'Lost confidence': WA Greens senator defects to Labor

The Advertiser

2 days ago

West Australian senator Dorinda Cox has defected from the Greens to Labor.
Senator Cox, who was first elected to the upper house in 2021 to fill a vacancy for the Greens, said her values had aligned more with Labor.
She approached Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, offering to join Labor and bolster its ranks in the Senate.
"I've worked hard to make Australia fairer and much more reconciled, but recently, I've lost some confidence in the capacity for the Greens to assist me in being able to progress this," Senator Cox told reporters in Perth on Monday.
"I feel reassured with my experience, my skills and my knowledge, I can continue to collaborate and build on the existing relationships with an already amazing team of Labor MPs across the country."
Senator Cox, who was a member of the Labor Party before she joined the Greens, will be formally admitted into Labor on Tuesday.
Mr Albanese said Senator Cox, the first Indigenous woman to represent WA in the upper house, would be a welcome addition to the government benches.
"She wants to be part of a team that's delivering progress for this country by being a part of a government that can make decisions, to make a difference," 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."
The senator said improvements for Indigenous people would be more achievable within the government than from the crossbench.
"It was a decision that I made, and I made that based on some deep reflection," she said.
"It was one that I considered both at a professional level, but also at a personal level. So this wasn't a decision that I did on the hop or based on emotion."
Senator Cox was accused of bullying staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service.
Mr Albanese said the allegations had been examined.
"They were all dealt with in Senator Cox's case and dealt with appropriately," he said.
Senator Cox only informed Greens leader Larissa Waters of her decision to leave the party 90 minutes before her defection was announced.
She will join the government ranks despite having made previous comments critical of Labor policy.
Senator Cox had previously spoken out against Woodside's North-West Shelf gas project, which Labor on Wednesday granted an extension until 2070.
Pressed on her previous opposition to the project, Senator Cox said she did not want to comment on the issue as the extension was still being provisionally approved.
"Obviously, I will be working with the Labor government now to ensure that we tread a pathway forward in ensuring that there's a delivery of what's required for the Australian public, particularly for the West Australian public," she said.
"I would need to look at the provisional approval that's been made by (Environment Minister Murray Watt)."
Senator Cox also criticised the Albanese government in August, saying it was not interested in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
She had also said Australia was complicit in "making Israel's war crimes possible" in reference to the conflict in the Middle East.
West Australian senator Dorinda Cox has defected from the Greens to Labor.
Senator Cox, who was first elected to the upper house in 2021 to fill a vacancy for the Greens, said her values had aligned more with Labor.
She approached Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, offering to join Labor and bolster its ranks in the Senate.
"I've worked hard to make Australia fairer and much more reconciled, but recently, I've lost some confidence in the capacity for the Greens to assist me in being able to progress this," Senator Cox told reporters in Perth on Monday.
"I feel reassured with my experience, my skills and my knowledge, I can continue to collaborate and build on the existing relationships with an already amazing team of Labor MPs across the country."
Senator Cox, who was a member of the Labor Party before she joined the Greens, will be formally admitted into Labor on Tuesday.
Mr Albanese said Senator Cox, the first Indigenous woman to represent WA in the upper house, would be a welcome addition to the government benches.
"She wants to be part of a team that's delivering progress for this country by being a part of a government that can make decisions, to make a difference," 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."
The senator said improvements for Indigenous people would be more achievable within the government than from the crossbench.
"It was a decision that I made, and I made that based on some deep reflection," she said.
"It was one that I considered both at a professional level, but also at a personal level. So this wasn't a decision that I did on the hop or based on emotion."
Senator Cox was accused of bullying staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service.
Mr Albanese said the allegations had been examined.
"They were all dealt with in Senator Cox's case and dealt with appropriately," he said.
Senator Cox only informed Greens leader Larissa Waters of her decision to leave the party 90 minutes before her defection was announced.
She will join the government ranks despite having made previous comments critical of Labor policy.
Senator Cox had previously spoken out against Woodside's North-West Shelf gas project, which Labor on Wednesday granted an extension until 2070.
Pressed on her previous opposition to the project, Senator Cox said she did not want to comment on the issue as the extension was still being provisionally approved.
"Obviously, I will be working with the Labor government now to ensure that we tread a pathway forward in ensuring that there's a delivery of what's required for the Australian public, particularly for the West Australian public," she said.
"I would need to look at the provisional approval that's been made by (Environment Minister Murray Watt)."
Senator Cox also criticised the Albanese government in August, saying it was not interested in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
She had also said Australia was complicit in "making Israel's war crimes possible" in reference to the conflict in the Middle East.
