Perth Voice Interactive

WA GREENS senator Scott Ludlam describes his political career as on a ”knife-edge”.

He says the decimation of the Greens in the March state election—dropping from five to two MLCs—was a wake-up call: “In a perverse way the result has galvanised the party and attendances at party meetings have rocketed since the state election,” he says.

“It has made us all really focused and increased our determination to succeed at the September federal election.

“In fact I’ve never see so much interest in the senate elections before, because people realise it maybe the only way of stopping Tony Abbott having complete control over parliament.”

His re-election chance has been made more difficult with former West Coast Eagle David Wirrpanda announcing he’ll run as a Nationals senate candidate.

The Nationals in WA are enjoying surging popularity courtesy of Royalties for Regions and Mr Wirrpanda’s celebrity may suck vital preferences from Senator Ludlam’s count.

On Friday Senator Ludlam will participate in a debate with fringe political parties, including the Pirate Party, the Sex Party and WikiLeaks Party at the WA State Library.

He says the debate, organised by left-wing lobbyists GetUp! will make a refreshing change from the tired “Coke v Pepsi” debates featuring the Labor and Liberal parties.

“I couldn’t care less what people think about the calibre of the line-up,” he says.

“The Greens started off as a small party and built up their support base.

“People are tired of listening to the same tired old rhetoric from the big two, the public want more choice and opinions.”

The debate is chaired by retired political journo Peter Kennedy Friday June 14 (yesterday, if you have an early Voice) at the WA State Library.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK