A quick update on the facts:
- Bob Brown has quit as Australian Greens leader after 16 years.- He will also resign from the Senate in June.
- Christine Milne has been elected as the new Greens leader and MP Adam Bandt is the new Deputy Leader.
- Bob Brown will continue in the Senate until June when he will be replaced.
- His replacement, from Tasmania, has not yet been decided.
- There will be no change to the Greens agreement with Labor to support the Gillard Minority Government.
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Farewell Earthian; loved and loathed in equal parts.
At 67, Bob Brown has the energy of a 40 year old. He still has a zest for politics, still loves a fight. It seemed he could lead the Greens forever. But today, he’s announced it’s time for “renewal” and he’s handed the reins to Deputy Christine Milne.
Terrible news times two: Australian Parliament will be a lot duller without Senator Brown; and Christine Milne – she of limited charisma – will be on our TV screens a lot more.
Bob Brown, with the rich chocolatey voice and the relentless smile will be a great loss to the character of Parliament House. He has an air of happy benevolence: a warm calmness that descends, as he walks toward you.
It’s an effective smokescreen for the shrewd politician underneath. He may seem harmless enough, but he’s single handedly turned The Greens into Australia’s third political party, and is the man who gave Julia Gillard the keys to The Lodge.
Bob Brown is also an eccentric, like your Uncle, who collects cicada shells and tobacco tins. When he delivered a speech that started “Fellow, Earthians” in March, it seemed the pot was cracking even further. The media commentary was scathing. Eccentric is fine, there’s plenty of that in Parliament, but speaking to aliens was a step too far.
But Brown can handle scathing. He’s openly gay and from Tasmania – from a time when being openly gay in Tasmania was illegal. He’s fanatically anti-war and unashamedly tree-huggy. He was thrown out of Parliament for heckling US President George Bush as he delivered a speech to Australian politicians. He wrangled a Carbon Tax from a Prime Minister who’d promised never to introduce one.
Bob Brown has never baulked at the controversial.
Of all his regrets, Senator Brown says he wishes he’d held a ministership like “Minister of Westerly Winds”. Trademark Bob Brown cheek.
We won’t see that sort of humour from Christine Milne (with the aforementioned charisma deficiency). A skilled negotiator and tactical politician, she was the real force behind the carbon tax. When the Prime Minister accused the Greens of being extremists last year, she would’ve been talking about Milne. What she lacks in charm and media clout, she makes up for in resolve. MP Adam Bandt has been handed the Deputy Leadership. He certainly has the necessary personality, but he’ll lose his seat at the next election. It’s questionable whether the more moderate Greens voters will stay the course with Milne and Bandt at the helm.
Tony Abbott doesn’t think so. He‘s predicted this will spell the beginning of the end for the party.
The Greens were decimated in the QLD elections. They’re tied to the poisonously unpopular Carbon Tax. Now they’ve lost Bob Brown. And rather than go for a new fresh face to lead the party, they’ve given us Christine Milne.
He may have some detractors, but Senator Brown is what’s kept The Greens stable and relevant. He built the party from nothing. From one lone Senator, to a party of ten that collected 1.7 million votes at the last election, and now holds the balance of power in the Senate. He did it by being passionate, with a touch of nutty. Some of his colleagues, however, are marching to much funkier drums than him.
It’s hard to imagine The Greens without The Brown. As relieved as he looked today, I think he feels the same.
“I will be Green until the day I die,” he said. “If not for a long time after.”
What they said:
Bob Brown
“I am sad to leave but happy to go. It is good knowing that the Greens have such a depth of talent and experience lined up for leadership – I could only dream about that a decade ago.
“I look forward to fresh green pursuits including writing, photography, music, occasional talks, bushwalking, and getting out with Paul to see Miranda Gibson who has been perched for 120 days60 metres high, in defence of a giant tree facing destruction in central Tasmania.”
Julia Gillard
Prime Minister Julia Gillard
“Bob Brown has been a figure of integrity with a deep love for this country and its environment.
Bob has also been an active voice on the rights of same sex couples, having bravely used his own experiences to campaign for change.
I wish him well for his life beyond politics.”
Tony Abbott
“He has been a very effective politician and many would say he’s run rings around Julia Gillard and look, I don’t agree with him, I don’t support him, but you’ve got to admire the effectiveness of the politician that he’s been”
Paul Thomas – Bob Brown’s Partner
“I’m looking forward to testing Bob’s athleticism on the mountains of Tasmania and getting him to do the washing-up more.”
Christine Milne
Christine Milne, New Greens Leader
“For 25 years, Bob has been an inspiration to millions of Australians and a great force for good in our country. But he’s also been a colleague, a mentor and friend to me. I thank him from the bottom of my heart for everything he has done and look forward to the next stage in his career.”
Senator Eric Abetz, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and Bob Brown’s arch nemesis.
“Undoubtedly his principle legacy in the Federal Parliament was the deal he and the new Greens leader did in putting Ms Gillard into power and the consequences that have flowed from that deal.
