Greens candidate for Scullin, VIC, Loki Sangarya is taking a strong stance against corporations dodging tax and corporate donations, to make sure the community’s needs are met. A water and wastewater treatment engineer who has worked on the climate frontline, he’s fighting for no new coal and gas projects.
What prompted you to run for Federal Parliament?
Loki Sangarya: I felt like the two major parties were taking everyday citizens for granted. I am passionate about climate action and social justice and I was disillusioned by the Liberal Party’s climate denialism and their neoliberal economic policies. I initially expected better from Labor after they got into government in 2022, but seeing them open over 25 new coal and gas projects when the science said we need to open zero new ones, I was disappointed in them, too. I work as an Engineer, and back in 2022 I worked on infrastructure projects directly reducing emissions, but seeing the government open these horrible fossil fuel projects prompted me to enter politics and better represent the community’s needs.
View this post on Instagram
What do you think are the pressing needs of the local community in your area?
Loki Sangarya: The community in Scullin has been hit hard by the cost-of-living crisis. Over 56% of Scullin live in housing stress, and the median wage is almost 20% below the national median wage. I hear from constituents regularly about their bills going up and them having to skip dental and mental health care just to pay for food and housing. In a wealthy country like ours, no one should be struggling to afford the basics – healthcare, food, housing, and education. At the same time, we see inequality in Australia at an all-time high with 1 in 3 big corporations paying no tax. The Australian Greens want them to pay their fair share. This has been costed by the independent Parliamentary budget office who have estimated we could raise over $514B over 10 years by doing so. This will be used to ensure communities in Scullin and around the country have their basic needs met.
READ ALSO: Have your say: Take the Indian Link’s Federal Election 2025 Survey
There is much disillusionment with politics and politicians in current times. What would you do to change that public perception?
Loki Sangarya: There is large disillusionment in politics and politicians, because people feel they are not making decisions that reflect the community’s needs. I have been door-knocking on thousands of doors and people are not only feeling indifferent to politicians but are also worried about the Trump like politics being imported to Australia. The root cause of this is the corporate donations driving decision-making at the government level. From fossil fuel companies lobbying hard to prevent any meaningful climate action to strong sport gambling companies forcing the government to drop meaningful ad bans that their own MP had spent their life advocating for. I will work to remove corporate donations to political parties. The Greens don’t take any corporate donations, and we need every political party and politician to do the same, so that decisions taken truly reflect the community’s needs.
Tell us a bit about your background – personal and professional (where home is in South Asia, when you arrived here, or if you were born here, what you do for work outside of politics etc)
Loki Sangarya: I grew up in Southern India, in the bustling city of Bengaluru, in a working-class family that strongly valued honesty and integrity. I currently work as an Engineer in the water and wastewater sector, specializing in planning, including for climate change risks to essential infrastructure. I am also a policy researcher looking at government policies around the world that are aimed at ensuring social needs are met in a manner that is done by staying within planetary boundaries.
