World’s first Greens Party turns 40

Tasmanian Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said today holds a very special significance for everyone involved in the party, since it was founded as the United Tasmania Group four decades ago.

Mr McKim paid tribute to the foresight of the party’s founders, whose vision and tenacity in the face of adversity laid the foundations for a vibrant new political force.

“From our humble origins in Tasmanian environmental and social justice battles in the early 1970s, the Greens have grown into a major global political force, and we are here to stay,” Mr McKim said.

“That’s all down to the passion of many thousands of people working behind the scenes and who believe in our vision of a sustainable, fair and prosperous future.”

“Along the way we have been ridiculed and dismissed, but history puts the Greens at the forefront of progressive change every step of the way.”

“While it’s important to look back and to celebrate our successes, the Greens’ real strength has always been our focus on the future.”

“This century will be the sustainability century, and in the coming decades we will witness a fundamental transformation based around the principle of respecting the ecosystem that underpins our civilisation.”

“The Greens will continue to be at the forefront of that change, because we are the only party that offers a vision of an optimistic vision of a sustainable, fair and prosperous future.”