“Senator Brown will be leaving the Senate just as the Carbon Tax he helped broker begins to impact detrimentally on every Australian.”
Lauren Dubois is Mamamia’s Canberra-based political contributor. You can follow her on Twitter here.
Comments
142 Comments so far
I LOVE the Greens and especially Bob Brown. I care about the environment above everything else, because if we don’t have a healthy stable world to live in then nothing else matters! I cannot understand how people don’t get this and worry more about the economy when the vast majority of Australians live in luxury compared to the rest of the world.
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Thanks again Lauren. Your pieces have become my cliff’s notes on the whole political mess down there in Canberra; ideal for someone who has no motivation or time to keep track myself but who doesn’t want to look like the ignorant idiot at the water cooler!
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Thanks juliamarshall for posting that link to the Greens’ website with Christine Milne’s introductory speech. In the interest of clarity I’ve deciphered her Greenspeak into plain English.
Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts
Dear Green Fiends,
Today, we celebrate the extraordinary electoral confusion caused by Bob Brown, who yesterday morning was forced to leave our party room as his extra-terrestial comments were even too much for us.
Under Bob’s leadership, the Greens have grown from a small band of delusional people with one lone representative in the Senate into a party of zealots hell-bent on destroying our economy and reducing our living standards.
We have over 10,000 disciples and 1.7 million misinformed voters misrepresented by ten Feral MPs. These MPs are advocating for and delivering action to build a better future for all of us. All of us in the Greens Party Room, that is.
Bob’s sacking is both a moment for derision and celebration. It is also a gift to the party and an opportunity to stop pussy-footing around and get on with the real job: turning Australia into a socialist state, ready for inclusion into the coming world government.
Now is the time that demonstrates that the Greens Party has a far greater sum of loonies than other parts of the political spectrum.
I am honoured by the trust my Party Room colleagues have shown in me by electing me as the new Leader. I know it’s been said that I come across as a beady-eyed, whiny shrew, but really, would you prefer Sarah Hansen-Young leading the party? Or Lee Rhiannon? I am after all the experienced gardener, which makes me more than qualified to dictate national economic policy.
I am looking forward to working together with Adam Bandt, the new Deputy Leader, at least until he loses his seat at the next election, to ensure that these witches don’t get their green thumbs on my job.
This is an opportunity for all of us to think about how each and every one of us can advance green thinking, green policies and promote the Greens as the only party at the beginning of the 21st century which recognises that protecting the environment is far more important than feeding, clothing and providing a good quality of life for people everywhere.
It’s up to all of us.
There will be those – those who understand that the Greens are a rabble of fringe dwellers – who will use the opportunity of Bob’s forced retirement to try to destroy us. They will claim that the Greens are nothing without Bob. This is our moment – your moment – to demonstrate that the Greens represent hardly anybody in the cross section of Australian society, except those who support the politics of envy.
Joining or supporting the Greens is an ill-considered and misguided choice. We lack pragmatic convictions, instead we are tampering with the very bastions of society. The institution of marriage is on our hit-list. Gay marriage must be recognised and exulted above all other relationships. Freedom of speech is next. Only views that agree with the Greens will be allowed.
We are also working towards a zero carbon economy. We haven’t worked out how to make wind turbines without coal but the fairies at the bottom of the garden will no doubt take care of that. If it means turning the lights out, so be it. North Korea seems to be doing quite ok having Earth Hour all night, every night.
To that end, I’m asking each one of you today to stand up proudly as a Green and to candle-light up your networks with messages about why you’re a Green, how you became a Green, and how you can prevent others from making the same mistake.
Never before have we had such a critical moment that demonstrates that the Greens Party has a far greater sum of loonies than other parts of the political spectrum.
Yours in bewilderment and confusion,
Christine
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Meh. People can hate the Greens all they want. But seem to be the only party left who actually care about the environment, refugees and the suffering of Palestinians.
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I think that Christine Milne has a lot to offer as the new leader. She is articulate, intelligent and measured, and I believe she cares a great deal about the future of Australia. She introduces herself here: http://greensmps.org.au/content/video/greater-sum-our-parts
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Core the Greens get everyone getting emotional, don’t they. Can’t help but love Bob. Great politician, who stood for what he believed and often got what he wanted.
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Crossfitter said:
‘you forgot the part where they oppposed (and stopped) back-burning in Victoria, there-by causing the black Friday bushfires to be so much worse than they would have been’
Crossfitter, that is a tragically pertinent point. My comment was a re-wording of Bob Brown’s resignation speech. Of course he didn’t mention Greens policies like the banning of back-burning. To this day they won’t take responsibility for that debacle, which as you say, exacerbated the damage wreaked by the bush-fires.
The Greens have a lot to answer for. Whether it’s their loony environmental programs, such as banning back-burning, or their economic terrorism in the form of the carbon tax, they will be held accountable at the next election, and found wanting.
