By Rich Bowden:

Lee Rhiannon, former NSW Upper House member, and now Federal Senate candidate for NSW speaks with theangle.org’s Rich Bowden on accountability for corporate donations to political parties, how the Greens’ policies look to take advantage of a green economy and outlines what she sees as voter frustration over the Government’s inability to stand up to polluters on climate change.

Rich Bowden: You have been very active in calling for political donation reform during your term in State Government. Should you be elected, how will you continue this campaign from Canberra?

Lee Rhiannon: Corporate donations to political parties are just as corrupting at the federal level as they are in NSW.  I strongly believe corporate donations to political parties have tainted the democratic process by allowing big business to simply buy access to politicians that ordinary people can’t afford. If I am elected, I will continue to be a strong voice for donations reform and work hard to clean up politics in the Senate.

RB: If, as expected, the Greens hold the balance of power in the Senate, under what circumstances, if any, will they withhold Supply bills?

LR: Regardless of who holds the balance of power in the Senate, the federal budget is unable to be blocked in its entirety. If the Greens do win the balance of power this election, only in extreme cases of political corruption or misconduct would we consider blocking supply bills. We recognise that the ramifications of a grid-locked senate can flow on to the public service and the most needy of people, for example, pensioners and welfare recipients. Our job will be to scrutinise the Government’s budget legislation in the interests of the community and to ensure the most effective use of taxpayer dollars.

RB: Can you describe the “core” issues facing the country in Election 2010 as you see them?

LR: My perception, based on conversations with Australians from all walks of life, is that the public is concerned about several key issues, including real action on climate change and clean energy, sustainable mineral and resource management, refugees and asylum seekers, industrial relations, and the effective delivery of public services such as public transport, health and hospitals, and public education.

RB: How will the Greens deal with these issues?

LR: The Greens are committed to policies on a wide range of issues, from fair work places and regional communities, to sustainable water management and climate change.  I will focus on climate change and refugees.

Unlike the two major parties, the Greens see climate change as an opportunity to create hundreds of thousands of new green jobs and help the Australian economy sever its dependence on fossil fuels. We are proposing to legislate for a collection of bills – collectively called the Safe Climate Bill – based on five pillars: renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean transport, forest protection, and making polluters pay.

Our approach to refugees and asylum seekers is a humane one, committed to respecting human rights and Australia’s existing obligations under international law. We will work towards depoliticising the issues surrounding asylum seekers and protecting potential immigrants against discrimination. The Greens would abolish the inhumane and wasteful bipartisan policy of offshore processing and end mandatory detention while ensuring that comprehensive health and security checks are still carried out.

RB: What have you found is the general reaction from voters over the fact that neither major party has a workable policy on an emissions trading scheme?

LR: My perception is that voters feel frustrated and disillusioned with the Gillard Government because of its inability to stand up against the big end of town and take effective action on climate change. The CPRS would have taken Australia backwards by paying polluters to keep polluting. Had the Government been willing to negotiate with the Greens for a fairer and more effective climate change policy, I believe it would have had more success in delivering on its key promises. The Greens have put forward a positive proposal, based on Professor Garnaut’s recommendations, to break the deadlock on climate change, involving a levy on Australia’s 1000 biggest polluters.

RB: Do you consider attacks made on you and your campaign in the media to be a proxy attack on the Greens party leadership in general?

LR: As the Greens vote increases so do the attacks on the party and our candidates. As the lead senate candidate in NSW I have been in the firing line. The attacks are baseless and sometimes the media outlets that publish these opinion pieces and news stories fail to ask for comment on their allegations.

RB: How do you react to these attacks?

LR: I have sought corrections from media outlets where there are clear inaccuracies. I welcome scrutiny of my political work. However, it does need to be asked why those behind the attacks fail to examine my political activities in a range of environmental and social justice campaigns and my work as a Greens MP in the NSW Upper House over 11 years, instead focusing on my political activities nearly four decades ago when I was at school and university.

RB: Should you gain the balance of power in the Senate, how soon will you push for a form of carbon tax?

LR: The Greens have already put forward a positive proposal to break the deadlock on climate action – an interim carbon tax. 72 percent of Australians support the carbon levy.  This is a proposal based on Professor Garnaut’s recommendations and backed by economists, unions, environmentalists and businesses. If I win a seat in the Senate I will join with my Senate colleagues to locking this in as a building block as a basis for further strong action to reduce emissions

Tags: election 2010, greens climate change, greens nsw senate, greens policies, lee rhiannon