Western Australian Senator Dorinda Cox quits Greens over perceived extremism, defects to Labor Party
Greens Senator Dorinda Cox has defected to the Labor Party, with sources saying the shock move was driven by her growing disillusionment with the minor party.
Sources told Sky News that Ms Cox's decision was a result of her reaction to what was seen as increasing extremism from Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi.
The decision reduces the Greens' Senate numbers from 11 to 10 and lifts Labor's to 28—still short of the 38 needed for a majority.
Ms Cox, a former Indigenous police officer from Western Australia, approached the Prime Minister's Office in recent weeks expressing frustration with the direction of the Greens.
It's understood Labor believes her decision was influenced by recent leadership changes and dissatisfaction with some elements of the Greens' agenda.
Ms Cox has been a controversial figure within the Greens, having faced allegations of bullying from former staff members.
However, the Labor Party has confidence that it thoroughly examined these allegations before approving her admission to the party.
Standing alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Perth, Ms Cox confirmed her switch to Labor and said she looked forward to contributing as a member of the government.
'I am very, very grateful for this opportunity and I want to thank the Labor team for welcoming me,' she said.
'I've spoken to the Prime Minister about the work I would like to do in the future…I will continue to be focused and committed to the work in my home state of WA.
'I look forward to serving as a proud Labor Senator in the 48th Parliament.'
The Prime Minister welcomed Cox's decision, describing her as a valuable addition to the government benches.
'I know she's looking forward to working in a united, cohesive team, building a better future not just for the people of Western Australia, but for the people of Australia,' he said.
'Dorinda Cox is someone who's a former police officer. She's someone who has a lot to offer in terms of policy development.'
Mr Albanese confirmed that Cox had approached Labor 'recently' and that there had been 'more discussions in recent days than we had in previous years.'
Ms Cox was first appointed to the Senate in 2021 to fill a casual Greens vacancy and was re-elected in 2022.
She was previously a Labor branch member before switching parties under the mentorship of then-Greens Senator Rachel Siewert.
Greens leader Larissa Waters condemned her former colleague's decision and said she had only been informed of the move an hour before it was announced.
'The Greens are disappointed in Senator Cox's decision to leave the Greens and join the Labor party as a backbencher,' Ms Waters said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Labor's Dean Winter says he won't give up the proposed Macquarie Point stadium 'for anything'
The leaders of both major Tasmanian political parties remain staunchly committed to a new Hobart stadium, and AFL team, even if it costs them a shot at governing the state. Both Labor leader Dean Winter, and Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff have re-affirmed their support for the Macquarie Point stadium and Tasmania Devils AFL club, in the midst of political upheaval triggered by a successful no-confidence motion in the premier by Labor. The move means the premier will either be replaced, or Tasmanians will be sent to the ballot box for the fourth time in seven years. The issue of the proposed stadium, which is slated to cost almost $1 billion to build, has fractured the state and if an election is confirmed, it is set to heavily influence the makeup of the next parliament, such is its prominence as an issue among voters. The stadium is unpopular across Tasmania but is a key condition of the licence agreement between the Tasmanian government and the AFL for a team. That team, the Devils, is almost universally popular. On Saturday, both leaders refused to waiver on their support for the stadium, and the AFL club that it unlocks, ahead of a likely election that appears destined to result in a hung parliament. On ABC Hobart's Grandstand radio program, Labor leader Dean Winter was asked if the stadium could be used as a bargaining chip in exchange for crossbench support, if his party was required to form the first Tasmanian Labor government in more than a decade. PRESENTER: In the situation where there's a genuine opportunity for you to form government, with crossbenchers, and you're in touching distance of forming government, can you rule out swapping the stadium for support? DEAN WINTER: I'm not giving up this stadium. Let me be clear. I think getting an AFL team would be the biggest thing since Mona. It'll be incredible for our state, and I'm not giving it up for anything. PRESENTER: So the stadium is off the table in any negotiation? DEAN WINTER: We are absolutely committed to the stadium. We wouldn't be negotiating building a stadium for that sort of thing, no. PRESENTER: Even if it could cost you government? DEAN WINTER: I am totally and utterly committed to it. It was a strong commitment to the contentious build in a week when the Labor leader felt the scorn of the Tasmania Devils football club, and of Devils fans who allege his successful no-confidence motion in the premier has placed the stadium, and the team, in jeopardy. It comes off the back of a letter to the AFL, which further confirmed his support for a stadium, and continued allegiance to the build despite an unpopular shift in planning processes for the project, rushed special legislation that was due to be voted on next month, and a rising cost to the state to build it. Premier Jeremy Rockliff has championed the stadium, and the Devils, since signing the controversial team licence agreement with the AFL in early 2023. At a press conference in Devonport on Saturday, the premier, who has so far refused to resign his post despite Labor's successful no-confidence motion against him, declared similar support: REPORTER: On the stadium, are you taking it off the table in any negotiations? Is it an absolute rock solid guarantee that stadium is part of your future plans? JEREMY ROCKLIFF: Yes. REPORTER: Even if you can't form government? JEREMY ROCKLIFF: Yes. REPORTER: The stadium is part of your plans? JEREMY ROCKLIFF: Of course it is. I'm passionate about it. We've been waiting for an AFL or AFLW team for over four decades here. But it's unknown whether a different Liberal leader would ditch the stadium in order to shore up crossbench support, in a bid to dodge an election and continue to govern. So far, Jeremy Rockliff has been unchallenged for the leadership of his party. Whether that changes in the coming days remains to be seen. The AFL's club presidents, who play a major role in the approval of new team licences, and who rubberstamped the deal between Tasmania and the league, are watching closely. Hawthorn president Andy Gowers told the ABC any changes to the current deal would lead to a reconsideration of the agreement that grants Tasmania its long-awaited team. "If there's any change to that, based on what happens from a government point of view, or any other reason, then we'd have to reconsider. "So, at the moment, we've voted for the team and stadium, and if there's any change to what we've agreed to, we will have to consider it." Mr Gowers will be one of 18 presidents who will speak with Devils chair Grant O'Brien in Melbourne next Tuesday. When asked what questions he would have for Mr O'Brien, he said: "How can I help?" Cold water has also been poured on the prospect of a pivot to the alternate, privately backed "Stadium 2.0" proposal for a 23,000-seat roofed stadium at nearby Regatta Point, jutting into freshly reclaimed land on the River Derwent. The ABC understands no meetings have taken place between project proponents Dean Coleman and former Labor premier Paul Lennon, and the AFL. It is also understood there is no desire from the AFL to consider the alternative proposal. In a statement to the ABC, an AFL spokesperson said: "A clear component of the licence bid from the Tasmanian taskforce was a new roofed stadium at Macquarie Point with a capacity of at least 23,000. "The AFL's continued position is that this is a condition for the grant of the 19th licence." The Liberal government has never supported the 2.0 project, declaring it recently to be "dead, buried and cremated". But Mr Winter conceded Labor would maintain a level of support for the concept, believing it could come into play should the Macquarie Point project be unable to proceed. He said he met with proponent Dean Coleman in April, but that Macquarie Point remained his priority unless there was no way it could be built. "I told him that, as I continue to say, we support the premier's proposal, we are going to support the process, at that stage I think we [referring to the] POSS [Project of State Significance planning process] but since then we have announced support for the [Macquarie Point stadium enabling] legislation."
