Peg Putt
Encyclopedia
Margaret Ann Putt (born 5 June 1953 in Sydney
) is a former Australia
n politician and parliamentary leader of the Tasmanian Greens
. She first entered the Tasmanian House of Assembly
in 1993 after Bob Brown
resigned and votes in the Hobart electorate of Denison were recounted. She retired from politics on 7 July 2008.
Prior to moving to Tasmania Ms Putt had worked with Aboriginal communities on Elcho Island
in the Northern Territory
. She moved to Tasmania in 1986 with her two daughters, where she became spokesperson for the Huon Protection Group which succeeded in stopping development of a new woodchip mill on the Huon River. She also founded the Tasmanian Threatened Species Network and was director of the Tasmanian Conservation Trust
.
The 1996 state election gave the Greens the balance of power
and Ms Putt was one of four Greens to be in parliament during the period of balance of power. In 1998 the Labor and Liberal parties restructured the Tasmanian Parliament, reducing the number of House of Assembly members from 35 and 25. In the 1998 state election, called one week after the restructure, she was the only one out of four Greens to retain a seat and became leader as a result. Four years later in the 2002 election she recorded the second highest vote of 12,036 (20.0%) after Tasmanian premier Jim Bacon
. In doing so, she outpolled the leader of the Tasmanian division of the Liberal Party of Australia
, Bob Cheek
, in their electorate of Denison. Ms Putt was re-elected in the 2006 election, receiving 18.4% of first preferences, a decrease compared to her previous result of 20.0% in the 2002 election, but the highest of any Denison candidate. On her political opponent Paul Lennon
, Ms Putt said "I don't think we've got one thing in common. He can have his racing and betting; I like bushwalking and rowing."
On 7 July 2008, Putt announced her retirement as leader of the Tasmanian Greens, and as a Member of the House of Assembly. She was replaced as Greens leader by the party's deputy leader, Nick McKim.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
) is a former Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician and parliamentary leader of the Tasmanian Greens
Tasmanian Greens
The Tasmanian Greens are a political party in Australia which developed from numerous environmental campaigns in Tasmania, including the flooding of Lake Pedder and the Franklin Dam campaign...
. She first entered the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
in 1993 after Bob Brown
Bob Brown
Robert James Brown is an Australian senator, the inaugural Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens and was the first openly gay member of the Parliament of Australia...
resigned and votes in the Hobart electorate of Denison were recounted. She retired from politics on 7 July 2008.
Prior to moving to Tasmania Ms Putt had worked with Aboriginal communities on Elcho Island
Elcho Island
Elcho Island is an island off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. It is located at the southern end of the Wessel Islands group located in the East Arnhem Region. The island's largest community is the settlement of Galiwin'ku....
in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. She moved to Tasmania in 1986 with her two daughters, where she became spokesperson for the Huon Protection Group which succeeded in stopping development of a new woodchip mill on the Huon River. She also founded the Tasmanian Threatened Species Network and was director of the Tasmanian Conservation Trust
Tasmanian Conservation Trust
Tasmanian Conservation Trust is a Tasmanian based non-profit conservation organisation, formed in 1968.-Further reading:* Armstrong, Lance J.E. . Good God, He’s Green! A History of Tasmanian Politics 1989-1996. Wahroonga, N.S.W., Pacific Law Press. ISBN 1-875192-08-5* Lines, William J. Patriots :...
.
The 1996 state election gave the Greens 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...
and Ms Putt was one of four Greens to be in parliament during the period of balance of power. In 1998 the Labor and Liberal parties restructured the Tasmanian Parliament, reducing the number of House of Assembly members from 35 and 25. In the 1998 state election, called one week after the restructure, she was the only one out of four Greens to retain a seat and became leader as a result. Four years later in the 2002 election she recorded the second highest vote of 12,036 (20.0%) after Tasmanian premier Jim Bacon
Jim Bacon
James Alexander Bacon, AC was Premier of Tasmania from 1998 to 2004.-Early life:Bacon was born in Melbourne; his father Frank, a doctor, died when Jim was twelve, leaving him to be raised by his mother Joan. He was educated at Scotch College and later at Monash University, but he did not graduate....
. In doing so, she outpolled the leader of the Tasmanian division of the Liberal Party of Australia
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...
, Bob Cheek
Bob Cheek
Robert Reginald 'Bob' Cheek was leader of the Opposition Tasmanian Liberal Party from 20 August 2001 until he lost his seat in the July 2002 election. It was the first time that a major party leader lost their seat in a Tasmanian election since 1903.Cheek was first elected to Tasmanian parliament...
, in their electorate of Denison. Ms Putt was re-elected in the 2006 election, receiving 18.4% of first preferences, a decrease compared to her previous result of 20.0% in the 2002 election, but the highest of any Denison candidate. On her political opponent Paul Lennon
Paul Lennon
Paul Anthony Lennon is an Australian Labor Party politician. He was Premier of Tasmania from 21 March 2004 until his resignation on 26 May 2008. He was member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the seat of Franklin from 1990 until officially resigning on 27 May 2008...
, Ms Putt said "I don't think we've got one thing in common. He can have his racing and betting; I like bushwalking and rowing."
On 7 July 2008, Putt announced her retirement as leader of the Tasmanian Greens, and as a Member of the House of Assembly. She was replaced as Greens leader by the party's deputy leader, Nick McKim.
Further reading
- Armstrong, Lance J.E. (1997). Good God, He’s Green! A History of Tasmanian Politics 1989-1996. Wahroonga, N.S.W., Pacific Law Press. ISBN 1-875192-08-5
- Lines, William J. (2006) Patriots : defending Australia's natural heritage St. Lucia, Qld. : University of Queensland Press, 2006. ISBN 0-70223-554-7