Council
26 April, 2024
MP elected, new co-deputy
WESTERN Victoria MP Sarah Mansfield has been elected as co-deputy of the Victorian Greens, vowing to fight to address inequality in regional Victoria.
The Victorian Greens elected Ellen Sandell as their new leader, with Western Victorian representative Dr Sarah Mansfield as one of her two deputies.
Sam Hibbins, Greens MP for Prahran, was named the other co-deputy Greens leader.
Dr Mansfield is the first Greens MP to represent a rural or regional area in Victoria.
One of her new responsibilities will be to lead Victorian Greens’ business in the Legislative Council, where the Greens hold the balance of power.
“As co-deputy of the Victorian Greens, I will ensure that towns like Geelong and Ballarat, along with farming and coastal communities across the regions, are fairly and firmly represented in our parliament,” Dr Mansfield said.
“I entered politics because I am passionate about addressing inequality, including regional disadvantage.
“The Greens are here to give a voice to all those who are feeling let down by politicians.
“Labor has no vision and no policies that prioritise our health and the health of our environment.”
The new Greens leadership united in challenging Labor to fix the worsening housing crisis or risk losing more lower house seats at the next election.
Dr Mansfield said the major parties would continue to haemorrhage voters if they both continue to “ignore the thousands of Victorians who are in housing stress and unable to find an affordable home”.
“People want an alternative to the duopoly of Labor and Liberal - the Greens are that alternative; we’re not just here to hold governments to account but to take them on,” she said.
“The Greens have a positive vision for our future and we will fight to get outcomes on the issues that are impacting people right now across our state, like housing affordability, cost of living and the climate crisis.
“We will use our power in the upper house to achieve real change for people regardless of where they live.
“We are not content to tinker around the edges of deep-rooted inequalities. We are here to shake things up.”