Politics With Heart
It’s an honour to be writing to you for the first time as Leader of the Australian Greens.
I never expected to be in this role – and I want to start by acknowledging the incredible contributions of Adam Bandt, Max Chandler-Mather and Stephen Bates. I know many of you will still be feeling this loss deeply. Their absence from Parliament and as local representatives will be felt, but the strength of our movement continues because of all of you.
Thanks to the support of millions who voted Greens, we head back to Parliament in July with sole balance of power in the Senate – and our incredible team of Senators intend to make the most of it. I am also thrilled that Elizabeth Watson-Brown will be returning as the Member for Ryan. Together we’ll push for action on the big, urgent challenges people face every day: the climate crisis, the housing crisis, and the growing inequality that sees too many people struggling to get by in a wealthy country.
We’ll fight to stop new coal and gas projects, cancel student debt, push to get dental into Medicare, ensure everyone has a home, and make childcare free. And we’ll continue our long-standing commitment to First Nations justice, gender equality, human rights and a free Palestine.
But already, the Government has failed its first major test on climate: the proposed extension of Woodside’s North West Shelf dirty gas project. This is Australia’s oldest and most polluting gas facility – and Labor has approved an expansion that will lock in another 40 years of emissions. Dutton pledged to fast-track this approval during the campaign, then Labor approved it even faster.
This single project will emit 6.1 billion tonnes of carbon pollution – using over 90% of the Government’s entire 2050 net-zero carbon budget. You cannot halt the climate crisis or protect nature while opening new coal and gas. It’s that simple.
This is a clear signal of just how weak our environmental protection laws are and how the fossil fuel industry has captured the major parties.
At the same time, we’re witnessing the heartbreak and devastation of severe weather events, with yet another “once-in-500-year” flooding event – this time across the Mid North Coast and Hunter Valley. How many more will it take before the Government listens?
This is Labor’s opportunity to chart a different course, with record high numbers of seats – they can be as brave as they choose to be.
With the Greens holding balance of power in the Senate, they can choose to work with us to deliver lasting reform – to protect nature, phase out coal and gas, and build a future powered by clean energy and climate justice. They can deliver that real reform which would meaningfully help people and protect the planet, or they can continue to tinker and lock in the status quo.
The Greens are ready to work constructively in this new Parliament. The Government can choose to work with us, or they can fail to rise to the challenge and simply do deals with the Coalition.
As someone who came into politics as an environmental lawyer, I am profoundly humbled by the Greens’ responsibility to our voters. In my very first speech to the Senate back in 2011, I said: “It is with a big heart, and a passionate belief in the goodness of humanity that I undertake this journey.” And that is still so true.
In this next Parliament, the Greens have a real opportunity to deliver meaningful change. That means working constructively where we can, and pushing hard where we must.
I know that as we go through this parliament, we’ll need to make tough decisions and have difficult conversations, but our party and our movement has never backed away from that.
Thank you for everything you’ve done to build this movement. I’m so proud to lead our parliamentary team – and I’m excited to continue working alongside you all.
In hope,
– Larissa
https://greens.org.au/magazine/politics-heart