Workers up for a fight against ‘progressive’ council
Council workers and community supporters rallied outside Brunswick Town Hall in Melbourne to demand workers employed by Moreland City Council get a fair pay rise.
Balance of power politics is no way to win change
Independents and The Greens are pushing to hold the balance of power, saying that this will allow them to extract substantial reforms. But it’s no way to win change.
Adam Bandt’s Green New Deal won’t be won through electoral dead end
Newly-elected Greens leader Adam Bandt has launched a push for a Green New Deal, aiming to give a little zest to the party’s flagging image after it drifted to the right under former leader Richard Di Natale.
Greens hold seats but pitch to Liberal voters
Against expectations, The Greens held their seats at the election, winning a Senator in each state and re-electing Adam Bandt in Melbourne.
Alex Bhathal resigns—the latest victim of Greens’ drift right
Alex Bhathal’s resignation from The Greens came after a sustained right-wing campaign to take the Darebin branch in a more electoralist direction.
Buckingham finally gone, but The Greens’ crisis remains
Right-wing NSW Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham resigned from the party in December. But none of the political issues at stake have been resolved.
Left hangs on in NSW Greens, but fight against the right far from over
Left-Wing Greens MP David Shoebridge win in the latest Greens NSW pre-selection battle is a welcome reprieve for the left of the NSW party, who have suffered a series of pre-selection defeats over the past two years.
Di Natale at the press club—which way for The Greens?
The Greens’ latest proposal to legalise adult cannabis use will be widely welcomed. It is a very modest, sensible, and safe proposal. But it can’t hide the fact that The Greens are in deep turmoil.
Greens’ loss in Batman shows Di Natale’s strategy a dead end
The Greens’ Alex Bhathal has lost a very close contest to Labor’s Ged Kearney in the Batman by-election. The vote holds important lessons for The Greens.
Greens challenge Labor from the left in Batman
The Batman by-election in Melbourne on 17 March is a battle between The Greens’ Alex Bhathal and the ALP’s Ged Kearney.
Electoralism no road to shifting Greens to the left
Greens members and supporters are understandably enthused at recent electoral successes in Brisbane and Melbourne. As Turnbull falls in the polls, the need for a party to the left of Labor to take up the fight for refugees and to change the laws that shackle the unions is more urgent than ever.
Lee Rhiannon: ‘social change is driven by movements’
Lee Rhiannon hosted a forum on protest, parliament and the future of the Greens last month to discuss debates about the role of the party. Below are extracts from her speech.
‘This preselection is a fork in the road for the Greens’
Phillipa Parsons, a former Greens councillor and member of the Newcastle Greens, spoke to Solidarity about the current pre-selection battle in the NSW Greens, where Lee Rhiannon is standing again for the Senate
Opening shots in NSW Greens pre-selection—it’s time to fight the right
As The Greens NSW Senate pre-selection campaign starts, it can be difficult to see the politics through the fog of official statements. But this is not a personal contest between Lee Rhiannon and Mehreen Faruqi.
It’s left versus right in the NSW Greens pre-selection
It is now obvious that the right-wing of the NSW Greens will support NSW MP Mehreen Faruqi as their best chance to remove left-winger Lee Rhiannon and decisively shift the party to the right in the upcoming pre-selection.
Four Corners and the NSW Greens: the right bares its teeth
Four Corners on Monday night, pitched as a report on the crisis in the Australian Greens, was used by the right wing of the party to accelerate their open...
Lee Rhiannon faces challenge in Greens pre-selection in NSW
Another polarising pre-selection contest has begun in the NSW Greens, over the party’s Senate ticket for the next federal election. NSW upper house MP Mehreen Faruqi is standing against sitting Senator Lee Rhiannon, who is up for re-election.
Greens’ direction at stake in attack on Lee Rhiannon and NSW left
The decision to exclude Lee Rhiannon was a disgraceful attack on her, the NSW Greens, internal party democracy and the left in the party. The compromise announced by Richard Di Natale, to establish a pretentiously named “Balance of Power Subcommittee” involving all the other Greens MPs except Lee, does not resolve anything.
Attack on Rhiannon throws down the gauntlet to the left in NSW Greens
The Greens party room’s decision to sanction Lee Rhiannon is a disgraceful attack on Greens members, internal democracy and the left in the party.
NSW Greens: Left Renewal goes public… but the right is going hard
Left Renewal has held successful public launches in Sydney and Canberra, to showcase its vision for The Greens and begin a badly-needed discussion. But, just days after the Sydney launch, the right of the party escalated its attack on the left.
