Following the ballot draw last week and the absence of any progressive small party or independent candidates, The Greens in Monaro, comprising the Braidwood and Queanbeyan-Monaro Greens local groups, have determined that, after a recommendation for voters to vote 1 Green in the March 28 State Election, voters number the ballot paper 2 ALP, 3 Nationals, 4 No Land Tax and 5 CDP.

This decision has been made independently by The Greens in Monaro, following the distribution of a questionnaire to John Barilaro, sitting National Party member, and Steve Whan, ALP candidate.

Unfortunately and despite follow-up attempts, no response was received from the office of John Barilaro, but even so, it has not been an entirely straightforward decision, as some of the ALP responses continue to differ widely from the policies and priorities of The Greens and Green voters. (more…)

Following the close of nominations and ballot paper draw, The Greens are making the following recommendations on our how-to-vote leaflet being distributed at pre-polling and on Election Day, September 7.

The order reflects the priorities of each of the parties/candidates compared with our own, and we have based our decision on the policies and/or statements of each of the candidates. Of course in the end it is up to the voter to decide, but remember to number all the squares so your vote is formal.

A statement on the principle of our decision in regard to the ALP and Coalition can be found here:

braidwood.nsw.greens.org.au/2013/08/10/greens-preference-decision/

6 HENDY, Peter (Liberal)

2 TYE, Martin (Stable Population Party)

3 Kelly, Mike (Labor)

4 LYNCH, Dean (Palmer United Party)

1 MOORE, Catherine (The Greens)

7 GOUMAS, Costas (Citizens Electoral Council)

5 THALER, Andrew (Independent)

8 CATTON, Warren (Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group))

The Greens in Eden-Monaro have decided ahead of the final list of candidates to announce our preference recommendation decision. We have taken this course of action to end the speculation about this issue and allow us to get on with the important task of campaigning on real issues.

The four groups in Eden-Monaro have determined that, after a recommendation for voters to vote 1 Green, they number the ballot paper in favour of any like-minded independents. We will also be suggesting they number the ALP ahead of the Liberal Party candidate, but the final order of all other candidates will not be determined until after the draw, according to our usual practice.

The decision has been made independently by the four groups, based on an assessment of the current political situation. It has not been a straightforward decision, with Green voter opinions polarised. Some people say they will not vote Green unless we preference the ALP, others say they will not vote Green if we do. None of them wants to see us suggest a recommendation for the Liberal Party. Many Greens would prefer that we do not recommend a preference to anyone, so that the voter makes their own decision, and while many of us support this, we also acknowledge that we do not want to risk an Abbott-led Coalition government if there is a likelihood of informal votes resulting from that.

The rationale for our decision is based on the following:

• The Coalition’s ongoing refusal to act on climate change, beginning in 1996 at the start of the Howard era. This has set us back decades, especially now that the impacts of climate change have accelerated. Despite this, members of the current Coalition are still in denial.

• The Greens’ support for the National Broadband Network, particularly in relation to the benefits that will be felt in many rural and regional parts of Eden-Monaro.

• Introduction by the ALP of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

• The Coalition’s regressive tax proposals.

• WorkChoices, and the Liberal candidate’s involvement in its development and implementation during the Howard era.

• While we acknowledge that the ALP has shown itself to be at least as bad as the Coalition on the issue of asylum seekers, we also acknowledge that it was the Howard government who first created the climate of “fear and loathing” around some of the world’s most vulnerable people. It was also the Howard Government which took us to war with Iraq, which helped to create many of the problems we are now seeing and which are causing people to flee in the first place.

We would reiterate that as always, it is up to voters to make up their own minds, and numbering all squares on the small ballot paper will ensure that they cast a formal vote.