2022-07-01
Gearing up for a return to the Senate, now with the numbers to favourably influence government policy
By Senator Dorinda Cox
The Greens went to this election with a promise to Fight For Our Future. Over the election period I had the privilege and the honour of travelling far and wide, meeting with West Australians from all over this great state. From Kalgoorlie to Karratha, from Bunbury to Broome and beyond, no matter where we travelled to, the message was clear ‒ voters wanted a mandate for climate action, and that’s what we will deliver.
I’m so pleased that we’ve had a Greenslide! We’re now the most powerful third party in the Parliament. I’ve already met with my new colleagues and they are great ‒ we’re a bigger team now, and will be able to achieve so much more as a result.
Voters have made it clear they want the Greens to push the Albanese Government to go further and faster on climate change and inequality. We want to work with Anthony Albanese to deliver the stable, effective, progressive government that Australians have voted for, but he will need to work constructively with the Greens and the rest of the crossbench.
I am especially honoured to represent our Australian Greens movement with the following portfolios: Resources, trade, tourism, and science. We made real commitments to our voters at the last election for action in these areas, and I am committed to accelerating as many of these plans as possible.
Together with my party room colleagues, the Scarborough gas project, saving the songlines at Murujuga and protecting the Beetaloo Basin will be among just a few of our priorities. I’m keen to work with our membership, our stakeholders, our party room and our supporters to develop these priorities over the next few months.
As a First Nations Senator, I see all the issues that we talk about ‒ environment, climate change, protecting Country, social justice ‒ these are all interconnected. We have a way to go before we decolonise our Parliament! But I’m ready to take this on, alongside the biggest number of First Nations MPs this Parliament has ever seen.
I know many of you were at the National Conference the other day, and I hope you’ve come away as inspired and ready as I am. Let’s do this thing!
In solidarity,
Dorinda