The former leader of the Tasmanian Greens, Nick McKim, has confirmed he will seek to fill the Senate vacancy caused by the departure of Christine Milne.
Milne resigned last week as federal leader of the Greens and announced she would not to seek another six-year Senate term at the election due next year.
She has not directly said whether she will leave the Senate when her term expires or resign before then.
Confirming I'll be nominating for the Senate. Out of respect for Party members & process I won't be making further public comment. #politas
— Nick McKim (@NickMcKim) May 11, 2015
McKim, the MP for the Tasmanian state seat of Franklin, said on Monday he would run for the Senate but would not make further comment “out of respect for party members and process”.
McKim served as leader of the Greens in Tasmania from 2008 to 2014 and was appointed a minister in the previous Labor-Greens state government.
Milne’s announcement triggered a snap leadership ballot that led to Richard Di Natale getting the top job.
On Monday afternoon the Greens’ website still contained a profile of McKim that said he intended to recontest his state seat at the 2018 Tasmanian election.
“I have a lot to offer to the parliament and public debate in Tasmania, and I intend to serve out my term representing the people of Franklin and contest the seat at the next state election,” the outdated passage says.
