Page 2486 - Week 07 - Monday, 15 August 2022
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At the last election, we saw a lot of new voters for the Greens, and I am very proud of that. I believe those people voted for the Greens not just for our policies, platform and candidates. They saw a track record of our political party engaging in this place collaboratively and consistently with our Labor colleagues and offering progressive, stable government but maintaining our independence, policy platform and what makes us different. We are not ACT Labor, yet we work very well with them.
Mr Pettersson: Shame!
MR DAVIS: Thank you, Mr Pettersson! But we work—
Members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Members!
MR DAVIS: We work very well with ACT Labor. What concerns me is what this motion sets up for the 2024 poll. We have heard members of the opposition remark about Mr Stanhope and the government that he led. Might I remind members that Mr Stanhope led the only majority government ever elected in this place since we were given self-government in 1989. We have had a majority government once—one time.
It is my personal view, that that particular government was so awful; it was so awful that it motivated my political activism, and it motivated my membership of the ACT Greens. From a very young age and being exposed to what I believe to have been a bad government, it impressed upon me that majority governments do not deliver the best outcomes. Our electoral system, and the way that Canberrans have voted over a long period of time, suggests that Canberrans believe that too. That is why they have overwhelmingly elected minority governments, where they have forced adults to collaborate to try and find consensus and to respectfully disagree when necessary.
What I am concerned about with this motion is that it suggests Ms Lee and the Canberra Liberals she leads do not have either the capacity or intention to lead anything less than a majority government, and yet we have had one majority government since 1989. Talk about betting it all on black! The Canberra Liberal opposition have made it very clear through this motion that they have neither the understanding nor capacity to collaborate or form consensus with anyone that does not ascribe rigidly to their policy platform.
What can the Canberra community expect if, at the 2024 poll, there are independents or other minor parties elected to the crossbench? The ACT Greens have shown an ability over a long period of time to collaborate and form consensus with other parties. ACT Labor has shown a capacity over a long period of time to collaborate and form consensus with other parties. Indeed, the only Liberal government that we have had in this city was a minority government, where even an independent was brought into cabinet. I appreciate that none of the current members of the Canberra Liberal Party were around at that time, given it has been so long since a Liberal government was elected in this city—and I dare say that the more Canberrans get an understanding of this motion and these particular kinds of political tactics, it will be a long time into the future, as well.
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