The Nationals

Media release 19 Nov 2007

Senator Ron Boswell’s record of Senate inactivity could be the reason for his stated concern about losing his seat to Greens lead Senate candidate Larissa Waters.

An analysis from the Parliamentary Library shows that since the end of 2005 Ron Boswell, the leader of the Nationals in the Senate, has only managed to get to his feet 61 times, whereas Greens Senator Christine Milne has made more than four times that, at 253 speeches.

“It’s sad to see Senator Boswell resorting to attacks on the Greens, instead of hard work in the Senate for Queenslanders,” said Ms Waters.

“The Greens instigated the Senate Inquiry into Australia’s future oil supplies and alternative fuels, and it was the Greens that convinced the Liberals to support a Senate Inquiry into the impact that climate change is having on agriculture and the need for an adaptation strategy.

“No wonder Ron Boswell is worried about the rising Green vote. It’s because the Greens are a strong voice for rural Australia on climate change, water, biosecurity and quarantine.

“Just ask the citrus growers at Emerald or the taro growers from North Queensland who has taken up their issue – the answer is not the Nationals’ Ron Boswell, but the Greens’ Christine Milne.

“The Nationals have turned their backs on their own farming constituents by continuing to doubt climate change and its link to the drought.

“If Ron Boswell was genuinely concerned about Queensland workers, he would be supporting the Greens’ climate change and renewable energy policies, which will safeguard the 63,000 jobs based around the Great Barrier Reef and build on Australia's existing 20,000 jobs in the renewable energy sector.

“Queenslanders have a choice between a party that has no long term vision for the state, or a progressive party with policies to secure the future on issues like climate change, water, sustainable agriculture, good quality public health and education and respecting human rights.

“Queensland stands to gain economically, environmentally and socially from a low carbon economy, but Ron Boswell would have us continue with last century thinking and miss the boat on these new opportunities.

“On election day, Queenslanders have a clear choice of who they want to represent their state in the Senate - the progressive Greens or the short-sighted Nationals.

“Ron Boswell might as well be a Liberal party Senator, since he votes with John Howard on the vast majority of issues including the unpopular industrial relations reforms, sending troops to Iraq and selling off Telstra.

“A vote for the Greens will ensure that the Senate is restored to its role as a house of review and is not just a Coalition rubber stamp,” concluded Ms Waters.

For more information contact:
Larissa Waters
0421 844 280
larissa.waters|AT|qld.greens.org.au