They are not a party of tree-hugging, koala-kissing environmentalists, they are a party of misfits and fringe-dwellers. From the enviro-friendly Bob Brown to the rabid communist Lee Rhiannon, they are a party determined to push their agenda despite the wishes of the majority of voters.
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Lauren, how about an expose on the way Tony Abbott’s support for the Saxon Bird fundraiser was handled by the media, particularly the ABC. Beyond a joke and an embarrassment to journalism.
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Adan Bandt will be gone at the next election. He was only elected on Liberal Party preferences. That won’t happen again.
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The greens support back burning. Get your facts straight.
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Delores Umbrage will be the final nail in the Greens coffin.
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Oh too good! Beautiful comment…
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I stole it, Gig. The strange side of the family, the ones who haven’t been 5 kms from the city centre for about ten years but vote Green because it makes them feel like hipsters (w*nkers) are enraged by her. I think they’ve finally seen the error of their ways. Here is a woman who’ll snatch the Most Loathed trophy from Ms Gillard’s grasp.
She’s a fanatic who thinks she’s going to impose her will on the 90% of Australians who don’t vote Green, They’re not a third party, they’re a minority party representing 10% of the population.
If Labor don’t call an early election they will cease to exist. Mrs Umbrage is out of control.
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Whilst not being a Greens voter I have a lot of respect for their stance on many issues, e.g the environment and social justice. It has been unfortunate that we have seen little of the other greens particularly Christine Milne in the media as Bob couldn’t have been the only one with the vision and views he has put forward.
Whilst I feel the pain we will all suffer as a result of the Carbon Tax every independant report (some of these from very conservative sources) I have read into dealing with Climate Change (and we are changing the environment with our polution) the sooner we start with making changes the less it will cost us overall.
I agree with some of the posts that the Greens and Nats might form a coalition or at least combine on mainy issues as the Nats main constituency are farmers and many farmers are some of the most environmentally concious people around e.g. Landcare groups etc. the main difference between these two groups is based around social issues and I think that gap is changing rapidly.
Well done to Bob Brown you have stuck to your policies and treated your fellow politicians with respect even when they didn’t treat you the same.
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Is it just me that finds it coincidental that his resignation takes effect the date the carbon tax comes in? I guess it will no longer be his problem.
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He already addressed why that was so in his press conference. Senators need to nominate for the next years long term by around July 1 and he doesn’t intend on serving for years to come so needs to finish up by them to give the next person time to sort out their run etc etc
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i have a feeling this will be mentioned A LOT. a good conspiracy theory is so much more interesting than plain old fact.
actually this might be a good post, how the senate actually works. i think we are mostly familiar with the running of the HoR but the senate is still a bit of a mystery to many.
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I read Bob’s outgoing speech, but I felt that he wasn’t explaining himself clearly enough. This is what I reckon he meant:
Dear Green Fiends,
This morning I was forced to resign as Leader of the Australian Greens. I will leave the Senate in June when the Tasmanian Greens nominate a replacement Senator. This should have happened a lot sooner, like twenty years ago.
I wanted to immediately thank you for your support, enthusiasm and direct involvement in Green politics on my watch. I can never forget or adequately repay the millions of dollars I have been paid to present my destructive policies to the senate. Of course the Greens didn’t pay this, it was the poor, misguided taxpayer. I guess there are some good things about a democracy.
Our Greens Party Room now has a dearth of talent which stands out even in Canberra. There are 10 of us, but every one is true to the Greens Charter and policies, and working hard to take Australia back to the Stone Age. We are Australia’s party with blinkers.
I have been contemplating my navel, and the occasional comet, for some time. I started 10 turbulent years in the Tasmanian parliament beginning with the Franklin River blockade in 1983, and ending with the disastrous Labor-Green accord of 1989-92: witness Tasmania’s gradual decline economically as the Greens blocked the timber industry at every turn. Today the state is an economic basket-case dependent entirely on the other states for survival. Of course our ideal plan for Tasmania is to turn the whole island over to World Heritage as a national park.
Since then, there have been 12 exciting years in the Senate. We have managed to stop all dam building across the nation, thus exacerbating water shortages in times of drought and hindering water management in times of flood. Our destructive political action for the Murray-Darling Basin has forced many farmers off the land and into bankruptcy.
We have solved the problems of funding a dental scheme and a disability insurance scheme: we will tax the rich more and more, even after they die. We’re pushing for the legislation of euthanasia, as this will help a few of them die sooner.
It is now time for me to hand on leadership to the motley rabble I call my colleagues. I am, after all, 666. I want to leave the ship before it sinks, content that the Greens have managed to destroy Australia’s economy for years to come. I’m particularly proud of the carbon tax in this respect.
This morning the Party Room unanimously elected Christine Milne as Leader. Christine has been my great colleague and friend for the past 25 years and she will be a frighteningly awful leader of the Australian Greens.
I am ready to enjoy the other green pursuits, such as flying around the Milky Way with my new alien friends. Yes Earthians, they did call!
The Greens are an illogical response to the post industrial age human community’s need to secure the biosphere, biodiversity, equal opportunity and long-term economic, employment and lifestyle security. Greens political philosophy will spread like a cancer, bulldozing away the rights of any individual.
