Victorian Leaders of the Greens, Samantha Ratnam must take responsibility for the appalling misogyny exposed within her own party, and her Greens MPs including South East Metro Nina Springe must call on their Leader to demonstrate leadership.
While a toxic culture against women within the Greens is being exposed, its Victorian Leader Samantha Ratnam has been critical of political parties not doing enough to increase the number of women in our State and Federal parliaments.
This expose of a toxic internal culture will require real action, not just political posturing from the Victorian Greens Leader, Samantha Ratnam and Federal Greens Leader, Senator Richard Di Natali.
EXAMPLE 1.
Joanna Nilson: recently disendorsed Greens candidate
Made derogatory comments about a female Liberal senator.
(www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-01/greens-candidate-quits-over-shop-lifting-social-media-posts/10454062)
EXAMPLE 2.
Angus McAlpine: Greens candidate for Footscray
In a video posted on March this year, Mr McAlpine - performing as Angus Younga - raps: “It ain’t nothing for Angus Younga to choke a bitch”. One of his tracks says: “Date rape drugs in her drink then have my way”. Ms Ratnam defended the candidate, saying he was in “a process of change” which “is a journey and there are steps on the way, it doesn’t happen overnight”
(www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-13/victorian-greens-stand-by-footscray-and-sandringham-candidates/10494022)
EXAMPLE 3.
Alex Bhathal: Greens candidate for Batman (now Cooper) ‘01, ‘04, ‘10, ‘13, ‘16, ‘18
18 party volunteers laid an internal complaint against veteran Victorian Greens candidate Alex Bhathal, “This misconduct has included systematic intimidation, and malicious and reckless false statements about members and party decisions,” the document reportedly says.
(www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/greens-call-for-byelection-candidate-to-be-axed/news-story/cef70516de77e78cef40f61883f2e922)
EXAMPLE 4.
Lynette Keleher: former Greens candidate, Narre Warren South
“...The public evidence of what many passionate and committed Greens members already know, that our party is overridden by a [sic] abusive and bullying internal organisational culture. And that racism is rampant in the party and embedded in its processes and structures.”
(www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/victorian-greens-overridden-by-a-bullying-and-abusive-internal-culture-20180410-p4z8qb.html)
EXAMPLE 5.
Dominic Phillips, Greens Candidate Sandringham
The pages Mr Phillips "liked" included "Period Pains, Try waiting for your porn to download," "Twinkle twinkle little slut, name one guy you haven't f--ked" and "I'd swim in the ocean for you … LOL jks, id get my turban wet [sic]."
(www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-13/victorian-greens-stand-by-footscray-and-sandringham-candidates/10494022)
EXAMPLE 6.
Nina Valins, Richmond Election Campaign Committee Convenor
“The Victorian Greens state director Clare Quinn and co-conveners Rose Read and Colin Jacobs are facing allegations from within the party that they mishandled an alleged assault of a protester by a member of the state executive, which is reported to have been perpetrated by the convener of the Richmond Election Campaign Committee, Nina Vallins.”
(www.crikey.com.au/2018/04/27/victorian-greens-accused-of-mishandling-alleged-assault/)
Comments attributable to Member for South-East Metro Region, Inga Peulich MLC:
“The internal culture of the Greens is nothing short of toxic, and needs a complete culture overhaul rather than sanctimonious posturing by Greens Leader, Samantha Ratnam.”
“Samantha Ratnam’s public comments about the status of women are in stark contrast to her attack of female MPs and candidates and defence of disgraceful behaviour within her own party.”