Politics
Greens detail power deal
SUE NEALES
March 03, 2010 06:32am
THE Greens have rolled out more details of how a power-sharing deal following the state election might work.
Greens leader Nick McKim yesterday pointed to the negotiated agreement between Labor and the Greens in the Australian Capital Territory following the October 2008 territory election as evidence that minority government power deals could work well.
Mr McKim guaranteed yesterday such a model if followed in Tasmania in the event of no party being elected with a majority of the 25 Lower House seats would not involve ultimatums, threats or even demands for ministries from the Greens.
Instead, the primary aim of such a power-sharing deal would be to deliver stable, accountable and transparent government in Tasmania a novelty after the past four years of scandal-ridden Labor, he said.
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In Depth: Election 2010)
Mr McKim said the agreement could be with either the Liberal Opposition or the current Labor Government, depending which party had the maturity to negotiate honestly and in good faith with the Greens.
In the ACT, the four Greens members are not ministers or responsible for any portfolios under the 28-month Labor-Green agreement, but do hold the key position of parliamentary Speaker.
The initial agreement between Labor Chief Minister Jon Stanhope and Greens ACT convener Meredith Hunter speaks of both parties working together “in a spirit of co-operation in the best interests of the citizens of the ACT”.
But the Greens are allowed to freely oppose any bills, motions and initiatives they wish without affecting the power-sharing deal.
Mr McKim said the stated plan of both Labor Premier David Bartlett and Liberal leader Will Hodgman to try to govern from the floor of Parliament even in a minority without any deal or agreement with the Greens was an “inherently unstable” model.