Improving the Greens vote

April 20, 2026

Drew Hutton's article on how the Greens could significantly improve their vote is insightful, sympathetic and in my view spot-on. As a relatively longstanding member of the NSW Greens, a veteran of decades of dissent and an exile from the Labor Party, I have also been concerned with what I consider an arrogance, intolerance and narrow mindedness on the part of some Greens – these very same attributes that are sometimes levelled at their adversaries. There are numerous voters in the broader electorate that have a range of opinions that mix what might be considered Left and Right wing views on issues. That they may not themselves delineate their views in this dichotomy is irrelevant. They can be decent and caring human beings nevertheless and this should be seen as a starting point for communicating with them, understanding their reasoning and providing progressive counter-arguments where appropriate. We should never strive for a more tolerant society by being less tolerant ourselves. This doesnt always require acceptance of bigotry or even compromise.