A Greens vote isn’t wasted, says this election’s most left-out man

HE COMES across as genuine and doesn’t mind making a fashion statement, but Richard Di Natale admits he’s frustrated.

HE COMES across as genuine and friendly, mostly avoids negative politics and isn’t averse to making the odd fashion statement.

But in an exclusive interview with news.com.au, Greens leader Richard Di Natale says he is frankly a little frustrated.

With the Liberals preferencing Labor ahead of the minor party in many seats where the Greens had their best chances, it’s no wonder the 46-year-old former GP and public health specialist is feeling overlooked.

“If I’m being absolutely frank, sometimes it is a little frustrating,” he says. “The reason, for example, the Greens haven’t been able to participate in the leaders’ debate is because the argument goes that, well, you’re unlikely to be in a position where you can form government.

“But of course, if we don’t get the coverage of our policies, which I think really resonate with a big chunk of the Australian electorate, then of course we’re not going to be in a position where we can influence the shape of the next government.”

The former semi-professional footy player, who lives with wife Lucy in Victoria’s Otways Ranges, is seen as a more mainstream Greens leader than predecessor Christine Milne.

But he has failed to capture much attention during what he calls a “tough” campaign.

He’s not done yet, however, urging Australians to decide their own preferences.

“You will be given information at a polling booth telling you how to vote, well, you make your own mind up,” he says. “In many seats now, the Greens are absolutely in contention, so what may have once been true is not true any more, you can vote 1 Greens and know that in those seats you’ve got a chance of getting a Greens member elected to the lower house.

“It’s true though, in some seats that’s unlikely to be the case, but by voting 1 Greens you send a really strong message to the two parties to say we believe in strong action on dangerous global warming, we want a bit more decency towards refugees.

“Know that if a Green candidate doesn’t get elected, it’s not a wasted vote, that your vote will flow straight to the person you’ve put number two or three so you actually get double value out of your vote.”

The battling Greens have just one seat in the lower house, but 10 in the Senate, where the party could make its biggest gains thanks to changes that make it harder for micro parties to get elected.

Di Natale is hoping to capitalise on disaffected voters sick of two-party politics and disappointed in Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten.

“It has been a campaign that really failed to engage the imagination of people,” he says. “I think it’s because what we’re seeing is this very narrow focus on short-term politics. There’s been a lack of courage and vision.”

Is Di Natale the man to provide it? He’s campaigning on familiar policies that include saving the Great Barrier Reef, moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy industries, showing “decency and compassion” to asylum-seekers and supporting Medicare along with publicly funded primary dental care and a fibre to the premises NBN.

It is, of course, easy to promise the world when there’s essentially no chance you could form government, but Di Natale insists he’s a realist.

He claims Greens policies are costed through measures such as scrapping the government’s planned $50 billion tax cut for big business and ending negative gearing (although those already using it may continue).

And he’s emphasising accessibility over the Greens’ “loony left” image of old, for instance, by pointing out that the party is “not against mining” but has a plan to help workers transition, and that Nelson Mandela and “some of the greatest leaders in history” were activists.

Di Natale, who calls himself “a product of multicultural Australia” thanks to his Italian roots, is utterly unembarrassed by jibes over hisskivvy-cladGQ cover, calling the mockery “water off a duck’s back” and noting that women have it far worse when it comes to fashion choices.

He’s optimistic his party could do well on election day, but this is a man who’s playing the long game — hoping to pick up some seats and looking forward to spending more time with his wife once an epic campaign winds up.

“You have the two big old parties who are really keen to protect their own position and are going to want to shut out voices like the Greens and other independents, that’s I think a sign of modern politics,” he says. “I think they’re fighting a losing battle.”

He believes the Greens are “in the running” in the seats of Grayndler, Sydney and Richmond in NSW, Fremantle in WA and Batman, Higgins, Wills and Melbourne Ports in Victoria.

“My vision is a long term one,” he says. “I think over the long term what you will see is more Greens in the lower house, more Greens Senators and we’ll be a permanent major party in Australian politics within the next decade.”

Originally published as A Greens vote isn’t wasted, says this election’s most left-out man