Parliamentarians

Since the 1980s, the Greens have been an important part of the Australian political landscape. By the end of that decade, the party held the balance of power in Tasmania, where they worked with the ALP on ensuring sound environmental policies. In 1990 Jo Vallentine became the party’s first federal Senator representing the newly formed Greens WA. Later in the early 90’s the balance of power in the senate was held by West Australian Green senators Dee Margetts and Christobel Chamarette.

Since 2000, the Greens have gone from strength to strength in parliamentary representation, with Senator Bob Brown continuing to champion the party's position at the national level. The 2001 federal election saw Bob joined in the senate by Kerry Nettle of New South Wales. In 2004, the Greens increased their Senate representation to four when Bob and Kerry were joined by Christine Milne (Tasmania) and Rachel Siewert (WA). At the 2007 Federal election, more than a million Australians voted Green. Bob Brown was resoundingly re-elected, but Kerry Nettle was not, despite an increase in her vote. Sarah Hanson-Young (SA) and Scott Ludlam (WA) joined Bob, Christine and Rachel in the Senate in July 2008.

At state level, the Greens now have twenty-one elected members of parliament: four in Tasmania, four in New South Wales, four in the ACT, four in Western Australia, three in Victoria one in South Australia and one in the Queensland. More than 100 Greens have been elected to local councils around the country.

Greens Senators

• Senator Bob Brown
• Senator Christine Milne
  
• Senator Rachel Siewert
• Senator Scott Ludlam
• Senator Sarah Hanson-Young

Senators Portfolios

Bob Brown

Defence
Democracy
Emergency Services
Environment
Foreign Affairs
Forests
Home Affairs
Natural Heritage
Population
Trade
Treasury, Finance & Deregulation

Christine Milne

Arts
Climate Change
Competition Policy & Small Business
Education: Schools, Vocational & Tertiary
Infrastructure
Innovation, Industry, Science & Research
Resources & Energy
Transport & Regional Development
World Heritage

Rachel Siewert

Agriculture
Fisheries
Community Services
Employment & Workplace Relations
Environment: Natural Resource Management
Gambling
Health & Ageing
Indigenous affairs
Marine
Social inclusion
Water

Scott Ludlam

Attorney General
Broadband, Communications & the Digital Economy
Housing
Human Heritage
Local Government
Mining
Nuclear
Public Transport
Sustainable Cities

Sarah Hanson-Young

Childcare
Consumer Affairs
Education: Early Childhood & Student Services
Human Rights
Immigration & Citizenship
Sexuality & Gender Identity
Sport
Status of Women
Tourism
Veterans' Affairs
Water: Lower Murray & Rescue the Coorong
Youth