Comments on: Why I’ve gone back in, after getting out

By: Sam Bauers

Sam Bauers — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:33:25 +0000

@rationalist

I was just hoping for a list of the policies you consider extreme, it is of interest specifically because of your clear support for Andrew. I appreciate that others might have taken you to task though. I just want to be clear that I wasn’t trying to bait you (at least not intentionally).

By: rationalist

rationalist — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:06:30 +0000

I am not going to bicker back and forth in this thread about my views on Greens policy, that would be rude to Andrew who I support strongly in his candidacy for Brisbane (unfortunately only moral support since I don’t live there).

By: Barking

Barking — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:38:25 +0000

Two Points,
Well done and congratulation Anfrew. Its one of the sad aspects I’ve experienced locally is that many of the Great Democrat people who were always there a the social justice rallies, the land rights rallies, the anti-uranium rallies etrc, have felt it difficulty to join the Greens. Hopefully your profile could encourage some of them to join. We sometimes are hardest on those who are politically closest to ourselves and there were some brusing preference issues, however, on issues such as Global Warming etc the planet needs every hand working together.
Secondly, Rationalist, the whole extreme argument is just spin.
Global Warming 70-80% public acceptance,
Euthanasia 60-70 % public support for Greens support.
Abortion, general support for the right to choose.
Industrial relations, broadly aligned with the ASCU.
Drugs Policy, supports the scientific findings and experts in the fields.
What you may find is that the spin by the Andrew Bolts and dirt campaigns by shady right wing conspiracy theories are more to blame for this perception than any reality.

By: Pritam Sekhon

Pritam Sekhon — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:32:55 +0000

rationalist, actually if you look closely at the policies of the major parties you may come to the conclusion that many of them are extremist too! eg – dawdling over climate change is pretty extreme at this time.

By: Andrew Bartlett

Andrew Bartlett — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:43:47 +0000

Let me see how I cope with the next election first rationalist! It might be twelve months away yet. Anyway, I don’t the Senate is overly filled with rough and tumble – it’s just a ton of hard work, which can be especially grinding in a smaller party. Politics in general can have its distasteful aspects, but that’s the case regardless of whether it’s upper or lower house.

By: rationalist

rationalist — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:27:11 +0000

Would you ever consider becoming a Greens Senator Andrew? Have you had enough of the rough and tumble of the Senate or could you feasibly be interested for the future?

All of this is after your 3 year term as Member for Brisbane, .

By: Andrew Bartlett

Andrew Bartlett — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:34:59 +0000

Plenty of time to move house between now and then John

By: John Gunders

John Gunders — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:12:19 +0000

Good luck Andrew. I wished I lived in the electorate of Brisbane.

By: Andrew Bartlett

Andrew Bartlett — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:23:28 +0000

zoomster/liz: I’m standing (and running – I can stand and run at the same time!) in the seat of Brisbane, because that’s where I live and have done for most of my life. I could have run in Ryan or Griffith I suppose, but I figure if I want to run a strong locally focused campaign, it makes sense to do it where I live. In any case, Brisbane was the Greens strongest seat at the last election (and the Democrats for that matter).

I’m not ‘going after’ either party specifically – I’m going after both. One could argue that people who say they agree with scientific views on the climate change threat but won’t do what the scientific views say needs to be done are as big a problem as the denialists.

Anyway, I prefer diversity in politics, as well as in our society, ecology and economy. A three party system is better than a two party system.

By: Liz45

Liz45 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:52:23 +0000

Good luck Andrew! Glad to see you’re having another go at being in Parliament, but why not go after ‘the real climate change denialists’ as zoomster asked? I support Green’s policies and have put them ahead of Labor for several years now. Labor has sold out to corporate greed – diddle dum and diddle dummer in my view.

I can remember a time when the ALP supported the environment. And then Bob Hawke gave us the ‘middle finger’ and gave the go ahead to another uranium mine – I left and wouldn’t join another political party for that reason. Work hard, help formulate policies(after yrs of hard work) give hours of unpaid labour to the party, and the leader can just insult you. With NSW govt, the results have been scandalous to say the least??Mind you, I won’t be voting for the Libs – Greens first for me, unless there’s a great local person – then Greens second!