After twenty years as a member, including a 15-year tenure as a parliamentary representative, Franks stated that she felt compelled to leave.
“I felt I had no choice,” she said.
“I couldn’t reward bad behaviour any longer and I could not be silenced in the way that I have been.”
“I’ve been undermined by a group of Greens members and staffers from my colleague’s office,” she added.
She alleged that her troubles were rooted in the political ambitions of certain staff members who initially pushed her aside from running in the upcoming election and subsequently lodged a 100-page misconduct complaint against her.
“I joined a political party, not a cult,” she said.Â
“I joined a political party with processes that when an allegation was made, it should have been investigated properly.”Â
She also alleged the ringleader of the internal revolt is still employed in the office of Robert Simms, the remaining Greens MP in state parliament.
Simms responded to the resignation with a statement, calling it “a profoundly disappointing outcome for the Greens and me personally”.
The news of her resignation took many by surprise in parliament. Treasurer Stephen Mullighan expressed his astonishment, stating, “I’m shocked to be honest, I don’t think anyone was expecting this”, while independent MP Frank Pangallo praised Franks as “a good member who has served the state well”.
Now sitting as an independent, Franks said there will be no surprises in how she votes on legislation and that her decision to quit the Greens has got nothing to do with ideology.
The move could have spurred a political revival. While Franks previously said she wouldn’t run again at the next election, she’s now refusing to rule it out.
