This week, I announced my intention to run as an independent candidate for my home seat of Grayndler. The seat is currently represented by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese.

The response has been overwhelming and largely positive. Much of the criticism has been made in good faith and is crucial for me to hear and respond to. A lot of it has also been men calling me an attention-seeking influencer – but hey, that’s democracy baby.

A consistent question is appearing in comment sections: why would I stand against the current leader of the more progressive of the major parties? Instead, they suggest, I should be focusing on the rise of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.

I understand the mindset behind this criticism, because I previously held a similar perspective. For a long time, I only permitted myself to focus on responding to the most extreme view on display. The loudest threat often feels like the biggest one. Many of us have been taught to bunker down and defend against “the worse option” rather than exploring how those in power have created the material conditions for this extremism to thrive. The 2024 US........

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