Greens co-founder lobs extraordinary Hamas, transgender, inner city question at new leader – as Mehreen Faruqi fumes about losing out

DAILYMAIL • 2h ago

By NICHOLAS COMINO, POLITICAL REPORTER, AUSTRALIA 04:13 01 Oct 2026, updated 04:14 01 Oct 2026

Australian Greens co-founder Drew Hutton has launched an extraordinary attack on the party he helped create, challenging new leader David Shoebridge over the Greens’ stance on Hamas, transgender issues and the slogan ‘globalise the Intifada’.

In a pointed social media post following Shoebridge’s elevation to the leadership on Wednesday, Hutton said he wanted to ask the new Greens leader a question he had previously posed to former deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi.

Hutton is little known outside of political circles, but was instrumental in formalising the Greens as a force, founding the Queensland Greens in 1990 and later helping create the national party alongside environmental activist Bob Brown in 1992.

‘I’ll ask the new Greens leader, David Shoebridge, the same question I asked Mehreen: will he issue a statement supporting a two-state solution, condemn Hamas and criticise the use of ‘globalise the Intifada’?’ Hutton wrote.

He went on to question the party’s ability to win over voters outside its traditional base.

‘And how are the Greens going to fight One Nation when they think a man can be a woman, won’t criticise Hamas and continually wear keffiyahs and have no idea how to communicate with ordinary Australians who aren’t young, live in the inner-city and have university degrees?’ he said.

Hutton’s intervention comes just months after he dramatically severed ties with the party in Queensland, arguing the Greens had abandoned the principles that first inspired him to enter politics.

The 79-year-old resigned in June – despite successfully fighting to have his life membership reinstated by the party over a drawn-out internal dispute over transgender rights and social media comments.

In his resignation letter, Hutton wrote: ‘As the party’s founder here in Queensland, it grieves me to have to do this but I feel I have no choice. I still believe in green politics but I feel the party has left me.’

His departure came after a bitter clash with the Queensland Greens, who expelled him for refusing to remove comments, deemed transphobic by the party, that were made by others on a Facebook post he published in 2022.

Speaking to ABC’s 7.30 in 2025, Hutton accused the party of shutting down debate on gender policy.

‘What I disagree with vehemently is the way that anybody who actually voices any dissent with that policy and does so from a credible position, that there is such a thing as biological sex and there are two sexes, is forced out of the party,’ he said.

Shoebridge won the Greens leadership in a 7-4 party room ballot on Wednesday after former leader Larissa Waters stepped aside due to health issues.

But the result sparked an immediate backlash from failed leadership contender Senator Mehreen Faruqi, who argued that the party’s grassroots membership should have a say in its leadership elections.

‘I’ve long advocated publicly that Greens leaders should be elected by members with enough time for thoughtful deliberation,’ she said.

‘I share members’ frustration that the opposite happened this week. Without a member vote, we cannot call ourselves a grassroots party.’

‘I call on the new leadership team to set a timeline for one member, one vote.’

Faruqi did not contest the deputy position after losing her tilt for the top job, saying it would allow her to pursue ‘radical action … outside the constraints of the leadership team’.

The comments fuelled speculation about divisions inside the parliamentary party – and that Faruqi could freelance on her own policies.

However, Shoebridge sought to play down suggestions of a rift when asked about Faruqi’s remarks during an interview on ABC Radio National on Thursday.

‘The Greens are unusual in that pretty much every member of our team is a frontbencher with a huge portfolio load to get out and work in that portfolio,’ he said.

‘I am looking forward to Senator Faruqi getting out there and campaigning on matters that she’s clearly got a passion and a talent to connect with big parts of this country. And I think that’s great.’

The Daily Mail approached Shoebridge and Hutton for comment.

READ MORE: Sour grapes? Mehreen Faruqi steps down as Greens deputy leader and launches furious attack on the party’s direction

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