The future is Red.
Bob
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Good resignation letter, but you forgot the part where they oppposed (and stopped) back-burning in Victoria, there-by causing the black Friday bushfires to be so much worse than they would have been had the owners been allowed to bush-fire proof their own properties. That surely must count as one of his other achievements, no?
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Perfect Gig – that says it all.
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lol. hilarious Gig! A little too alarmist/dramatic for my liking, but I found myself nodding along at at least a couple of those points…
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Absolutely spot on.
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A bit unkind about Christine Milne. But Greens supporters should take heart with Adam Bandt hovering in the wings.
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Read the information instead of the disinformation, then make up your own minds…..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Brown
http://greens.org.au/policies
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Sorry Nicki, they lose me at one world governance & for me belief in that says so much about them & its too big an issue to make up for some of the positives.
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Bob Brown is certainly a character. I wish him luck in having to do more of the washing up!
I’m interested to see and know more about Christine Milne.
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I miss Bob Brown already. I always liked him. Sigh…
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for those writing the obit. of the greens;
a) Germany has it’s first Green majority government and that gives them a veto in the German federal government
b) the UK has it’s first MP in the house of commons , as does the Canadian federal parliament
c) the greens in NZ are polling at their highest ever level; 17%
d) prior to the last general election in NZ when 18 -24 year olds were asked who they intended to vote for 53% said the Greens
e) vested interests will continue to drive this ship towards the climate change iceberg and we won’t be able to turn in time
the rich will try to buy their survival ; the poor will die
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Absolutely right kiwichick , the haters and nutters posting here are scared, neo cons from the outer burbs who are unable to understand global issues such as climate change. The Greens are the party of the educated, the young and the influential. As a 52 year old male and payed up Green I believe as people become more educated and climate change issues mount thier policies are the only way forward.
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No way will politics be duller minus Bob Brown. I absolutely adore Tasmania and Tasmanians, but you won’t have to search the state too hard to find someone just as loony as Bob to replace him in the Senate.
You’ll find that the replacement will be every bit as colourful and worthy of every eyebrow that is raised in their direction at every pronouncement.
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Loony? Colourful?
It’s not all about the eonomy, y’know….
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It is when the other states are propping up Tasmania financially, thanks to the Greens’ blocking of any viable industry.
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gig
isn’t there a power cable delivering hydro power from tasmania to the mainland?
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At the next election I will be exercising my right not to vote. There is not one party or politician on the scene now that I would vote for. Not one.
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Please give your vote to someone !
I get annoyed when I hear that people intend voting for “none of the above”. Too many have given up their lives in order to win the right to cast a vote. To not actually cast a genuine vote is a slap in the face to those people and is disrespectful of their memory.
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I encourage my non-voting friends to vote for the reasons you mentioned above, Bradley.
I suppose you do have the right to not vote, but living in Australia you have the right to make a choice on who is running the country, and the responsibility to vote for your preferred party/politician; your opinion is important.
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Then please exercise your right to not complain when you’re unhappy with the result. Voting is compulsory here, unlike the US where only those that actually care, or have vested interests in the outcome vote.
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I’ve been muttering to anyone who will listen that the Greens and the Nats should join forces for a long time……
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And what do the muttered to say, Nicki? Just out of interest.
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I cant imagine why you would suggest such a combination, far left & far right?? Legalised bloodsport I suspose, but I think it would only be the Nationals with the guns. Barnaby Joyce would love it! Well it would make for interesting viewing.
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Au contraire, people…..look beyond the rubbish you read “the mediaz”.
There will be a Coalition spill soon.
How much farmland do you want to give away to the Mining Companies?
This is the first of many issues where the Nats and Greens have common ground against Lab/Lib.
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can I have some of what you are smokinz there Nickiz
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Hey Anonymous,
Mining vs farming will be a major sticking point in Australia’s future. Perhaps you should ask what is TA smoking…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JpfZldnuvk&feature=fvst
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Completely agree, Nicki. Economically, the two parties have much in common, though the Nats seem to have sold out of the Coles/Woolies duopoloy which has so damaged their constituents. Much as Katter’s bile makes me cringe, he’s on the right page on this, which is pretty much the same as the Greens.
The differences though are less to do with economic policy (and I include mines vs. farms in that) and more to do with social issues, where the Nats are more conservative. Not sure that many of the social policies of the Greens (harm minimisation in drug policy, marriage equality, euthanasia, reproductive rights etc) are easily reconciled with the more traditional conservative views of the National voting base.
I would be happy to see the Nats leave the Coalition though as I believe that they’re selling out their constituents far too much in economic policy to justify the small gains in power and influence they have as part of the Coalition.
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I suspect Bob can smell defeat. After the QLD election results he would be expecting a massive voter backlash & got out before his party was destroyed He built the party but is not prepared to go down with the ship.
I dont hate Bob, I dont hate the greens, I think they have given every Australian a better understanding of our environment but I wont be sorry to see them go.
