WA Senator Dorinda Cox has been wiped from the website and MP listings of her former party following her shock defection to Labor.
Donning a maroon shirt and a massive smile, Senator Cox addressed the media on Monday afternoon alongside the Prime Minister at Perth’s Kings Park.
The Greens, her former party, were alerted to the defection a mere hour and half earlier.
Senator Cox had been removed from the Greens’ official website by the end of the press conference, with the URL link to her profile scrubbed and replaced with an “ACCESS DENIED” banner.
She also no longer appears in the listings of the party’s representatives.
Leader Larissa Waters questioned how the senator’s values could align with a party that last week approved the North West Shelf gas project.
“The Greens are disappointed in Senator Cox’s decision to leave the Greens and join the Labor Party as a backbencher,” Senator Waters said.
“Senator Cox has said that her values align with the Labor Party.
“This is the same Labor Party who this week approved the climate wrecking North West Shelf gas project, which UNESCO advises will destroy significant First Nations heritage and ancient rock art.”
Senator Waters said Senator Cox would have had “more chance of effecting change by continuing to work with the Greens in the sole balance of power”.
“The Greens are committed to continuing to work for Truth, Treaty and Justice with First Nations people and will continue to work to protect country and the climate that is under such threat from Labor Party decisions in Western Australia,” she said.
“We wish her well.”
A statement by the Greens confirmed they had received notice of the move “an hour prior”.
It comes following months of internal conflict with the Greens, her former party, with several former staffers coming forward with bullying allegations against the senator.
Up to 20 staff left the office of Senator Cox in three years, Nine News reported in October.
Anthony Albanese said he was comfortable those complaints had been adequately addressed.“We examined everything that had been considered in the past. Those issues were dealt with appropriately,” he said.
“My government has established very clear guidelines, meaning that any issues relating to workplaces and making sure that workplaces are safe are properly examined.
They were all dealt with in Senator Cox’s case and dealt with appropriately.”
A former staffer told The Australian while it was not surprising to see Senator Cox part ways with the Greens, it was “shocking” to see her accepted into the Labor fold by Mr Albanese.
“It is disturbing that Labor and the Prime Minister would welcome into their party someone with such a history of alleged bullying.”
