New South Wales Greens senator Lee Rhiannon has been temporarily excluded from party room discussions and decisions on contentious legislation, in an attempt to bring the state branch of the party into line on key policy decisions.
The ban followed a meeting of the federal Greens party room in Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon, aimed at resolving a bitter spat over Senator Rhiannon's conduct during negotiations last week.
It was alleged Senator Rhiannon, and the New South Wales branch of the party, had decided to vote and campaign against the Federal Government's Gonski 2.0 schools funding proposal.
That is despite her colleagues still being locked in negotiations with the Coalition, trying to reach concessions on the package in exchange for the Greens support.
Senior members of the party said Senator Rhiannon had not told her colleagues of the decision, and they felt she was undermining their work.
Senator Rhiannon hit back, arguing she was feeling "bullied and harassed" by anonymous sources.
"To function as a national party room, and to be a genuine alternative to politics as usual, we need to have faith and trust in our processes," Greens acting whip Nick McKim told the media after the meeting.
"This issue has highlighted a structural issue that needs to be addressed."
Senator McKim said the Greens' National Council needed to deal with the New South Wales Greens to "end the practice of NSW MPs being bound to vote against the decision of the Australian Greens party room".
That was supported by all members, apart from Senator Rhiannon.
"We remain committed to working together to achieve progressive political outcomes for all," Senator McKim said.
The decision to suspend Senator Rhiannon from some debate was supported by all Greens members, apart from the New South Wales senator and her Lower House colleague Adam Bandt.
The more extreme course of action for the Greens would have been to permanently ban Senator Rhiannon from their party room, forcing her to sit on the Senate crossbench as an independent.
Greens' state branch criticises ban
Greens NSW lashed out at the decision, arguing the suspension was against the constitutions of both the Australian Greens and the state branch.
"We understand some federal MPs wish to review our governance," Greens NSW co-convenors Debbie Gibson and Tony Hickey said in a statement.
"We do not believe there is support within the party to change either the Australian Greens or Greens NSW constitutions.
"There is a process for reviewing each constitution, and we are disappointed the federal party room is not following this process."
The statement reiterated the state party's support of Senator Rhiannon, and its support of public education.