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I agree, it is the Democrates all over again. It is wise he threw his hat in on the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic – spooky coincidence and telling of what is about to happen to the Greens.
Now that the Australian public sees beyond simplistic slogans to the mad policy behind this party, you will see thousands jumping off of this sinking ship as well.
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The Democrates wanted to keep the b*stards honest. The Greens want to keep the b*stards in office.
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Why would anyone want to do that ?
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Why won’t you be sorry to see them go? Where are they going? My gosh, you underestimate your fellow voters, too…..
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Sadly, no. We don’t underestimate them Nicki. There were still 7% of Queenslanders who voted Green. Concerning there are still so many but on those numbers they’re an endangered species. I doubt Christine Milne will be able to increase their numbers.
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Lauren, just in case I’m on a roll of psychic power, can you please expose the Real Julia. With the election rolling around so quickly I think it important that your readers have all the facts at their disposal.
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The facts being that TA cares about no one and just says stuff that is going to be popular with voters so he can get elected without having any real policies behind him.
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Have to disagree. The coalition didn’t make a deal with the independents because Tony couldn’t manage it. Not because they didn’t want to. He really did put them offside.
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Me, as the saying goes – its better to keep quiet and let others think you’re stupid than to open it and confirm it! The independents were NEVER going to support the Coalition. Both have issues that I can’t be bothered going into but if you look past the embarrassing cheat sheet mentality of MM you might actually learn something before you have to vote.
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We also have another mentality at MM. Civility. Keep your arguments as debate and not personal mudslinging or you’ll be shown the door. It’s not too much to ask.
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The comment above is for you, Me. Try to look further than what the ABC tells you. There is whole history there for the learning.
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Sorry MM Moderator. Of course any comment about the real Julia is cut. ‘Me’ can say that TA has no policies and cares about nothing, which is a blatant lie and that’s ok?
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Any comments that use multiple names in the same thread to comment will be deleted. Choose a name and stick to it
makes it fair on everyone else playing at home
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Your next comment was deleted due to blatant disrespect
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Sorry but how was his/her post disrespectful? They were only pointing out TA does do good things for the electorate and the points were all valid. The only thing that you may have deemed offensive was the “husband” thing but you could have edited that out as you have to other “offensive” posts.
This website is becoming more draconian and censored every time I come on here now. Can you at least pretend to have some impartiality??
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Oh, please! What, exactly has TA done which is good for YOUR electorate (perhaps)? And what has TA done for the rest of us?
Until you can answer these questions you have no reason to call this website “draconian”.
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Aaaah, a man who thought we should put the long-term care of the planet before the short-term pacification of Australia’s whinging middle class and its disposable lifestyle.
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Ahhh, the man who believes in One World Government and that we can change the climate by sending billions of Australian dollars to the UN so that they can give it to murdering despots and fat cats.
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My comment was edited by MM team. Last line read ‘What a madman’. It was sarcastic, maybe slightly passive-aggressive. I just don’t know why that bit was taken out? I wasn’t actually calling BB a mad man (do I really need to explain this…)
I’ve asked before for a clear policy on what is and isn’t allowed on here, beyond the standard ‘dinner party’ rule because it seems really haphazard. I’m not having a go, MM team. I’d just genuinely like to see what you don’t allow. The last comment of mine to be edited was a direct quote from the author of the article, and you took words out to change my meaning.
You reserve the right to edit comments, that’s fine. I just want to see a policy outlining why you change certain things and what’s allowed and what isn’t.
Because, frankly, nothing’s more annoying than taking the time to comment only to have your entire wording changed for no apparent reason.
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Of course Tony Abbott would think (HOPE) that this will lead to the demise of the Greens, that hardly seems worth reporting.
The major parties change their leaders far more regularly and often in a way that leads me to have very little respect for either of them. Here is a leader who has lead with energy, dedication and compassion, who has made a well thought out choice to leave and has handed over the leadership at what he believes to be the right time with a great deal of dignity – I find this genuinely refreshing.
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I don’t think we can blame TA for the demise of the lunatic fringe. They had only 7% of votes in Qlds and the writing is on the wall. Green Christine of the angry eyes and shrew voice will hasten it. The majority don’t like being dictated too by far left, eonomy destroying lunatics. Bob Brown will be remembered as the man who destroyed the ALP and our children’s future.
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mel; how is the economy on the moon doing?
what ?
no liveable atmosphere on the moon
so without a environment we can live in there is no chance of a human economy
thanks for clearing that up mel
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lol, thanks for demonstrating how looney green policy can be. Um, I dont think CO2 killed an atmosphere on the moon. omg.
