Q&A: Cassy O’Connor confident in future of the Greens after ‘heavy’ year

Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor says she is still “motivated to bounce out of bed” each morning as she eyes more seats for the party at the next election. FULL Q&A >>

GREENS leader Cassy O’Connor concedes there are days she would rather spend more time in the garden but has no plans to step aside just yet.

In an end-of-year interview with the Mercury, Ms O’Connor said it was “heartbreaking” the Greens did not pick up more than their current two seats at the May state election.

“There are days when I’m in my garden and I think, ‘wouldn’t it be nice to do more of this?’,” she said.

“But right now, I really love the job and I’m so happy working with Rosalie (Woodruff) and I think we’re really an effective team.

“So, I am motivated to bounce out of bed in the morning and keep representing the Greens in the Tasmanian parliament, but there will come a day when I wake up and go, ‘someone will do this better than me now’.”

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

If she was to stand down in her seat in Clark, her place would most likely be taken by environmental campaigner Vica Bayley, who is the spokesman for Residents Opposed to the Cable Car.

“I know that when we pre-selected Vica as number two in Clark at the last state election, it really energised a lot of Green and soft green voters,” she said.

“I was really proud that someone of Vica’s calibre would stand for the Greens and stand with me in Clark, so it’s actually personally a great comfort to know that if I was knocked over by an e-scooter at Salamanca – I love e-scooters, don’t get me wrong – that Clark would be represented by someone of Vica’s great character and strength and empathy.”

Ms O’Connor admits the Greens will struggle to get back to the five seats it last held in 2010.

“We are reduced in number, but we’re a highly effective crossbench party that I will always argue are the true opposition.

“But I’m certain that we can grow our vote and the last election was a good foundation for that. I don’t see us securing five seats at the next state election, but I do see us picking up a seat.”

FULL Q&A WITH CASSY O’CONNOR

Can you sum up the year in one word?

Heavy.

Why is that?

When you look at some of the things that Parliament dealt with this year, Covid recovery, voluntary assisted dying, commission of inquiry, the abuse of children in the Ashley Youth Detention Centre, the gambling legislation which will consign generations to poverty and misery.

Parliament this year dealt with some really serious issues. Some of it has brought out the best in us, like the Covid response and voluntary assisted dying. And some of it, like the gambling legislation particularly, brought out the worst in our major party colleagues.

Should we have had an early election?

It was a decision made out of political frustration and self-interest on the Premier’s part. What was the hardest to stomach for a lot of Tasmanians was the falsehood behind the early date, as if it was something that we had to do, when we didn’t.

Cassy O’Connor and Rosalie Woodruff were the only two Greens members voted in at the last election. Picture Nikki Davis-Jones

Were you disappointed you didn’t pick up seats?

It was heartbreaking. We were really encouraged by the fact that we both had very strong support in our electorates and lifted the Greens’ vote. We were the only party that got a statewide swing to it.

Will you try to win a seat in the Legislative Council where you don’t hold any seats yet?

Yes. The Liberal and Labor parties now have a majority bloc up there, which saw highly negative consequences with the passage of the poker machine legislation. We will contest Elwick and Huon next year and Hobart in 2024. We’ve been very competitive in that seat in the past and I think that’s one of our best chances of making sure there’s a voice for nature and fairness upstairs.

Do you think about retiring?

There are days when I’m in my garden and I think wouldn’t it be nice to do more of this. But right now, I really love the job and I’m so happy working with Rosalie and I think we’re really an effective team. I am motivated to bounce out of bed in the morning and keep representing the Greens in the Tasmanian parliament, but there will come a day when I wake up and go, someone will do this better than me now.

Cassy O’Connor during Budget estimates hearings. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

What were the high and lows of 2021?

A highlight was seeing Greens policy in the state budget. We saw a container deposit scheme, a waste levy, increased investment in electrification of the transport system, these were all Greens policies, and we’ve had the old parties laugh about them before, so that’s really satisfying.

Personally, I’m just so happy that we’re closing the Ashley Youth Detention Centre because that place has been torturing children for a century and damaging them. That was a real, a very significant moment for me personally. I felt it made all the sweat and tears over that issue worthwhile. The passage of voluntary assisted dying legislation, even though it’s a very weighty subject, we finally have worked together across the parliament to deliver a safe, compassionate framework for people who are suffering terribly. And I know that’s brought peace of mind to people. I think that was an example of parliament at its very best.

Has the election of Kristie Johnston changed parliament?

I think having someone with Kristie’s character in the parliament has been an enormous positive. I’m thankful we’ve got another good values-driven elected representative. It’s been terrific on votes not to just be standing there with Rosalie because Kristie will look at each piece of legislation and policy on its merits as we do.

As a former housing minister what would you do if you were minister now?

I would make sure that we have inclusionary zoning, so for new developments a proportion of those developments, whether it be 5 per cent or 10 per cent, are given to affordable and social housing. I would definitely have regulated short-stay accommodation by now, and put in place the policy we tried to get through parliament for a cap on unreasonable rent increases. We need to make sure we’re not just building houses for people, we’re building homes that are part of communities and I’m not sure that that’s the philosophy that’s in train at the moment.

Cassy O’Connor was pleased to see Greens policy being introduced into the state budget. Picture: Eddie Safarik

Are the major parties taking climate change more seriously?

They’re taking steps towards taking it seriously, and often will say the right things. We’ve seen more out of the Liberals on this than Labor. Both those old parties are still attached to native forest logging, which is one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions from this island. Forests are our greatest carbon sink, so until they get serious about science and detach themselves from that taxpayer-funded mendicant industry, we’re not going to make the action on changing climate we need to do. We’ll lose our climate advantage, because we’ll be logging forests that are storing carbon for our children and grandchildren.

Are you still worried about developments in national parks?

I think most Tasmanians are worried about the commercialisation and privatisation of our public protected areas. I’ve spoken to life-long Liberal voters and those who have never voted anything but Labor, but they love the wilderness and are angry about the expressions of interest process. We had a win where a proponent, for now, seems to have walked away from the privatisation of Halls Island for a helicopter tourism enterprise that would have absolutely removed wilderness values from that area. We feel that this is a shot across the bow of developers who want to get in there because they see our protected areas as the last free real estate, stitch up a secret deal with the government at a bargain-basement price and have exclusive use rights, which is what the Liberals have been giving proponents behind closed doors, no transparency, no public consultation.

Has there been too much emphasis by the government on sport?

I know the Premier loves sport, and that’s great, but it kind of feels like he’s taking a leaf out of Scott Morrison’s book and sort of pandering to a blokey culture. It will be great to have the Ashes here although I’m worried about Covid safety. The way the JackJumpers have arrived on the scene in a really hard year has made everyone pretty proud and terrific.