Familiar name on Green card

SARAH Buckingham, wife of Orange councillor and NSW Legislative Council member Jeremy Buckingham, doesn’t expect to attract the same voters as her husband by default when she runs as a candidate in the upcoming September council elections.

Mrs Buckingham confirmed yesterday she would run as the second candidate on the Greens’ ticket behind councillor Neil Jones.

“I might get some of the same votes [as Cr Buckingham] on sustainability issues,” she said.

“[But] I work with different sectors and parts of the community.

“It’s not necessarily default that people who voted for Jeremy will vote for me, or that people who didn’t vote for Jeremy won’t vote for me.”

Mrs Buckingham said she had always been interested in issues involving Orange.

“With Jeremy as a councillor I’ve quietly followed things,” she said.

She said Cr Jones and herself would balance each other on the Greens’ ticket as they represented different parts of the community.

“I’ve admired the work he has done,” she said.

“I talk to lots of people in the community with my work in natural health and also retail.

“I hear lots of people’s points of view.”

Mrs Buckingham hopes to bring a female perspective to council. She said she also knew the “ins and outs” of the community as someone who had grown up in Orange.

“I’ve got two boys aged 10 and 13 and I think there needs to be a voice for mothers on council and more of a gender balance,” she said.

“Traditionally being a male-dominated council, I’d like to see more ladies.

“I’ve met all the councillors and they obviously don’t always agree because that’s what democracy is but they’re all decent people.”

While the candidates on the Greens’ ticket are still finalising their policies and issues for Orange’s future ahead of the election, Mrs Buckingham said she wanted a focus on infrastructure for teenagers.

“Orange is fantastic for toddlers and young children with parks but it needs more for teenagers to do,” she said.

clare.colley@ruralpress.com