Elizabeth Watson-Brown (Ryan, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

():  Right around the country, there's a second Green wave, and the major parties are on notice. The Greens have had astounding success in the Brisbane local government elections, the Tasmanian state election and the Dunstan by-election in South Australia, with massive swings right across the board. People are demanding change, and the major parties can't seem to keep up. People are choosing between paying rent, affording medication and putting food on the table. Their dreams of owning a home or paying off their HECS debt are so far out of reach.

You only have to look at the groundswell of support for the Greens in these elections to see that people want solutions that tackle the heart of the problems they're facing. In Dunstan, the Greens polled 22 per cent of the primary vote, with a massive 8.3 per cent swing. In Tasmania, while counting continues, we're on track to double our representation.

I'm so proud of the candidates, their volunteers and all who give up countless hours of their time to build our movement. It's thanks to you that we're building the pressure on Labor and the Liberals with every election. Major parties can't claim to represent the majority when they just aren't getting the votes. They need to listen to the Greens and make the changes voters desperately need—freeze rent, drive down the cost of living, wipe HECS debts and get mental and dental into Medicare. If they won't listen and won't put forward these solutions, then I say this: bring on the next federal election.