Across the Seas

Hi there! I am Elise, one of the new Australian Greens International Secretary.

Our role is to strengthen and extend our relationships with likeminded Green parties and advocates all around the world, and work together on international campaigns.

We work closely with the International Development Committee (IDC) and Global Issues Group (GIG). We also help out with the Australian Greens Go Global Facebook page.

This year, we are excited to host representatives from Asia-Pacific Green parties and share campaigning techniques during the 2016 Federal Election. We will also work on building up a global network of Green women and focusing on a number of international campaigns. We’re looking to promote conversations across international boundaries — because Greens everywhere are all grappling with similar issues as well as organisation and policy questions.

International Greens have been hard at work over the last month — with Taiwan contesting a national election, the Philippine Greens hosting their second national convention, and the Japanese Greens protesting the sale of submarines to the Turnbull government.

2016 sees elections taking place in Japan, Mongolia, the Philippines, the United States, South Korea, Ireland, Scotland, and parts of Germany — just to name a few!

If you’re keen on getting involved in any overseas elections, drop us a line at international.secretary@greens.org.au and we’ll put you in touch with the local Green party. It’s also worth checking them out online at the Global Greens website. The Australian Greens are a member of the Global Greens and its constituent federation, the Asia-Pacific Greens.

We achieved a lot in 2015, including international phone banks, volunteer mailing bees, webinars and a long awaited Asia-Pacific Greens Congress. We’re determined to make 2016 just as huge, so the campaign starts… now.

Our first priority is taking stock of our international supporters.

You might not believe it but the biggest booth in the last Federal Election wasn’t in the Southern Hemisphere at all. It was Australia House, London. If you’re Green and living in the UK (or know someone who has just moved there!) — join the Australian Greens UK Facebook Group.

If you’re keen to help The Greens win votes overseas in 2016, we’ll be posting opportunities on the group and through the newsletter, so keep your eyes peeled!