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hi anon
you are right of course
imagine how looney it is to think that the planet’s finite resources might be …. finite
yes how crazy to think that the human population couldn’t increase forever
and i suspect it will be a excess of the greenhouse effect that causes our extinction
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Oops, unintentionally liked your comment. I actually just meant to reply. Yes, the Greens only have 7% in the last QLD elections, however, they only had 8% in the election before. QLD has never been a particularly strong state for Queensland, particularly at a State level – not least because we are a unicameral system which means that we don’t have an Upper House which usually provides a greater opportunity for representation by minor parties. So, it was a disappointing result for Greens voters in QLD this time round but some context is needed and it won’t necessarily translate at a Federal election (even in QLD) with the two differing features – Federal representation offering two houses, as well as compulsory preferential, rather than optional preferential.
Secondly, the ALP did not need Brown’s help to be destroyed – they have done a fine job of it themselves. In fact, for me the greatest crime that the ALP have committed in this country is in ceasing to be a party for the workers, a party for equality, a party for rights. Instead their progressive move to the right and their inability to present a long term vision which extends beyond the ext election cycle, means that they have alienated a large core group of their support (from the left) without really managing to gain many from the centre-right which they actually occupy. The Greens have increasingly been taking some of those votes, as have Independents and, here in QLD recently, Katter’s Australia Party.
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I don’t for a second blame Abbott for the ‘demise’ of the greens but then I don’t believe there is a demise at all – he’d just like one!
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Haha – can l have some of what your on too?
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For those relishing the demise of Bob Brown and the Greens, as a fellow Australian, I am utterly ashamed of you.
I have never voted for Greens. I am a swinging voter. But I understand the importance in having a man like Bob Brown make some noise about issues that affect us all especially our children, their children and so on.
Yep. The environment. Its kind of important. Once forests and ecosystems are destroyed they never return to their original state. It is Geography 101.
I have myself never actually physically hugged a tree but I see absolutely nothing wrong with people that do. In fact I’m grateful that we have people that want to preserve our beautiful environment in Australia and will do the hugging for me, on my behalf.
For those of you that do not like hugging trees, I don’t get it? Do you want to live in a wasteland of an environment with out of control weather patterns?
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the tree hugging term refers to those that over state issues, relying on shock, fear and false truths, and impending doom to sell an overstated message.
Do you seriously think it is as black and white as ‘if you dont support the loony greens, then you want for a wasteland to live in’ Come on, there is a million shades of grey in between your simplistic take on things.
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Bob Brown’s spirit, compassion and warmth will leave a huge hole in the Australian Parliament…but I hope now he gets time to enjoy his beloved Tassie.
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I agree with you wholeheartedly.
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Bob’s “compassion” is highly selective. It certainly doesn’t apply to anyone struggling to pay a $500 plus electricity bill lumped with the world’s biggest carbon tax which will do nothing to stop anything. All it does is make a few trendies in Fitzroy, Brunswick and Balmain feel good about themselves while they sip on their chardonnays.
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Good comment SB
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Good Grief SB, I wont have it. The trendies you refer to would not be seen dead with Chardy.
You see, its all about image. Sav Blanc is the current choice of any self respecting inner urban ‘save the world’ lefty. They hop in their SUVs, drive to the bottle shop for the Sav Blanc, then drive home to discuss how they intend to save the planet and how worried they are by everything. Then they plan their next overseas trip on a big fuel sucking aeroplane and go on to worry some more.
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Not any more, it aint! Far too much cheap SB from over the ditch flooding our shores
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It may be convenient to reduce anyone who laments the loss of a good man from Australian political life as a Chardonnay sipping trendy, but I’m afraid that’s not me. I prefer red, I am so far from trend it’s not funny, I don’t own an SUV and I live in Canberra, for goodness sake.
But I have had the pleasure of sharing Bob Brown’s company from time to time – he is a good man, his goodness is what drives him, and he has made a great contribution to Australia through his public service – whatever your thoughts on climate change.
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Me too!
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Great piece Lauren, but do you think you could lay off Christine and the no-charisma thing? She has huge shoes to fill, that sort of jibe is far from useful. Otherwise, loved what you had to say about our Bob.
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Lauren has stated the bleeding obvious. Christine Milne is incredibly unlikeable and has the mad look of a zealot in her eyes.
No more out of touch with reality than BB but even worse at hiding it.
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so you’re saying there are now two leaders with the mad zealot look in their eyes?
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No, I don’t think Julia has the look of the zealot. I think she has the hardness born of a life fighting for the socialist/communist/union agenda and the singleminded vision of power without glory.
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i wasn’t talking about julia, although i do agree she does look like a hard-worker
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lol, I think Anon knew full well who you were referring to, like we dont know the political cut of your jib Rainbow. I must say, it is quite easy to get you to take the bait though.
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Yes Tony is quite mad isn’t he!
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And so the vilification of Bob Brown has begun in earnest. How sad. I wonder how many of you people who are so ready to condemn a man and a party who just wanted a cleaner Australia for your grandchildren, have actually bushwalked in the numerous great forests of Tasmania or anywhere else, or is that just considered “tree-hugging”? To disagree with a political party’s politics is one thing – but in order to do that a fair knowledge of their policies is essential. We have to look past the comments of a biased press and actually learn.
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Totally agree. Great comment.
