Even without the balance of power, we have delivered a $1.8 billion increase in mental health spending, our sustained campaigns contributed to offshore migration Bill being pulled and agreement for critical inquiries into stolen wages and gynaecological cancer. We forced a conscience vote on RU486 and won, and will likely do this again on stem cell research. Which other party or individual parliamentarian can claim this many wins in less than a year?
We are still the centrist party Don started. If anyone bothered to analyse his platform they would see that we are still campaigning on many of the issues Don did, like human rights, the environment, level playing field for small business and accountability. It’s because the Coalition that has moved so far right that makes everyone else look like they are on the left.
I don’t believe that the Australian Greens can play the role of balance of power as the Australian Democrats have done. The record of the Green Party shows they eschew the benefits of incremental progress and do not engage in the processes of negotiation needed to achieve it. And, unlike the Greens, we believe that business can and should play a role in the solution to our social and environmental challenges, rather than being sidelined as part of the problem.
I think there’s still a future and a need for the Australian Democrats. We can point to a long line of achievements that, through incremental change, has improved society, the environment and the economy.
