Share this @internewscast.com
Standing alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Perth on Monday, West Australian senator Dorinda Cox announced she was quitting the Greens to sit with Labor in the upper house.
The surprise move is a setback for the minor party, which has now lost its only Indigenous representative after losing three of its four lower house seats in the May federal election.
Leader Larissa Waters said she received a phone call from Senator Cox an hour before her press conference with Mr Albanese.
“We had a very calm and measured conversation about it, and I do genuinely wish her all the best,” she told the ABC on Tuesday.

“There’s no hard feelings. Although it’s disappointing for us to lose a Greens senator, Dorinda feels her values align more with theirs.”

But Senator Waters appeared to question this while pointing to Labor’s decision to extend the North West Shelf gas project off the West Australian coast, which she said would impact ancient Indigenous rock art.
“Those values are not consistent with Greens values,” she said.

“We’ve opposed this move. However, Senator Cox has decided that this party suits her better, and we wish her all the best.”

Dorinda Cox and Anthony Albanese in Perth

Mr. Albanese mentioned that Senator Cox had spoken to him regarding her decision to change parties. Source: AAP / Richard Wainwright/AAPImage

Asked about Senator Cox becoming the second Indigenous woman to quit the Greens – after now-independent senator Lydia Thorpe – Senator Waters said they had “very different reasons” for leaving.

“The Greens remain entirely committed to strong advocacy on truth telling, on treaties, on justice, on healing, on reparations,” she said.
Senator Cox, a Yamatji-Noongar woman, joined the upper house in 2021 to fill a Greens vacancy and had been the party’s Indigenous affairs spokesperson.

In 2024, she suggested the Albanese government was “not interested” in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

But on Monday, Senator Cox said she felt her values and priorities were better aligned with Labor than the Greens.
“I’ve worked hard to make Australia fairer and much more reconciled, but recently, I’ve lost some confidence in the capacity for the Greens to assist me in being able to progress this,” she told reporters.
While she was not required to run in the May election after winning a six-year term in 2022, Senator Cox reportedly had concerns about her likely position on the WA Greens senate ticket going into the 2028 poll.
Mr Albanese said Senator Cox, the first Indigenous woman to represent WA in the upper house, approached him about the switch.
Senator Cox was accused of bullying Greens staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament’s workplace support service.
Mr Albanese said the allegations had been examined.
“They were all dealt with in Senator Cox’s case and dealt with appropriately,” he said.

Labor will still require the support of either the Greens or the coalition in the Senate to pass legislation.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

US Supreme Court Broadens Presidential Authority in Significant Decision

The United States Supreme Court has handed President Donald Trump a major…

“Australia Designates ‘Terrorgram’ as a Terrorist Organization: A Notorious Group-Chat Linked to Malicious Activities”

The Australian federal government has officially recognized the white supremacist network Terrorgram…
Woolworths Group will pay $100 million to shut down the online marketplace MyDeal to reduce its losses and focus on more profitable parts of the business.

Woolworths Closes Major Online Retail Platform

Woolworths is set to invest $100 million to close down the online…

East Coast Prepares for Possible Severe Weather Conditions

A looming low pressure system is set to intensify, bringing possible flooding…

‘It’s Fatal’: Why the UN Warns of Dangerous Flaws in the New Gaza Aid System

The United Nations Secretary-General has termed the new US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation…

Exploring Australia’s $17.3 Trillion Wealth: A Breakdown of Where the Money Resides

New findings from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveal that household…
A police officer is decorated with Taylor Swift bracelets while guarding the city centre in Vienna on August 8, 2024.

Accomplice in Alleged Plot to Attack Taylor Swift Concerts Charged in Germany

Earlier this month, a Berlin court received an indictment against a young…

The Global Fascination with Australia’s ‘Mushroom Murder’ Trial

Recently, the regional Victorian town of Morwell has gained global attention. Patterson…
Christopher Moore, was dropped off on Twelve Mile Road, Jerrawangala, about 32km south of Nowra, at 10.30am on Wednesday.

Search Initiated for Missing 38-Year-Old Camper in NSW After Failing to Return from Trip

An investigation has begun after a 38-year-old man did not return from…
Chrystina Page, right, holds back Heather De Wolf, as she yells at Jon Hallford, left, the owner of Back to Nature Funeral Home, as he leaves with his lawyers following a preliminary hearing, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, outside the El Paso County Judicial Building in Colorado Springs, Colo

Funeral Home Director Sentenced to 20 Years for Storing Almost 190 Decomposing Bodies

A funeral home owner in Colorado was sentenced to 20 years in…

The Influence of Seasons and Weekdays on Sleep Patterns

New research has highlighted how external factors, such as day, season, and…

Pete Hegseth Celebrates ‘Unprecedented Triumph’ of Strikes as Iran Claims ‘No Benefits Achieved’

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has said he was unaware of any…