Adam Bandt (or maybe one of the Greens Party apparatchiks) wrote on the official Adam Bandt Facebook page:
We already have a “citizen’s assembly” to deal with climate change, Prime Minister: it’s called Parliament. I’ve already spoken to people in Melbourne who are disappointed and angry at Labor’s latest climate greenwash and delay.
People often say “they support the Greens Party policies”.
So let’s look at them. Because as far as I can see, the Greens Party is calling for a citizens assembly or “community consultation” on most major issues except for climate change.
Population policy
- support, through extensive community consultation, a population policy directed towards ecological sustainability in the context of global social justice.
Community participation in Government
- ongoing community participation in the making of laws and policy should underpin all government actions.
- support innovative community consultation processes such as citizens’ juries and citizens’ assemblies.
The Republic
- initiate a three-stage process to establish a republic with an Australian head of state, consisting of:
- a non-binding plebiscite to determine whether Australians support a republic;
- a consultative process to determine a model for the selection of a head of state; and
- a referendum to endorse such a model.
Of course, to the Greens Party, Gillard’s proposal to have a 150 person citizens’ assembly is outrageous.
Gillard announced this policy after the Greens Party sided with Tony Abbott and Nick Minchin in the Senate and voted against action on climate change. Climate denialists have been energised because of the Greens Party’s decision.
The 150 person citizens’ assembly is aimed to rebuild community consensus that was shattered (in part) by the immoral decision of the Greens Party.
What is the actual assembly policy?
A Gillard Labor Government will build community support for action on climate change through a 12 month process that directly involves this representative group of ordinary Australians.
Their role will be to provide an indicator to the nation of the progress of community consensus.
The Assembly’s work will be supported by evidence, analysis and access to views and positions from a wide range of sources.
The Greens Party was the political party that voted with the climate deniers in the Liberal-National coalition and blocked action.
Apparently the Greens Party support community consultations and citizens’ assemblies on a whole range of issues – and think it should “underpin all government actions”. Yet they are filled with confected outrage that there should be consultation on action on climate change after they contributed to the erosion of community consensus.