Theo Theophanous: Greens and Teals will bankrupt this country

Gen Z-millennial progressiveness has seen a rise in votes for Greens and teal independents who will compromise our security, frustrate housing supply and lead us to a recession.

Before I entered politics I studied and taught sociology and politics at La Trobe University. There I learnt that we are all socialised by the community and the epoch we find ourselves in. This shapes our values, our identity and our politics.

Depending on when and where one is born their socialisation delivers predictable social beliefs and political leanings.

The Redbridge in-depth analysis shows that the Baby Boomers tend to support the major parties with only about 4 per cent supporting the Left leaning Greens.

But for Gen X Greens support is 9 per cent, Millennials 16 per cent, and Gen Z a whopping 33 per cent.

The Greens Party held an event with Abbie Chatfield and leader Adam Bandt performing with a DJ set to appeal to younger voters. Picture: Nadir Kinani

Given that Gen Z and Millennials now outnumber Gen X and Boomers the political outlook for the major parties is dire.

This political support is an outcome of these younger generations being more progressive than their parents and grandparents.

They do not have historical allegiances to traditional mainstream parties and they see them as not reflective of their progressive values.

By progressive I do not mean the sort of left-wing values that drove us Boomers to oppose the Vietnam War and support anti-nuclear movements.

Gen Z progressiveness involves values like social justice, environmentalism, work-life balance and justice for First Nations peoples.

And, having been socialised within a much more diverse society, they are more likely to embrace the diversity, equity and inclusion mantra.

In contrast, studies have shown that today’s Boomers hold traditional values including the importance of mateship, security, nationalism and rule of law.

Gen Z and Millennials support of The Greens and Left-leaning independents has been integrated into their identity and social personalities. Picture: Supplied

Many of us in older generations have reflected and now support many of the Gen Z values. Indeed, we have facilitated there being embedded in the new generations in the education system, in community engagement and at home.

The main point is that the socialisation experience of Gen Z has been very different to earlier generations. In sociological terms, they have internalised these new values that now form part of who they are. They are integrated into their identity and social personality.

This is why the challenge to the major parties is so manifest. Gen Zs in particular vote for the Greens and Left-leaning independents not just because of the policies and values they espouse but because they believe that they represent who they are.

This powerful identity attraction to the Greens is so intense that even when the Greens fail to deliver or vote in contradiction to their Gen Z progressive values, they continue to support them.

Gen Z accepts Greens’ excuses for when they oppose gains on climate change, public housing, and renters’ rights. They will not abandon them because to do so would be to deny their socialised identity as manifested in the Greens Party.

The powerful new Gen Z-millennial progressiveness has not only led to bleeding of the ALP vote to the Greens, it has also led to bleeding of the conservative vote to the left-leaning teal independents. Gone are the days when the two parties had primary votes in the low to mid 40 per cent. They now struggle in the low 30 per cent.

According to the Redbridge analysis the Liberal Party is the greater generational loser with their support dropping to 22 per cent among Gen Z and 27 per cent among millennials. They survive only because of Boomer support at 46 per cent.

Labor fares better because of their apparent adoption of many Gen Z values. Labor’s Gen Z support is 32 per cent while support among Boomers is 35 per cent.

We saw these new value configurations play out during the election campaign. The most devastating mistake by Peter Dutton was the return-to-work policy. It was a direct attack on Gen Z and millennial values which are more about a work-life balance and quality time with children. The outdated notion that we all should go to the office five days a week was a Boomers’ view not Gen Z or millennials’ view and Dutton paid the price.

If the above analysis is correct, then Australia is in for a rocky three years if the Greens and teal independents get the balance of power.

Gen Z and Millennial’s were not fans of Peter Dutton’s return-to-work policy. Picture: Supplied

The Greens and teal independents who represent the new Gen Z and millennial progressives will be in no mood for compromise. They will push Labor relentlessly on free dental, free university education, guaranteed public housing, more subsidised renewable energy, and a host of other high-spending demands to be funded by higher business taxes, reduced spending on defence, and removing the Boomers’ negative gearing and capital gains tax benefits.

Many will point out that such actions will compromise our security, frustrate housing supply and lead to a recession.

But it wont matter. Gen Z and millennials are driven by their very social DNA to insist on these policies.

This is why our country is truly at a crossroads. The major parties are incapable of preferencing out the Greens and minor parties.

I believe that for those who do not want to see a steady decline in our prosperity and security the answer is to vote for one of the two major parties and not for the Greens or teal independents.

More, clearly only Labor can form a stable majority government.

For all our sakes, let’s hope enough of the Gen Z see through the Greens bankrupt policies and vote Labor to ensure Labor achieves majority government.

Theo Theophanous is a political commentator and former Labor state minister