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| Replacing Greens' Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters can't start until parliament resumes | Replacing Greens' Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters can't start until parliament resumes |
| (6 months later) | |
| Richard Di Natale does not say whether he will wait to replenish his leadership team until replacements take up their positions | |
| Katharine Murphy Political editor | |
| Wed 19 Jul 2017 19.00 BST | |
| Last modified on Fri 5 Jan 2018 00.26 GMT | |
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| The Greens will have to wait until federal parliament resumes to start the formal legal process to replace Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters, a procedural hurdle that will delay a resolution of the party’s problems for several weeks. | The Greens will have to wait until federal parliament resumes to start the formal legal process to replace Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters, a procedural hurdle that will delay a resolution of the party’s problems for several weeks. |
| The party has sought advice from the Senate clerk about whether the president of the Senate, Stephen Parry, could refer the matter to the high court for deliberation during the current winter recess in order to expedite a solution. | The party has sought advice from the Senate clerk about whether the president of the Senate, Stephen Parry, could refer the matter to the high court for deliberation during the current winter recess in order to expedite a solution. |
| But the advice was that a referral to the court of disputed returns is a matter for the Senate, which means nothing can happen until 8 August. | But the advice was that a referral to the court of disputed returns is a matter for the Senate, which means nothing can happen until 8 August. |
| The Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, told Guardian Australia referring the issue to the high court required a resolution of the Senate and “the processes are what they are – we have to follow them”. | The Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, told Guardian Australia referring the issue to the high court required a resolution of the Senate and “the processes are what they are – we have to follow them”. |
| The unexpected resignations of Ludlam and Waters over their dual citizenships of New Zealand and Canada leave the Greens down two senators, and two deputy leaders. The duo were also supporters of Di Natale. | The unexpected resignations of Ludlam and Waters over their dual citizenships of New Zealand and Canada leave the Greens down two senators, and two deputy leaders. The duo were also supporters of Di Natale. |
| In an interview, Di Natale would not be drawn about whether he would move to replenish his leadership team as soon as practicable or whether he would wait until the replacements for Ludlam and Waters had taken up their positions. | In an interview, Di Natale would not be drawn about whether he would move to replenish his leadership team as soon as practicable or whether he would wait until the replacements for Ludlam and Waters had taken up their positions. |
| “Half of our party room is currently overseas, so this will be a decision of the party room,” Di Natale said. “When we find a time to meet we will be making those decisions”. | “Half of our party room is currently overseas, so this will be a decision of the party room,” Di Natale said. “When we find a time to meet we will be making those decisions”. |
| He said the immediate priority was strengthening the party’s internal processes to ensure candidates were properly vetted, and conformed with the constitutional requirements – a process he had begun with the party’s co-convenors. | He said the immediate priority was strengthening the party’s internal processes to ensure candidates were properly vetted, and conformed with the constitutional requirements – a process he had begun with the party’s co-convenors. |
| “We have all agreed this cannot happen again – we are very clear about that,” Di Natale said. “We need to strengthen our internal processes”. | “We have all agreed this cannot happen again – we are very clear about that,” Di Natale said. “We need to strengthen our internal processes”. |
| As well as managing the fallout from the resignations, the Greens national council will meet again this weekend to consider the bitter public stoush that has erupted in recent weeks between the national leadership and the New South Wales senator Lee Rhiannon. | As well as managing the fallout from the resignations, the Greens national council will meet again this weekend to consider the bitter public stoush that has erupted in recent weeks between the national leadership and the New South Wales senator Lee Rhiannon. |
| The Greens have struck a compromise deal to allow Rhiannon to again take part in contentious party-room debates after the party voted two weeks ago to temporarily exclude her from all discussions and decisions on “contentious government legislation”. | The Greens have struck a compromise deal to allow Rhiannon to again take part in contentious party-room debates after the party voted two weeks ago to temporarily exclude her from all discussions and decisions on “contentious government legislation”. |
| The imbroglio was triggered by complaints from all nine of Rhiannon’s federal colleagues, including Di Natale, that she had derailed the party’s negotiations over the Turnbull government’s Gonski 2.0 school funding package. | The imbroglio was triggered by complaints from all nine of Rhiannon’s federal colleagues, including Di Natale, that she had derailed the party’s negotiations over the Turnbull government’s Gonski 2.0 school funding package. |
