It seems that Green's leader Bob Brown has lost touch with the constitution of Australia and the system of parliamentary democracy. He says that the Greens will not accept that Tony Abbott has a " mandate " to repeal a carbon tax - even if he wins a Federal election and in doing so presents that choice to the voters.
We had a Federal election last year and the issue of a carbon tax was supposedly settled as an issue. Tony Abbott campaigned on the promise of opposing a move to tax carbon, and Julia Gillard made a solemn promise that " there would be no carbon tax from her government ".
What the Greens seem to be saying is that they - and they alone - will decide on the carbon tax issue, and even if the people of Australia reject the plan by voting in Tony Abbott as prime minister - the Greens will not accept the verdict of the Australian people.
This is the absolute height of arrogance. Another prime minister - back in 1975 - decided to ignore the constitution and refused to take an impasse to the people - and was sacked from office. It is the understanding of parliamentary democracy that the winning side in an election has a " mandate " if what they propose to do is a plank in the platform that they take to the people before that election.
The Greens are skating on very thin ice. The idea that their plans for this country will be implemented by force despite the vote of the people is reminiscent of events back in 1975. The Greens have gained support in recent years - but they should remember a similar event when the Australian Democrats held the balance of power in the Senate.
Arrogance - and moving against the tide of opinion - saw them disappear without trace. A similar fate await the Greens if they decide to butt heads with the constitution !
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