ACT Opposition Leader Mark Parton has been exploring “options and opportunities for cross party collaboration”. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
The ACT Greens and Canberra Liberals have rejected speculation that they have been plotting to bring down the Barr Government and share power in an arrangement that would see Shane Rattenbury become the ACT’s first Green chief minister.
A reliable source close to the Canberra Liberals told Region that the two parties had been discussing the possibility of a vote of no confidence in the Barr Government and entering into their own power-sharing deal.
The source said the two parties were considering bringing on a vote of no confidence in the Legislative Assembly in the first week of February.
The justification for such an extraordinary action would be the ACT’s “fiscal emergency”, the source said.
But it would be a “gross miscalculation” because it involved giving the Greens Leader the chief ministership.
The source had no other details on how the spoils would be divided or how such an arrangement might work given the party’s ideological and policy differences.
But it was described as a “shortcut to government” that risked driving a section of the Liberal Party toward the right-wing alternative, One Nation.
Former leader Elizabeth Lee held talks with the Greens after last October’s election, but their demands were too great to reach a deal to win their support for a Liberal government.
That willingness to negotiate seriously may have also contributed to her losing the leadership to Leanne Castley.
The source said the recent talks were “very serious” and the Greens were briefed last Wednesday (14 January) on their progress.
A Greens spokesperson said there was no such deal but admitted that the two parties had been talking to each other, although they did not answer specific questions about whether a vote of no confidence or power sharing had been canvassed.
The Greens had had “some policy discussions” with Canberra Liberals Leader Mark Parton over the summer to see what could be worked on together, the spokesperson said.
The speculation was that Greens Leader Shane Rattenbury would have been chief minister. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Mr Parton said the speculation about forming a government with the ACT Greens, including claims about approaches, meetings, policy discussions, or negotiations over Cabinet arrangements, were unfounded.
“As the new Opposition Leader, I have been exploring options and opportunities for cross party collaboration to achieve better outcomes in the Assembly,” he said.
“It is prudent to invest time in developing a constructive relationship with the crossbench, the Government and the Independents, but the Liberals’ priority remains holding the government to account while offering a credible alternative to this tired old Labor administration.”
The Greens spokesperson said a new Canberra Liberals leader could mean new opportunities to get things done.
Holding the balance of power in the Assembly meant the Greens could join with Labor or the Liberals on a case-by-case basis to pass or block anything that comes to the parliament.
“It’s great to have options, and different avenues to apply pressure to get things done,” the spokesperson said.
“The Greens are in the Assembly to make the ACT’s public services, policies and supports the best they can be. It’s our job to work across the Assembly to get the best possible outcomes for Canberrans and that’s what we’ve always done and continue to do.”
ACT Labor said it had not been advised by the Greens, or the Liberals, of a no-confidence motion in the Chief Minister.
“The advice we have received from the Greens is that there is no agreement to a no-confidence motion,” a spokesperson said.
“This is consistent with our supply and confidence agreement to deliver stable and effective government for this parliamentary term and the Greens’ pledge to work constructively with ACT Labor and other Assembly Members.”
The agreement with the Greens was clear that opposition to a specific bill, budget item, motion or parliamentary initiative did not equate to a lack of confidence in the Chief Minister or a Minister.
“Labor respects that clarity and understands that in addition to regularly talking to us, the Greens will also chat with the Liberals and Independents over policy issues,” the spokesperson said.
“We continue to engage positively with the Greens on the implementation of our parliamentary agreement over this four-year term.”
But it is understood that Labor would consider it a betrayal of progressive voters to install a government with effective Liberal Party control and it believed changing governments without an election was highly divisive and not consistent with Australian values.
Any power-sharing deal would need to be supported by Greens members.
