Greens Preferences Put Labor Ahead in Ryan

[Oquist, Ben (Sen B. Brown)]

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Sunday, 18 March 2001

Greens Preferences Put Labor Ahead in Ryan

At the close of counting on polling day, the two party percentage vote was
ALP 50.6 and Liberal 49.4.  The ALP led by 852 votes. A change of 427 votes
and the ALP would lose.  

The Greens were on 6.3% (4166 votes) and had directed preferences on the
question of landclearing.  Labor had responded with a federal plan to end
landclearing.  The government refused.  The Greens direction increased the
flow of Greens preferences to Labor from approximately 60% to 80% (833
votes), but at least, by 15 percent (647 votes).

That is, advice by the Greens to voters to put Labor before the Liberals,
based on the landclearing issue, was the decisive factor for Labor.

Some details:
	*	Had Labor NOT moved on landclearing the Greens would NOT
have directed preferences.
	*	The Democrats criticised the ALP move, saying it would lead
to panic landclearing.  They did not direct preferences (until late on
polling day after the Liberals' complaint on a how-to-vote cards
technicality.  That is, a polling day spat moved the Democrats where
landclearing did not).
	*	When contacted by the Greens after Labor announced its
proposal the Government still refused to budge on landclearing.
	*	After Labor's win in WA, tied very strongly to its
commitment to end woodchipping of forests, it is clear environmental issues
can win elections and will figure strongly at the national poll later this
year.  In WA the Greens won 5 upper house seats.
	*	While Ryan is not typical of Queensland, the vote in Ryan,
if extrapolated statewide, would see the Greens win a Senate seat at the
expense of the Democrats.
	*	The landclearing decision was not just a clincher for the
ALP through Greens preferences.  There is anecdotal evidence that it induced
a number of undecided voters to put Labor first.

Further information: Ben Oquist 02 62773170 or 0419704095


Ben Oquist
Greens Senator Bob Brown
02 62773170 ph
02 62773185 fx
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