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The environment is nothing but a khaki cover on a red agenda.
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They’re called “watermelon” greens – red on the inside and green outside.
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You may have this romantic notion of BB being like a favourite old uncle with his compost in the yard and his organic vege garden and bush walking on weekends, but the majority of Australia (as evidenced by the election result in QLD) now see him and his party for what it really is.. a party with a socialist agenda hell bent on destroying what little economy we have left and taxing us all into oblivion despite no-one in their party actually having any economics background.
But you go on and remember him fondly as just a harmless hippy but fortunately most of the rest of Australia have caught on to the truth.
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Little economy we have left? We have one of the strongest performing economies in the world. We have one of the highest standards of living in the world. These aren’t baseless assertions, they are supported by evidence. That is not to say that there aren’t people in Australia doing it tough. On the contrary, I think the Greens recognise that, which is why their early environmental focus has made way for a two pronged approach to their vision – social justice cannot be achieved without a functioning environmental policy and a healthy environment cannot be achieved without a more equitable society.
In terms of people with economics backgrounds in the Greens, perhaps you should learn how the Greens develop policies. They aren’t developed by fresh-out-of-university policies advisors with little experience – they are developed collaboratively, by a party base (not necessarily elected representatives, more frequently party members with an interest in, and knowledge of, different policy areas) which includes people from many walks of life – professionals such as doctors, lawyers, engineers; allied health professionals; trades people; small business owners; teachers and professors, just to mention a few. In other words, developed by a fairly representative cross section of Australian society – for Australians like them.
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We are $18billion in debt and 5 years ago we were not. And the greens are hellbent on destroying our resources sector, you know.. the very sector that underpins this countries economy.
As for your second statement, I rest my case…
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Well said, Crossfitter
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Did the GFC during that five years completely pass you by? Australia’s response to that, while not perfect, has been lauded by responsible economists throughout the world. While most of Europe and the US implemented austerity packages, to varying degrees, Australia invested.
Investment costs money and they were fortunate to have a surplus from the Howard years in which to do so. What the Australian investment did was keep people in jobs, keep them from claiming the dole and at the same time, keeping them in a position where they were still paying tax. The result was an acceleration in the provision of public infrastructure such as schools.
For those that criticise x billion dollars of waste, they miss the fact that not only do we have tangible outputs (such as improvements to schools) they also miss the fact that those projects kept people in work and kept them paying tax. The implementation of these policies wasn’t always perfect. And it relied on a surplus which was a carry over from Howard’s government. And yes, it was a Labor government, rather than a Labor/Greens coalition, which oversaw this.
However, I think there needs to be an acknowledgement of the effectiveness of the financial position we inherited from Howard’s government, the policy of Labor and, to a very lesser degree, the Greens (in passing it through the Senate).
That is the context. That explains our debt. If the GFC had not had occurred and we were talking about $18m debt, fine, the point would be entirely valid. But you’ve overlooked a major contributing factor to Australia’s financial position today.
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Oh, and on the issue of an economy underpinned by a resources sector – it is very dangerous and short-sighted to design a single pillar economy. What happens after the resources run out or technological advancements mean that they are no longer demanded to the same extent or global economic factors, such as another recession, reduce demand? We are in a worse position than before.
The Greens are looking to diversify the Australian economy to ensure sustainability – not necessarily just environmental sustainability but economic sustainability as well. Hence policies which promote a strong education so that we can develop a highly skilled economy. Things like developing medical research capability, technologies that we can export etc.
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Anon – well written and researched comments. And so true. Everytime I pass a school, public and private, I am thankful that after years of neglect, every school has a new addition to it. This involved work for plumbers, electricians, builders and all associated services. A massive contribution to our childrens’ wellbeing. People who consider this wasteful have a strange attitude to childrens’ comfort and education generally. Our National debt is actually very small – especially considering that our economy is the envy of the world. I am convinced that most Australians still do not realise how lucky they are.
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I’ve walked the Overland Track, the Port Davey Track, the South Coast Track and up into the Walls of Jerusalem so flatter myself that I know as much about the Tasmanian bush as many greenies (or more than most – it’s striking how little bushtime a lot of greenies have done). Tasmania is beautiful. It’s also a mendicant state, dependent on handouts from WA and Queensland to keep it going. And this is due in large parts to people like Brown who oppose pretty much anything while enjoying generously paid public sector jobs (and in his case a massive pension). If Tasmania has a future it has to actually get some economic development happening there which will mean allowing some development which does not mean open slather but does mean sensible discussion about what environmental benefits need to be preserved.
Can anyone give me an expample of a signficant industrial development that the Greens have not opposed? OK, it’s not their job to be in government and make hard decisions but it does mean there is no obligation to take them seriously as anything other than a fringe single issue party.
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hi guest
here are two; broadband and fast rail
you could also add the development of renewable energy and rolling out energy efficiency
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Around my way, the vilification of Bob Brown began in earnest months ago.
Now we are hearing what many have been thinking for months, just too afraid to say out loud.
