THERE it was, the headline on the other Sydney newspaper on February 20: ‘Gangreen (in green print). Labor toxic.’
It wasn’t until I turned to page two of the same day’s Illawarra Mercury that I found out what all the fuss was about. The Australian Greens had castigated the government for violating their historic agreement and under the circumstances the government could no longer rely on the Green’s support.
Labor was accused of siding with the mining industry by delivering a watered down mining tax, allowing mining in Tasmania’s Tarkine and overseeing a push by unions to make coal seam gas development easier.
But the Greens’ anger aside, they will still support supply bills and oppose no-confidence motions for the remainder of the current parliament, which faces an election on September 14.
Toxic?
No so. A tummy ache perhaps – nothing more.
J. Macleod, Berry.