James Morrow: Anthony Albanese needs to mind his manners around the Greens. This is why

Sometimes actions speak louder than words — and Anthony Albanese needs to come clean about his intentions with the Greens, writes James Morrow.

Vote red, get Greens.

It sounds like the sort of thing that Peter Dutton might say, warning voters of the danger of voting in a Labor minority government that is forced to do a deal with the radical left.

Yet in not so many words, it is exactly what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been saying – or rather avoiding saying – by bobbing and weaving around just what sort of deal he’d be willing to cut with the Greens to hold power.

Asked point blank at the opening of the new Hay Street Markets food precinct about the Greens issuing a “ransom note” demanding a deal on negative gearing and capital gains and renters’ rights, the PM did what he does best.

He answered the question without, you know, answering the question.

“Well, Adam Bandt’s trying to make himself relevant and I don’t blame him for that. That’s up to him …”, he started.

“I expect to be re-elected as the member for Grayndler. I’m not taking that for granted,” he continued before bringing Tanya Plibersek into his stream of consciousness.

“The member for Sydney, I’m here in Sydney today. She does fantastic work as the local member…”.

Even when the PM claims he won’t do a deal with the Greens, it’s important to watch his language. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Well, it’s good to see the Environment Minister is back in the boss’s good books, but the waffle and misdirection is transparent.

Later in the day, Albanese ruled out changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions.

But all this comes with a big unknown focused on the question of whether Labor is to be trusted if they wind up needing the Greens to stay in power.

The Greens are a radical party with radical ideas.

Labor’s attitude towards power is whatever it takes.

And the combination of these two means that the Greens have a fulcrum through which they might push through their whole agenda on negative gearing and capital gains discounts and Lord knows what else.

Which is why even when the PM claims he won’t do a deal with the Greens, it’s important to watch his language.

In 2010, after saying there’d be no deal with the Greens, Julia Gillard inked an agreement with the Greens as she sought to cobble together what would be one of the most unstable governments in Australian history.

Back then, the Greens – still under Bob Brown – were more an environmental protest party.

Now, they are a far more radical beast with aims to undermine Australia’s economy, foreign policy, and much else.

Whatever the PM thinks a new lease on the Lodge is worth, voters know it’s not worth this.

Originally published as James Morrow: Anthony Albanese needs to mind his manners around the Greens. This is why