2018-06-16
Former Greens Senator Larissa Waters will become the first senator section 44’d to return to the seat she won, as Senator Andrew Bartlett who replaced her has announced he will stand down in August to focus on winning the federal seat of Brisbane for the Greens.
“I’m delighted to be returning to the role of working for Queenslanders and am ready to be their voice again,” said Ms Waters.
“After six years in federal parliament and almost a year’s break, I am more committed than ever to cleaning up politics and making it work for people and the planet, not corporate donors.
“I’ve had a year watching politics from the outside, and it’s clear that people are fed up with the big parties just doing the bidding of their corporate masters and donors.
“Many Queenslanders are struggling with insecure work, haven’t had a pay rise in years and are drowning under high rents and mortgages.
“The level of disengagement and anger at politics is so high, Queenslanders feel the system doesn’t work for them anymore and the big parties have stopped listening to their concerns.
“We need to bring back hope. People want and deserve to have a democracy that truly works for them and not for vested interests, and for decisions to be made that make people’s lives easier not harder.
“As returning Senator for Queensland, I will stand up for Queenslanders and the environment.
“I’m passionate about people having access to the services they need, affordable homes and cheap publicly owned clean energy, women reaching equality, protecting nature and the climate, and treating all people with dignity.
“After more than a decade in politics I’m still an idealist, with genuine hope for the future. I am so proud to have the opportunity to work to make life better for all Queenslanders, to help build a future for all of us.
“I want to thank my old friend and esteemed colleague Senator Andrew Bartlett for the outstanding work he has done in the Senate representing Queenslanders since he stepped into the role, after I stood down for unwitting dual citizenship.
“Andrew is an incredibly hard working, ethical and driven man who will now put his sole focus into the seat of Brisbane, which he has a good chance of winning. Brisbanites could have Greens representing them in both houses of federal Parliament after the election!” concluded Ms Waters.
Senator Bartlett has announced he will stand down in the final sitting fortnight of August. Ms Waters’ preselection by the Queensland Greens as lead Senate candidate and to fill any casual vacancy would be confirmed by the Queensland Parliament when it sits in the first week of September and she could then be sworn back into the Senate when it sits in the second week of September 2018.
Larissa will spend the next three months before returning to the Senate getting around the state listening to the needs of communities, and caring for her infant daughter.
Contact: Duncan Munro 0431990115