By Jorge Jorquera Christabel Chamarette views the election as an important indicator of the success or otherwise of the Greens (WA). "People are much more aware that we have an overall review role in the Senate, so it will be an interesting test to see whether people have valued that role and want it continued." After four years in the Senate, Chamarette has a mixed but generally positive assessment of her and Senator Dee Margetts' role in the Upper House. "I'm not sure the community at large is aware of how much of a political monoculture dominates the parliament. The most common vote in the Senate is 66-10, with Labor and the Coalition versus the real opposition made up of Democrats, Greens and independents." She points out that only six times in the past three years has a balance of power has been possible because the Coalition voted against the government. When Chamarette lists the positive experiences of the last four years, she highlights the "assertion across the community that nuclear weapons testing must stop, which took not only the government but the peace movement by surprise" and the "incredible wellspring of support for the protection of our old growth native forests". Chamarette launched the Greens (WA) Senate campaign on February 5. "Voting Green indicates that people are fed up and cynical about the old politics of 'leadership', empty rhetoric and confrontation in an issues vacuum. Voting Green is sending a message that change is essential."
Preferences
What about Green preferences? "Our local groups determine whether they are going to make a preference recommendation after they have looked at the individual merits of each of the candidates, the policies of the relevant parties and the local, state and national implications of making some kind of recommendation. The problem is that both major parties are so alike that sometimes it is very difficult to choose between the two. "The lower house recommendation is separate from the vote in the Senate. People might decide to vote for a major party in the lower house and vote for the Greens in the Senate. We would also hope that they would consider voting for the Greens and the minor parties ahead of either of the major parties in the lower house. "Basically the Greens have the same policy on preferences as we do in the parliament about trading one issue against another — we don't agree with it. We think that it is corrupted politics and lessens the emphasis on issues." Previously the Australian Democrats have been so weakened by internal bickering in WA that they have been insignificant in the battle for the Senate. This time round they have mustered all their forces for a high profile challenge for the "final" Senate place. Chamarette commented: "Even though it does seem that one or other of us will get elected this time, hopefully the community will start realising that they may well want more Greens and Democrats in the parliament. I think it's good there should be a choice available. "When people say you are so alike you shouldn't really run against each other, nobody suggests that Labor and Liberal shouldn't run against each other, and they're even more alike."
Australian Greens
Is there pressure on the Greens (WA) to be part of an organised national Green party? According to Chamarette, there is. "There are a lot of people who wouldn't even question that we need an Australian Greens, and a lot who are puzzled that the Greens (WA) are so successful and yet we are the only state-based party with federal registration. "I think the needs of WA are responsible for that. We have been peculiarly alienated, even since federation, by the fact that the major population is on the east coast. "Whilst there are lots of people who argue that not only a national Green Party but a world Green Party is the obvious step, I come from a new politics way of thinking about it, which says: sure, you need an Australia-wide representation of Green politics, but it needs to be decentralised, locally autonomous, sensitive to the region and sensitive to the community. "That is why it's very good that the Greens WA is independent of the Australian Greens and yet we are able to cooperate on issues of mutual benefit and work together with a Green vision. In the same way, it would be really good if the Democrats and the Greens were able to do that. But I don't believe in one group kind of swallowing up all the others."
After the elections
At the end of the election, we will have more of the same in government. Whether it's Liberal or Labor, the "remedy" will be the same — further attacks on communities and our ecology. What will be the role of the Greens (WA) in this context? "The Greens could be very important in the Senate if there is a change of government, especially working with the Labor Party in opposition to prevent the Liberal Party from undermining too many of the really good initiatives that have been put in in the time that Labor have been in power", says Chamarette. "On the other hand, if the ALP get back in again, it's very important that the Greens are there, and the Democrats and the opposition, to work together to keep the government from being too arrogant. The Labor Party has shifted very strongly to the right and there has been a grave concern about the opening up to the World Trade Organisation and GATT and the really damaging impact of the sale of public assets. "Labor and Liberal have refused to exercise the political will that they need as a federal government in protecting the environment. "So we see it as our role to encourage the good parts of whichever party gains government, and we will be very flat out trying to consult the community and let the community know what is happening as well." For Chamarette, the issue is not just "to go towards Green government, but to the greening of any and every government".