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Congratulations to the Australian Green Party!
Last weekend the Green Party elected its first member of the Australian House of Representatives. The party also won 14% of the vote in the Australian Senate, winning the balance of power in that body. Because neither of the major parties hold a majority, each must come to the Greens to build coalitions for new legislation. Greens around the country celebrated this historic victory.
Bob Brown
Party Leader Bob Brown called the showing a “Greenslide”. Greens won in each of the country’s six states, taking a total of ten seats. Commentators in the Sydney Morning Herald reported that the win was “phenomenal” and that the Greens are taking the Senate on “quite a move to the left after years and years of being dominated by the right.”
Australian Greens can thank a proportional voting system for a small part of their success. Greens here continue working to break through exclusionary debates and media silence to elect Greens to office on the local and state level.
The 300th Green candidate declared their run for office here in the United States earlier this month. Check out all of our 2010 candidates and find a candidate near you.
Related Articles
- “Caroline Lucas congratulates first Green Party MP in Australia” and related posts (another-green-world.blogspot.com)
- Australian Election Delivers ‘Greenslide’ but Outcome in Limbo (ecosalon.com)
- Australians sought Green values: Wright (news.theage.com.au)
- Greens take balance of power in Australian Senate (mydd.com)
- Australia’s electorate sends climate-change message (nature.com)
- AP Greenout in DC: Say My Name (www.onthewilderside.com)
- “‘Greenslide’ a shift to left – neither major party wins majority mandate” and related posts (another-green-world.blogspot.com)
Filed under: 3rd party, congress, election, Election 2010, elections, grassroots democracy, Green Party, international politics, New York State Politics, News, politics, Senate, third party, US Politics Tagged: | australia, Australian Greens, Australian House of Representatives, Australian Senate, Bob Brown, congress, green, united states, United States House of Representatives
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