9 September 1999
Press Release

Prebble Can't Count - Greens

The Green Party say comments from ACT MP Richard Prebble today, regarding the Greens splitting from the Alliance, show he is concerned by the party's rising fortunes.

Today Richard Prebble accused the Greens of abandoning the party that promoted them in order to gain $65,000 of parliamentary funding.

"This is wrong on both counts," said Green Co-leader Rod Donald. "Firstly, unlike a number of current MPs, we have not left our party. We were Greens before the election and we remain Greens today.

"Secondly, Prebble clearly cannot count. Approximately $30,000 of parliamentary funding will transfer from the Alliance to the Greens and out of that we will continue to pay for the staff who have worked for us throughout the parliamentary term."

Rod Donald said that with the latest poll showing the Greens rising past three per cent, and the ACT vote slipping below the five per cent threshold, Richard Prebble was obviously a very worried man.

"It is important to note that this separation will not cost the taxpayer a cent, and nor should it," he said.

"Although the Green Party separated from the Alliance in 1997, Jeanette Fitzsimons and I stayed under the Alliance umbrella until yesterday - the effective start of the election campaign. When the House briefly resumes we will continue to vote for the policies under which we were elected.

"The Greens totally reject Prebble's claims that we have dishonoured our pledges."

ENDS

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