Source : Perth Now news
Greens senator David Shoebridge has confirmed a bid for his party’s top job after leader Larissa Waters announced she was stepping down due to health issues.
Senator Shoebridge announced on Wednesday he would run with upper house colleague Steph Hodgins-May.
“This is the time to build our movement as the home for every Australian who wants action on the climate crisis, a fair return from our resources, a secure home and income, and to not sell out our independence to the US or the 1 per cent,” the senators said in a statement.
“We not seek to reform Labor but to replace them.
“The answer to the rise of One Nation and the far right is giving people hope and making people’s lives better with real economic and environmental security.”
They said it was “as simple as a meal before school, as clear as no new coal and gas, and as challenging as holding back the wave of US billionaire tech bros and their vampire AI data centres”.
“Labor has proven they can’t stop One Nation because they made the conditions for them to thrive in,” the duo said.
“Only the Greens can.”
Senator Shoebridge is set to duke it out with fellow leadership aspirants Mehreen Faruqi and Sarah Hanson-Young at a two-day retreat.
Senator Faruqi picked Nick McKim as her running mate.
They did not declare their intention to replace Labor but did vow “to take the fight” to the Albanese government “and a broken economic system that rips off young people, keeps working people drowning in bills and wreaks havoc on nature and climate”.
Senator Hanson-Young has not named a deputy candidate but said she was speaking with colleagues on the “best way” forward.
“People deserve better than the failed policies and weak excuses from the Labor and Liberal parties and the hate peddling from Pauline Hanson,” she said.
“I will fight with everything I’ve got.”
She also said she was “shocked and saddened” by Senator Waters’ resignation.
Senator Waters revealed this week that she had “been quietly managing chronic kidney disease alongside doing the work I love”.
“But recently it’s taken a downturn, and I need to be honest with myself about not being invincible,” she posted on social media.
“My doctors have been clear: My prospects for recovery are good, but the best path forward means a slower pace of life than leading a political party allows.”
