The ACT Greens new leadership, Deputy Leader Jo Clay and Leader Shane Rattenbury. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
Ginninderra MLA Jo Clay has been elected the ACT Greens Deputy Leader after a ballot of party members.
Ms Clay replaces former Kurrajong MLA Rebecca Vassarotti who failed to retain her seat at the Legislative Assembly election in October.
She was the only candidate for the position but still had to go to the members to be confirmed in the role.
The ACT Greens are the only state and territory-level political party in the country to offer one-member-one-vote leadership elections.
In August last year, the party decided to shift leadership decisions from the Legislative Assembly party room to their members’ hands.
In March, the ACT Greens held an Australian-first ballot of members to determine the Leader and Deputy Leader of a political party.
Ms Clay is the party’s spokesperson on Planning and Urban Renewal, Environment, Circular Economy and Waste, Arts and the Nighttime Economy, Animal Welfare and Heritage.
She indicated that the Greens, now that the party was not tied to Labor in a governing coalition and bound by cabinet solidarity, would continue to stake out new ground in ACT politics and present new policies.
“With four Greens on the crossbench this term, we will push for bolder change on environment, housing and climate to provide Canberra with a constructive, collaborative and progressive alternative option to the major parties,” Ms Clay said.
Greens Leader Shane Rattenbury said the party was lucky to have Ms Clay step up as Deputy Leader, bringing her experience as a strong voice for Ginninderra and a tireless advocate for progressive change into the leadership team.
“Over the next four years, I’m confident that she will be a driving force on climate action, building more affordable housing and making our city easier to get around by improving our transport network,” he said.
“Leadership is about empowering, uniting and elevating the voices of people across our community to achieve a shared vision for the world we share.”
ACT Greens Party Director Philippa Moss said grassroots democracy was central to how the ACT Greens did politics.
“In everything we do, we want to ensure people have a say in decisions that impact them,” she said.
“The ACT Greens continue to lead the way as the only party where members choose their leadership team in the ACT parliament.”
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