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
Shadow industrial relations minister Tim Wilson backs wage rise but blasts Labor for ‘milking' small business
The Coalition has expressed support for the recent minimum wage increase but warned the Albanese government is failing businesses who must absorb higher labour costs. Shadow industrial relations minister Tim Wilson told Sky News Sunday Agenda that Labor has left small businesses behind due to its economic inaction. 'As Liberals, we always support higher wages. The big question for all of us is, what is the government then doing to help small business to be able to afford them?' Mr Wilson said. 'They're not helping small business on tax, they're not helping small business on regulation. They're not doing anything to improve the overall economic conditions. 'We've just got government milking small business rather than empowering them to be in a position to afford these wage increases.' His remarks follow the Fair Work Commission decision to lift the national minimum wage by 3.5 per cent—equating to an extra $0.84 per hour, bringing the rate to $24.94. The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) has warned the wage increase could tip vulnerable businesses over the edge. 'Ultimately, someone needs to pay here and overwhelmingly that will be small business,' COSBOA CEO Luke Achterstraat said on Tuesday. 'The irony here is that our industrial relations system continues to be a drag on productivity, and that is bad for workers and businesses.' Mr Achterstraat reiterated COSBOA's longstanding call for productivity reform to accompany wage growth. 'We have repeatedly warned that higher wages without higher productivity is a disaster waiting to happen,' he said. 'To ensure that our children don't endure a lower standard of living than us, we need to boost productivity – our workplace settings have a direct impact on this outcome.' Mr Wilson said the real path to higher wages lies in supporting overall business growth, not simply raising minimum wages. 'If the answer to improving wages is seeing small businesses fall over, we're not actually improving opportunities for more jobs, better paid jobs,' he said. 'The Liberal solution to getting wages up is to have small businesses being successful.' Mr Wilson also flagged the need to modernise Australia's industrial relations system to prepare for future challenges, including the rise of artificial intelligence. 'If we don't actually grapple with this and lead into this challenge, we might as a nation find ourselves very much in a position of being uncompetitive,' he warned. 'Labor's outdated thinking around industrial relations is based on the legacy of 19th century thinking. It's not based on where my focus is, which is building an employment environment for the 21st century.' The minimum wage increase will come into effect on July 1.
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
'It's real, it's fast': Shadow employment minister Tim Wilson sounds alarm on the threat of AI on Australia's workforce
Shadow employment minister Tim Wilson has sounded the alarm on artificial intelligence (AI) being on track to upturn Australia's workforce. Mr Wilson, who oversees the Coalition's industrial relations, employment and small business portfolios, said the Albanese government had 'outdated thinking' which risked Australia becoming 'uncompetitive' if it fails to adapt to the unstoppable force of AI. Speaking to Sky News Sunday Agenda, Mr Wilson expressed concern about 'emergent challenges' surrounding industrial relations, particularly the advent of AI. ' A classic example (of future IR challenges)… is going to be the emergence of artificial intelligence and how it's going to change the structure of the workplace,' he said. 'If we don't actually grapple with this and lean into this challenge, we might as a nation find ourselves very much in a position of being uncompetitive.' Mr Wilson said the employment uptake of US graduates into industries exposed to AI had declined and warned the same challenge was 'coming at us'. 'It's real. It's fast, and it's going to be one that we have to start to lean into as a country,' he said. 'A lot of Labor's outdated thinking around industrial relations is based on the legacy of 19th century thinking. It is not based on where my focus is, which is building an employment environment for the 21st century.' Last week, Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg told Sky News that Mr Wilson made a 'good point' by highlighting the Australian education system was not keeping up with the demand for AI in the workforce. Mr Bragg said Australia needed to prepare for the 'massive disruption' AI would have. 'Right now, what you see is a huge war between China and the US on who can best develop and deploy AI in their economy,' he said. 'I don't think we had the opportunity to talk to the Australian people about the great opportunities that can be found in these disruptive technologies like AI. 'But the good news is we still have time to do it over the next few years, and that's what we're looking to do alongside our other economic colleagues, Ted O'Brien, James Paterson, Tim Wilson.'
