Queensland Greens preview 2009

In the last days of 2008, Queensland Greens spokesperson Libby Connors said that 2009 looks like being a good year for the Queensland Greens.

'We will be going all out to retain the seat of Indooroopilly in the state election due sometime in 2009.'

'We will also provide the treasurer and the premier with a shake-up in both their seats as we intend to run strong campaigns in the seats of Mt Coot-tha where Larissa Waters is the candidate and South Brisbane where the party is standing Gary Kane.'

At the last state election the Greens won 21.73% and 21.49% of the vote respectively in those 2 seats.

'Our aim in this state election will be to win seats and the balance of power in our unicameral parliament.

'In the absence of an upper house, the best way to ensure accountability is to have Greens representation watching over government whatever its political colour.'

As well as a state election due sometime in 2009, the year will also mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of the colony and state of Queensland.

According to the Greens this historic anniversary is an ideal opportunity to reconsider the state's electoral system.

'Let's use this anniversary for electoral reform.'

The Queensland Greens say that the optional preferential system of voting makes it very difficult to represent all shades of political opinion in the state and is therefore less democratic than a proportional system.

'The historic record shows that under our current "winner takes all" system that women, minor parties and significant minorities fare poorly.

'When voters have only one person to represent them they vote for whoever they think will provide the strongest voice and that is usually a man and usually a member of a major party.

'That's why women and Aboriginal candidates have faired so much better in the senate.

'It is time we had a debate about how we could incorporate a system of proportional voting into Queensland governance.

'We should consider the New Zealand system which is also based on a unicameral parliament and which was reformed to give New Zealanders both a local MP to represent them and a party vote under a system known as Multi-Member Proportional.'

The Greens argue that local government would be a good place to trial a system of proportional voting to make Queenslanders more familiar with and confident in the system.

'In 2009, we think the best celebration of the sequi-centenary would be a fairer voting system so that more Queensland voices were represented in the parliament.'



Contact: Libby Connors 0429 487 110