessfully contested the state Legislative Assembly seat of Orange in the 2003 state election. Buckingham was then elected to the City of Orange council in 2004 and re-elected with an increased vote in 2008. He was the first member of the Australian Greens elected to a council west of the Great Dividing Range. As a councillor, he implemented Australia’s first stormwater harvesting project for drinking water supply, initiated the city's first statement of commitment to the Aboriginal community, fought against homophobia and for the rights of same sex couples, campaigned to protect an agricultural research station from developers, and fought to protect water supplies from the giant Cadia gold mine that operates on the outskirts of Orange.

Buckingham was elected convenor of the Central West Greens in 2008, a position which he held until 2011.

Buckingham contested the lower house seat of Calare in the 2010 federal election without success.

Buckingham was then preselected to third spot on the Greens Legislative Council ticket in the 2011 state election. He was locked in a close race with Pauline Hanson and the Nationals for the final spots. After preferences were distributed he was elected with 2,437 votes ahead of Pauline Hanson, and 1,306 votes ahead of Sarah Johnston of the National Party.

Since being elected, Buckingham has campaigned relentlessly against the expansion of the coal and coal seam gas industries in NSW and Australia. Working closely with farmers, environmental groups, Aboriginal communities and the Lock the Gate alliance, Buckingham has become a well recognised and credible spokesperson on mining and agri-politics.

In recent years, Buckingham has continued his tireless campaigning for country communities whose health and livelihoods are under siege from the expansion of coal and coal seam gas mining. Buckingham has prioritised his coal and coal seam gas campaigning on protecting the most arable land in Australia, the Liverpool Plains, from the expansion of mining which poses a serious risk to groundwater in the region. He has also sought to set up a framework for the transition away from coal and coal seam gas energy generation to solar and other renewable technologies, to safeguard employment opportunities for regional Australia. In another bid to stimulate sustainable business opportunities for regional Australia, Buckingham has set out to lift the bureaucratic veil from the face of the hemp industry, for its use as fibre and food, as a water efficient alternative to cotton and as a health supplement with great potential. Buckingham has transformed into a prolific media performer, taking on the serious concerns of regional and metropolitan Australians alike and proliferating a message of change from the top down to address these pressing issues. His dynamic and ground breaking utilisation of social media has allowed him to align with his constituents and concerned citizens Australia-wide and represent them at a more personal level.

Buckingham initiated Australia 's first parliamentary inquiry into Coal Seam Gas. Buckingham has introduced Bills into the NSW Parliament attempting to restrict mining. The "Coal Seam Gas Moratorium Bill 2011" sought a moratorium on the granting of exploration licences for coal seam gas. The "Responsible Mining (Protecting Land, Water and Communities) Bill 2012" seeking to prohibit exploration and mining of minerals and petroleum in urban areas, National Parks, and drinking water catchments.

File:Jeremy Buckingham & pipe layer.jpg

Jeremy Buckingham & CSG pipe layer

In July and August 2012 Jeremy toured Texas, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, New York and Washington to see the environmental damage caused by the unconventional gas industry.

For the Greens, he holds the portfolios of Mining and Resources, Primary Industries, Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services, Agriculture, Health and Sport.

Alongside Greens leader Christine Milne, Jeremy Buckingham has set up a country arm of the Greens party and is convenor of the Australian Country Greens.

See also

• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council, 2011–2015

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons