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| Adam Brandt of the Greens, won the seat of Melbourne. Picture: Craig Borrow Source: The Daily Telegraph |
THE Greens' electoral performance has challenged the dominance of the two major parties - and the Prime Minister said it would usher in a new type of politics.
The Greens won 14 per cent of the Senate vote and 12 per cent of the House of Representatives vote and notched up their first ever seat in the House of Representatives to be secured at a general election.
They will hold the balance of power in the Senate and will have a say in which of the major parties forms the government.
"It's the highest vote in both houses for a minor party since the Second World War," Greens leader Senator Bob Brown said.
The emergence of the Greens as a third force in Australian politics has huge ramifications for Labor because it is Labor supporters who are shifting to the Greens.
The Greens effectively split Labor's vote in yesterday's poll. Left-wing voters annoyed by Prime Minister Gillard's stance on boat people and her failure to act on climate marched off to the Greens.
Without the preferences of Green voters, Labor would not be in a position to form a government.
A chastened Prime Minister Julia Gillard said yesterday she had heard the message of the voters.
"The Australian people are speaking to us about a change in the way politics is conducted," she said. "I believe we have the opportunity to step up and make real changes to our political processes."
But the new powerful political position enjoyed by the Greens comes with some big risks.
Greens supporters are disgruntled Labor supporters and a choice, while unlikely, to make Opposition Leader Tony Abbott prime minister has the potential to alienate its traditional support base. Greens MP Adam Bandt is keenly aware of this risk and that is why he said yesterday he would be supporting a Gillard Government even though his leader refused to make such a commitment.
If Tony Abbott becomes prime minister, he will have major problems getting his legislation through a Senate from next July when the Greens take the balance of power.
The Greens oppose his policies on boat people, they will be unlikely to support a return to WorkChoices but they do like his generous six-month paid parental leave scheme.
Mr Brown signalled yesterday politics was about to change because his party did not play by the old political rules that involved wheeling and dealing for votes.
Mr Brown said he would not be demanding green trade-offs such as a carbon tax in return for supporting a major party into government.
"I think the Labor Party, the Liberal Party and the National Party are reconfiguring their neurons right now: 'How do we take note of what those voters are saying?'," he said.
