The Greens (WA) turned 30 on 1 January 2020. As part of the ‘celebrations’ a small group of volunteers have undertaken 62 interviews of some of our long-standing members and all of our politicians who agreed to be interviewed.
The 1990 federal election saw Jo Vallentine elected as a Greens (WA) senator and the first Australian Greens MP. Over the past 30 years, 420 Greens (WA) members have contested a seat in eight state and 12 federal elections. The successful candidates have become six senators, 11 MLCs and one Lower House MP. We’ve always had a MP in Parliament over the past 30 years, and have had both a MLC and a senator in 25 of those years.
In October 2021 Dorinda Cox will be our first Indigenous senator, replacing Rachel Siewert who is stepping down after nearly 17 years.
We are excited to now provide the first nine transcribed interviews for you to read or listen to. We look forward to your feedback on the future use of these interviews by completing a short survey. All of the interviews will be lodged in the Battye Library later this year.
Over the past 18 months we have also archived around 300 items. For all of this, we owe immense thanks to David Worth. He has received invaluable assistance from Giz Watson, Chilla Bulbeck, Anne Yardley, Annabelle Newbury, Jennie Carter, Rowena Skinner, Dan Midalia, Georgina Ker, Ruth Greble, Carolyn Auton, Jordan Renner and Michael Jenkins.
Click here for a short history of the Greens (WA), drawn by Chilla Bulbeck largely from the Green Issue newsletter.
Non-MPs
- Margo Beilby
Foundation member of the Greens (WA) after joining one of its predecessors, the WA Green Party. Margo has been Co-convenor twice as well as Secretary. Her main commitment has been as the Convenor of the Policy Working Group since early 2000. Margo and her husband Mike are Life Members of the Greens (WA). Read more » -
Trish Cowcher
Trish was an active campaigner with the anti-nuclear movement in the 1980s. A Foundation member of the Greens (WA), Trish has worked for Senators Jo Vallentine, Scott Ludlam and Jordon Steele-John, as well as for Giz Watson in the Legislative Council. Trish was awarded Life Membership in October 2017. Read more » - Jan Jermalinski
JJ was very active in the anti-nuclear movement in WA in the early 1980s and was a significant figure in the formation of firstly, the Alternative Coalition in 1988, and then the Greens (WA) in 1990. Read more »
- Marilyn Palmer
Foundation member of the Greens (WA) having been active in the Jo Vallentine Peace Group and the Green Development organisation - two of the founding groups of the Greens (WA). She remains an active Greens’ member in the South West. Read more »
Members of Parliament
- Christabel Chamarette
Foundation member of the Greens (WA) and placed No. 2 on the original Senate ticket in 1990. Christabel replaced Jo Vallentine when she retired in late 1991. Read more » -
Tim Clifford
Member of the Legislative Council for the East Metropolitan Region in the WA Parliament’s Upper House between 2017-2021. Read more » - Diane Evers
Member of the Legislative Council for the South West Region in the WA Parliament’s Upper House between 2017-2021. Read more »
- Giz Watson
Foundation member of the Greens (WA) and member of the Legislative Council for the North Metropolitan Region in the WA Parliament’s Upper House. Elected in 1996 and re-elected in 2001, 2005 and 2008. Read more » - Alison Xamon
A foundation member of the Greens (WA), Alison was first election as a member for the Legislative Council for the East Metropolitan region in 2008 and then for the North Metro region in 2017. She was the parliamentary leader and whip in her last term. Read more »
We’d love to hear what you think about the WA History Project – please let us know!