Great excitement! Last night the House of Representatives passed my private member’s bill to remove federal ministerial veto power over Territory laws*.

It is the first Australian Greens bill ever to pass Parliament and become law.

No longer will a single federal minister be able to step in and --with the stroke of a pen and without reference to Parliament -- dismiss laws passed by the democratically elected representatives of the Territory Assemblies (as the Howard government did when it overrode the civil partnerships laws passed by the ACT Assembly five years ago).

This bill has passed thanks to you and the 1.6 million Australians who voted Greens last election and thanks to the support of the Chief Ministers of the Territories, the Gillard government and the Independents, and the four Greens elected to represent Canberrans in the ACT Legislative Assembly.

It is a great day for the Australian Greens and great day for democracy! Raise a glass!

If you are near Canberra next Tuesday, please come to the Senate to see the historic carbon price package pass into law. Click here to rsvp or for details to watch online.

* Territories Self-Government Legislation Amendment (Disallowance and Amendment of laws) Bill 2011