Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather launches full-throated attack against ‘political establishment’ in first speech

Australia’s parliament is run by “billionaires and big corporations” a Queensland Greens MP has said, using his first speech to launch a full-throated attack against his new workplace and colleagues.

Australia’s parliament is run by “billionaires and big corporations” a Queensland Greens MP has said, using his first speech to launch a full-throated attack against his new workplace and colleagues.

Griffith MP Max Chandler-Mather, who toppled Labor frontbencher Terri Butler to take the southside seat, said the major parties had “proved willing to accept an enormous human and environmental cost in order to serve the interests of big corporations and billionaires”.

“Such is their power over this place,” he said.

Max Chandler-Mather. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Chandler-Mather’s speech traversed his opposition of new coal and gas, stage 3 tax cuts for the most wealthy Australians, the devastating impact of climate change and the parliament’s dress code.

He also lamented that one of the “political establishment’s greatest assets” was to “deny people hope that things can get substantially better” by keeping expectations low.

Mr Chandler-Mather spoke out against naysayers who claimed the Greens had no chance of winning Griffith and warned the only thing standing in the way of change, as envisioned by the party, was its capacity to organise mass ground campaigns like those that had secured three Queensland seats.

“Our collective power terrifies the major parties and their corporate donors. But it should give you hope,” he said.

Mr Chandler-Mather also affirmed his support for a four-day work week without a reduction in salary, saying the “greatest injustice of all” is that in such a wealthy country the “system” denies so many people the “chance to fully enjoy their one, short life on this earth”.

“I so strongly believe in a four-day work week, with no loss of pay, because it would do much to give people that most precious of resources – time,” he said.

“Beyond all the specifics it can sometimes be hard to describe exactly what we mean by a good life.

“So often in political debates we reduce people to numbers. But what value do you put on a family no longer having to worry about the next rent increase and finally having the money to spend the summer at the beach?

“What value do you put on that afternoon playing footy in the park with your kids?”

To the voters of Griffith, Mr Chandler-Mather said his commitment to them was that the Greens “will have your back” including if they were struggling to put food on the table.