Alex Gallacher (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Acting Deputy President. Going on with my line of communication, it says:

… the Greens have done a greater disservice to democracy and egalitarianism by supporting a revised senate voting system that will virtually ensure that almost 25% of Australians won't be properly represented in the Senate of the Australian parliament by non-leading party parliamentarians.

The Liberals, Nationals, Labor, and Greens at the 2013 federal election received 76.5% of primary senate votes and preferences giving them 89.5% of senate seats or 68 seats, whereas minor and micro party and non-partisan senate candidates received 23.5% of primary senate votes and 10.5% of senate seats or 8 seats.

It remains to be seen just how the Greens interpretation of democracy will play out, but if 23.5% of primary senate votes won by micro and minor party and non-partisan candidates cannot achieve between 8 and 18 senate seats in future senate elections then the fault in such a non-egalitarian senate voting system rests predominantly with the self-interested Greens who claimed the higher ground in supporting the Coalition Government in the legislation for the revised senate voting system.

Robert, contrary to that purported, you and the rest of the Australian Greens in the Australian parliament are an unmitigated disgrace to true democracy and egalitarianism.