“The Greens and Labor have been arm-wrestling for years to be the most progressive political party. By accusing Labor of refusing to look after the most vulnerable, the Greens appear more progressive,” writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.

Are ACT Labor and the Greens going for a divorce? Is it just a trial separation? 

In the lead-up to the October 19 ACT election both parties are trying to untangle themselves from the coalition that they have managed for the best part of a decade.

The failure of Labor to support the amendments proposed by Greens Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury has been a catalyst for an opportunistic separation. 

A media release from Mr Rattenbury points the finger at their coalition partner. It screams: “Labor Fails Vulnerable Canberrans and Abandons Their Own Pokie Reforms”.

The Greens are hitting out at Labor on two fronts. First, Labor is supposed to be the party that protects vulnerable people. Second, and perhaps more importantly, Labor is exposed to accusations over conflict of interest when it comes to poker machines.

The Greens and Labor have been arm-wrestling for years to be the most progressive political party. By accusing Labor of refusing to look after the most vulnerable, the Greens appear more progressive. 

It might just be on this issue of gambling – but it does remind voters that the Greens are a viable alternative to those who are annoyed by Labor on other issues.

The reform bill introduced by the Greens and recently debated in the Assembly was successful to some extent. There will be restrictions on poker machines being now set at a maximum of 3500 throughout the ACT.

However, an angry Shane Rattenbury was beside himself about the last-minute failure of Labor to “follow through on even the minimalist proposal they had put on the table”. The catalyst was the failure of ACT Labor to support “their own amendments to (further) reduce poker machine numbers in the ACT, despite the Greens providing clear indication we would support the proposal”. 

There was a small concession, “reducing the machine numbers alone wouldn’t address the deep harm that comes from machines, it would be a small positive step in the right direction”. 

However, Mr Rattenbury argued that “the ACT Greens are in politics because we want to get good outcomes for the community”.

The implication is that Labor MLAs are not in politics to get good outcomes for the community. The Greens sully the reputation of their coalition colleagues. This was followed by Yerrabi MLA Andrew Braddock specifically identifying the conflict of interest that Labor has always had regarding revenue from poker machines going into party coffers. 

He argued: “ACT Labor has sunk to a new low today and in doing so, cemented the fact that they are so impossibly compromised by their links to the poker machines”. 

In looking for a separation, Braddock went further and, supported by the Liberals, demanded that Labor separate itself from poker machine revenue.

In response, Chief Minister Andrew Barr has slammed these comments as provocative and defamatory. Keep in mind that the Labor Club has an objective “to promote and support the Labor Party”. The Labor Club over its three venues has just over 400 poker machines that assist in returning a tidy surplus to the clubs. 

At this stage, the Labor Clubs have stopped donating to ACT Labor. The Greens point out that there is nothing to stop them re-commencing such donations. 

Labor is also interested in being seen as separate from the Greens for the upcoming election. But perhaps the price over poker machines seems too great. And what about backbench members who are tied by party decisions? 

Murrumbidgee electorate Labor MLA, Dr Marisa Paterson, has a long history of commitment to gambling reform. She told me that she was “disappointed the amendments she had prepared were not supported by either the Greens or the Liberals”.

However, she was not fazed, arguing Labor had prepared “a comprehensive package including further reduction in poker machine numbers and the requirement for cashless poker machines to take to the election”. Cashless poker machines allow more control regarding things like precommitment and restrictions on amounts gambled.

As a compromise, Labor and the Greens have agreed to an independent inquiry. The inquiry will have the aim “to assist the government on the steps necessary to develop and implement a club industry revenue, activity and a worker transition plan”.

Labor and the Greens have so much more in common than they have differences. Expect that this will be a short-term trial separation rather than ongoing conflict leading to divorce.

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.