A huge thank you to everyone who participated in our Higgins CAN ACTION DAY last Thursday, April 28, to persuade Higgins MP Dr Katie Allen to attend our May 5 Higgins Candidates Climate Forum.

Local Climate Action supporters sent emails to Dr Allen, participated in our DoGooder campaign and called her office asking her to attend the forum as their elected federal representative.

Those able to attend Thursday’s Vigil outside Dr Allen’s office in Malvern Road, were heartened by the presence of Climate Choir Melbourne, which attended to serenade Dr Allen with Climate songs in the hope she may say “yes”.

Led by Robert Dawlings, the non-partisan volunteer choir is passionate about Climate and known for lyrics such as “coal, don’t dig it” and “We need to build a better future and we need to start right now.”

Unfortunately, Dr Allen’s heart could not be softened, and Higgins CAN was advised by staff she would not be attending the forum, when we called her office again late last week.

Anaesthetist and pain medicine specialist Dr Will Howard, a founder of the non-partisan Higgins Climate Action Network (Higgins CAN) and a member of Doctors for the Environment Australia, says while he’s disappointed that Dr Allen has chosen not to attend the forum, he’s “extremely buoyed” by the commitment and enthusiasm of Higgins CAN supporters.

“Unfortunately emails and phone calls over many months asking Dr Allen to attend the forum, from organisers and local constituents in this marginal seat, have fallen on deaf ears.”

Dr Howard says 75 per cent of Higgins voters want the federal government to take stronger action to address climate change. Labor candidate Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah and Greens candidate Sonya Semmens are attending the event, along with Reason candidate Andrew Johnson.

“Candidates need to show leadership with effective policies to slash pollution by at least 75 per cent by 2030 in order to limit the worst impacts of global warming,” Dr Howard says. “We are encouraging our community to look beyond party spin this election and to vote for evidence-based climate action.”