ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Outgoing Greens leader Adam Bandt has formally conceded defeat in the seat of Melbourne, ending a 14-year career in federal politics and marking the collapse of his party’s inner-city stronghold.
The seat, held by the Greens since 2010, fell to Labor late last night after a 8.3% swing driven by high early turnout and declining patience for minor party messaging.
Bandt addressed the media briefly in Melbourne this morning, flanked by several dejected volunteers still wearing campaign shirts calling for dental to be added to Medicare.
“Well fuck you and fuck your teeth,” Bandt said.
“Use your super to fix them, I don’t give a shit.”
The former industrial lawyer was elected in the dying days of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd era, and rose to national prominence during the Greens’ old school push for environmental action, which quickly shifted to housing reform and expanded public health coverage as they became more of an issue to more people. Most notably, Bandt made universal dental care a key plank of the Greens platform. a policy that was consistently ignored by both major parties and the press gallery.
“Enjoy spending ten grand getting your wisdom teeth out, you centrist cowards,” Bandt added.
The election loss is being attributed to a broader Labor resurgence in formerly Green-leaning electorates, particularly among renters and young professionals who were swayed by last-minute promises of making sure we don’t have a hung parliament.
Bandt confirmed he will step down from the leadership of the Greens immediately and has no plans to recontest the seat.
“No root canal for you,” Bandt said.
“Just an extraction and a life sentence of mash potato.”
More to come.
