The win (achieved with a massive 75% of the vote) puts Waters one step closer to returning to the political career she gave up last year, after discovering she was a dual Canadian and Australian citizen.
Waters said she’s spent the last eight months taking some time out and reflecting on her career. She also told reporters this morning that “no one was rude or mean about” the circumstances for why she and fellow Green Scott Ludlam had to step down. She said she was proud of the way they had conducted themselves, and was disappointed in how politicians from other parties handled the citizenship crisis.
She also added that very little has changed in Australian politics in the time she’s been out.
“As any new parent knows, babies are a lot of work. It was a big change … It has given me time to reflect on what is important to me. It has also given me some perspective on how other people view politicians. There is a lot of disappointment. And a lot of feeling that people’s voices aren’t being heard.”
“Politics hasn’t improved and it’s clear to me why people are so fed up with the big parties,” Waters said. “Labor and the LNP protect the interests of their corporate donors instead of the people they were elected to represent.”
“We need to put people back into decision making. Not big business and not big money.”
She said her Canadian citizenship has been renounced for a good eight months now. And that she’s very happy to just be an Aussie.
Asked if she could see herself in the position by the time of the Federal Budget in May, should the man who replaced her Andrew Bartlett step aside, Waters said she wouldn’t speculate on timing.
During the last state election, the Queensland Greens got their first state MP, with Michael Berkman elected, who appeared at the press conference with Waters today.