Defend the Left and fight for the soul of The Greens
For the broad left nationally, those inside and outside of the Greens, the declaration of Left Renewal is a very welcome development. Its formation as a left pole has already pulled the debate in The Greens to the left, exposing the ongoing offensive by the Richard Di Natale-led right and their NSW allies, and has spurred the broader left in the NSW Greens to respond publicly.
Left inside Greens must fight for an activist party
The formation of the Left Renewal faction, to begin organising against the right inside the NSW Greens, has exposed the ongoing battle between left and right inside the party.
Time running out for left in NSW Greens after new setback
The left in the NSW Greens have suffered another blow, with the left’s candidate Kelly Marks losing to the more conservative candidate, Dawn Walker, in the pre-selection for a spot in the NSW upper house.
Wake up call for the left in NSW Greens
The right-wing of the NSW Greens has declared war on the left. It is clear that the right of the party now thinks it can use Justin Field’s election to go the offensive.
Captured by parliament: Why MPs betray the cause
The nature of parliament exerts conservative pressures on left-wing MPs, as the history of sending them into parliament shows, writes James SuppleMost people who want change look to parliament...
Fight over Greens’ direction breaks out over NSW pre-selection
The NSW Greens are in serious turmoil over the pre-selection for a vacant NSW upper house seat, created by the tragic death of left-wing MP John Kaye from cancer in May.
Greens’ moderate electoralism a road to nowhere
“It’s only a matter of time” before more seats go Green, leader Richard Di Natale said, after missing out on any new seats in the election. Given other independents and minor parties picked up record votes, this result was a disappointment.
Who are The Greens? What the numbers tell us
Stewart Jackson has set out to examine The Greens’ transformation from a small party linked to social movements to a professional electoral party. He studies the changes in internal party structures and in attitudes and activities of members.
A Greens-Labor coalition? Parliament, elections and running the system
The Greens are right to side with Labor above the Liberals, but taking part in coalition governments is no way to win meaningful change, argues James Supple
Obituary: John Kaye 1955-2016, Greens MP
John Kaye’s death has robbed the left of one of our most effective campaigners writes Greens member Bruce Knobloch.
Left union leader on ABCC: ‘The Greens’ actions are helping the government’
Peter Simpson, Queensland ETU State Secretary spoke to Solidarity about The Greens’ decision to pass Senate voting reform, ignoring the risk that this gives Malcolm Turnbull his best chance yet of passing the ABCC legislation.
Unions, the working class and the future of The Greens
The Greens have hit another fork in the road, and taken the wrong turn. Their decision to prioritise Senate reform, despite the risk of bringing back the anti-union Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) has done serious damage to their credibility with unionists.
Greens’ leader Richard di Natale charting rightward course
Last month, The Greens’ leader Richard Di Natale sparked internal strife with his “captain’s pick” decision to take away the Tertiary, Technical and Further education portfolios from the more left-wing NSW Senator, Lee Rhiannon.
Greens’ support for pension cuts is a mistake
New Greens leader Richard Di Natale has failed one of his first tests as leader by supporting cuts to the aged pension. The cuts will take $2.5 billion from pensioners over the next four years.
New Greens leader no break from the past
Richard Di Natale’s sudden ascension to The Greens’ leadership appears to mean the status quo remains—but that’s not what the left and the movements need.
Abbott and Labor both punished in WA election
Both major parties received a kicking from voters in the WA Senate election re-run in March.
Seats saved—but where now for The Greens?
The highlight of the election for The Greens was the return of Adam Bandt to the House of Representatives. It was a vote against the tide, as nation-wide, The...
Refugee crisis a chance for Greens to build
Greens leader Christine Milne was a clear voice of opposition to Kevin Rudd’s appalling new refugee plan. Her angry press conference soon after Rudd’s announcement struck a chord and...
Why the NTEU is right to back The Greens
In late June the NTEU National Council decided to support Greens candidates in the federal election for the first time. This is an important shift that has the potential...
The pull of parliament: can The Greens learn Germany’s lessons?
The conservatising influence of parliament is having its effect on the The Greens. James Supple argues they must heed the warning from the history of the German GreensThe Australian...
WA election sends message to Gillard—and The Greens
The Western Australian election held in early March was another straw in the wind for Julia Gillard.Liberal Premier Colin Barnett was returned with a thumping 8.7 per cent swing,...
End of the agreement: Have The Greens tacked left?
Greens leader Christine Milne’s declaration that their agreement with Labor is finished has seen them tack left and attack the government’s failings much more openly.As Milne put it, “Labor...
