Anthony Albanese shrugs off Dorinda Cox's sharp criticism of Labor before party switch

The Guardian

2 days ago

Anthony Albanese has brushed off Dorinda Cox's recent strong criticism of the Labor government – of which she is now a member – claiming the senator made the shock party switch because the Greens had 'lost their way' and could not effect social change.
Despite Cox's claims in recent weeks that Labor was 'held ransom' by coal and gas companies and had 'spectacularly failed' by approving the North West Shelf gas project, Albanese welcomed the former Green to the government party room.
Cox has also criticised Labor for having 'dropped [Indigenous] people like a hot potato'.
But Albanese said that Cox had, 'over a period of time, come to the view that the Greens political party are not capable of achieving the change that she wants to see in public life'.
'That's not surprising, given that the Greens have lost their way,' the prime minister said.
At a press conference in Perth, Albanese downplayed comparisons between Cox and Fatima Payman, the former Labor senator who was strongly criticised by government members for quitting the party to sit on the crossbench.
Cox's defection from the Greens to Labor stunned her former colleagues on Monday.
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She gave the new Greens leader, Larissa Waters, just 90 minutes notice of her move. It came just weeks after Cox was unsuccessful in winning a leadership position in the Greens' caucus ballot, but it's understood there had been quiet discussions between Cox and Labor members for many months.
Waters told the ABC that there was 'no animosity' towards Cox. She and Cox had a 'very calm and measured conversation about it. And I did genuinely wish her all the best.'
But Waters also noted Labor's approval of the North West Shelf project, which Cox and other Greens had spoken strongly against.
'What with Labor having decided just this last week to approve an absolute carbon bomb off the coast of WA, which would not only have massive climate impacts but which would have huge impacts on ancient rock art, those values are not consistent with Greens values. We have opposed that. But Senator Cox has made her decision that party is the better fit for her,' Waters said.
'It's disappointing for us to lose a Greens senator. But Dorinda has said her values lie there, and you need to be true to yourself, don't you?'
Waters denied the Greens had any issue with Indigenous representatives, with Cox's switch coming after Lidia Thorpe's defection to the crossbench in 2023. Cox had campaigned strongly for the Indigenous voice referendum, while Thorpe quit the party in part over the Greens' backing of the referendum.
Cox, a Western Australian senator and Yamatji Noongar woman, was the Greens spokesperson for resources, trade, tourism, First Nations and northern Australia issues. She has been a strong voice on issues related to the justice system, fossil fuels and environmental damage, domestic violence, Closing the Gap, and calling for a federal truth and justice commission in the wake of the voice referendum.
She had released several press statements scathing of Labor's record on fossil fuel and First Nations issues in recent months, including a statement on 12 May claiming the government was 'being held for ransom' by coal and gas companies, and is 'not committed to transitioning towards renewables'.
Cox last week put her name to a Greens joint statement – alongside Waters, Sarah Hanson-Young and Peter Whish-Wilson – claiming that 'the new environment minister has spectacularly failed his first test in the job, after approving the climate-wrecking North West Shelf dirty gas extension to 2070'.
Cox declined to comment on the gas project at her press conference with Albanese on Monday.
Asked about Cox's prior comments, Albanese on Tuesday shrugged off the criticisms.
'Dorinda Cox understands that being a member of the Labor party means that she will support positions that are made by the Labor party,' he said.
'If you're serious about social change in Australia, the Labor party is where you should be.'
The Nine newspapers reported last year that at least 20 staff had left Cox's office since she entered the Senate, with some levelling workplace complaints.
At the time, Cox said she took responsibility for 'any shortcomings' in her office and apologised for any distress that may have caused, but said there has been 'significant missing context' in the reports of bullying allegations within her office.
Albanese said on Monday that Labor had 'examined everything that had been considered in the past' and it was felt that the 'issues were dealt with appropriately'. On Tuesday, Albanese re-stated that the issues had been 'dealt with' by parliamentary workplace processes.
Asked about Payman, who several Labor members suggested should hand back her seat to the government after switching to the crossbench, Albanese said Cox would come up for election at the next poll.
'Fatima Payman, of course, could have put herself before the people of Western Australia on May 3. She chose not to. Dorinda Cox's term is up at the end of this term, and she will have to – if she is pre-selected through ALP processes – put herself forward for election then,' he said.