[GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE: US Greens congratulate Australian Greens on election 'greenslide' in Parliament

[Green Party of California Updates]

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, August 24, 2010



US Greens congratulate Australian Greens on election victories in Parliament

• Australia's 'greenslide' is a result of Proportional Representation -- a
reform promoted by Greens for fair elections in the US

• "Hung Parliament" will give Australian Greens unprecedented power

• Green Party Speakers Bureau: Greens available to speak on international
issues, electoral reform, related topics: http://www.gp.org/speakers/subjects.php


WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party of the United States congratulates
Australian Greens (http://greens.org.au) on their 'greenslide' in Australia's
parliamentary elections on Saturday, August 21.  Preliminary results show the
Greens will take ten seats in the Australian House of Representatives and Senate.

"The Australian Greens' impressive totals follow on the election of Caroline
Lucas, the first Green to Parliament in the UK, in May," said Julia
Willebrand, candidate for New York State Comptroller
(http://www.juliaforcomptroller.com) and member of the Green Party's
International Committee (http://www.gp.org/committees/intl).  "It's only a
matter of time before the first Green is elected to the US Congress.  We need
a shock to the two-party status quo in America, the kind of shock we're seeing
now in Australia."

"When we get some Greens in Congress in the US, we'll see an enormous change
in the direction of America -- a change for the better, since Democrats and
Republicans will no longer take their exclusive control over US politics and
government for granted.  Like Australia and the UK, Americans will have
legislators from a party dedicated to human needs, human rights, and the
health of our planet," Ms. Willebrand added.

US Greens noted that the Green wins in Australia were a result of Proportional
Representation (PR), a democratic reform "whose major goal is to ensure that
parties and political groups are allocated seats in legislative bodies in
proportion to their share of the vote.  For example, a party receiving 30% of
the national vote should receive approximately 30% of the seats in the
national legislature." (http://www.fairvote.org)

Green Parties in the US, Australia, and other countries support PR and
contrast such reforms with the winner-take-all/plurality voting system
prevalent in the US, in which a party with a plurality or a 51% majority can
sweep an election with a disproportionate number of wins and shut out other
parties and the voters who vote for them.

Greens in the US have argued that America is too diverse to be represented by
only two parties -- especially two parties with many similar positions and a
mutual addiction to corporate contributions and influence.  Green leaders also
noted that Australians take elections so seriously that voting is compulsory
for state and federal elections.

Margaret Blakers, director of The Green Institute in Australia
(http://greeninstitute.org.au), provided a preliminary analysis of the election:

"Here's what it looks like at the moment. Overall vote: in the House of Reps
11.4% and in the Senate 12.96%.  These will go up a bit as the postal and
absentee votes come in where we generally do better which means we're on
12--13% overall.  This is the best result ever for a minor party in Australia.

House of Representatives (lower house): the Greens have won their first ever
seat in the House of Reps in a general election.  Adam Bandt in the seat of
Melbourne got 36% of the primary vote;  the Liberals (conservatives) got 20%
and Labor 39%.  With preferences, Adam wins the seat by 56% to 44%.

Senate (upper house): we will definitely have 8 Senators and probably nine.
That will be two each in Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia and
one in Victoria, Queensland, and probably NSW [New South Wales].  There are
still a couple of outside chances for additional seats but we won't know for
up to two weeks.  During that time postal and absentee votes come in and we
won't get the final result until they are all counted."

Ms. Blakers, who is also member of the Global Greens Coordination (the body
that connects Green Parties on the global level: http://www.globalgreens.org),
said that the election will result in a "hung" Parliament "where neither of
the major parties has a majority meaning that they will have to negotiate with
independents and the Greens to determine who will form the government...  It's
going to be fascinating to see how it plays out and whether the old parties
can bring themselves to share power."

"What's clear is this is a huge win for the Greens.  Climate change was a key
issue but it was much more than that," added Ms. Blakers.


MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
• Green candidate database and campaign information:
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml
• Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
• Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers
• Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp.org/2008-elections
• Green Party Livestream Channel http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus

"There's a new light on the hill, and it's bright Green"
The Sydney Morning Herald, August 23, 2010
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/theres-a-new-light-on-the-hill-and-its-bright-green-20100822-13axg.html

"Make History Melbourne. The Greens."
Video clip featuring Adam Bandt, elected to the Australian House of
Representatives
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Us6LZ75z0A

"Australian result shows advantage of MMP [Proportional Representation]"
Metiria Turei, Member of Parliament, Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand,
August 23, 2010
http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/australian-result-shows-advantage-mmp

Video clips from the Green Party's 2010 Annual National Meeting, Detroit,
Michigan, June 24-27 http://www.gp.org http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus

Green Pages: The official publication of record of the Green Party of the
United States http://gp.org/greenpages-blog


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