Max Chandler-Mather continues attacks on Albanese's character
Anthony Albanese's arch nemesis Max Chandler-Mather rumbles on despite the Green's exit from parliament, with the pair exchanging more barbs at each other via the media. Chandler-Mather, who lost his re-election bid, said it will be relief not to have put up any longer with the abuse he regularly received in the House.
Speaking to Triple J on Tuesday, Mr Chandler-Mather said he was often 'screamed and yelled at' by Labor members in the House - to the point where it made him feel ill - and that Mr Albanese had often levied 'personal abuse' at him. Mr Albanese hit back at those accusations on ABC 7.30 on Wednesday. 'He should have a good look at the way that he asks questions in the parliament,' the Prime Minister said. 'Maybe what he needs is a mirror and a reflection on why he's no longer in parliament. This is a guy who stood before signs at a CFMEU rally in Brisbane describing me as a Nazi. It's a bit rich for him of all people...who has been rejected by his own electorate after just one term.'
Following Mr Albanese's attack, Mr Chandler-Mather doubled down. 'I feel like the PM launching into another attack on someone who isn't even in parliament, rather than celebrating a historic win, proves my point, which is this is how the political class treats people who fight for renters and real change,' he said. 'Compare this to his kind words for Dutton.'
Following his election win, Mr Albanese said he had spoken to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to apologise on behalf of Labor supporters who booed at the mention of the Liberal leader's name. 'No. What we do in Australia is we treat people with respect,' he said at the time. 'I thank Peter for his generous words at the end of what has been a very hard fought campaign, and I want to take this opportunity to wish Peter and his family all the best for their future.'
Mr Albanese and Mr Chandler-Mather have had a long-running feud. While in parliament, Mr Chandler-Mather earned the nickname of 'Albo's nemesis' due to his clashes with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over housing policy. In 2023, tensions first flared up during a debate over the $10billion Housing Australia Future Fund. As Mr Albanese was leaving the House of Representatives chamber, he reportedly turned back and directed an angry remark to Mr Chandler-Mather, saying: 'You're a joke, mate.'
Last year, Mr Chandler-Mather questioned why the Prime Minister was able to rake in an extra $115,000 a year in rental income while he lives rent-free at The Lodge and Kirribilli House during a housing crisis. These confrontations led many young Australians to see Mr Chandler-Mather as a strong voice representing their concerns about the housing crisis. Mr Chandler-Mather and the three other Greens in the lower house seem likely to all lose their seats, including party leader Adam Bandt.
Daily Mail Australia's Political Editor Peter Van Onselen called the surprising result in the Bandt's seat on Tuesday morning. Latest figures from the Australian Electoral Commission showed Labor's Sarah Witty leading Mr Bandt on a two-candidate-preferred basis by 2,235 votes with only 4,216 postal votes yet to be tallied, and the Labor candidate is winning the postals 63 per cent to 37 per cent.
That represents and 8.92 per cent swing against Mr Bandt, who had held the seat since 2010. Of the four Greens MPs elected in 2022, only Elizabeth Watson-Brown remains a contender for the seat of Ryan in western Brisbane. Liberal-National candidate topped the primary vote, but it has developed into a contest between Ms Watson-Brown and Labor's Rebecca Hack, who is likely to be favoured by preference flows.
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