ACT Greens
Encyclopedia
The ACT Greens is a green
political party
located in the Australian Capital Territory
, and a member of the federation of the Australian Greens
.
As of the 2008 election
, the ACT Greens hold the balance of power
in the 17-member Legislative Assembly
, with four members, to Labor
's seven and the Liberals
with six. After almost two weeks of deliberations with both the Labor and Liberal parties, the Greens chose to support a Labor minority government
.
The Greens and the ALP signed a 'Parliamentary Agreement' to formalize the arrangement. Under the agreement, the Greens secured a range of policy outcomes in the areas of schools and education, health service provision, housing, public transport and gay rights. It also ensures that the Greens will Chair three of the Assembly's key committees. In exchange, the Greens agreed to maintain confidence in Chief Minister
Jon Stanhope
. The Greens also secured Government support for the nomination of Shane Rattenbury as Speaker
of the Assembly.
The Greens have required the Government to report on progress against the measures outlined in the agreement on an annual basis. The first joint communiqué on the progress of the agreement was issued in July 2008. The next communiqué will be issued in July 2010.
The ACT Greens elect a 'convenor' rather than a 'leader'. Meredith Hunter
was appointed Parliamentary Convenor of the ACT Greens.
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
located in the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
, 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...
.
As of the 2008 election
Australian Capital Territory general election, 2008
Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 18 October 2008. The incumbent Labor Party, led by Jon Stanhope, was challenged by the Liberal Party, led by Zed Seselja. Candidates were elected to fill three multi-member electorates using a single...
, the ACT Greens hold the balance of power
Balance of power (parliament)
In parliamentary politics, the term balance of power sometimes describes the pragmatic mechanism exercised by a minor political party or other grouping whose guaranteed support may enable an otherwise minority government to obtain and hold office...
in the 17-member Legislative Assembly
Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Australian Capital Territory...
, with four members, to Labor
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...
's seven and the Liberals
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
with six. After almost two weeks of deliberations with both the Labor and Liberal parties, the Greens chose to support a Labor minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
.
The Greens and the ALP signed a 'Parliamentary Agreement' to formalize the arrangement. Under the agreement, the Greens secured a range of policy outcomes in the areas of schools and education, health service provision, housing, public transport and gay rights. It also ensures that the Greens will Chair three of the Assembly's key committees. In exchange, the Greens agreed to maintain confidence in Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
Jon Stanhope
Jon Stanhope
Jonathan Ronald Stanhope is a former Australian politician who was Labor Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory from 2001 to 2011. Stanhope represented the Ginninderra electorate in the ACT Legislative Assembly from 1998 until 2011. He resigned as Chief Minister on 12 May 2011 and as...
. The Greens also secured Government support for the nomination of Shane Rattenbury as Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Assembly.
The Greens have required the Government to report on progress against the measures outlined in the agreement on an annual basis. The first joint communiqué on the progress of the agreement was issued in July 2008. The next communiqué will be issued in July 2010.
The ACT Greens elect a 'convenor' rather than a 'leader'. Meredith Hunter
Meredith Hunter (Australian politician)
Meredith Hunter , Australian politician, is a member of the multi-member unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Ginninderra for the ACT Greens since 2008...
was appointed Parliamentary Convenor of the ACT Greens.
Current members
- Amanda BresnanAmanda BresnanAmanda Bresnan is an Australian politician and a member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. Bresnan was elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Brindabella for the ACT Greens at the 2008 election-Early life and education:Amanda Bresnan was...
(2008-current) - Meredith HunterMeredith Hunter (Australian politician)Meredith Hunter , Australian politician, is a member of the multi-member unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Ginninderra for the ACT Greens since 2008...
(2008-current) - Caroline Le CouteurCaroline Le CouteurCaroline Le Couteur , an Australian politician, was elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Molonglo for the ACT Greens at the 2008 election- Life before election :...
(2008-current) - Shane RattenburyShane RattenburyShane Rattenbury , Australian politician and Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly, is a member of the multi-member unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Molonglo for the ACT Greens since 2008...
(2008-current)
Previous members
- Lucy HorodnyLucy HorodnyLucy Alesia Horodny is an Australian politician and environmentalist.Horodny, who is of Ukrainian descent, first made her name as an activist for the Wilderness Society. She made a move into politics in 1995, when she ran as a Greens candidate for the Australian Capital Territory Legislative...
(1995-1998) - Kerrie TuckerKerrie TuckerKerrie Robyn Tucker , former Australian politician, environmental and human rights activist, was a member of the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the multi-member electorate of Molonglo for the ACT Greens between 1995 and 2001...
(1995-2004) - Deb FoskeyDeb FoskeyDeb Foskey is a former Australian politician with the ACT Greens. She was elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly in the 2004 election for the electorate of Molonglo, in which she served until her retirement in 2008.-Early life:Foskey was born in rural East Gippsland,...
(2004-2008)