Greens candidate Will Douglas believes the Greens are a "party of the future" despite finishing third in the Bega electorate during last night's state election.
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Counting continues, but Mr Douglas had 9.5 per cent of the vote on Monday, March 26, ahead of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party candidate Eric Thomas on 6.3 percent, the Animal Justice Party's Coral Anderson on 2.65 per cent, and the Australian Conservatives candidate Joshua Shoobridge on 1.5 per cent.
Mr Douglas said a lot of young people were becoming "more progressive" in their politics, and the Greens would benefit from that in the near future.
"I believe we'll see a big demographic change," he said. "All the kids who recently marched across Australia for climate change will be voting themselves in the near future, so we'll see a far more conscientious and educated voting base coming through."
Mr Douglas said he wasn't surprised by Andrew Constance's victory in the Bega electorate.
"This is a very conservative electorate, we have one of the largest aged population in the state," he said. "What we saw last night was the baby boomers who have done well for the past 50 years electing to vote for the status quo.
"They've sacrificed a more livable future for their children and grandchildren. When we asked people to vote with climate change in mind, a lot of them sneered or rolled their eyes."
Mr Douglas hoped the Coalition would concentrate on climate change issues, but didn't expect anything to change.
"I'd like to see the Liberal Party tear up any new coal licenses, move out of any native forest logging, and move the timber industry into the plantation sector," he said. "I'm not expecting them to do what's required though.
"Scientists are telling us we have about 12 years to turn around our carbon emissions and minimise the effects of global warning.
"We're already seeing the effects of one degree, 1.5 would be horrible, and two would be catastrophic."
Mr Douglas called on Andrew Constance to make some changes in his local electorate.
"I'd like to see a proper system of public transport on the coast," he said. "We have some buses, but that doesn't constitute a public transport system.
"We need to address black spots on the Princes Highway, and try to get industrial freight of our roads.
"We also need to address mental-health facilities in the Eurobodalla to help people who are struggling in this day and age."
