Monash University Media Release
Senator for Western Australia Dorinda Cox has announced she is leaving The Greens to join Labor ranks in the Federal Senate.
Dr Zareh Ghazarian, Head of Politics and International Relations Discipline, Monash School of Social Sciences says that:
“Things seem to be getting worse for the Greens. Not only did they lose three seats in the House of Representatives, but they’ve also now lost a senator. Making this particularly galling for the Greens would be the fact that the senator has decided to join the Labor Party.
“Party defections are not uncommon in Australian politics. In the last parliament, for example, the Coalition lost a couple of MPs who decided to serve their term as an Independent, Labor lost Senator Fatima Payman who launched the Australia’s Voice party, and Senator Lidia Thorpe left the Greens to serve as an Independent.
“Senator Dorinda Cox’s decision will mean Labor has gained one more seat in the Senate, but will still need to negotiate with the other senators or the Greens to get a majority vote in the chamber.
“Perhaps one of the most high profile defections occurred in 1997 when the then leader of the Australian Democrats, Cheryl Kernot, left the party and joined Labor. This was particularly shocking as the Democrats had famously campaigned on a message of keeping a close watch on how both major parties were performing in government.”
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Dr Zareh Ghazarian: Thanks for this contribution. Green preferences gave Labor a record post-1914 Majority. Let’s have more consensus-building within Australian Progressive Politics
This defection doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense and seems to be more about personal ambition than serving the WA electorate.
Many voters vote tactically when it comes to the Senate, and I can imagine that there will be a fair bit of annoyance that Cox has chosen now to defect.
It will be interesting to see what One Nations’ two new senators do once they come under Pauline’s erratic policy discipline.
Agree with Terry.
I think this is a dishonest move by Cox.
I think we may need to consider a ‘Recall’ system in Australia to handle people who get themselves elected to one Party and then, within weeks of the election in this case, choose to jump the fence to another party without the approval of their electorate.
Off the top of my head we have had in recent times Senator Lidia Thorpe (Vic) resigned from the Australian Greens and now sits as an Independent. Senator Fatima Payman (WA) resigned from the ALP to start her own party.
Senator Tammy Tyrrell (Tas) resigned from the Jacqui Lambie Network and now sits as an Independent and Jacquie Lambie herself who was a member of the Labor and Liberal parties in Tasmania before deciding to enter politics as an independent. Choosing to seek a position in the Senate, but after being elected to represent the Palmer United Party she jumped ship and started her own party.
Personally I see this sort of duplicity as an insult to the electorate and believe that we need a mechanism whereby, a petition of at least 25% of the electorate, could bring about a byelection if the politician in question refuses to give up the seat.
This, in the case of a senate seat would mean 25% of the entire state electorate but still manageable.
Any thoughts ?
It seems that the frustration of personal ambitions are among the most important stimuli for this ”unusual” political skullduggery. Given that the ALBANESE LABOR GOVERNMENT IS ARGUABLY AMONG THE MOST TALENTED TO SERVE AUSTRALIAN VOTERS the ”recruiting” of an unhappy Senator SOON AFTER A COMPETITIVE ELECTION that does not improve the negotiating position of the LABOR Party in Parliament, is ”unusual”.
@ Terry Mills
Hi Terry, Jacinda Cox was appointed to the Senate on 18 October 2021, and Sits until the next Senate Election.
It is not a case of her defecting a few weeks after her election, as you say.
I am not a fan of Party switchers in either House but until the rules change, we are stuck with it.
I would bet London to a brick that Senator Hanson will not have her full Senate team by the next Senate Election, if I am correct, I doubt the outrage will be the same, a bit like Senator Nampijinpa Price’s defection to the Liberals, which seemed to generate more amusement, and Senator Fatima Payman’s defection which receive an overall sympathetic reaction.
Cox will certainly add another’defect’ to Labor.Albanese wants to be careful of his hubris becoming terminal.
paul Sullivan
You are correct – Dorinda Cox has another three years before the WA electorate can get rid of her (and Fatima Payman). The Liberals will probably be looking for a safe lower House seat for Price but that could be tricky.
Spare a thought for poor ickle Jeremary here in Tasmania…aaww… The daggers will be getting sharpened and ready for use as we speak.
@3.44 pm
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/jun/05/australia-news-live-matt-kean-climate-target-jeremy-rockliff-tasmania-no-confidence-nicolette-boele-bradfield-ntwnfb
Ahhhh- Tasmania!
The Tasmanians are upset that an election will delay the building of the stadium and a Tassie side in the AFL.
So Rockstar is doing a Putin and threatening an election, because the election- caused by those naughty dissenters-Is supposed to intefere with the schedule. If there is an election, it may see Rockstar kicked out, so, no Rockstar; no footy.
Whoohaah!
Not going quietly and we wait with bated breath,