West Australian senator Dorinda Cox has defected from the Greens to Labor.
Senator Cox, who was first elected to the upper house in 2021 to fill a vacancy for the Greens, said her values had aligned more with Labor.
She approached Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, offering to join Labor and bolster its ranks in the Senate.
"I've worked hard to make Australia fairer and much more reconciled, but recently, I've lost some confidence in the capacity for the Greens to assist me in being able to progress this," Senator Cox told reporters in Perth on Monday.
"I feel reassured with my experience, my skills and my knowledge, I can continue to collaborate and build on the existing relationships with an already amazing team of Labor MPs across the country."
Senator Cox, who was a member of the Labor Party before she joined the Greens, will be formally admitted into Labor on Tuesday.
Mr Albanese said Senator Cox, the first Indigenous woman to represent WA in the upper house, would be a welcome addition to the government benches.
"She wants to be part of a team that's delivering progress for this country by being a part of a government that can make decisions, to make a difference," 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."
The senator said improvements for Indigenous people would be more achievable within the government than from the crossbench.
"It was a decision that I made, and I made that based on some deep reflection," she said.
"It was one that I considered both at a professional level, but also at a personal level. So this wasn't a decision that I did on the hop or based on emotion."
Senator Cox was accused of bullying staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service.
Mr Albanese said the allegations had been examined.
"They were all dealt with in Senator Cox's case and dealt with appropriately," he said.
Senator Cox only informed Greens leader Larissa Waters of her decision to leave the party 90 minutes before her defection was announced.
She will join the government ranks despite having made previous comments critical of Labor policy.
Senator Cox had previously spoken out against Woodside's North-West Shelf gas project, which Labor on Wednesday granted an extension until 2070.
Pressed on her previous opposition to the project, Senator Cox said she did not want to comment on the issue as the extension was still being provisionally approved.
"Obviously, I will be working with the Labor government now to ensure that we tread a pathway forward in ensuring that there's a delivery of what's required for the Australian public, particularly for the West Australian public," she said.
"I would need to look at the provisional approval that's been made by (Environment Minister Murray Watt)."
Senator Cox also criticised the Albanese government in August, saying it was not interested in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
She had also said Australia was complicit in "making Israel's war crimes possible" in reference to the conflict in the Middle East.
West Australian senator Dorinda Cox has defected from the Greens to Labor.
Senator Cox, who was first elected to the upper house in 2021 to fill a vacancy for the Greens, said her values had aligned more with Labor.
She approached Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, offering to join Labor and bolster its ranks in the Senate.
"I've worked hard to make Australia fairer and much more reconciled, but recently, I've lost some confidence in the capacity for the Greens to assist me in being able to progress this," Senator Cox told reporters in Perth on Monday.
"I feel reassured with my experience, my skills and my knowledge, I can continue to collaborate and build on the existing relationships with an already amazing team of Labor MPs across the country."
Senator Cox, who was a member of the Labor Party before she joined the Greens, will be formally admitted into Labor on Tuesday.
Mr Albanese said Senator Cox, the first Indigenous woman to represent WA in the upper house, would be a welcome addition to the government benches.
"She wants to be part of a team that's delivering progress for this country by being a part of a government that can make decisions, to make a difference," 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."
The senator said improvements for Indigenous people would be more achievable within the government than from the crossbench.
"It was a decision that I made, and I made that based on some deep reflection," she said.
"It was one that I considered both at a professional level, but also at a personal level. So this wasn't a decision that I did on the hop or based on emotion."
Senator Cox was accused of bullying staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service.
Mr Albanese said the allegations had been examined.
"They were all dealt with in Senator Cox's case and dealt with appropriately," he said.
Senator Cox only informed Greens leader Larissa Waters of her decision to leave the party 90 minutes before her defection was announced.
She will join the government ranks despite having made previous comments critical of Labor policy.
Senator Cox had previously spoken out against Woodside's North-West Shelf gas project, which Labor on Wednesday granted an extension until 2070.
Pressed on her previous opposition to the project, Senator Cox said she did not want to comment on the issue as the extension was still being provisionally approved.
"Obviously, I will be working with the Labor government now to ensure that we tread a pathway forward in ensuring that there's a delivery of what's required for the Australian public, particularly for the West Australian public," she said.
"I would need to look at the provisional approval that's been made by (Environment Minister Murray Watt)."
Senator Cox also criticised the Albanese government in August, saying it was not interested in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
She had also said Australia was complicit in "making Israel's war crimes possible" in reference to the conflict in the Middle East.