This was published 8 years ago
Election 2016: Battleground Grayndler - Greens' Jim Casey 'feels bad' for Anthony Albanese over Telegraph endorsement
By Anne Davies
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When an older man carrying The Daily Telegraph came into the campaign office of Greens candidate Jim Casey in the seat of Grayndler, staff thought he was looking for directions. Instead he threw down the newspaper in disgust, telling the surprised campaign worker that he wanted to donate. He wrote a cheque for $1500.
Mostly emergency workers draw the admiration of tabloid papers for their acts of valour and community service. Not Jim Casey, a fireman and head of their union. Casey hung up his helmet last Sunday morning, as public servants are required to do, so he could make a tilt at the Labor-held inner west seat held by the Left's Anthony Albanese.
Several weeks ago, the Tele kicked off a front-page campaign to "Save our Albo", branding Casey from the "loony left" and "anti-capitalist".
It was a rude shock for Casey, who had expected a bit of vitriol, just not so early in the campaign.
The Greens' Jim Casey and Labor's Anthony Albanese at a Stop WestConnex meeting.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
"Three years ago, they had Albo in Nazi regalia [as Sergeant Schultz of Hogan's Heroes fame] so for them to move to this campaign to save Albo, well that's a long way for even the Murdoch press," says Casey.
"I feel quite bad for him. It's put our campaign on the map," he added.
But despite the bravado and the odd donation, the Telegraph's all-guns-blazing approach could play both ways.
Fairfax Media joined in the next day, unearthing a video from a Greens conference in which Mr Casey made a subtle point about leadership and social activism.
Greens candidate for Grayndler Jim Casey.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
"I would prefer to see Tony Abbott returned as prime minister with a Labor movement that is growing, with an anti-war movement that was disrupting things in the streets, with a strong and vibrant women's movement, Indigenous movement, and a climate change movement that was starting actually to disrupt the production of coal.
"I'd prefer to see Abbott as the prime minister in that environment than Bill Shorten as prime minister without it."
The Daily Telegraph's May 11 front page featuring Anthony Albanese.
Mr Casey says he was basically proposing that community power is as important as what politicians are doing. "If you don't have an engaged community then good politicians don't have the muscle to get things done," he said.
He points to the green bans of the 1970s, which saved several heritage buildings, as evidence that non-violent but illegal action can deliver results that are ultimately good for society.
"Having said that, if you take one line out of that 10-minute speech, you can make me look pretty silly, so I will be careful to make sure I don't repeat that," he said.
So why go to Canberra if social activism is the way to change the world?
Casey says his union campaign on workers' compensation showed that in the end politicians were needed to seal the deal - in that case, the Greens' David Shoebridge and the late John Kaye.
He says he would adopt the "Bernie Sanders approach" of using his privileged position as member for Grayndler to lend support and legitimacy for groups that are campaigning.
Top of his list of causes are climate change - he's seen the changed behaviour of bushfires up close - refugee policy and of course WestConnex. Stopping the giant road project will be a non-negotiable item in the event of a hung parliament.
But it's an uphill road against a popular well-known local in Albo and an unpredictable foe in the Telegraph.
"I look at the bookmakers and I reckon that's pretty accurate: $4 for me and $1.50 for Albo. I think we will narrow those odds," Casey said.
"The seat of Grayndler will go Green but I am just not sure whether it will be this election or the next."