Sandell announced the campaign on the median strip of a Carlton street last month, where a resident walking past told her: "I'm voting Greens this time. I'm a Labor voter [but] I'm so fed up with them." The resident was angry about Labor's plan to demolish Melbourne's public housing towers, an issue Sandell said was part of a broader pattern of disillusionment over cost-of-living, corruption, climate action and Palestinian rights.
Despite Labor's primary vote sliding, the Greens have been unable to convert that dissatisfaction into higher poll numbers. The Age's Resolve Political Monitor recorded the party's support at around 12 per cent, unchanged for months, while One Nation has gained ground. The shift has raised questions about whether progressive policies will appeal to voters looking for an alternative to the major parties.
Sandell expressed confidence the Greens could replicate the appeal of Zohran Mamdani, who recently won the New York mayoral election, and the UK Greens under Zack Polanski's leadership. "We know th..." (the article cuts off, but the campaign platform includes a proposal for a public supermarket to address cost-of-living pressures.)
The Greens will need to win seats from Labor in inner-Melbourne electorates such as Melbourne, Richmond and Brunswick, as well as hold their existing seats against challenges from the left and right.