He arrived in Western Australia in 1895, and represented the Kalgoorlie area in both state and federal parliaments for the Australian Labor Party, as well as serving as Minister for Defence and later Postmaster-General in the Scullin Ministry.

He was active in the brickmasons' society at San Francisco, and it was even suggested by one contemporary source that he had assisted revolutionary insurgents in Guatemala.

In December 1913, he resigned to seek pre-selection for the Federal seat of Kalgoorlie but lost to Hugh Mahon.

He was re-elected to the state seat in October 1914 and held it to March 1921, when he was defeated by the independent Nationalist candidate John Boyland.

[2] Green won the federal Kalgoorlie seat at the 1922 election, defeating the incumbent Nationalist member George Foley, and held it until his death.