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Great article. Can someone tell me, if he is 67 and has been a politician for 25 years, what did he do before that?
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He was a doctor.
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He was a G.P.
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He had an interesting life as a doctor too…he was on duty in the
London hospital that Jimi Hendrix was brought in to on the night he overdosed and died and he also refused to certify conscripts as fit for war if they did not want to go off to the Vietnam war.
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Ah – here is someone who has actually bothered to learn something about the man himself. Well done “Acanberramum”.
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He was one of the protestors against the damning of the Franklin river too.
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He has also published a number of books.
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great article as usual lauren. i can’t help thinking this could
be to the detriment of the greens.
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Thank heavens he is gone!!!!
If the resignation of Bob Brown heralds the end of the power and the demise of the Greens, I couldn’t be happier.
They have led people on for years with all their tree hugging garbage.
Lauren, you say Bob is a warm happy person, well, good on him because he has caused a lot of damage to Australia…….Tasmania take him back!!
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What is so wrong with being a tree-hugger?
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Well said.
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Great article Lauren. I just love how easy it is to read your writing!
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I was thinking the same…easy reading which is hard to do in politics.
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Politics will be a lot better without Bob Brown.
“He has an air of happy benevolence”…
On the contrary I sense a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I’m skeptical of the “shit-eating grins” on pollies at the best of times, but Senator Brown’s smirk is positively creepy.
Scratch beneath the surface of a “caring” Green and you will inevitably find someone who loathes the bogans, the battlers, the outer-suburban mums and the dads that make up the bulk of this great nation of ours.
Good riddance to him I say and his bunch of hard core student activists that never grew up and joined the rest of us in the real world.
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I’m laughing, but not with you
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hey, the ONLY thing that you could have called offensive in my original comment you deleted (see below) was to say good riddance to him, yet here you are allowing it to be said from someone else. Some consistancy maybe???????
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Once more, for old time’s sake. Don’t delete this, Lauren!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM73CRgUPiY
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says so much more about the people that made and like this video than anything about bob brown. god forbid any women choose to not shave her armpits!!!
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It’s called humour Rainbow. Try it out some time.
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oh i have a sense of humour, it just doesn’t involve being degrading and sexist.. you should try it some time
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ah, sexist when any humour is directed at women, but any man is fair game any time with any material no matter how offensive (aka Tony Abbott / Howard etc). That old chestnut.
Learn to laugh, its good for you Rainbow.
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oh don’t worry about me, i’m laughing!!
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You gotta marvel at Tony Abbott. Even in a send-off for another Party Leader, he manages to take a swipe at the PM. He is one focussed man!
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That’s just what I thought. Very disappointing, but not surprising.
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You have to marvel also at the commentators on this site, that can turn an article about Bob Brown into an excuse to hang it on Tony for the millionth time. Pot, meet Kettle.
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It’s relevant because we are commenting on TA’s approach & comments to Bob Brown’s resignation, which happens to be the topic of this post
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Well Lauren, my request to expose the lunacy of Bob Brown was a tad late.
Deluded to the end though – a wealth of talent in the Greens? What? Christine Milne? She of the fanatic’s eyes, shrew’s voice, all the appeal and authority of a geography teacher trying to control a year 9 class and an over-inflated sense of her own self-importance?
When is she going to demand the rounding up and extermination of the Deniers?
Good luck to Julia trying to control her! Remember when the Greens handed power to Labor? Milne had to be told to shut up. Mouthing off to everyone how the Greens were leading the Nation.
Just as predicted in 2010, the Greens are facing extinction, and it can’t come quick enough.
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Lol, as a geography teacher trying to control a year 9 class, I would hope I have both appeal and authority! Don’t compare me to Christine Milne!
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wow, my comment just got deleted, and for next to nothing offensive. I read worse about Tony Abbott on here every few minutes. Bias at work as usual.
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Don’t worry, I know how you feel. It’s always open season on Tony Abbott but try exposing the Real Julia and they’ll delete you quick smart. Little, light cheat sheets.
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Not true. You seem to do a lot of anti left comments and get away with it.
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Let’s remember the fact that Bob Brown voted with Labor to stop the Heiner Affair inquiry. What does it say when someone won’t fight tooth and nail for justice for a young Aboriginal girl, gang raped in State care and then paid hush money when court ordered documents were shredded? Who is being protected here and why?
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Here’s something to cheer you up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH_MBwQhGgA
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lol, pure gold. And so true.
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Don’t worry, one of my comments was deleted, too – because I was taking the Piss out of the loony Right and their inability spell, and the intellect of said people.
Blog democracy in action…..:P
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Was so sad to hear this news today, but wish Bob all the best for the future- as a fellow GP, supporter of the LGBT community, environmentalist, seeker of drug reformation and anti- war proponent, he’s been a shining light in Australian politics for me. I hope the Greens will survive his loss!
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None and Buckley’s.
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where’s the get-up petition for me to sign to stop this resignation?
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Hopefully get up will go to Tassie with Bob and both of them never heard of again. Good riddance.
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