{news} Fw: USGP-INT Greens Make Election History in South Australia

[Justine McCabe]

> Greens Make History in South Australia
>
> On the 18th of March 2006, the Australian Greens SA made history with 
> South Australian voters electing their first ever Greens Member of 
> Parliament, Mark Parnell.  Mark was elected to the Legislative Council of 
> the South Australian Parliament, also known as the Upper House.  It was a 
> nail biting two weeks after the election while the votes were being 
> counted and re-counted, and preferences were redistributed, until the 
> final result was known.  It was both a feeling of elation and relief when 
> Mark won the final seat out of 11 seats up for election.
>
> Mark has spent the last 16 years working in the non-profit community 
> conservation sector.  His last role before being elected to Parliament was 
> as South Australia's only dedicated public interest environmental lawyer. 
> In 10 years at the Environmental Defenders Office, Mark helped many 
> thousands of South Australians to use the law to protect the environment. 
> Mark has also taught environmental law at all three South Australian 
> Universities.
>
> The Greens election campaign was focussed around a few key issues such as 
> climate change and renewable energy, education, health (especially mental 
> health), and saving our River Murray and Coorong (the mouth of the River) 
> from ecological disaster.  Our campaign theme was “For a Better World, 
> Vote Green” and our public messages were positive, and offered an 
> alternative to the business-as-usual policies of the major parties, Labor 
> and Liberal.
>
> With six of the 22 seats in the Legislative Council being held by 
> independents and minor parties, neither the government nor the opposition 
> hold a majority, (each side holds only eight seats), providing an 
> opportunity for the Greens to influence the parliamentary agenda.  Of the 
> six independents, there is one Democrat, one No Pokies campaigner, one 
> anti-drugs (zero tolerance) campaigner, two Family First Party members 
> (the religious right), and our one Green representative. With this mix 
> there will surely be interesting times ahead.
>
>
>
> Cate Mussared
> Convenor (2005-2006)
> Election Campaign Committee
> Australian Greens SA
> 239 Wright St
> Adelaide SA 5000
> Australia
> www.sa.greens.org.au
>