What the hell happened to the Greens? Max Chandler-Mather explains

Ruby Jones· Host0:00

[gentle music] I'm Ruby Jones, and you're listening to 7AM. Amid the seismic political shift currently underway in this country, there's been one party missing from the conversation, the Greens. And it's curious because the conditions which have seen One Nation rise, frustration with the major parties, a slip in living standards, appetite for change, should suit the Greens and their anti-establishment politics. So why are they lost in the political wilderness? Today, former Greens MP and Greens Institute CEO Max Chandler-Mather on whether the Greens can mount a comeback and tap into the progressive version of Pauline's populist politics. It's Wednesday, June 24. Max, hi, hello. Welcome to the show.

Max Chandler-Mather· Guest0:58

Thanks for having me.

Ruby Jones· Host0:59

So Max, since the last election, we've seen support for the major parties collapse and One Nation's popularity rise. Pauline Hanson, according to some polls, is the preferred prime minister at the moment. So tell me why you think we're seeing this surge in support to One Nation.

Max Chandler-Mather· Guest1:16

Oh, two things. One, massive increases in financial stress. You know, and it's been occurring since, uh, COVID, and it's really starting to bite. And I think there is a wild underestimation actually at the moment just how much financial pain