Smear campaign hurts Greens

November 17, 1993
Issue 

Susan Austin, Hobart

Progressive people in Tasmania shook their heads with disappointment at the initial results of the state's March 18 House of Assembly election. Pre-election polling indicated the Greens were likely to win one-third of the votes in Denison, lifting hopes that they might gain the balance of power with five or six seats. However, a massive advertising campaign was launched aiming to scare voters away from the Greens.

Michael Kent, chairperson of the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was exposed in the week before the election for being part of an anonymous organisation that funded a massive multimedia advertising campaign, run in the name of "Tasmanians for a Better Future". These ads urged voters to support stable majority government, claiming that "Tasmania suffered badly under past hung parliaments and minority governments".

Labor's advertising warned that a hung parliament would lead to plummeting investment, rising unemployment and lost business confidence. Members of the secretive religious group the Exclusive Brethren admitted to funding ads that attacked the Greens' gay, lesbian and transgender policies, and the Liberal Party distributed flyers saying that full access to marriage laws for same-sex couples is a "socially destructive change". The Forest Industries Association of Tasmania took out full-page newspaper ads claiming that "Tasmania's economy can't afford the Greens".

Before the election, Labor held 14 seats, the Liberals seven and the Greens four. The Greens look likely to lose their fourth seat in Bass, and with it their status as a party on the floor of the Tasmanian parliament. Labor has won a clear majority with at least 14 seats. The Liberal Party has won at least seven seats, with a 4% swing in its favour.

John Gay, executive chairperson of logging company Gunns Ltd, told the Tasmanian Examiner on March 20 that the majority government was "good news" and that Gunns would move quickly to establish its planned pulp mill in northern Tasmania, after threatening to take the project overseas if the Greens won the balance of power. The March 20 Mercury reported that Liberal leader Rene Hidding claimed the election results were "a ringing endorsement" of the pulp mill project.

Yet Les Rochestor, the coordinator of the Tamar Residents Action Committee, which was formed to protest the pulp mill, received more than 1000 votes in the Bass electorate. Wilderness Society forests campaigner Geoff Law told the media on March 20 that the government would be wrong to see the election results as an endorsement of its "destructive forest practices". In a March 21 media release, federal Greens Senator Bob Brown pointed out that Labor lost more votes (2.3%) than the Greens (1.9%).

The Socialist Alliance contested two electorates on a platform of workers' rights, environmental protection, nationalisation of key industries, defence of civil liberties and increased funding to health and welfare services. With 92% of the votes counted, Socialist Alliance won 0.4% (241 votes) in Denison, and 0.4% (253 votes) in Franklin. Many Greens voters preferenced the alliance.

The alliance candidate for Denison, Linda Seaborn, told Green Left Weekly that the election results were "disappointingly conservative" but that now "we need to unite together to make sure we defeat Howard" in the 2007 federal election.

From Green Left Weekly, March 29, 2006.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.


You need Green Left, and we need you!

Green Left is funded by contributions from readers and supporters. Help us reach our funding target.

Make a One-off Donation or choose from one of our Monthly Donation options.

Become a supporter to get the digital edition for $5 per month or the print edition for $10 per month. One-time payment options are available.

You can also call 1800 634 206 to make a donation or to become a supporter. Thank you.