Not bad for a party that entered the elections with virtually no policy but a concentration on becoming a spoiler in the Australian Senate.

However they have now collected their first every Federal House of Representatives seat with Melbourne. This will be one of perhaps four seats which will become powerbrokers with both Labor and Coalition.

But even before the election the Greens had shown their hand by announcing a preferences deal with Labor. This gave Labor a major support base for the House of Representatives.

Why would the Greens get into bed with Labor? The elected leader of the Labor Party Kevin Rudd called climate change \”the greatest moral, economic and social challenge of our time\” and called for a cut to greenhouse gas emissions by 60% before 2050. But that did not stop him reneging on the introduction of a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, prior to being dumped as leader. The new Prime Minister Julia Gillard was no more supportive with no hope of change to policy prior to 2012.

Despite the about face by Rudd and the 2012 deadline by Gillard, Assistant Treasurer and ALP campaign spokesman Chris Bowen said the deal showed the Greens recognized that Labor accepts climate change is real. Now that seems hard to believe.

So only time will tell if the Greens will become a party elected for what it can do for the country rather than a protest vote against the other two. Will they fight hard for the country\’s forests and woodlands and use them as carbon stores? Will they try to prevent the expansion of coal seam gas exploration and open cut mining?

Time will tell how mature the Green Party can become. With possible control of the Senate the party will have a very big say in what economic policy develops. Or alternatively the Party may drive the party who gains power to opt for a quick new election.

What do you think about the growing Green vote and power of the Australian Green party?