Paul Howes cheers split with Greens and cans 'atrocious' Nick McKim

LABOR figure Paul Howes has called on the party to ensure its split with the Greens marks a final end to power-sharing.

UNION leader and senior Labor figure Paul Howes said that the Greens had shown that they were "not tr...

UNION leader and senior Labor figure Paul Howes has called on the party to ensure its split with the Greens in Tasmania marks a final end to its power-sharing with "fringe political parties" in Australia.

The Australian revealed yesterday that Labor in Tasmania had resolved to end its power-sharing alliance with the Greens and to vow to never repeat it, as it desperately tries to restore faith with traditional blue-collar voters.

As Premier Lara Giddings yesterday left the future of the state's two Greens cabinet ministers hanging, Mr Howes described the conduct of one - Greens leader and Education Minister Nick McKim - as "atrocious".

The Australian Workers Union national secretary told The Australian the doomed Labor-Greens alliance in Tasmania - struck in the wake of a hung parliament in 2010 - must be the last such relationship. "If we haven't learnt our lessons after the last few years, then nothing will teach us," Mr Howes said. "You'd have to have rocks in your head to be advocating this type of future again.

"The Greens are a separate, different, independent political force whose views and ideology are contrary to the views and ideology of the labour movement.

"We don't think it is in the interests of the labour movement to be forming formal allegiances with the Greens."

Mr Howes said the Tasmanian experience, and the failure of the federal power-sharing agreement between the Greens and the Gillard government struck in 2010, showed the Greens were "not trustworthy".

He took particular aim at Mr McKim for publicly undermining investment in mining projects in the Tarkine region and the proposed Tamar Valley pulp mill. "Nick McKim has behaved atrociously during his time in that cabinet and hasn't acted like a normal member of any other cabinet," Mr Howes said.

Ms Giddings is under pressure from rank and file, trade unions and elements of caucus to end the alliance before an election is called, but refuses to endorse or reject the move. Nor will she reveal how or when it might occur.

She has until recently been a defender of the alliance she inherited, and her leadership may be at risk if she fails to act. But she must also avoid forcing Labor into an early election, before it is due in March.

Yesterday, she would not comment, merely repeating that announcements would follow in the "weeks and months ahead".

Liberal Opposition Leader Will Hodgman called for an immediate election, arguing voters should not be made to await the formalities of the "divorce", with government descended into "confusion and dysfunction". Mr Howes said the AWU would "more enthusiastically" campaign for the re-election of Giddings Labor if it made a clean break with the Greens.

Mr McKim yesterday expressed frustration at the unedifying stand-off and defended the power-sharing regime. "The Greens aren't at all interested in the political grandstanding and pre-election posturing we've seen ... We'll stay focused on real issues. We are proud of our role in delivering stable and effective government, and in achieving outcomes like the World Heritage Area extension, reductions in electricity prices, improved education outcomes and the strongest climate change strategy in Australia."