NSW Greens review excludes Bob Brown

The former Greens leader says he was shut out of a review into the NSW Greens because he was “too moderate and considerate for the Left”.

Former Greens leader Bob Brown. Picture: Richard Jupe.

Bob Brown says he was shut out of an independent review into the NSW Greens because he was “too moderate”, as controversial state MP Jeremy Buckingham labelled the attempt to broker peace as a “Band-Aid on a weeping wound”.

On Tuesday night, the Australian Greens and their state counterparts agreed on a review into the NSW branch’s decision-making and complaints processes, after a factional war was ignited over calls for Mr Buckingham to stand aside due to allegations of sexual misconduct.

The terms of reference will be drawn up by a panel including an “Australian Greens elder”. But that will not be the party’s most famous leader, Dr Brown.

“No, I’m not on the panel. I was considered too moderate and considerate for the Left,” he told The Australian yesterday.

“It’s essential we have this review and that it have strong teeth … And its recommendations must be put to the members of the NSW Greens.

“The one thing the red NSW Greens have always blocked is grassroots democracy.”

The Australian understands an “elder” has not been chosen and it will be a long-term staff member, not a politician.

Australian Greens leader Richard Di Natale said the review would help refocus the party on the NSW election next March. “This significant response is an opportunity for a constructive resolution to the ­issues in NSW so that we can refocus on our mission,” he said.

Mr Buckingham was asked to stand aside from the NSW Greens upper house ticket earlier this month due to allegations against him. He has denied the allegations and was cleared of wrongdoing in an independent investigation by firm Workdynamic Australia.

He told The Australian yesterday the NSW Greens were “rotten and corrupt”. “It’s a Band-Aid on a weeping wound that is the rotten and corrupt NSW Greens party. This type of review happened only a few years ago and resulted in virtually no reform,” he said. “The resolution does not deal with the immediate issues of the party refusing to conduct a democratic recount should I leave the Greens ticket, and capitulates to the extreme Left who are running riot.”

But his supporters, Greens MPs Cate Faehrmann and Justin Field, backed the review yesterday after previously threatening to split from the state party over the treatment of Mr Buckingham.

“We believe this is a critical first step to resolving some of the issues that have been called out recently by ourselves and many members,” they said in a joint statement.