Jeff Kennett: Why Australians must put the Greens last at election time

Political groups that seek to divide, disrupt and disrespect members of the community who are meant to serve are unacceptable. Many worry about the extreme right but we should be equally worried about the extremism of the Greens.

The federal election to be held sometime between early December and May, is not just a test for the political parties and independents.

It is a bigger test for us, the voting public.

What is in our best interest as individuals, families, communities and businesses?

What is best for the country over the next 10 years, as we seek to navigate increasing cost of living pressures, community division and failures in vital government services such as health and education.

How do we get through this challenging period to a time when we can have relative quiet in our lives, a government that just sticks to its knitting, and we can rebuild the country’s productivity while restoring confidence throughout the community.

Hopefully the parting of the water which has led to divisions and lawless behaviour in some cases, can be put behind us and the waters reform to create a harmonious society where we live and work with and for each other.

A Labor government in its own right is better than having a Coalition being dictated to by the Greens. Picture: Martin Ollman

The last thing I want to see is a minority government where the Greens hold the balance of influence. Their behaviour recently has been divisive, confrontational and simply un-Australian.

They have attended recent rallies which turned ugly and have pledged their support for those who attended those protests where members of our police force were injured in Melbourne last week.

Many worry about the extreme right, we should be equally worried about the extremism of the Greens.

My assessment of their policies announced to date is that they are simply unaffordable and would guarantee inflation and interest rates remain high, a huge cost for all Australians particularly our young. The Greens are simply not economically responsible.

They would widen the negative Jaws Gap that I wrote about last week.

That said, the Greens are entitled to advocate any policy they like.

But it is up to Australians to reject their extremism.

To that end they represent a very real threat to the country’s cohesion. If given the opportunity to hold the balance of influence in the federal parliament, Australia is in for a very rough time, where quite possibly little will get done, or worse.

The voting public must give very serious thought to how we vote.

Of course, I would like to see a Liberal Coalition form government in its own right, simply because I genuinely believe its members have more community and commercial experience that those who form government today.

But I would also prefer a Labor government in its own right than have them or the Coalition being dictated to by the Greens.

Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton has been condemning the Greens. Picture: Martin Ollman

I would support an arrangement between Labor and the Coalition to work together on policies that affect our future and which require long-term thinking in the interest of the community and deny the Greens any influence.

Not all knowledge lies with one group of people. There are good and qualified people on both sides of the parliament who could, I am sure, work together in the national interest to provide stability, growth and hope for all of us.

Let’s face it, the politicians did establish the National Cabinet to deal with Covid. It started well, but ended up fracturing as premiers went their own way.

But the concept was good. Could not a National Cabinet of our best qualified, and by that, I mean experienced federal politicians after the next election, to ensure public policy and outcomes are not put at risk or destroyed by those who want to sabotage what most Australians want, stability.

That might seem a step too far for those who are elected.

There is an alternative that should be put in place.

Both the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and some of his ministers together with the Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton, have been condemning the Greens for their totally unacceptable behaviour.

Words mean nothing.

We cannot allow our federal parliament to be controlled by such a divisive group of men and women who make up the Greens today. Picture: Martin Ollman

What will count is if both major parties put the Greens last on the ballot papers at the next Federal election. That means the Coalition and the Labor Party might ultimately end up directing preferences to each other in certain seats.

For Labor to hold or win a couple of seats, or maybe the Coalition, it is a far better outcome than the Greens holding or winning seats.

Political groups that through their actions seek to divide, disrupt and disrespect members of the community that are meant to serve are simply unacceptable.

It would be so hypocritical of both the major parties to do anything else but put the Greens last. Totally hypocritical.

But the real safeguard is us, the people.

We have seen what has happened to our living standards here in Victoria when we allowed Daniel Andrews to be returned to office.

We cannot allow our federal parliament to be controlled by such a divisive group of men and women who make up the Greens today.

Their current actions should disqualify them from office.

Think carefully, vote wisely. Australia needs you.

Jeff Kennett is a former Premier of Victoria