2026-10-22
A Kinder, fairer Australia is possible
By Senator David Shoebridge, Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens
This is my first Green Magazine column as Leader of the Australian Greens, and I want to begin by thanking you for the extraordinary support, kindness and solidarity Steph and I have received over the past few weeks.
I also want to acknowledge that this has been a challenging time for many, both within our party and across Australian politics. The shocking attack on my friend and colleague Helen Haines has been a devastating reminder of the importance of respect, safety and compassion in our political life, and my thoughts are with Helen, her family and community.
Save the Children has set up a fundraiser to support Helen and her family, which you can visit here.
As Greens, we have a responsibility to make sure our party is a safe, respectful and inclusive place where everyone is treated fairly and can participate fully. There will be difficult moments, but how we respond to them matters. Our values must be reflected in what we campaign for, as well as how we treat each other and in the kind of politics we practise.
Over recent years, we have seen an increase in dehumanising attacks on migrants, politicians and public figures about their health, gender, background, and religion. It needs to stop. It shows why we need a hopeful, positive politics that rejects fear and division.
Stepping into this role is an enormous responsibility, and I'm more than grateful to be doing it alongside such a passionate and committed movement and Deputy Leader Steph Hodgins-May. Doing this work with Steph, working closely together as a connected leadership team, makes it not only less daunting but also filled with friendship and fun, and I can’t stress how important that is.
When Steph and I said we weren't here to make Labor a little better, but to replace them, it certainly raised a few eyebrows.
That reaction raises a much bigger question: How long are we willing to let Labor and the Liberals decide what's possible in Australian politics?
Because if you listen to them, there's an awful lot we're told we simply can't do.
They say we can't afford to build enough public housing for everyone who needs a home. We can't afford free dental care through Medicare, properly funded public schools or free university and TAFE. We can't expect multinational gas corporations to pay their fair share of tax.
Yet somehow, there's always money for expensive weapons, fossil fuel subsidies and tax concessions for the wealthiest Australians.
They can pay for the madness of AUKUS, but the cupboard is bare for schools, hospitals and care.
Funny how that works.
These aren't questions about what's possible. They are questions about priorities, power and whose interests our political system is designed to serve.
Take gas, for example. Australia is one of the world's largest gas exporters, yet multinational gas corporations keep making extraordinary profits and pay no tax while Australians struggle with their energy bills. The Greens have proposed a minimum 25% tax on gas exports, which Australia Institute research estimates could raise $17 billion a year. That's money we could invest in public housing, renewable energy, dental care through Medicare, and the essential services people rely on. The question isn't whether we can afford these things. The question is why governments keep choosing to protect corporate profits instead.
For too long, the major parties have allowed billionaires and corporate lobbyists to define the boundaries of political debate. We're told to lower our expectations and accept that meaningful change is simply too ambitious, unaffordable and unrealistic.
But the limits of political possibility aren't fixed. They're changed by people who refuse to accept them.
Next week, I'll be speaking at the National Press Club about these choices, what it will take to build a fairer future, and why replacing the political status quo will take more than a change of leadership. It will take a movement of everyday people, working together to challenge the powerful interests that have held our politics back for far too long.
That's what the Greens have always been about - people organising in their communities, challenging the status quo and demanding something better.
And it's the movement Steph and I want to build with you. One that's ambitious, grounded in our values and determined to turn the things Australians talk about around their kitchen tables into political reality.
We're not here to manage a broken system. We're here to replace it - and together, we can.