First Green elected to WA parliament

By Teresa Szunejko

PERTH -- The first Green member of the WA Legislative Council has been elected. Counting of preferences gave Greens (WA) candidate Jim Scott the edge over the Democrats and independent Barry Hodge.

In the North Metropolitan region, Green Brenda Roy narrowly lost out on preferences to independent Reg Davies.

The final composition of the Upper House is: Liberals 15, ALP 14, Nationals three, Greens one and independent one.

“Now there is a Green presence within State Parliament with a voice. No longer will the Greens be screaming in the wilderness”, Greens (WA) secretary Stewart Jackson told Green Left. A parliamentary presence gives the Greens an opportunity to get information out on a range of issues including the environment, social justice, transport and local issues like the Eastern Bypass, he said.

“While there has been a Green presence in the federal sphere through Christabel Chamarette and Jo Vallentine before her, the election to the state upper house means that public and media perceptions of the link between federal and state issues can be changed.

“The major parties can no longer just pay lip service to environmental issues. The place of even a lone voice in parliament means that issues can be highlighted for public attention and action.”

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