SUE BRADFORD : THE STUBBORN INCREMENTALISM OF THE GREEN PARTY

Sue Bradford has criticised the political direction of the Green Party, commenting that it has become a party 'more concerned about portraying an image of safe hands in suits than one of energy, rebellion, fresh thinking and action.' She says that co-leader James Shaw has ruthlessy suppressed dissent within the Green Party to his corporate-friendly approach.

FORMER GREEN MP Sue Bradford has fired a well-aimed critical salvo at the party she once used to represent. Writing on Pundit she  says that ‘I’m finding it increasingly difficult to watch as my former party slowly slides into what now seems to be their natural place in the political spectrum: slap bang in the middle, slugging it out for the middle ground voter along with nearly every other party except ACT.'

Sue writes that the eight Green MP's seem out of touch with the concerns of young people, behaving as if climate change can be tackled slowly and incrementally, while young people are acutely aware that the 'climate change clock' is ticking and time is running out.

Sue praises Jack McDonald for his decision to resign from active participation in the Green Party:

"Fine young people like Jack join the Greens because they see it as the only party offering hope of a shift away from the neoliberal paradigm and a willingness to proactively take on the twin climate and economic crises of capitalism.

Instead, they find themselves within an organisation whose voting majority seems in thrall to James Shaw’s corporate approach and quietly tolerant of his ruthlessness in dealing with internal opposition. A Green left fraction within the party is tolerated but has little or no traction in the place where power is held, the parliamentary wing."

She also says that the Green's so-called policy wins often benefit those that are already doing well. She points to the $100 million green emissions fund which provides handouts to corporate polluters but, at the same time, there's nothing in the economic piggy bank for struggling beneficiaries.

Sue concludes:

"I have been vilified by some for saying I cannot vote for the Greens until or unless there is a serious change in approach. But I think I’m not the only one out here who questions the old mantra that we must vote for them simply because they are not as bad as the others.

The time will come when either there really will be a profound shift within the party, something that seems less likely by the day – or other parties will arise who truly do have the capacity and vision to move beyond the greying of the Greens.'