Following the announcement of her resignation as leader of the Greens last month, Senator Christine Milne has claimed the end of her career in the Senate does not signify the end her career of political activism, in her final speech delivered to the Senate yesterday evening.
Milne was adamant in her dedication to the Greens’ cause in her final address.
“It is a case of striving to seek to find, and not to yield, or as Peter Cundall in Tasmania would say, ‘we will never ever give up’. And that is essentially where the Greens come from, and it’s where I come from. I’m an activist.I’m not leaving politics, I’m not leaving the Greens, I’m leaving political representation, but for the Greens, activism is everything in and out of the Parliament. And I will be there as an activist, purple stockings and more dangerous than ever.”
On the occasion of Christine Milne’s final speech to the Senate, even Attorney General George Brandis praised the former Greens leader, despite their long history of “bitter differences”.
“On the occasion of someone’s farewell, it is appropriate to put to one side political differences, perhaps even bitter differences of political opinion and to acknowledge their service. You [Milne] are one of the relatively few Australians to give your life to public affairs and to the causes about which you felt passionate, and for that you should be respected and thanked and admired.”
Labor Senator Penny Wong also praised Milne, saying, “I salute you” for Mine’s leading of a major political party – an unfortunate rarity for women in Australian politics.
LNP Senator Matthew Canavan also paid tribute to Christine Milne, which you can watch below.
Via ABC.
Lead image by Stefan Postles via Getty.
