Greens launch announced
By Col Hesse
WOLLONGONG — A national green organisation will be launched on August 30 with the release of an Australian Greens charter, to include items on ecology, democracy, social justice, ecologically sustainable economy and a number of other issues.
The initiative was announced by Illawarra Greens member Steve Brigham to a meeting of the Wollongong branch of the Wilderness Society.
Brigham spoke about the divergent views within the green political movement. He said the Australian Greens' constitution aimed to balance the needs of a national organisation and the desire for grassroots participation.
The Australian Greens would establish national policies which would apply to all state branches, allowing a united front to be presented Australia wide. However, local groups would have some latitude to insert extra policies reflecting special local issues.
Questioned about the conscience vote for prospective Greens parliamentarians, Brigham said each state party would decide the issue, but that NSW would not allow a conscience vote. Asked if a woman's right to choose abortion was in the NSW Greens policy, Brigham said he expected it would be included but specific policy had yet to be finalised.