Dick Copeman is LEAN's longest standing state convenor. He heads up the Queensland chapter of the organisation and tirelessly campaigns for a low carbon future.
1. How long have you been involved in LEAN?
Since 2009 when LEAN started in QLD.
2. What made you decide to first get involved in LEAN?
I had not long before rejoined the Labor Party in order to support my wife, Helen, who is a Labor councilor on Brisbane City Council. Having been a campaigner and activist on a range of environmental issues over the years, I thought that I should support efforts to promote environmental issues within the ALP.
3. What do you think is the most important environmental issue that doesn't get enough attention?
Australia’s massive exports of coal and gas, with no responsibility for the greenhouse emissions that they generate.
4. What would like Australia to look in 40 years?
I would like Australia to be a green and peaceful country, with a diverse range of supportive and productive local communities, powered by renewable energy. A country less reliant on selling damaging products such as coal, gas, beef and sugar to the rest of the world and more reliant on sharing our environmental, social and sustainable agricultural capacity with our neighbours.
5. What’s been the best thing about being involved in LEAN?
The continuous challenge of convincing Labor party members that good environmental policies should be just as important as good employment and social policies, which makes me be more realistic and less dogmatic about my environmental ideas.