United Tasmania Group

The United Tasmania Group (UTG) is generally acknowledged as the world's first Green Party. The party was formed on 23 March 1972, during a meeting of the Lake Pedder Action Group (LPAG) at the Hobart town hall in order to field political candidates in the April 1972 state election. They received 3.9% of the statewide vote and came within 200 votes of winning a seat. [Brown, B. (1987) 'Greening the conservation movement'. In Hutton, D. (ed) "Green politics in Australia". Australia: Angus & Robertson Publishers. ISBN 0-207-15624-7] They also contested the 1976 election, this time receiving 2.2% of the votes.

The party's first President was Dr Richard Jones.

The UTG lasted for five years, and was briefly reformed in 1990 for the federal election. Most of the original candidates, including Bob Brown went on to form the Tasmanian Greens, who enjoyed considerably more success, then ultimately the Australian Greens of today.

ee also

List of political parties in Australia

External links

* [http://www.globalgreens.info/literature/dann/chapterfive.html History of Green Politics in Tasmania]
* [http://www.global.greens.org.au/charter/UTGnewethic.html The UTG 'New Ethic' Charter]

References

Further reading

* Armstrong, Lance J.E. (1997). "Good God, He’s Green! A History of Tasmanian Politics 1989-1996". Wahroonga, N.S.W., Pacific Law Press. ISBN 1-875192-08-5
* Lines, William J. (2006) "Patriots : defending Australia's natural heritage" St. Lucia, Qld. : University of Queensland Press, 2006. ISBN 0-70223-554-7