PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND STATE LIBRARY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA TRANSCRIPT OF AN INTERVIEW WITH HON. GIZ WATSON b. 1957 - STATE LIBRARY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA - ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION DATE OF INTERVIEW: 2015-2016 INTERVIEWER: ANNE YARDLEY TRANSCRIBER: ANNE YARDLEY DURATION: 19 HOURS REFERENCE NUMBER: OH4275 COPYRIGHT: PARLIAMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA & STATE LIBRARY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA. GIZ WATSON INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS NOTE TO READER Readers of this oral history memoir should bear in mind that it is a verbatim transcript of the spoken word and reflects the informal, conversational style that is inherent in such historical sources. The Parliament and the State Library are not responsible for the factual accuracy of the memoir, nor for the views expressed therein; these are for the reader to judge. Bold type face indicates a difference between transcript and recording, as a result of corrections made to the transcript only, usually at the request of the person interviewed. FULL CAPITALS in the text indicate a word or words emphasised by the person interviewed. Square brackets [ ] are used for insertions not in the original tape. ii GIZ WATSON INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS CONTENTS Contents Pages Introduction 1 Interview - 1 4 - 22 Parents, family life and childhood; migrating from England; school and university studies – Penrhos/ Murdoch University; religion – Quakerism, Buddhism; countryside holidays and early appreciation of Australian environment; Anti-Vietnam marches; civil-rights movements; Activism; civil disobedience; sport; studying environmental science; Albany; studying for a trade. Interview - 2 23 - 38 Environmental issues; Campaign to Save Native Forests; non-violent Direct Action; Quakerism; Alcoa; community support and debate; Cockburn Cement; State Agreement Acts; campaign results; legitimacy of activism; “eco- warriors”; Inaugural speech . Interview - 3 39 - 59 Graduate from Murdoch University; move to England; squatting and Islington Community Housing Association; Carpentry and Joinery Trade Certificate; Greenham Common Women’s Peace Group; Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Peace Movement; War Resisters; peace protests in England; Direct Action training; opposing militarism; class and gender issues; politics and political culture in Europe; consensus decision making in Greens Party and Parliament. Interview - 4 60 - 80 Influence of European politics/politics of the Left; returning to WA- Albany and involvement with local conservation issues; women in the trades; Anarchism and Socialism; Builders Registration; trade unions; Coordinator of the Marine Coastal Community Network; Cockburn Cement and Cockburn Sound; marine reserves; role of political representative; volunteer groups. Interview - 5 81 - 102 Environmental groups leading up to Greens Party (WA) – Green Development, Alternative Electoral Coalition, Vallentine Peace Group; joining the Green’s Party; candidate for South West Region and campaigning (1990); 1990 election; Greens Party policies, meetings, regional /grassroots base, community support and membership, etc. Interview - 6 103 - 124 1993 Election; campaign to get Jim Scott elected; electioneering; iii GIZ WATSON INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS joining the Australian Greens; Green’s policy making in early days; economic policy and scrutinising government expenditure; image and perceptions of the Greens; candidate selection; working in the Perth building industry; consensus decision-making; Jo Vallentine; 1996 Election; winning North Metro seat; early days as parliamentarian. Interview - 7 124 - 144 Paris Agreement (COP 21 ); global warming; renewable energy initiatives; Parliament building and working conditions; George Cash; induction to Parliament; Maiden Speech (sexual identity, economic rationalism, aboriginal people and culture, Native Title, criminal law and prison population. Interview - 8 145 - 166 1997 Balance of power in Upper House; debates in the Upper House; Democrats and Green members modus operandi; Select Committee on Native Title; Parliamentary Committees (Standing and Select); effect of party status in operation of Parliament; representing the electorate and electorate office; local government and party politics. Interview - 9 167 - 189 Committee representation – Select Committee on Child Advocacy, Standing Committee on Legislation; Estimates Committee; Select Committees; passing legislation; question time and minor parties; minor parties in the lower house; Genetically Modified(GMO) debate; Richard Court; working relationship with other members; sexism in Parliament. Interview – 10 190 - 209 Misuse of Drugs Amendment (1999- 2000); impact of Greens on Parliament (1997 -2000); Native Title Bill; Hairdressers Registration Board deregistration; 2001 Election – electioneering, issues; rise of One Nation; Dee Margetts; Robin Chapple; increase in primary vote; 5 Greens elected; Geoff Gallop – election of Labor Government; consensus decision making and shared leadership model –co-convenors. Interview - 11 210 - 231 2001 Election; old growth logging; economics of logging; Biodiversity Protection legislation; wildlife protection; Drug Summit ; government responses to community issues – drugs, domestic violence, prison system, incarceration, justice system, refugees; gay law reform (Lesbian and Gay Law Reform Bill 2001); marriage equality. 