The Green Party's out lesbian candidate in the Hamilton East electorate says she's willing to work hard for people and the environment. Linda Persson (left) with Rainbow Green co-spokesperson Kevin Hague With the full support of her partner Annette, Linda Persson has also become Rainbow Greens' co-spokesperson, alongside gay West Coast Tasman candidate Kevin Hague. Persson says she's pleased that the Green Party are prepared to go further than any other party to recognise and celebrate LGBT communities, and to eliminate barriers to achieving full participation in society. "I have a decided to step up to mark and am prepared to be counted on issues that I am passionate about. We need to be prepared to make some good forward thinking, long-term prosperous decisions now and not wait until it is too late. The Green Party is prepared to do this, through practical, positive and principled decision making," she tells GayNZ.com. Currently a Waikato University postgraduate student studying political science, Persson has been instrumental in re-establishing a Uni-Green group. She has a long history of owning her own businesses working in the horticulture industry, promoting healthy environmental practices that have positive long term results. Persson represented New Zealand for several years in badminton, but in 1984 she was hit by a car while riding her motorbike, sustaining injuries she describes as "horrendous and life-threatening". Her parents were told she would never walk properly again, but Persson fought to rebuild her life, limbs and face, and 14 months later she travelled to Europe to play badminton again. She now says that all her hard-fought resilience and determination are now being focussed on her electoral campaign as a candidate for the Green Party, as she believes that the Party's principles of ecological wisdom, social responsibility, appropriate decision making and non-violence, are key to our society's richness and good health. Persson's goal is to improve the Green Party vote because "Our social, cultural and sustainable future depends on the partnership decisions we make today".