1 September 2008
The Greens will recommend preferences to Labor in only half their how-to-vote cards in the September 13 Lord Mayoral poll.
Announcing the decision today, The Greens Lord Mayoral candidate said that it best reflected the range and balance of views among local Greens members and supporters in this election.
“The Greens have too many problems with the leadership and policy stance of the current Lord Mayor, John Tate, to consider preferencing him for Lord Mayor,” Cr Osborne said.
“We were initially inclined to preference Labor right across Newcastle, until they shocked everyone by agreeing to a grubby preference swap with Cr Buman, who supports power privatisation and cutting the Newcastle rail line, and whose campaign is funded by developers,” Cr Osborne said.
“Like many grassroots Labor members and supporters, we knew that Cr Buman has consistently voted against the Labor party on council over the past four years, and we were astonished at the lack of integrity and leadership reflected in Labor's preference deal with him.
“Instead of approaching preferences on the basis of principles and policies, Newcastle Labor is aiding and abetting Cr Buman's developer-funded election campaign against The Greens.
“Labor's preference deal is unprincipled, and Newcastle Labor candidates should hang their heads in shame for this 'whatever it takes' approach, which does not bode well for a cohesive new Council.”
Cr Osborne said that in the Lord Mayoral election, The Greens would be recommending that Greens voters in Wards 3 and 4 preference Labor's Lord Mayoral candidate, Marilyn Eade (after Zane Alcorn and Helene O'Neill). However, The Greens Lord Mayoral how-to-vote cards in wards 1 and 2 would recommend preferences only to Mr Alcorn and Cr O'Neill.
Cr Osborne said that in the ward contests, The Greens would recommend preferences to Labor candidates before either the Tate or Buman teams.
“Of course, Greens voters – like all voters – are free to choose where they allocate their own preferences, and we're certainly hoping that a significant number of Labor voters with concerns about Labor's deal with Cr Buman decide not to follow Labor's recommendation and either vote for us, or at least give us their No.2 preference in the wards,” Cr Osborne said.
[Note: Newcastle Greens does not accept donations from developers, or from any corporations or organisations]
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