Democracy should not be a victim of the pandemic.

We need a health-first approach if we are to have any chance of effectively eliminating community transmission of this virus. The advice of health experts must be heeded.

Democracy should not be a victim of the pandemic.

We need a health-first approach if we are to have any chance of effectively eliminating community transmission of this virus. The advice of health experts must be heeded.

The Australian Greens have today announced that Lidia Thorpe will be the next Senator for Victoria, following a massive state-wide ballot of the Victorian Greens membership. 

Lidia Thorpe, Aboriginal leader, activist and Gunnai-Kurnai/Gunditjmara woman will be sworn into Parliament in the coming months to fill the casual vacancy soon to be left by Senator Richard Di Natale. 

In Eden-Monaro, where in 2019 Greens’ preferences were crucial in determining the final result, the Greens have made a decision about who will appear in the important ‘number 2’ spot on their How to Vote cards when voting starts tomorrow. Eden-Monaro is currently held by a margin of less than one percent. 

The Greens’ candidate, Cathy Griff, is campaigning on the climate crisis and a green-led economic recovery package, and this by-election is a golden opportunity to send a message.

Greens Leader and MP for Melbourne, Adam Bandt, said that Minister for Government Services, Stuart Robert, had potentially lied to him in writing over the Minister’s closure of a Centrelink office in the electorate of Melbourne, and that in the absence of an explanation, Bandt would be moving a censure motion when the Parliament resumes.

Statement from Australian Greens Whip Sen. Rachel Siewert:

Today the Australian Greens Party Room met and re-affirmed the positions of our leadership team.

Following a customary spill of the leadership positions, the roles of Leader, Co-Deputy Leader and Whip have all been returned without challenge. The rotating position of Party Room Chair has moved from Adam Bandt MP to Sen. Janet Rice.

The leadership roles for the 46th Parliament are as follows:

Bandt challenges Labor on preference deals.

Greens MP Adam Bandt today challenged Labor to come clean about reports of preference negotiations and deals in Batman with Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives. 

“Cory Bernardi has said he aims to preference Labor in Batman ‘subject to negotiations’,” said Mr Bandt.

“Labor did a deal with the Liberals last election to get preferences in Batman and it looks like they might do it again with Cory Bernardi.