2022-05-16
MEDIA RELEASE
Greens Leader Adam Bandt will address the Greens official national campaign launch in the Brisbane seat of Griffith today, which the party is hoping to win, and outline the Greens ‘balance of power’ shortlist for negotiations in the likely event of a minority Parliament.
The Greens have said they will put on the table a pared-back version of their comprehensive platform - a 7 point balance of power shortlist - comprised of no new coal and gas mines, cost of living measures like dental into Medicare, and action for First Nations’ people.
The party has also suggested revenue proposals to pay for its measures which it believes Labor could adopt, with all measures focused on making big corporations and billionaires pay their fair share of tax and none on lifting revenue on everyday people.
With support for the Greens surging and a minority parliament increasingly likely, Mr Bandt will say that:
- no new coal and gas;
- dental and mental health into Medicare;
- building 1 million affordable homes and better renters rights;
- free childcare;
- wiping student debt;
- lifting income support; and
- progress on all elements of the Uluru Statement from the Heart;
will be priorities for the party.
The Party would still campaign on its comprehensive plan that includes other measures (such
as free education) and would seek to progress those during the life of the next Parliament, but
that the fully-funded shortlist represented a starting point for discussions in a minority Parliament and also signalled the party’s priorities when exercising Senate balance of power in either a minority or majority parliament.
Addressing a crowd of Party supporters at the BlackHops Brewery in the electorate of Griffith, Mr Bandt will say it is important that all voters know what the Greens would be pushing for with Labor in a minority parliament after kicking the Liberals out.
Recent polling shows the Greens vote is surging in Queensland with all three inner Brisbane
seats on the cusp of falling to the Greens.
Mr Bandt will be joined at the launch by Greens Senate Leader Larissa Waters, Greens QLD Senate candidate and school teacher Penny Allman-Payne, Greens candidate for the Labor seat of Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, Greens candidate for the Liberal seat of Ryan, Elizabeth Watson-Brown, and Stephen Bates, Greens candidate for Liberal seat of Brisbane, as well as many other lower house and Senate candidates from around the country via videolink.
The launch will be live streamed on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and
Youtube.
The Greens are on track to be the most powerful third party in the next Parliament, with
balance of power in the House and Senate very likely.
Quotes attributable [Excerpts from speech] to Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:
“In balance of power, the Greens will kick the Liberals out and push for urgent action on the climate crisis, the cost of living crisis and justice for First Nations people.
“Voters deserve to know what will be on the negotiating table. Of course we want to see all our policies implemented, but these will be at the top of the list.
“The Greens will kick the Liberals out and tackle the climate crisis by stopping new coal and gas mines, and we’ll address the rising cost of living by getting dental and mental health into Medicare, building affordable housing and making childcare free.
“The Greens also want action for First Nations people, including a Truth and Justice Commission to begin acknowledging the violence and dispossession of this land’s first peoples, as well as progress towards a Treaty, to complement Labor’s commitment to progress the Voice to Parliament.
“We’ll also tackle inequality and cost of living pressures by pushing to wipe student debt and increase income support above the poverty line.
“By making big corporations and billionaires pay their fair share of tax, we can build a better future for all of us.
“This election has become a narrow contest between a terrible government that’s got to go and a visionless opposition that keeps agreeing with them. The Greens will kick the Liberals out and keep Labor on track.”