RED-faced Greens — this is a party which has proven itself to be a lot worse than just sloppy over the past week.
One of the most basic requirements for federal parliament candidates to be elected is and has always been sole Australian citizenship.
Section 44 (i.) of the Constitution was aimed at precluding people being elected as Australian MPs if they also had an “allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power” — i.e. dual citizenship.
While debate in past decades has centered on whether the section is an archaic principle for a country built on multiculturalism, the law remains in black and white.
Indeed, as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull pointed out, all candidates must acknowledge the citizenship requirements in their eligibility forms before seeking office.
With the own goals of West Australian Senator Scott Ludlam (who failed to renounce New Zealand citizenship), followed on Tuesday by Queensland Senator Larissa Waters (who failed to realize she also had Canadian citizenship), the Greens deputy leadership team has been wiped out in the space of five days.
Given the pair’s ineligibility to have sat in the Senate for a cumulative 15 years, there is a potential trigger for almost $3 million in parliamentary wages to be forcibly repaid.
The fiasco illustrates not just a lack of professionalism and due diligence within the Greens but undermines the party’s shaky claim to some sort of political, moral and intellectual high ground.
The Greens have asserted themselves as an arbiter for a progressive direction they insist Australia must adopt — whether it be on the environment and global warming, renewables without care for rising energy costs, education, refugees and asylum seekers, “economic justice” to balance “social and natural capital,” or stronger moves to harm-reduction drug policies.
The Greens have also pushed their version of social equity — from higher taxes on big business and the wealthy to marriage equality, indigenous recognition in the Constitution and a Bill of Rights.
Of course, a number of these policies have merit and should be part of the Australian public and political dialogue. But Green ideology has no monopoly on fairness and reason.
While the Greens have sat in judgment on mainstream parties, they have also attempted to impose their dictates on ordinary, hardworking Australians who rely on unfashionable industries for their livelihood — whether it be coal, mining or forestry.
And as Green power has grown, it has gained inordinate influence in the Senate as a gatekeeper and horse-trader for wide-ranging legislation.
This is no longer a party of tree-huggers. The Greens have gained traction with inner-urban voters and lay claim to being a party for the educated elite as Labor and the Coalition saw their own support bases fracture and the protest vote grow.
But flow-on support by default to the Greens should not be taken as a green light for political arrogance.
The Greens should get their own house in order before they seek to lecture the nation on what’s best.
Read more at Herald Sun
Sorry mangled the above second sentence worse than normal . meant to say … how much do humans contribute to global warming …
Must be tired .
Climate changes , it’s warming and humans play a very insignificant roll . Survey the same 2000 scientists and ask them how much do
are contributing to global warming and more importantly if humans can control the earths temperature within a degree or two ?
If yes get them to show how natural variables have warmed the earth since the most recent ice age and how humans have somehow displaced natural variables as the basis to the direction climate trends over thousands of years . Also while in survey mode ask said scientists if CO2 contributes to the greening of our planet and if the planet is better off in a cooling cycle or warming cycle ?
Anyone who uses the half truth of survey to imply humans are the ones driving climate or that humans are somehow so knowledgeable or powerful to shape the climate are the real deniers .
Bring on the global warming ,it’s cold that would be devastating and when it happens burning more fossil fuel unfortunately isn’t going to stop it .
Banning DDT over the lies and junk sceince of Racheal Carsons fake bok SILENT SPRING was a big mistake and the results that in many nations Malaria and Yellow Fever are increasing
They get rich while the middle class gets poor.
Spurning Clover….roll him over…rancid, every word.
TIME ‘climate change’
Study:
Most Non-Climate Scientists Agree on Global Warming Too
Justin Worland
Sep 27, 2015
Supporters of policies to address man-made climate change are quick to cite research
showing 97% of climate scientists believe that humans are contributing to global warming.
Now, new research suggests that Human Caused Global Warming & resulting Climate Change AGREEMENT extends to scientists in other fields.
Published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, the study found that nearly 92%
of biophysical scientists surveyed believe that human activity has contributed to global warming.
Nearly 94% said they believe global temperatures are rising.
Researchers surveyed 2,000 scientists at universities in the Big 10 Conference
and received 698 responses. The survey included fields like biology, chemistry and physics
These same bunch of eco-wackos would tell us were all the children of the Earth Mother(Gaia)in fact Hollywood Airhead John Ritter(Who stared in the dumb TV series THREES COMPANY)once made that rediculous statment. I tell you eviromentalisms a spreading insanity cuased by too many enviromental themed movies and TV specials a strict vegan diet and praying to gaia every day
Greens are a one trick pony and most countries already have several
socialist parties . What if everyone just picked a color to represent them ? Black , Brown , Yellow , White . How long before that disintegrated ? Green would be better as a church .
If you asked these greens they’d probably tell you that they’re “citizens of the planet”. It’s a quick step from there to one-world leftist totalitarianism. Marx and Lenin openly acknowledged that truth was optional for socialism.