Kate SlackThe Players: The Australian Greens: A Minor Party
July 21st 2010 23:35
Some History
Born out of opposition to the construction of new dams and the flooding of Lake Pedder along with similar environmental concerns was the United Tasmania Group in 1972. This group was the first Green party to be formed anywhere in the world. Unfortunately the party was unsuccessful in their attempts to stop the flooding and to gain political representation in the 1972 Tasmanian State election. Despite this, their commitment to environmental protection did not dwindle and during the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s they continued to campaign about environmental issues most markedly over the construction of the Franklin Dam in Tasmania. As a result, activist Norm Sanders was elected to the Tasmanian Parliament as an Australian Democrat. He retired from politics in 1982 and (current Senator and Leader of the Australian Greens) Bob Brown was elected to replace him on a count back. The first federal parliamentarian to emerge from the Green movement was Josephine Vallentine of the Nuclear Disarmament Party who was elected as a Western Australian Senator in 1984. In 1992 the Greens organised themselves nationally. Bob Brown resigned from the Tasmanian Parliament in 1993 and was elected as a Senator for Tasmania in 1996.
Some Ideology
When determining policy platforms and deciding on policies, the Australian Greens are guided by the following for pillars of principle: ecological sustainability; grassroots participatory democracy; social justice; and, peace, and non-violence. Ideologically they are a Green party committed to Progressivism. They believe in standing up “for what’s right, not what’s easy.” Former Tasmanian Greens member of the House of Assembly, Lance Armstrong summed this position up as “…neither left nor right but forward”. In all of their policies and responses to government agenda’s the Greens remain committed to recognising “the mutual interdependence between humanity and the rest of nature and we seek to move toward an ecologically sustainable path.”
Operation
As a confederate of State parties, The Greens are comprised of local branches, electorate branches, the State parties and State Councils, the National Council and Working Groups and Election Campaign Committees. The National Council is responsible for formulating, coordinating and organising the policies, functions and administration of The Greens nationally. Until 2005 the Australian Greens abided by their tradition of having no leader. However at the party’s national conference in November 2005 this tradition was abandoned and a leader was deemed necessary as is to be elected by the Greens Parliamentary Party Room. On Monday 28 November 2005, Bob Brown was elected unopposed as the Parliamentary Party Leader.
To follow?
The Greens support:
o An ecologically sustainable economy
o Global responsibility
o Long-term future focus
o Renewable energy
o Opposition to uranium mining and nuclear power
o Promotion of a sustainable approach to water management
o Energy efficiency
o Public transport expansion
o Assumed (based on their opposition to the Gulf War in 1991 and the Iraq war in 1993) opposition to war
o Support for refugees
o Support for international independence movements
o Support for human rights
o Qualified support for voluntary euthanasia
o Increased corporate taxation
o Support for same-sex marriage
o Regulated use of Cannabis for medicinal purposes
Born out of opposition to the construction of new dams and the flooding of Lake Pedder along with similar environmental concerns was the United Tasmania Group in 1972. This group was the first Green party to be formed anywhere in the world. Unfortunately the party was unsuccessful in their attempts to stop the flooding and to gain political representation in the 1972 Tasmanian State election. Despite this, their commitment to environmental protection did not dwindle and during the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s they continued to campaign about environmental issues most markedly over the construction of the Franklin Dam in Tasmania. As a result, activist Norm Sanders was elected to the Tasmanian Parliament as an Australian Democrat. He retired from politics in 1982 and (current Senator and Leader of the Australian Greens) Bob Brown was elected to replace him on a count back. The first federal parliamentarian to emerge from the Green movement was Josephine Vallentine of the Nuclear Disarmament Party who was elected as a Western Australian Senator in 1984. In 1992 the Greens organised themselves nationally. Bob Brown resigned from the Tasmanian Parliament in 1993 and was elected as a Senator for Tasmania in 1996.
Some Ideology
When determining policy platforms and deciding on policies, the Australian Greens are guided by the following for pillars of principle: ecological sustainability; grassroots participatory democracy; social justice; and, peace, and non-violence. Ideologically they are a Green party committed to Progressivism. They believe in standing up “for what’s right, not what’s easy.” Former Tasmanian Greens member of the House of Assembly, Lance Armstrong summed this position up as “…neither left nor right but forward”. In all of their policies and responses to government agenda’s the Greens remain committed to recognising “the mutual interdependence between humanity and the rest of nature and we seek to move toward an ecologically sustainable path.”
Operation
As a confederate of State parties, The Greens are comprised of local branches, electorate branches, the State parties and State Councils, the National Council and Working Groups and Election Campaign Committees. The National Council is responsible for formulating, coordinating and organising the policies, functions and administration of The Greens nationally. Until 2005 the Australian Greens abided by their tradition of having no leader. However at the party’s national conference in November 2005 this tradition was abandoned and a leader was deemed necessary as is to be elected by the Greens Parliamentary Party Room. On Monday 28 November 2005, Bob Brown was elected unopposed as the Parliamentary Party Leader.
To follow?
The Greens support:
o An ecologically sustainable economy
o Global responsibility
o Long-term future focus
o Renewable energy
o Opposition to uranium mining and nuclear power
o Promotion of a sustainable approach to water management
o Energy efficiency
o Public transport expansion
o Assumed (based on their opposition to the Gulf War in 1991 and the Iraq war in 1993) opposition to war
o Support for refugees
o Support for international independence movements
o Support for human rights
o Qualified support for voluntary euthanasia
o Increased corporate taxation
o Support for same-sex marriage
o Regulated use of Cannabis for medicinal purposes
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