The Greens: ‘Not who they used to be’

I recently had the privilege of travelling along the eastern seaboard of Australia to film a mini-documentary for ADVANCE, focused on how renewables are impacting communities.

I also had the chance to interview several former Greens voters who are now very disillusioned, realising that the Greens are no longer the party they once supported.

One of these individuals was an incredible woman, Louise—a Jewish Australian and a former lifelong supporter of the Greens.

It was clear from our conversation that she felt the Greens had abandoned her, rather than the other way around.

As we sat on her balcony, Louise shared her struggle.

She had always supported progressive causes and still held what many would consider left-of-centre views.

She was passionate about the environment, deeply concerned about her local parks and waterways, and cared about the fair treatment of refugees.

But she no longer felt that she belonged in the Greens.

The Greens had changed, and with that change, her sense of belonging had disappeared.

What particularly devastated her was the reaction of her former Greens friends after the horrific October 7 massacre in Israel.

She was deeply disappointed by their complete failure to empathise with the suffering of Israelis who were brutally murdered, as though only the suffering of Palestinians deserved their concern.

To her, this was an ideological betrayal—a refusal to acknowledge the shared humanity on both sides of the conflict.

Louise’s story, along with others I encountered, reflected a troubling theme: left-wing ideology is increasingly dividing Australians. People are increasingly being labelled as “good” or “bad” based on their religion, ethnicity, or political views, a dangerous and divisive trend that pits Australians against one another.

In our amazing democracy, no ideology should be allowed to put any group in harm’s way. 

Yet, the rising antisemitism and racism empowered by the Greens is alarming.

It’s not just alienating—it’s frightening. Some of the people I wanted to interview were too scared to speak openly about their political beliefs.

That fear, and the suppression of free speech that comes with it, poses a real threat to our democracy.

Australia is still a country that values freedom of speech, but we must never take that for granted.

In countries like China, North Korea and Russia, expressing a political opinion can lead to imprisonment—or worse.

We must defend our right to speak up, even when the conversations are difficult.

But I believe when the Greens bully people into silence, they divide our society.

They are no longer who they used to be.

Sandra Bourke
ADVANCE Spokeswoman