State politics strikes chord with musician

Great Southern professional musician David Rastrick will run in the 2017 State election after being announced as the WA Greens candidate for the seat of Albany.

Rastrick has been a long-time advocate for the environment, and in particular the protection of the forests in the Great Southern and South West from logg-ing.

A focus on renewable energy and a high level of community involvement is what Rastrick said would set him apart from other candidates.

“What I’d really like is to hear from community members about what they think will work for them,” he said.

“It’s all right for me to come up with ideas and there are Greens policies guiding what I present in economic and social terms but what’s most important for me is to hear from community members because I’m here to represent community members.”

Rastrick first became involved with the WA Greens through the environmental activist movement in the 1990s and has made significant contributions to the party’s forest policy.

As well as being a full-time musician, Rastrick is also studying environmental management and sustainable development, as well as being an active member of local environmental groups.