Shannon Deery: A cosy Labor and the Greens alliance handy for Daniel Andrews

The Greens are relentlessly mocked and heckled by Dan Andrews, but they seem hell-bent on standing with the Premier.

Premier Dan Andrews speaks at Victorian parliament question time. Picture: Nicki Connolly

If you thought the Andrews government would have a harder time pushing legislation through the upper house this parliament, think again.

A cosy alliance between Labor and the Greens is proving a handy tool for the government as it navigates the new look upper house.

The Greens might have been talking themselves up as the kingmakers of parliament of late.

And true, they have forced the government to park its contentious Lawyer X bill and amend its health data sharing legislation.

Greens party members. Picture: David Crosling

But when the stakes are higher, the Greens are nowhere to be seen.

Two weeks ago they backed away from supporting an Opposition bid to establish a parliamentary committee to probe concerns of government corruption.

The Opposition spent weeks negotiating support from the Greens and crossbenchers in a bid to establish the select committee.

They wanted to interrogate concerns raised by former IBAC commissioner Robert Redlich about government interference in his work.

Instead the Greens opted to do a deal with Labor and managed to snare themselves the chair position of the parliament’s Integrity and Oversight Committee.

The position carries a $28,000 pay rise, for good measure.

It was a win-win for the government.

It got rid of a pesky corruption inquiry, and secured a non-Opposition chair, installing someone far more ideologically aligned.

Last week, the Greens ruled out supporting a probe into Daniel Andrews’ four-day trip to China.

Opposition leader John Pesutto during question time at Victorian parliament. Picture Aaron Francis

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing or corruption in the China trip.

But that it was shrouded in secrecy has raised suspicion the Opposition believes worthy of investigation.

And given the stench of corruption that has clouded this government since its Red Shirts election rort, why refuse a short probe?

The Greens’ natural aversion to working with the Liberal Party is counter-productive to its own stated aims, and to genuine scrutiny.

It claims to want to crackdown on integrity and fight for a fairer, more transparent government.

On the first day of parliament, the party reintroduced its Strengthening Integrity Bill which promises to strengthen IBAC, create stronger laws for lobbyists, make ministerial diaries public and immediately establish a Parliamentary Integrity Commissioner.

“For too long Victorians have been asked to accept poor standards of behaviour from the people elected to serve them and who they look to for leadership. And we know this has dire consequences as people lose faith and disengage from our democratic system of government,” the Greens’ Samantha Ratnam said.

“When our systems lose the trust of the public, it is our community that is left to bear the consequences.

“It is time to restore integrity back into Victorian politics.

“Unfortunately Victorian politics risks becoming more known for its scandals than the work of the people in this place to improve the lives of Victorians.”

Last month, responding to an IBAC report that found former Labor MP Theo Theophanous had secretly lobbied a developer in exchange for donations to his daughter Kat’s 2018 campaign, Greens’ integrity spokesperson Tim Read said Victoria’s integrity standards were failing.

Greens Leader Samantha Ratnam and MP Tim Read at the Victorian parliament. Picture: David Crosling

“Lobbyists enjoy secret relationships with MPs and as recent investigations have made clear, misconduct is rife,” Dr Read said.

“Without stronger checks and balances, including opening ministers’ diaries, how can Victorians trust in the integrity of government decisions?

“It’s time we legislated the Ministerial Code of Conduct, strengthened the power of IBAC, strengthened laws for lobbyists, and stopped the revolving door between MPs and lobbying positions.”

But when the Greens are given a chance for integrity issues to be ventilated through proper parliamentary processes, they squib them.

They might be the kingmakers of the 60th parliament, but the new look upper house in which they now have four members is shaping up to be a reheated version of the last iteration: a cosy relationships between Labor and a select group of key MPs means the government can push its agenda through parliament, and do so with limited scrutiny.

In order to pass a bill or motion, 21 votes are needed in the 40-member house.

Labor has 15 MPs and the Coalition has 14.

It means that if Labor can work with the Greens and the two Legalise Cannabis MPs, which are most ideologically aligned with the government, it faces little prospect of serious challenge.

Defeating any legislation or motion needs the support of all four Greens and at least three other crossbenchers.

Why when the Greens are relentlessly mocked, heckled and attacked by the Premier do they deal with him asks Shannon Deery. Picture Aaron Francis

A harder task.

In the last parliament Labor worked closely with Ms Ratnam, Animal Justice Party’s Andy Meddick and Reason Party leader Fiona Patten to do business.

The trio supported Labor’s work and in return had privileged access to the government as consultants on key legislation such as the Pandemic Management Bill.

Patten and Meddick were ultimately dudded by Labor in a preference deal at the federal election.

With friends like that hey, who needs enemies?

In the new and all powerful Greens, the government might think it has again found puppets on a string.

And yet they are relentlessly mocked, heckled and attacked by the Premier, who has repeatedly said he’d rather not form government than to a deal with them.

Dan refuses to stand with them.

So why are they so hellbent on standing with him?