Colin Boyce to move spill motion for leadership of National Party today; Fresh details of internal negotiations emerge after Hastie pulls out of Liberal leadership race
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has accused both major parties of failing to defend Australian democracy after former Trump strategist Steve Bannon said he was behind Clive Palmer’s record-breaking advertising campaign during the 2019 federal election.
He described the statements as a direct threat to Australia’s democratic system, saying: “This is clearly an attack on the sovereignty of our elections and the direction of our nation. This is foreign interference and it worked.”
Hanson-Young questioned why none of the major parties had issued a strong response, asking: “Seriously, when will the Labor or Liberal parties stand up to this right-wing US rot and defend Australia’s democracy?”
He said the campaign reflected the interests of powerful actors opposed to climate action, adding: “Isn’t it surprising that these mega-rich, far-right men want to stop climate action and fuel xenophobia?”
Hanson-Young argued that Australia’s fragility revealed deeper problems in its relations with Washington.
“The fact that Australia is an easy choice for them says everything about how the major parties manage our relationship with America.
“Both Labor and the Liberals have made us victims of the USA. Look at the billions of dollars Australians are paying for AUKUS, even while President Trump is crazier and more dangerous than ever.”
