Don't blame Labor for election losses, Barr tells Greens

Chief Minister Andrew Barr has hit back at claims from the Greens that they were dudded in the ministerial carve-up in 2020 and won’t be as naïve in negotiations this time around, if they decide to participate inside the government.

Leader Shane Rattenbury told Region that the Greens were still deliberating whether to be in cabinet or support Labor from the crossbench, but they certainly won’t accept arrangements that leave the party worse off.

“The administrative arrangements in the 2020 term were complicated, unnecessarily complicated, and they dissected portfolios in ways that were unhelpful,” Mr Rattenbury said.

He said the Greens’ successes were sometimes invisible, but the party had to wear the government’s shortcomings.

But Mr Barr said that in government, you don’t just get to be the minister for good news in the areas that interest you.

“You also have to have a role as a minister in cabinet, and you have to deal with all of the issues that emerge. I more than anyone appreciate the frustration that you want to spend most of your time on the things that you took to the election that were priorities for you,” he said.

“But the business of government often takes you off that path substantially for extended periods of time, and I can give no better example than COVID that took up 2.5 years of a four-year term and became almost the sole focus for government for an extended period of time.

“So I think in politics, sometimes things happen that aren’t within your control.”

Mr Barr’s comments came as the fifth seat in Brindabella still hung in the balance, with the Electoral Commission making little headway in the count.

Liberal James Daniel, Green Laura Nuttall and Labor’s Mick Gentleman are still in the race although the Green is favoured.

In Murrumbidgee, the Liberal pair of Ed Cocks and Amardeep Singh remained locked in a tight battle to take the final seat there.

The results have significant ramifications for not only the makeup of the government but also the Canberra Liberals’ leadership.

A Laura Nuttall win will strengthen the Greens’ hand in its dealings with Labor. If James Daniel wins, it will add a moderate to the party room, which could help Elizabeth Lee retain the leadership. Also, Mr Hanson will be hoping Mr Cocks is successful so he can keep his close colleague in his column.

Mr Barr said Labor was happy to work with the crossbench in a variety of different ways, including with no Greens in cabinet, which occurred between 2008 and 2012.

“We’ll have those conversations next week, based on the time frames, but we would need to resolve whatever that arrangement is ahead of the first Assembly sitting, which I understand is scheduled for the 6th of November,” he said.

Mr Barr said he would be comfortable working with Mr Rattenbury in Cabinet and it tended to be a more efficient process.

He acknowledged there were lessons to be learned from the election, particularly in Tuggeranong, where the swing against Labor was most pronounced.

That’s good news for the oft-ignored south, with Mr Barr saying there would be a renewed focus there as Labor looked to rebuild its support.

On the Liberal leadership, Mr Barr said that was a matter for that party but he acknowledged that Jeremy Hanson had been a formidable opponent.

He said it was a divided party, but no one was a centrist or even centre-left in the spectrum of ACT politics.

“It’s centre right or far right,” he said. “That’s where they sit, and I think people know that.”