What a sad day this is for environmental and humanitarian politics in Australia. I can't see the Greens surviving successfully without Senator Brown's guidance, but you can only come to one conclusion about his resignation - he's not well enough to continue.
He's left with a smile on his face and good wishes to those he leaves to fill his shoes. Christine Milne has been appointed the new leader and although she's capable - she's not in Brown's league.
Bob Brown has resigned as leader of the Australian Greens. He will also resign from the Senate.
Senator Brown made the shock announcement to his Greens Party colleagues this morning.
The inaugural leader of the Australian Greens, Bob Brown has announced his resignation and says he'll leave the Australian Senate in the next two months.
Bob Brown has resigned as leader of the Australian Greens. He will also resign from the Senate.
Senator Brown made the shock announcement to his Greens Party colleagues this morning.
Senator Brown told reporters this afternoon that he was "very sad to go but very happy to make way for the depth of talent that there is in the [party]", pointing out that he was 67 years old.
Senator Brown said the agreement signed to form minority government with Labor would stand.
He said that "he will be a Green until the day I die, if not for a long time after that".
Let's hope it isn't AIDS. Senator Brown is a doctor and hopefully was careful picking his partners. He looked extremely well for 67 in an interview yesterday - so did his boyfriend.
He said that he didn't want to commit himself for another years - but judging by the tears from some of his party, there might be another reason. People - even his critics, aren't as happy to see him go as you would expect considering the consistent negative commentary that he's endured for years and what other politician will we ever see again who fought so hard for his causes. He was an activist for the environment, a protestor for human and gay rights. He's been gaoled, abused and spat upon - but has remained quietly spoken, consistent and kind throughout it all.
He started off as the only Greens member in Parliament and now there is one MP in the lower house and 9 senators in the upper house - a fantastic achievement.
Its a sad time for this county. Bob was the only honest political leader this country had. I hope Milne can maintain the rage against the old parties, however I don't think she has the talents of Bob.
It's a fucking great day for the majority of real Australians. Only fag loving leftwing commie socialist fuckwits are sad and only because they realize that with the shrieking, grating and condescending Milne is in the box seat, their hopes of a new world order are fucked. The only thing better will be when labor and it's greens leech are tossed from parliament.
It would have been so much sweeter if he had left parliament in a body bag
Quote by Aussie: I was a long term dead beat, wife abusing, drunk, black Muslim, on the dole for decades prison escapee having been convicted of paedophilia
IQS.RLOW wrote:It's a fucking great day for the majority of real Australians. Only fag loving leftwing commie socialist fuckwits are sad and only because they realize that with the shrieking, grating and condescending Milne is in the box seat, their hopes of a new world order are fucked. The only thing better will be when labor and it's greens leech are tossed from parliament.
It would have been so much sweeter if he had left parliament in a body bag
Hey,spermy,where you been? I've missed your insightful posts.
skippy wrote:Its a sad time for this county. Bob was the only honest political leader this country had. I hope Milne can maintain the rage against the old parties, however I don't think she has the talents of Bob.
Wasn't/isn't his partner, Paul Thomas, a logger in Tassie?
IQS.RLOW wrote:It's a fucking great day for the majority of real Australians. Only fag loving leftwing commie socialist fuckwits are sad and only because they realize that with the shrieking, grating and condescending Milne is in the box seat, their hopes of a new world order are fucked. The only thing better will be when labor and it's greens leech are tossed from parliament.
It would have been so much sweeter if he had left parliament in a body bag
Milne might keep the party together for a while. She looks like Maggie Thatcher and apparently has a personality to match. Bob Brown will continue to work for the environment. He will probably achieve a lot more at the grassroots level than being caught up in the political garbage going on in Canberra at present. He might not command much respect from the right - but he is generally liked - not just here but overseas also.
Quote by Aussie: I was a long term dead beat, wife abusing, drunk, black Muslim, on the dole for decades prison escapee having been convicted of paedophilia
Bob Brown is a talented yet cynical strategic politician above all else. A green perhaps, but only in as much as he understands that politically exploiting that niche makes him the most powerful man in the country. A senator perhaps, but only in as much as he understands that in the senate you only need 8.5% of voter support to win your seat. Bob is a cynical politician who tells the unwashed proles what they want to hear, knowing he'll never actually be called on to deliver those promises.
So why is he walking away? Because on inspecting the lands over which he reigns supreme, he spotted the high water mark. The place somewhere between Bundaberg and Rockhampton where the wave of Green fever finally broke and began rolling back toward Tasmania. He can see the raging fury emerging, ready to slaughter him for his part in this minority government.
He understood then that it was time to leave. He can foresee the iron fisted reign of Abbott to come. Bob has watched Greg Withers' soul being torn out as he is strapped down and forced to watch, Clockwork Orange style, as his life's work is slashed a burned. In this he has forseen his own future if he stays in the game.
No, better to walk out on top and be remembered as the man who presided over the meteoric rise of the Green movement, and leave Milne to take the fall for the inevitable eviscerating of the Greens that will come.
"I may be the first man to put a testicle in Germaine Greer's mouth"
