New Green-Labor accord?

By Ben Courtice HOBART — Some members of the state Labor Opposition want to leave open the option of entering a new alliance with the Green Party after the next state election, due in February 1996. However, Opposition leader Michael Field insists he will make no such deal. This has revived the debate about the Green-Labor accord formed in 1989 when the Greens won five seats and Labor 13 out of a house of 35. In return for promises by Labor to save some wilderness areas, the Greens supported a harsh budget which included health and education cuts. The accord finally broke down when Labor introduced resource security legislation to ensure access to natural resources for mining and logging companies. However, the Greens had already tarnished their public image and they suffered a large drop in their vote in the 1992 elections, which were won by the Liberals. While Field has stated that Labor's policy is to govern in its own right or not at all, former state ALP president Leo Brown has said that Labor might rethink its policy towards the Greens if the electorate rejects the Liberals at the next elections. This is probably because recent polls show the Greens attracting around 16% support around the state and 22% in the south. It looks likely that they will retain their five seats, and possibly gain second seats in the electorates of Denison and Franklin.

From GLW issue 210