AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND JOINT PARTY ROOM MEETING
23 OCTOBER 2009, MELBOURNE
Australian Senators Bob Brown, Christine Milne, Scott Ludlam and Sarah Hanson-Young met with NZ Members Metiria Turei, Russel Norman, Catherine Delahunty, Keith Locke, Jeanette Fitzsimons and Kennedy Graham in Melbourne before the Green New Deal Conference.
We caught up on the current political climate in both countries sharing stories about Greens responses to the global financial crisis, our role and relationships with other parties in the parliaments and voting systems. Our New Zealand colleagues are facing a tough challenge ahead with planned reforms to the proportional voting system which could have adverse effects on our electoral success.
The potential for trans-Tasman co-operation and inspiration was highlighted through discussion of topics such as climate change, political donations, election campaigns, West Papua, war powers, the republic and food labelling. Arising out of the meeting was an agreement to work jointly on the reform of the food regulation authority (FSANZ) including calling on FSANZ to develop food labelling standards in areas such as carbon footprint, country of origin, genetically engineered foods and nutrition labelling.
We swapped information about the progress of my bill for a plebiscite on a republic in Australia and the progress of our similar bills regarding the ability of the executive to send troops to war. All these bills are private members’ bills which are a good tool for suggesting progressive reform but which receive varying degrees of debate and success in each country.
We spent some time comparing the systems for dealing with private senators’ bills in both of the parliaments with the Australians being inspired by the more progressive system in New Zealand. The Australian Greens Senators are currently working on reforming the system to allow our bills to be debated and voted on in the Senate with the ideas provided by our New Zealand colleagues being very handy for our reforms.
The joint party room received an update from Marg Blakers on the development of the Global Greens and the Green Institute including the opportunities in the Asia Pacific region with the upcoming conference in Taiwan in May 2010 and plans for the Copenhagen COP.
The Australian Greens are inspired to think of more issues that are ripe for trans-Tasman collaboration and are looking forward to another session for ideas exchange – perhaps next time in New Zealand!
Senator Bob Brown
Leader of the Australian Greens