GREENS leader Kim Booth says his party’s brand was damaged by supporting Labor in minority government. But despite a setback at the election, Mr Booth is confident that the party is on an inexorable rise and can win votes from both Labor and the Liberals. When asked to pin down the lessons that the Greens could take from losing two seats in March, Mr Booth said it was hard to be specific, however, the public clearly did not like the association with Labor. ‘‘I think that the Greens suffered brand damage as a result of propping up Labor for another term after 12 years,’’ he said. ‘‘I think that the public reacted in a pretty predictable way, quite frankly. ‘‘There’s no question that the Greens’ brand was damaged by the association with Labor and the provision of ministers in a Labor government and the inability to differentiate between the Greens and Labor in that regard.’’ Mr Booth said that the perception of a coalition was not right, insisting that the Greens acted as a cross-bench party, and he points to the review of the state’s electricity sector as an achievement of the previous government. However, Mr Booth indicated he would be reluctant to let Greens sit as ministers in any minority governments of the future. He said a return to 35 members in the lower house would help to avoid a repeat of the problems of 2010. ‘‘At the moment, if you have a closely divided Parliament with the biggest party having, say, 10 seats, that party does not have sufficient numbers to form government and have a backbench,’’ Mr Booth said. ‘‘If you had a 35-seat house, you could have a minority government that was simply provided confidence and supply and each party could be represented clearly and separately.’’ Mr Booth said he was frustrated at the decision to deny the Greens party status in Parliament, stripping them of resources and speaking time. But he said the Greens had managed to position themselves as a realistic third option, and the Liberals could be headed for a single term in office as a result of the cuts to the public service. He noted that it was his party, not Labor, that produced an alternative budget. The Greens’ budget would not have axed public servants. It would have squeezed Hydro for a higher dividend and cut funding for an international shipping service and irrigation schemes. ‘‘It’s really an issue of prioritisation of expenditure and identifying areas of greatest need, rather than just simply coming out with a few buzzwords that the public sector’s too big,’’ he said. Mr Booth insisted that the green political movement was not over, and said his party could win votes from across the spectrum. ‘‘I think both [Will] Hodgman and [Tony] Abbott have demonstrated that now’s the time when we need the Greens more than ever,’’ he said. ‘‘I’ve got no doubt that there’ll be a whole bunch of people that voted Liberal this time that will come back to the Greens. ‘‘There are a whole bunch of reasons across the triple bottom line – for social reasons, economic reasons and environmental reasons. If you vote Greens, at least you know what you’re going to get.’’ Mr Booth said he was proud to be Greens’ leader, but was quick to play down the issue of personality politics. ‘‘It’s not about me, it’s about good policies,’’ he said.
Kim Booth says Premier Will Hodgman and Prime Minister Tony Abbott are demonstrating that ‘‘now’s the time when we need the Greens more than ever’’. Picture: MARK JESSER
GREENS leader Kim Booth says his party’s brand was damaged by supporting Labor in minority government.
But despite a setback at the election, Mr Booth is confident that the party is on an inexorable rise and can win votes from both Labor and the Liberals.
When asked to pin down the lessons that the Greens could take from losing two seats in March, Mr Booth said it was hard to be specific, however, the public clearly did not like the association with Labor.
‘‘I think that the Greens suffered brand damage as a result of propping up Labor for another term after 12 years,’’ he said.
‘‘I think that the public reacted in a pretty predictable way, quite frankly.
‘‘There’s no question that the Greens’ brand was damaged by the association with Labor and the provision of ministers in a Labor government and the inability to differentiate between the Greens and Labor in that regard.’’
Mr Booth said that the perception of a coalition was not right, insisting that the Greens acted as a cross-bench party, and he points to the review of the state’s electricity sector as an achievement of the previous government.
However, Mr Booth indicated he would be reluctant to let Greens sit as ministers in any minority governments of the future.
He said a return to 35 members in the lower house would help to avoid a repeat of the problems of 2010.
‘‘At the moment, if you have a closely divided Parliament with the biggest party having, say, 10 seats, that party does not have sufficient numbers to form government and have a backbench,’’ Mr Booth said.
‘‘If you had a 35-seat house, you could have a minority government that was simply provided confidence and supply and each party could be represented clearly and separately.’’
Mr Booth said he was frustrated at the decision to deny the Greens party status in Parliament, stripping them of resources and speaking time.
But he said the Greens had managed to position themselves as a realistic third option, and the Liberals could be headed for a single term in office as a result of the cuts to the public service.
He noted that it was his party, not Labor, that produced an alternative budget.
The Greens’ budget would not have axed public servants. It would have squeezed Hydro for a higher dividend and cut funding for an international shipping service and irrigation schemes.
‘‘It’s really an issue of prioritisation of expenditure and identifying areas of greatest need, rather than just simply coming out with a few buzzwords that the public sector’s too big,’’ he said.
Mr Booth insisted that the green political movement was not over, and said his party could win votes from across the spectrum.
‘‘I think both [Will] Hodgman and [Tony] Abbott have demonstrated that now’s the time when we need the Greens more than ever,’’ he said.
‘‘I’ve got no doubt that there’ll be a whole bunch of people that voted Liberal this time that will come back to the Greens.
‘‘There are a whole bunch of reasons across the triple bottom line – for social reasons, economic reasons and environmental reasons. If you vote Greens, at least you know what you’re going to get.’’
Mr Booth said he was proud to be Greens’ leader, but was quick to play down the issue of personality politics.
‘‘It’s not about me, it’s about good policies,’’ he said.
