<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/07/australian-greens-max-chandler-mather-voters-major-parties-one-nation>
"Max Chandler-Mather says the Greens can use “progressive economic populism” to
win over Australians deserting the major parties for One Nation as the
firebrand former MP accused the political class of thumbing its nose at the
concerns of everyday voters.
Chandler-Mather has been named the new executive director of the party’s
internal thinktank, The Greens Institute, charged with closing capacity gaps
exposed at the federal election. One of the Greens’ highest-profile losses at
the 2025 poll, Chandler-Mather and the former leader Adam Bandt were both
defeated by Labor candidates in shock results.
Chandler-Mather told
Guardian Australia he would use the new full-time role
to organise thousands of volunteers to conduct a major survey of economic and
social life around the country, based on the success of his own door-knocking
campaign in Queensland.
“All major political parties are completely disconnected from ordinary people
and ordinary people’s lives, and this is because they heavily over-rely on
corporate polling and focus groups,” Chandler-Mather said.
“If we want to build a mass movement, we need to reforge direct connection with
ordinary people.
“It’s funny that it sounds radical, but … going to every corner of the country
and speaking to enough people so that the party and the movement has a genuine
organic connection is a fundamental precondition for developing a vision and a
platform that actually speaks to a majority of people’s lives.”
Chandler-Mather pointed to polling showing the UK Greens surging in support,
after the party, led by Zack Polanski, won the previously safe Labour
stronghold seat of Gorton and Denton in a byelection in February.
He said progressive economic populism and undoing key pillars of neoliberalism
should be major priorities, including exposing the role of Labor in creating
outdated systems in Australia."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
