Queensland Election 2017: Greens MP plans anti-Adani regional tour after Maiwar win

DESPITE Labor calling for a recount in Maiwar, the state’s first Greens MP is stepping up his fight against the Adani megamine and is already planning a “listening tour” of regional Queensland.

Michael Berkman, surrounded by supporters as he claims the Brisbane seat of Maiwar for the Greens.

THE state’s first elected Greens MP says his key priority will be a listening tour of Queensland, in which he will talk to regional workers about the “lies” they have been fed about Adani.

But Michael Berkman is not sure who will pay, suggesting perhaps taxpayers and the party will fund his expedition.

Labor’s Ali King had suggested a recount.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland declared the seat of Maiwar, inner-west Brisbane, for Mr Berkman yesterday afternoon despite Labor’s Ali King earlier suggesting her party could call for a recount due to “a number of issues with the count”, which she would not detail.

The newly elected Greens MP celebrated the minor party receiving 10 per cent of the statewide vote and vowed to represent, not just the inner-west seat, but all people who had voted Greens.

“I’d like to start this term by going on a listening tour in Queensland, including the regions, and just really get as much feedback as we can,” he said.

The environmental lawyer said he was willing to hear from people who did not agree with Greens policy that Adani’s Carmichael coal mine should not go ahead.

“We want to hear the voices of all Queenslanders,” he said.

“I think the important thing for us is to not just focus on these inner-urban issues. But we do want to get to the regions and we want to speak to those people who have been fed lies about the number of jobs that Adani is supposed to provide.

“There can be no doubt this is a fantasy,” Mr Berkman said.

“The idea that this single project is going to resolve all of the issues of the regions is a nonsense, frankly.”

Greens MP Michael Berkman has claimed the party’s first state seat.

Mr Berkman, who said the Queensland Greens had not taken corporate donations throughout the campaign despite the Australian Greens doing so, said he would continue to push for an end to political donations from big business in Queensland.

He said spends by major parties were “really extravagant and almost ridiculous” and should be curbed and funded mostly by taxpayers.

“I’m very interested in the idea of publicly funded elections,” he said.

“I’m not saying by any stretch of the imagination that we should be extravagantly funding election campaigns.”

Originally published as Queensland Election 2017: Greens MP plans anti-Adani regional tour after Maiwar win