Aussie elections: Peter Garretts' defection?

It is possible Greens will have increased their senate seats to 5 or 6 - good news indeed - however one disappointing piece of news I heard was the defection of former Nuclear Disarmament party candidate and eco-warrior rock star Peter Garrett.

Both the governing rightwing coalition and the Labor opposition are keen to build a pulp mill that would chew up the forests in Tasmania and create pollution. Peter Garrett, as a would-be Labor minister has been arguing that the pulp mill is a beautiful thing, a best-practice, environmentally sound job creation scheme. As Derek Wall writes: "It's like Sting turning up as transport minister here and calling for new runway at Heathrow."

I met Peter Garrett a couple of times when I worked for Community Aid Abroad (now called the Australian Oxfam) managing their Sydney Office - it was back in the mid-80s and I was somewhat in awe of this larger than life bald-headed dynamic campaigner and lead-singer of Midnight Oil. It does seem strange that this radical whom I talked with is now supporting the corporate-friendly policies of ALP - even declaring his support for an American base in Western Australia - quite a change from one who sang: "US forces give the nod/It’s a setback for your country" from the Oil’s 1982 hit US Forces.

Indeed many in the Green movement have been upset by his 'defection/betrayal' and question his credibility - see for example blog comments here and here. By all accounts his move has effected voting - however I hope Greens still manage a strong showing and perhaps once in power Garrett can raise the issues like climate change effectively? In some of his speeches he still seems to understand the urgency of action re social justice and the environment but I will need to see and hear a lot more to be convinced - and certainly evidence like the US base and the pulp mill do not help.