2015-01-19
Giz Watson
A happy New Year to you all! I hope you had some time to unwind a bit and enjoy time with family and friends over the festive season.
2015 has got off to a quick start for some of us and particularly for those of you in Queensland! The calling of a snap state election for 31st January called a halt to many summer holidays but has given us the next opportunity to work together and demonstrate the growing strength of effective nation-wide campaigning.
Speaking in the last few days to my fellow co-convenor, Penny Allman-Payne — who is also the Queensland Greens convenor — she tells me the Queensland campaign is well underway and going well. Notwithstanding the challenges presented by an optional preferential voting system and the absence of an upper house, our Queensland colleagues are keen to produce their best result ever in Queensland, help oust Campbell Newman and send a strong message to the Abbott government. On top of that, they are mindful of maintaining the momentum from our ground-breaking Victorian results. Penny says she's delighted with the support being offered and particularly the assistance being offered Australia-wide.
With the LNP and Labor both clearly and recklessly supporting and enabling the proposed massive expansion of coal extraction and export — with total disregard for the predicted impact on the Great Barrier Reef both directly and as a consequence of further global warming — we present the only alternative voice and have never been more needed. Best of luck to all candidates on the 31st, we hope you go well!
Meanwhile, a little further from the lime light, the coordinating group is continuing the work necessary to transition to our new constitution and the establishment of the new National Council. The new constitution has been approved by the ACT Office of Regulatory Services so the way is clear for us to establish the new National Council after March. Our Secretary, Alex Schlotzer, is doing the thankless task of re-drafting all the relevant by-laws to be consistent with the new constitution. All pretty dry stuff but important for us to be able to move forward as a more efficient national organisation.
Thought and planning is also going into being more creative in our campaign work particularly via the National Campaign Committee. With Parliaments perhaps offering us fewer outcomes at the moment the importance of community-based campaigning is paramount. There will be more to come soon on opportunities and ideas for us all to get more involved and be more effective — time is short and the planet needs us!