Challenging the status quo

This is a copy of a letter that appeared in the Sunday Age 28/3/10.

An excellent article by Melissa Fyfe on the Greens (Sunday Age 21/2), though I suggest she mistook many of the Greens’ strengths for weaknesses. 

It is true the party uses agreement rather than brutal –winner-takes-all- number crunching to make decisions.  it is true that it our MLCs are considered and serious in proposing and improving legislation.  And true, the Greens are not consumed by a ‘leadership’ cult. 

Like all growing movements, there are barriers to communicating with the electorate. However, the prevailing message that the Greens are creative, energetic and optimistic is clear and well received.

As the candidate for the Greens in the Altona by-election, I spoke in my own voice about issues I believe in.  I joined the Greens because they do not replicate the current inadequacies of our democracy, like the stalemate between the Labor and Liberal parties.

I suggest that this alternative approach, coupled with a strong policy framework built around social justice, equity and sustainability is precisely why 1 million plus voters choose to vote Green and why our voter base grew again by another 2% at the recent byelection.