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Max Chandler-Mather says he is “really proud” of his work in giving renters a voice on the national stage, as he reflected on his “miserable” time in parliament.
The outgoing Greens housing spokesperson said they operated against “often very hostile two major parties” and that he is “quite happy” about not spending more time in the House of Representatives.
Chandler-Mather spoke to Triple J’s Hack program
“I really feel really proud of a lot of the work we have done over the last three years,” Chandler-Mather said on Tuesday evening.
“Perhaps what I feel most proud of is giving renters a bit of a voice on the national stage. So often we are ignored and treated like second-class citizens. It felt like at the very least we were able to force that issue onto the national stage.”
‘I don’t regret a thing’
He said the result “is always a possibility”.
“It was always going to be a risk, when you’re fighting these really big institutions — the property and banking industry, the major political parties, parts of the media establishment — and you’re going out there saying renters deserve a little bit, and people on low incomes deserve a bit more.
“There was always going to be a risk that you were going to cop a bit of hostility.
“I take that as a point of pride, but it always comes with risk. I don’t regret a thing, really.”
But he said he feels he has let a lot of people down.
“We helped build a lot of hope and then we lost in Griffith. Ultimately, I have to take responsibility for that.”
A ‘bloody awful’, ‘miserable’ workplace
The election was a night of mixed results for the Greens, with the party losing two of its Brisbane seats.
Party leader Adam Bandt’s seat of Melbourne remains undecided at time of publication.
Despite this, Bandt said on Monday that the party has received a record Senate vote this election, and is on track to take 11 upper house seats.
Chandler-Mather said the Greens were subject to a “massive collapse in the Liberal vote that transferred to Labor”.
“We were operating against often very hostile two major parties,” he said.
“I’ll be honest — one of the things I’m quite happy about at the moment is I don’t have to spend more time in the House of Representatives. Because basically every time I stood up, I got screamed and yelled at.
“In terms of a workplace, it was bloody awful, and frankly a lot of the time, miserable.”
Later responding to a question on criticisms directed towards the Greens, including slowing progress on issues such as housing and undelivered promises like rent freezes, he said: “Parliament is a sick place, can I just say? Genuinely.”
“There were times when I was sitting in parliament and you’d watch both sides of politics team up to defend the stage three tax cuts.
“Then we were getting attacked because we said we should spend a bit more on public housing and give something for renters.
“I feel proud of that work … and I think if I had my time again, I would do it all again.”
“Did it have an effect? Maybe that lost us some votes.”
‘Of course we have fallen short’
Chandler-Mather acknowledged the party had fallen short when it came to lower house seats — which was “bitterly disappointing”.
“But I think there is a lot of reason for hope,” he said.
“We need to work out how to do better. Two days out from the election, [I] don’t have all the answers.”
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