Greens leader Richard Di Natale shakes up parliament team

The Greens warn against parts of the government’s citizenship rule changes as Richard Di Natale mixes up his team.

New Greens leader Richard Di Natale has reshuffled the party’s portfolios.

The Greens are warning against key parts of the federal government’s changes to citizenship rules as new leader Richard Di Natale shakes up the party’s parliamentary team to be ready to fight an early election.

The Greens leader has reshuffled the party’s portfolios to leave former leader Christine Milne without a position while installing Melbourne MP Adam Bandt in the key position of treasury and new deputy leader Larissa Waters as climate change spokeswoman.

The changes came at a meeting on Monday morning that also canvassed the party’s objections to Tony Abbott’s new citizenship proposals and confirmed a hard-line stance against the government’s current proposal to increase fuel excise.

In a display of greater transparency around the party’s internal deliberations, a Greens spokesman confirmed the outcomes of the Monday meeting including changes to be made within Senator Di Natale’s office after he gained the leadership earlier this month.

While the government is preparing to toughen current laws to cancel the citizenship of foreign fighters who help Islamic State or other terrorist groups, the Greens are preparing to question a new regime that could leave Australians stateless in areas like Syria and Iraq.

The Greens meeting did not decide to oppose the government’s changes but it discussed whether it would be better to adopt an approach like that used in the United Kingdom, where returned foreign fighters have been used as examples to warn young Britons against joining Islamic State.

A Greens spokesman said the party room discussed the need for more detail from the government on where a foreign fighter might end up if his or her citizenship was cancelled, given that it might be better to detain the suspect in Australia or use him or her to warn others.

The meeting also confirmed the party’s objections to the government’s $2.4 billion budget measure to increase the indexation of fuel excise, making it clear there would be no compromise from the Greens unless Mr Abbott also gave ground.

The Greens position on fuel excise has been criticised for preventing a higher tax on a fossil fuel but Senator Di Natale has argued that the higher tax cannot be supported if it does not lead to behavioural change and is only used to fund roads.

The position, which Senator Di Natale put to Mr Abbott in a private meeting a few days after the federal budget, leaves room for the Greens to support the $2.4bn tax increase if the government is prepared to put some of the money into public transport.

“There has to be a change to what is offered now,” said a Greens spokesman on the fuel excise.

“If the policy is being put in the way it’s currently put we won’t support it.”

If the government cannot secure support from the Greens or others, it might have to repay the higher tax it is currently collecting from fuel companies.

The Monday meeting formally decided against supporting a government bill to allow SBS to broadcast more advertising.

As well, the Greens have aired their objections to the government decision to cancel the taxpayer-funded paid parental leave for new parents who are able to rely on more generous private schemes offered by their employers.

The Greens spokesman said the party had been more supportive of Mr Abbott’s original PPL scheme but was disappointed with his backflip.

“We were close to where they were. We’re a long way from where they are now,” the spokesman said.

The Monday meeting assigned new portfolios to each senator in an arrangement reached by consensus but subject to a final decision by Senator Di Natale.

Senator Waters will be responsible for climate change and the environment and women, while fellow deputy leader Scott Ludlam will take on foreign affairs while keeping responsibility for communications.

Adam Bandt, who did not contest the deputy leadership earlier this month, will take on the treasury portfolio. Sarah Hanson-Young will retain immigration and citizenship.

Senator Milne will not have a portfolio, clearing the way for her to step down at a time of her own choosing — some expect it to be in July — so she can be replaced midterm by a new senator for Tasmania.

“We all feel an election could be around the corner,” the Greens spokesman said.

The leader’s office will be moved to Melbourne, in Senator Di Natale’s home state, and he has appointed former Sea Shepherd chief and NSW upper house member Cate Faehrmann as his chief of staff. His chief policy adviser will be Colin Jacobs.

Some of those who worked for Senator Milne, including her press secretary Peter Stahel, are taking positions elsewhere.