Senator Hanson-Young reports divisions within Australia’s Greens — The Guardian
South Australian Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said there are significant divisions within the parliamentary team of the Australian Greens following the election of David Shoebridge as its new leader. At the same time, she expressed support for Shoebridge and said she would work with him to counter the One Nation party and its leader Pauline Hanson, The Guardian reports.
Hanson-Young took part in the leadership vote on Wednesday but was eliminated after the first round, receiving two votes. She finished behind Shoebridge and then deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi. The vote took place after former party leader Larissa Waters stepped down on Monday amid serious health issues.
Statement after the vote
In a video published on social media after a walk with her husband, Hanson-Young said politics can be brutal. She noted that in politics, friendships are made and lost, but all party members care deeply about the future of the country and the planet.
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The senator also said considerable efforts would be needed to counter One Nation and Pauline Hanson. In her view, Australians need an optimistic, caring and steadfast progressive force. Hanson-Young added that she would not step back and that the party has much work to do.
Tensions with Faruqi
The day before, Mehreen Faruqi criticised colleagues for electing Shoebridge and called for rank-and-file party members to be given the right to vote in future leadership elections. The Guardian’s sources in the Greens claim that working relations between Shoebridge and Faruqi are seriously strained.
Shoebridge said he respects Faruqi’s work and her engagement with communities. He promised to ensure that rank-and-file party members can vote in leadership elections before the next scheduled contest, which is due to take place immediately after the next federal election. In an internal party plebiscite in 2020, 62% of Greens members supported a party-wide vote, but the required two-thirds majority was not reached.