| Di Natale says the national council meeting this weekend was a scheduled meeting, not a gathering called specifically to deal with the ongoing NSW conflict. “I suspect a number of issues will be addressed, including the issue around NSW”. | Di Natale says the national council meeting this weekend was a scheduled meeting, not a gathering called specifically to deal with the ongoing NSW conflict. “I suspect a number of issues will be addressed, including the issue around NSW”. |
| Di Natale has been subject to public criticism from within the Greens for triggering the standoff with Rhiannon, with some insiders characterising the events since the schools funding fight as a significant tactical misjudgment that has damaged the federal leader’s standing in the party and the activist movement. | Di Natale has been subject to public criticism from within the Greens for triggering the standoff with Rhiannon, with some insiders characterising the events since the schools funding fight as a significant tactical misjudgment that has damaged the federal leader’s standing in the party and the activist movement. |
| The Greens leader rejects the current backlash and says he was left with little choice: “The response was to ensure we tightened up our party-room processes. | The Greens leader rejects the current backlash and says he was left with little choice: “The response was to ensure we tightened up our party-room processes. |
| “We as portfolio holders operate effectively as shadow ministers. | “We as portfolio holders operate effectively as shadow ministers. |
| “We meet effectively as a shadow cabinet, and we need to have a clear process in place when any individual in the party room is going a position that is against the Australian Greens position, and actively campaign against a position of the Australian Greens. | “We meet effectively as a shadow cabinet, and we need to have a clear process in place when any individual in the party room is going a position that is against the Australian Greens position, and actively campaign against a position of the Australian Greens. |
| “That’s what we’ve done. We’ve outlined a very clear process for how that would be dealt with in the future, and this is all about ensuring we improve the internal processes of our party room, to make sure we have a very clear framework for dealing with this situation, when and if it should arise again.” | “That’s what we’ve done. We’ve outlined a very clear process for how that would be dealt with in the future, and this is all about ensuring we improve the internal processes of our party room, to make sure we have a very clear framework for dealing with this situation, when and if it should arise again.” |
| There is a view in Greens circles that the move against Rhiannon has backfired, strengthening her position rather than isolating her. | There is a view in Greens circles that the move against Rhiannon has backfired, strengthening her position rather than isolating her. |
| Di Natale is unrepentant. He says there was a significant issue that had to be addressed. | Di Natale is unrepentant. He says there was a significant issue that had to be addressed. |
| “As a party that aspires to be a party of government we need to make sure our internal processes allow us to work to get outcomes for people, and clearly what was identified was a problem that needed to be fixed. | “As a party that aspires to be a party of government we need to make sure our internal processes allow us to work to get outcomes for people, and clearly what was identified was a problem that needed to be fixed. |
| “That’s what this was about – strengthening our internal process within our party room to ensure that we have a clear way forward when any individual, whether it be through a directive of the state, or indeed a conscience vote, takes a position and campaigns on that position, against the position of the Australian Greens.” | “That’s what this was about – strengthening our internal process within our party room to ensure that we have a clear way forward when any individual, whether it be through a directive of the state, or indeed a conscience vote, takes a position and campaigns on that position, against the position of the Australian Greens.” |
| The national council is yet to endorse the specific position the Greens party room has adopted in response to Rhiannon’s dissent – but Di Natale says endorsement isn’t necessary. “The party-room rules have always been the responsibility of the members of parliament, and we set those rules”. | The national council is yet to endorse the specific position the Greens party room has adopted in response to Rhiannon’s dissent – but Di Natale says endorsement isn’t necessary. “The party-room rules have always been the responsibility of the members of parliament, and we set those rules”. |
| He said there was another important issue for the council to address: “How we deal the practice of a state that binds an MP, and whether that is consistent with an approach to consensus decision making”. | He said there was another important issue for the council to address: “How we deal the practice of a state that binds an MP, and whether that is consistent with an approach to consensus decision making”. |
| Australian Greens | |
| Scott Ludlam | |
| Australian politics | |
| Richard Di Natale | |
| Australian citizenship | |
| Larissa Waters | |
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