2015-03-17
Giz Watson and Penny Allman-Payne (Australian Greens Co-Convenors)
March 18, 2015: Congratulations to the Queensland Greens on officially gaining the highest Greens vote ever in the recent State election! And thanks to everyone around the country who contributed to the result. Once again, you have demonstrated the value of working together as a national organisation to improve our campaign skills and election outcomes.
New South Wales goes to the polls on the 28th of this month, and again Greens right round the country are throwing their weight behind the campaign. This will be the last State election before the next Federal election — barring leadership spills and snap elections — so let's make the most of the current momentum. If you have some time to volunteer to the campaign in these remaining days — when the voters are actually turning their attention to how they'll vote — it's not too late! Contact your State office to be part of the telephone campaigning. We also encourage members and supporters to consider crossing borders to hand out HTVs at regional booths on Election Day. As both of us inter-staters who stood on outer Melbourne booths in the South Eastern Metropolitan region and Nina Springle can attest, being there on Election Day really does make a difference!
We are both relieved and very happy to announce the Australian Greens are now operating under the new constitution and that the first meeting of the new National Council will take place in mid-May in Melbourne. The focus of this meeting will be to work through the various bylaw and other changes/decisions that will be required to facilitate our operations under the new structure. No doubt there may be some teething challenges as we move to more frequent meetings and adjust our processes, but we're looking forward to an era of higher profile and even more effective campaigning in the lead up to the 2016 Federal election.
Having barely had time to draw breath after the Queensland election, the incoming ALP government has given the tick for the massive expansion of coal exports through the Great Barrier Reef! We can't think of a more glaring example of the ALP being in lock-step with the LNP. The ALP is truly a party that has sold its soul. Add to this the renewed pressure on native forests with plans to entrench the disastrous Regional Forest Agreements for a further 20 years and the continued attacks on the Renewable Energy Target, there's never been a more important time for us to be out there campaigning hard for what we believe in. With these and other campaigns happening right around the country, there's plenty to get active on. See you out there!