Queensland Greens
Encyclopedia
The Queensland Greens is a Green party
in the Australia
n state of Queensland
, and a member of the federation of the Australian Greens
. The party was founded in November 1991 and made its electoral debut at the 1993 federal election. Larissa Waters
is the party's environment and justice system spokesperson, was its lead Senate candidate at the 2007 federal election and again at the 2010 federal election, in which she became the first Greens candidate elected in Queensland.
. As of the 2007 federal election, the Queensland Greens were the only state Greens party that had failed to achieve parliamentary representation. The party had been unable to win seats in the Queensland Parliament, which uniquely of Australian state parliaments is unicameral and has no allowance for proportional representation
. The party achieved its first parliamentary representative on 5 October 2008 when Ronan Lee
defected to the Greens from the Australian Labor Party
, due to his belief that the Bligh government was not paying enough attention to environmental issues. He lost his seat at the 2009 state election
to the Liberal Nationals.
The Queensland Greens have enjoyed growing support in recent state elections, increasing their vote from 2.5 per cent at the 2001 election (when they contested 31 of the Parliament's 89 seats), to 6.76 per cent in 2004 (from 72 seats), to 7.99 per cent in 2006 (from 75 seats), and to 8.37 per cent in 2009
(from 89 seats).
The Senate vote at the 2007 federal election increased by 2.1 per cent to 7.5 per cent. It increased further to 12.77% at the 2010 federal election.
The Queensland Young Greens provide a forum for young people to express their opinions on political issues and contribute towards the shaping of party policies. The youth wing was established in order to draw new ideas from the youth community and provide an avenue for Queenslander's under the age of 30 to influence the political landscape within Queensland.
The Youth Wing's main focus is on election campaigning; skills training; policy development and hosting a number of different social events.
approach in organising members. The youth wing also shares the same policies as the Queensland Greens based around the four guiding principles of non-violence, social justice, grass-roots democracy and ecological sustainability.
Worldwide green parties
A Green party or ecologist party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of Green politics. These principles usually include social justice, reliance on grassroots democracy, nonviolence, and an emphasis on environmentalism...
in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, and a member of the federation of the Australian Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
. The party was founded in November 1991 and made its electoral debut at the 1993 federal election. Larissa Waters
Larissa Waters
Larissa Joy Waters is an Australian Greens Senator for Queensland.Waters was born in Winnipeg, Canada, grew up in Brisbane and lives in Bardon with her partner and their young daughter...
is the party's environment and justice system spokesperson, was its lead Senate candidate at the 2007 federal election and again at the 2010 federal election, in which she became the first Greens candidate elected in Queensland.
Representation
The party will have one representative in the aforementioned Larissa Waters from 1 July 2011, when she takes up her post in the Australian SenateAustralian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
. As of the 2007 federal election, the Queensland Greens were the only state Greens party that had failed to achieve parliamentary representation. The party had been unable to win seats in the Queensland Parliament, which uniquely of Australian state parliaments is unicameral and has no allowance for proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
. The party achieved its first parliamentary representative on 5 October 2008 when Ronan Lee
Ronan Lee
Ronan Lee is an Irish-Australian political advisor and former Greens member of the Queensland State Parliament. Lee represented the seat of Indooroopilly since he was first elected as an Australian Labor Party member in 2001. Lee joined the Queensland Greens in 2008 citing the Bligh Government's...
defected to the Greens from the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, due to his belief that the Bligh government was not paying enough attention to environmental issues. He lost his seat at the 2009 state election
Queensland state election, 2009
The Queensland state election was held to elect members to the unicameral Parliament of Queensland on 21 March 2009. The election saw the incumbent Labor government led by Premier Anna Bligh defeat the Liberal National Party of Queensland led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, and gain a...
to the Liberal Nationals.
Vote
Election Results
|
The Queensland Greens have enjoyed growing support in recent state elections, increasing their vote from 2.5 per cent at the 2001 election (when they contested 31 of the Parliament's 89 seats), to 6.76 per cent in 2004 (from 72 seats), to 7.99 per cent in 2006 (from 75 seats), and to 8.37 per cent in 2009
Queensland state election, 2009
The Queensland state election was held to elect members to the unicameral Parliament of Queensland on 21 March 2009. The election saw the incumbent Labor government led by Premier Anna Bligh defeat the Liberal National Party of Queensland led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, and gain a...
(from 89 seats).
The Senate vote at the 2007 federal election increased by 2.1 per cent to 7.5 per cent. It increased further to 12.77% at the 2010 federal election.
Queensland Young Greens (QYG)
The Queensland Young Greens are the youth wing of the Queensland Greens and is open to all members under the age of 30 across the state of Queensland.The Queensland Young Greens provide a forum for young people to express their opinions on political issues and contribute towards the shaping of party policies. The youth wing was established in order to draw new ideas from the youth community and provide an avenue for Queenslander's under the age of 30 to influence the political landscape within Queensland.
The Youth Wing's main focus is on election campaigning; skills training; policy development and hosting a number of different social events.
QYG Goals
The goals of the Queensland Young Greens are as follows:- To engage with young people across Queensland, who come from a variety of different backgrounds, and gain insight into their thoughts, ideas and feelings in relation to current political issues;
- To provide an avenue for Young Greens members to influence and shape Greens policies;
- To encourage all young members of society to engage with politics;
- To assist and provide opportunities for Young Greens to develop their skills within the political arena.
QYG Organisational Structure
At present the youth wing is run by a steering committee which engages with members under the age of 30 from the various Queensland Greens branches throughout the state, as well as the branches established at universities across Queensland. The youth wing maintains a grassrootsGrassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
approach in organising members. The youth wing also shares the same policies as the Queensland Greens based around the four guiding principles of non-violence, social justice, grass-roots democracy and ecological sustainability.