2016-06-26
The Australian Greens have formally launched their 2016 campaign with the entire federal Greens party room, former party leaders Bob Brown and Christine Milne, and hundreds of supporters in Melbourne.
"I am so proud to lead this party that has the courage and vision to stand up for what matters," said Greens Leader Richard Di Natale.
"Our 2016 federal election campaign is focused on protecting the climate that sustains our health, our environment and our economy, tackling inequality and charting a better way to deal with today's record levels of global displacement.
"The two old parties are so far gone in their race to the bottom and so sold-out to vested interests that they both support Australia's inhumane treatment of people seeking asylum, they both support new polluting coal mines and neither is prepared to end unfair tax breaks to raise the revenue we need to fund quality schools, hospitals and services.
"We Greens have demonstrated that we are a major force in national politics, and I say to the two old parties: We're here to stay. Get used to it.
"We have been shaping and leading the national debate, and winning support every time we take risks.
"We were the first to propose negative gearing, capital gains and superannuation tax reform.
"We've driven the national debate on difficult issues such as drug law reform that few people will touch.
"We started the Parliamentary inquiry into multinational tax avoidance and led the led the calls for a Royal Commission into the banks.
"With Greens in the parliament the community gets representatives who work in the national interest, not according to the will of vested interests that control the two old parties.
"We go into this election with our biggest ever federal party room, our biggest ever membership base, and the most volunteers we've ever had out having one-on-one conversations with voters about the issues that matter to them.
"We have a fully costed platform that raises more revenue than it spends, and tackles inequality in every measure," Senator Di Natale said.
"We are proud to be running candidates in every seat across the country because those seats don't belong to the Labor or Liberal parties, they belong to the community, and the community deserves a choice outside of the Coles and Woolies of Australian politics."