I've been a little busy in recent days and have neglected my blog. Loads of things taking place in my life (changes) that have occupied my time.
Last night I was lucky to be given the chance to visit a local Greens group (Bankstown) and chat to them. This was a visit that I suggested some time ago and other people came along and piggy backed on my pro activeness and desire to speak informally to local groups. I was allocated 20 minutes to speak and re-iterated my main messages of One-dimensionality and Diversity. These are issues I feel very strongly about with regards to the Greens and their future growth and support. I'm not sure how effective this message is but I will soldier on.
Not surprisingly I was quizzed by a member from the same local group as one of the other candidates (there always seemed to be one in an audience?) on my length of time in the Greens and probed about my contribution. My answer went something like this:
Up til now I have preferred to keep my own house in order and lead by example. I can't give a dossier on my activist's accomplishments because there are none. In leading by example I choose not to own a car, I grow my own fruit and veggies and I teach my kids of their responsibilities to the world. I find it ironic that someone can speak at a climate change rally and then hop in their car to drive home. It took me years to join the Greens after much deliberation and thought because I didn't want to join for the sake of it and I also had to be able to give some of my time to the group. In the last month or so I have seen nothing that makes me think I couldn't be a stellar representative for the Greens in parliament and as time goes on I'm even more convinced that I would be a formidable Senator. Yes it is true that my name and face is not familiar but if I didn't think I could do this, and do it well, I wouldn't be here. Furthermore, if the process is some sort of pseudo-promotion scheme for long-termers than someone should have told me so I didn't waste anyone's time.
I would have liked the chat to be longer but because of the other candidates my time was limited. One more meeting to go and the circus will be just about over. But of course if I happen to be highly regarded and gain significant votes then my work would have only just begun.
