Drew Hutton is urging a vote against the Greens and there needs to be consequences

 By Helen Said, Autistic advocate and former Green, Melbourne Australia

Queensland Greens founder Drew Hutton was expelled from the Greens last year for refusing to remove anti-trans comments that appeared on one of his facebook posts. He claimed his expulsion from the Queensland Greens was undemocratic, and the party's own lawyers agreed. Hutton's Greens membership was then reinstated.

Since then, Hutton has been on a non-stop anti-trans crusade, often making several posts a day, each of which attracts hundreds of comments. While some of his facebook followers' comments are supportive of trans people, most comments are simplistic, ignorant or downright hateful. This commentary has exploded since the pro-trans ruling in the Tickle VS Giggle court case, turning trans people into a political football and ignoring their humanity. 

Hutton supports the reintroduction of Pauline Hanson's anti-trans "Sex Discrimination Amendment (acknowledging biological reality) Bill" that was blocked by the Senate in 2024. By saying, "Don't vote for any candidate who won't put up their hand to repeal the 2013 amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act" [which recognise trans women], Hutton has effectively urged a vote against his own political party, since they don't support repealing this amendment. (See facebook post pictured above, May 15, 2026).  

The Greens policy on this matter is clearly pictured above. Yes, as a Greens member, Hutton, is publicly telling people not to vote Green, since the Greens have pledged "Every MP, every vote, every time" will support trans rights. Drew Hutton's disloyalty to the Greens is surely grounds to expel him again, as I pointed out in my comment on his May 15 facebook post.

In between Hutton's ravings, he makes valid remarks about the culture of the Greens being out of touch with working class voters. I have had my own negative experiences with the small left wing party scene, which you can read about here:

https://whyijoinedlabor.blogspot.com/2015/10/what-big-dose-of-small-parties.html

I blame the inward looking cultures of Greens and Socialist parties for narrowing their supporter base and allowing One Nation to capture much of the protest vote. I particularly blame Darebin Greens for squashing the 2007-2008 attempts to start a branch in Melbourne's working class outer north, where I live, which contributed to my decision to leave the Greens and join Labor. As a result of the Greens' sabotage and neglect of working class areas, there will be very little Greens preference flow to Labor, at this November's Victorian state election, in outer working class areas where One Nation is on the rise.

Whichever political party you belong to, and whatever your beliefs, one rule is clear - you cannot expect to remain a member of a political party if you urge a vote against it. By telling his large base of followers not to vote for Greens candidates, because they "won't put up their hand to repeal the 2013 amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act", Drew Hutton is committing a political cardinal sin, which should never be excused by any party under any circumstances.