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. They also contested the 1976 election, this time receiving 2.2% of the votes.
The United Tasmania Group's first President was Dr Richard Jones and it lasted for five years, briefly reforming 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) and then ultimately, at the national level, the Australian Greens.
Famous quotes containing the words united and/or group:
“What makes the United States government, on the whole, more tolerable—I mean for us lucky white men—is the fact that there is so much less of government with us.... But in Canada you are reminded of the government every day. It parades itself before you. It is not content to be the servant, but will be the master; and every day it goes out to the Plains of Abraham or to the Champs de Mars and exhibits itself and toots.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“around our group I could hear the wilderness listen.”
—William Stafford (1914–1941)