Greens leader Larissa Waters open to super tax talks with Labor as she retains women’s portfolio

The Greens will look to cut a deal on Labor’s super tax hike rather than risk the Albanese Government dropping the policy entirely.

The Greens will enter talks over Labor’s plan to hike taxes on mega super balances with “open ears” and look to cut a deal rather than risk the Albanese Government dropping the policy entirely.

After pushing last term for the proposed higher concessional tax rate of 30 per cent to be applied to a lower threshold of accounts of $2 million or more, new Greens leader Larissa Waters said in her view the “worst outcome” would be if the government succumbed to “pressure” from the Liberals and ditched the plan.

“We support big corporations and billionaires paying their fair share to fund things that ordinary folk deserve … and we’d like to see the government proceed with this,” she said.

New Greens leader Larissa Waters says she will be ‘constructive’ but ‘firm’ in talks with Labor. Picture Lachie Millard

Labor’s current proposal targets super balances of $3m and above, but also applies to so-called “unrealised gains” — paper profits based on the increased value of assets like shares or property.

In a wide-ranging interview two weeks after stepping into the leadership role vacated by Adam Bandt when he lost his Melbourne seat at the election, Ms Waters rejected Labor’s “narrative” the Greens had been “blockers” last term.

She vowed to be “constructive” but “firm” in future talks with the Albanese Government, calling on Labor to put forward serious cost of living, housing and climate reforms rather than “window dressing and tinkering”.

Ms Waters will seek to put Australia’s family and domestic violence crisis at the top of the national agenda by retaining the women’s portfolio in addition to holding the party’s top job.

The unusual move is designed to elevate women’s safety, equality and health to a leader-level this term, with Ms Waters insisting there is much more progress to be made on those issues.

“It shows the priority we will continue to put on the portfolio,” she said. 

“I’m a proud feminist and will continue to work for women to be free, safe and equal, and not so … overworked.”

Larissa Waters put forward a motion on Black Lung disease while breastfeeding her daughter Alia Joy in the Senate Chamber at Parliament House in 2017. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Ms Waters said she was “optimistic” about what could be achieved, citing “full funding” for frontline family, domestic and sexual violence services as a key issue. 

“Labor did put an injection into the (funding) amount, but they’re still, on our calculations, only about 80 per cent of what’s actually needed,” she said. ”

“That’s essentially one in five women who still aren’t able to get the support that they need when they reach out for crisis accommodation, legal … healing and other types of support.”

Ms Waters said investment in prevention was also critical.

“There are good people out there that want to do that work and are trained and qualified to do it, but they’re scratching around for the funding to meet demand.”

Ms Waters, who was the first politician to breastfeed in the Senate chamber in 2017, said she would also be advocating for women’s reproductive rights, and peri-menopause and menopause healthcare.

Former Green's Senator Dorinda Cox has joined the Labor Party. Picture: NewsWire / Philip Gostelow

Even with the defection of West Australian Senator Dorinda Cox from the Greens to Labor on Monday, Ms Waters said her party still had the balance of power, which meant the government had a “smooth pathway” if they wanted to pursue “genuine” reform.

“The country’s kind of holding its breath, I think, to see which path the government will take,” she said.

Ms Waters also confirmed the Greens would seek to ensure climate was a consideration in federal environmental approvals, a key sticking point in talks over Labor’s nature positive laws in the last parliament.

Greens leader Larissa Waters says she will ‘balance’ environment and climate, along with other social issues like housing. Picture Lachie Millard

She was sceptical new Environment Minister Murray Watt would get his wish of the reforms passing with the support of both the Greens and the Coalition.

“I can’t see an agreement that all parties are comfortable with,” she said.

After a near-wipe-out in the lower house, Ms Waters has said her “goal is to grow” the Greens’ representation in parliament at the next election, but stopped short of vowing to take back the three seats – Melbourne, Brisbane and Griffith – the party lost in May.

She said the party’s primary vote had mostly held in those contests, but suffered due to the mathematics of three-corner races and the collapse in support for the Liberals under Peter Dutton.

Asked how her tenure would differ from predecessor Mr Bandt, who broadened the party’s focus beyond its environmental roots, Ms Waters said she would be “balancing” the two.

“We’re the Greens – the clue’s in the name – environment and climate action is very much in our DNA, but so is making sure that people’s daily lives are made as easy as possible,” she said.