The Greens’ direction in debate at national conference
The Greens’ national conference in November saw a continuation of efforts to drag the party rightwards in an effort to seek electoral “respectability”. The party’s more moderate federal MPs,...
ACT elections show dangers of parliamentary approach
The recent ACT election ended badly for the Labor-Greens governing partnership, with a 4.9 per cent swing against The Greens and three seats lost. The result is an embarrassment...
The Greens’ fight to “replace the bastards”
Solidarity distributed this leaflet at The Greens' national conference in Sydney on November 1-5, discussing some of the issues in The Greens' focus on parliamentary influence and the potential...
ACT election: Greens pay price for rush to join government
The recent ACT election ended badly for the Labor-Greens governing partnership, with a 7.3 per cent swing and two extra seats for the Liberals. This should be an embarrassment...
Requiem for a dream: Labor’s self-destruction
Labor’s attacks on The Greens shows they can’t comprehend their own crisis or take the fight up to Abbott, argues Paddy GibsonThe orchestrated attack on The Greens by the...
Labor victory in Melbourne shows the challenges ahead for Greens
Labor breathed a sigh of relief after holding off The Greens in the July 21 by-election for the state seat of Melbourne. Victorian Labor feared that the series of...
Stop Murdoch’s attack on The Greens—Defend Lee Rhiannon
The Australian newspaper is on the warpath against The Greens and Left Senator Lee Rhiannon again.The Murdoch rag famously called on voters to “destroy” The Greens in September 2010...
The Greens: between parliament and principles
Amy Thomas analyses the The Greens’ role in left politics since the federal electionThe only bright side to the federal election one year ago was the breakthrough of The...
Murdoch’s attack on Greens and BDS could have been beaten
The NSW Greens and Marrickville council’s support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel has faced a vicious right-wing onslaught led by the Murdoch press. During...
NSW Greens right to back Israel boycott
In the aftermath of the NSW election, The Australian and right-wing politicians have mounted a witch-hunt against the NSW Greens over their support for the campaign of Boycott, Divestment...
Big business to set agenda of carbon price committee
The Labor government has given nineteen businesses a seat on a roundtable that will operate behind the scenes of the new carbon price committee. The government’s press release said...
New carbon price committee will get us nowhere
Julia Gillard’s deal with The Greens to establish a parliamentary committee on a carbon price has been hailed as a new chance for serious action on climate change. The...
Adam Bandt’s campaign shows potential for the left
“TOGETHER WE have made history today”, Adam Bandt declared, as he became the first Green to win a lower house seat in a general election. The surge to The...
Independents calling the shots is no shift to the left
With independent MPs positioned to determine who forms the next government there has been all sorts of talk about the beginning of a different kind of politics in Canberra....
Anti-Intervention campaign builds Greens vote in NT
Large swings to the Greens in the Northern Territory have shown the anger at the NT Intervention and its continuation by Labor. But they are also evidence of the...
Gillard a clunker, Abbott a denier—we need a climate fight
Abbott told ABC’s Q&A during the election period that the science of climate change is “highly contentious”. Yet Labor’s attempts to play on his climate denial were totally unconvincing—because...
Greens breakthrough shows potential for the left
“Together we have made history today”, Adam Bandt declared, as he became the first Green to win a lower house seat in a general election. The surge to The...
Greens balance of power not enough to bring change
Gillard’s pitch to the right on refugees and her failure to offer anything on climate change have seen The Greens vote rebound again.A vote for The Greens is a...
Balance of power will challenge Greens
Labor’s slide in the polls has seen substantial numbers of voters move towards The Greens.On current polling, The Greens will win between 12 and 16 per cent of the...
Mobilisation the key to climate fight
Labor has a climate policy basically identical to the Liberals. Rudd's drop in support after junking the CPRS, and the votes heading to The Greens, suggest a substantial minority...
Amended NT Intervention – still racist, still discriminatory
On June 21, exactly three years since the introduction of the NT Intervention, the Labor government passed legislation that will entrench and extend John Howard’s racism.Minister Jenny Macklin describes...
Why the climate movement shouldn’t support the Greens’ carbon tax proposal
The Greens' ProposalThe Greens have proposed an interim two year carbon tax, as a transition to carbon trading. Starting at $23 per tonne this year, rising to $24 the...
Statement on CPRS (emissions trading)
*No compromise with Rudd's flawed scheme. More than ever the CPRS is worse than useless*Recent developments around the Rudd government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) highlight the need for...
Open Letter to the Greens to vote against the CPRS
Scrap the CPRS
A Call for Green Senators to Vote NOKevin Rudd’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), the government’s main mechanism for reducing Australia’s carbon emissions, fails every test. It is...