232 - 252 Interview - 12 2016 Federal Election - preselection process for seat of O’Connor; iv GIZ WATSON INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS changes to Senate voting process; micro parties; Geoff Gallop – electoral reform; One vote One value reform; Biodiversity Conservation Bill; protection and penalties for breaches. Interview – 13 253 - 274 Candidate for O’Connor (Federal 2016 Election); mentors in Parliament; Laurie Marquet investigation; Role of Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) in Parliamentary and Police investigations; Parliament investigating itself – Select Committee to investigate politicians; confiscation of assets; campaign funding; Public Health issues and interests– anti smoking, preventative medicine, aboriginal health, sexual health and sex workers, decriminalising sex work. Interview – 14 275 - 291 Green’s policy and policy formation on issues - public health issues (Euthanasia, advanced health directives, palliative care); domestic violence; environmental health; women in Parliament – Old Boys Network; quota versus merit based system for women. Interview - 15 292 - 308 Results for Green’s in 2016 Federal Election; Greens Party less radical and treated more like a major party; assessment of election results; support base; marginalised voters; campaigning and result of election; 2017 State Election – voter issues –telecommunication, local employment, economic policy, GST, downstreaming, and diversify the economy; Uranium mining. Interview - 16 309 - 325 Expectations for 2017 State Election; reflections on Proportional Representation (PR) System; role of Parliament and its operations; Committee work; role of Legislative Council; transparency and Parliamentary Privilege; accountability for politicians; ways to improve the Council; advice for new politicians; future of the Greens Party in the political debate. v GIZ WATSON INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS Introduction The Hon. Giz Watson, MLC, was interviewed by Anne Yardley between September 2015 and August 2016 for the Parliamentary History Project of the Parliament of Western Australia and the J S Battye Library of West Australian History. The interviews cover Giz’s early life in England, the family move to Australia, her school experiences and studies at Murdoch University resulting in an environmental science degree. She became involved in the direct action Campaign to Save Native Forests and went on to train groups in non-violent direct action. Following a stint living in England, Giz became a registered builder and ran her own business. She joined the newly formed Greens (WA) party in 1990 and has acted as state convenor and co-convenor. In 1997, Giz Watson was elected to the Legislative Council as MLC for North Metropolitan region and was re-elected in 2001, 2005 and 2008. At the state election in 2013, Giz ran for the South West region but was unsuccessful. She was the first openly lesbian parliamentarian in Australia and championed gay and lesbian law reform. Giz was a particularly active parliamentary committee member, serving on the Standing Committee on Legislation; Parliamentary Services Committee. She was the Chair of the Standing Committee on Estimates and Financial Operations; a member of the Select Committee on the Department of Education and Training as well as six other select committees between 1997 and 2009. Her work on these committees is discussed in the interviews. Also discussed are her observations about the role of the Legislative Council, the Greens (WA) and the wider environmental and conservation movement. Giz talks about the Greens position on the One Vote One Value legislation, proportional representation and their commitment to consensus decision making. The more significant issues that came before the parliament during her time there are also covered. At the end of 2016, Giz is working on the Greens (WA) campaign for the March 2017 state election. 1 GIZ WATSON INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS [GizWatson_1] AY This is the first in a series of interviews with Giz Watson, who was the Legislative Council member for North Metropolitan from 1997 to 2013. It’s being conducted at her home in Floreat. Today is Tuesday, September the 8th 2015. The interview is for the Parliamentary History Project