Greens senator Dorinda Cox makes surprise defection to Labor Party

A Greens senator has made the bombshell announcement that she will join the Labor Party, just a month after the federal election.

Western Australian Greens senator Dorinda Cox has made a bombshell defection to the Labor Party, revealing the surprise news in a joint press conference alongside Anthony Albanese.

Greens Leader Larissa Waters was told just an hour-and-a-half before Senator Cox and the Prime Minister stood up together in Perth on Monday afternoon.

Greens senator Dorinda Cox has defected to Labor, announcing the shock move in a press conference with Anthony Albanese on Monday. Picture: NewsWire/Philip Gostelow

The Prime Minister said he was approached by Senator Cox, who was previously a Labor Party member, to represent Labor in the Senate and confirmed he had not spoken to the Greens leader.

“She had come to a view that the difference that she wanted to make in the Senate and as a West Australian were better served by being a member of the Labor Party,” he said.

“Senator Cox didn’t ask for anything, just asked for this to be considered.

“The national executive committee of the Labor Party met yesterday afternoon, and Senator Cox will be admitted to the Labor Party as a member tomorrow to the Western Australian branch.”

Greens Senator Dorinda Cox has defected to the Labor Party. Picture: NewsWire/ Luis Enrique Ascui

While Senator Cox sidestepped questioned on when she made the decision to leave the Greens, the Yamatji-Noongar woman said she was driven to Labor in order to “make change”.

“What you can’t do from the crossbench is make change and being in the government and alongside the wonderful team that the Prime Minister has,” she said.

She said she had a “very good, considered conversation” with Senator Waters, who “wished me well on my future”.

Senator Cox also shut down questions over her stance on Environment Minister Murray Watt’s decision to give provisional approval for Woodside to operate the North West Shelf gas project until 2070.

As recently as last Wednesday, she had denounced the decision, promising to reintroduce a bill which would protect the nearby Murujuga rock art site.

However on Monday, Senator Cox said it would not be “suitable for me to have public commentary” while the proposal was still being assessed.

Mr Albanese was also asked about the allegations of bullying put against Senator Cox following an exodus of 20 staff, saying the party had “examined everything that had been considered in the past” and was satisfied that they had been “dealt with appropriately”.

Minutes after the press conference, Senator Cox was removed from the Greens’ official website, with the URL link to her profile scrubbed and replaced with an “ACCESS DENIED” banner.

Her profile on the Greens’ website was scrubbed within minutes of the announcement. Picture: Greens

Her defection will lower the minor party’s Senate representation to 10 members, but increase the government’s numbers to 29.

The Greens also suffered a near wipe out in the lower house which included the ousting of former party leader Adam Bandt in Melbourne and party housing firebrand Max Chandler-Mathew in Griffith.

The party’s last remaining seat is held by former architect Elizabeth Watson-Brown in the Brisbane seat of Ryan

Senator Waters said the Greens were disappointed in Senator Cox’s decision to leave.

“Senator Cox has said that her values align with the Labor party. This is the same Labor party who this week approved the climate wrecking North West Shelf gas project, which UNESCO advises will destroy significant First Nations heritage and ancient rock art,” Senator Waters said.

“Senator Cox would have had more chance of effecting change by continuing to work with the Greens in the sole balance of power.

“The Greens are committed to continuing to work for Truth, Treaty and Justice with First Nations people and will continue to work to protect Country and the climate that is under such threat from Labor Party decisions in Western Australia.

“We wish her well.”

Originally published as Greens senator Dorinda Cox makes surprise defection to Labor Party