THEY started the Central West Greens together, but Orange councillor Stephen Nugent faces a future in the party without friend and former colleague Jeremy Buckingham.
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Mr Buckingham resigned from the NSW Greens last week, declaring the party had adopted a “Marxist agenda” and he would instead stand as an “independent real Green” at the March state election.
It followed accusations of sexual violence against a former party employee and a vote by the state delegates council earlier this month asking Mr Buckingham to step down from his third place position on the upper house ticket.
He’s the reason I joined back in 2003.
- Councillor Stephen Nugent on Jeremy Buckingham
Cr Nugent, who ran as a Green at the September 2017 council election and voted at the delegates council, said he was “disappointed and saddened”.
“He’s the reason I joined back in 2003,” he said.
“I met Jeremy during the state election when I was working at the community radio station and I was inspired by him – we started the Central West Greens in December and we’ve got that strong connection.”
He said there had been wrong on both sides in the way the scandal was handled, but he remained confident in the party’s foundations and welcomed a review into the party’s internal processes.
“We need to ensure the rights of the complainant and the person being complained against are respected,” he said.
Cr Nugent wanted the ballots recounted or a fresh preselection for Mr Buckingham’s replacement so members’ wishes were reflected.
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