2015-06-10
Giz Watson (Australian Greens Co-convener)
Along with all Greens who are National media-watchers, I am frequently concerned that we Australian Greens often struggle to get the level of media attention proportional to our voter support.
So it was particularly pleasing to read a positive and considered article by Amanda Lohery in the June edition of The Monthly, entitled "The New Greens, hitting the mainstream". It was indeed refreshing to read a serious article about the Australian Greens that was both accurate and respectful: let us hope that some other journalists/editors take note...
In her article, Lohery traces the Tasmanian origins of our former leaders, noting, "…Brown and Milne have each led the party with courage and steadfastness; they stared down the sneering commentary of the media while earning the enmity of both major parties." Lohery then goes on to consider Richard Di Natale and what he might bring to the role saying: "…there appears to be a consensus that Di Natale is more likely to move the Greens towards some kind of “centre” (never defined) and to negotiate with Government."
This of course touches on the healthy internal debates we've had and will continue to have about where we see ourselves sitting in the political spectrum. Although, I would argue, the whole of mainstream politics has veered so far to the neoconservative that notions of left, right and centre are pretty redundant. I've always preferred the sentiment that we're 'neither left nor right, but out front', underscoring our political premise that we are the only forward-looking party that understands and embraces the deep changes that are needed to create a sustainable and fair community.
Lohery also takes a positive view of our new co-deputy leaders, who are described as "a different breed again". Scott Ludlam is lauded as "a hipster with gravitas" and that "his role is crucial to the integrity of the Greens, both real and perceived", while Larissa Waters "has brains, looks and charm and has presented well in national forums like the ABC's Q&A."
Lohery ends her article with some advice worth pondering. Perhaps reflecting on our 'neither left nor right, but out front' approach, she says:
"To borrow from George Myerson in 2001 Ecology and the End of Postmodernity, the Greens need to convince a sceptical public that they are not reactionaries, Luddites and spoilers but the leading proponents of a new and urgent 'mainstream modernity', one based on innovative responses to the science of climate change, to population growth and the pressure of cities, not to mention the crisis of growing inequality and of weakened community that threatens to undermine the perceived legitimacy of liberal democracies."
I recommend reading the whole article. It may perhaps inspire more Greens' members and supporters to re-engage with the public discourse about who we are as Greens, especially as Lohery says, "Any change in a party's political guard presents opportunities for a reset in the public imagination." Let's seize this moment to be part of the conversation!
Do you want to be part of the conversation? Many local Greens groups are preselecting candidates for the upcoming Federal election now. To have your say in who is preselected, you need to be a member of the Greens.