Now I’m Fighting the Left: Greens Party Co-Founder to Protest for Women’s Rights

Drew Hutton founded the Australian and Queensland Greens, but says he’s now battling ‘thugs from the left.’

Signage denoting a unisex bathroom can be seen at Melbourne Airport, Australia, on Oct. 31, 2023. Susan Mortimer/The Epoch Times

Long-time activist Drew Hutton, who chained himself to a tree in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall in the 1980s amid a slew of protest activities, finds himself at odds with the political party he once founded—the Greens.

It’s a well-worn story in modern times, a once leading progressive eventually finds themselves isolated from a social justice cause they hold dear, as the political left swings further and further to the extreme.

Incidentally, for Hutton, it’s the same cause that saw author JK Rowling receive public backlash—the right for women to maintain spaces or activities free from trans-individuals.

This weekend, Hutton will be back at the top of Queen Street Mall, in Reddacliff Place, protesting for this very right, as well as free speech.

Suspended From the Party he Founded

Along with retired Senator Bob Brown, Hutton co-founded the Australian Greens party, and also the Queensland Greens in the early 1990s.

Back then, the parties had a very heavy focus on environmentalism and protesting major mining activities, but 18 months ago the Greens suspended his membership after he questioned the role of male-to-female trans people in women’s spaces.

Activist Drew Hutton in his heyday chained to a tree in Brisbane's Queen Street Mall. The co-founder of the Australian Greens and founder of the Queensland Greens, is now at odds with the party he founded over his support of women's rights. He remains active. Courtesy of Drew Hutton

He was told his membership would be on ice until he removed social media posts he'd written on the topic.

One allegedly offending post stated: “I believe in full human rights for trans people at the same time as supporting the right of women to be safe from patriarchal oppression.”

“It’s not just about me, that’s the thing,” Hatton told The Epoch Times, he says women all over the world are being impacted by infringement on their spaces, and by extension, their rights.

“If trans rights impede women’s rights, then people need to sit down and civilly discuss a compromise on this.

“Women are being called bigots for saying, ‘We have rights to women’s only spaces.’”

Hutton who campaigned heavily against Queensland’s dominant right-wing Bjelke-Petersen government of the 1980s, says it’s now the left side of politics he is up against.

“Now I find I have to defend free speech again, this time against thugs from the left,” he said.

“I support rights for trans people, but I also support women’s rights.

In Support of Freedom of Expression

Hutton will join a rally on April 12 in support of Canadian influencer Chris Elston, also known as “Billboard Chris.”

“Billboard Chris” visited Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall weeks earlier but was issued a move-on notice and $806 fine for wearing a sign stating that, “Children cannot consent to puberty blockers.”

It’s something Hatton believes should never have happened.

Activist Drew Hutton wearing a billboard in support of women's rights. The co-founder of the Australian Greens and founder of the Queensland Greens, is now at odds with the party he founded over his support of women's rights. He remains active. Courtesy of Drew Hutton

“There should be balance and compromise here, not a reign of terror.”

Hutton hopes he won’t be told to leave Brisbane’s CBD when he holds his one-man demonstration.

“If I get moved on, it'll be police misusing their powers,” he said.

A ‘Cult-Like Presence’ In the Modern Greens

Hutton says the inability to compromise or engage in civil discussion is stunting public policy, meaning what now results will ultimately fail.

“How are you going to get good policy on an issue if people can’t put their views forward,” he said.

“There’s a small group of people in the Queensland Greens trying to purge the party of anybody who disagrees with them.”

Hutton said there were still people in the Greens doing good work, but he was concerned about the presence of an “almost cult-like presence” in the party that was taking the focus away from social justice and environmental rights.

For Hutton, individuals should have as much freedom as possible, but when that freedom negatively impacts others, it needs to be examined.

Within the Greens, he says, there is a “fundamentalist, black and white view” of what rights should be.

“It’s just lazy thinking,” he said.

Last year, Greens’ policies were blamed for the party’s underwhelming results across three elections, including their support of disruptive pro-Palestine activities.

Other reasons include a perception that the Greens were obstructionist in Parliament—particularly in the housing debate with federal Labor—as well as voters choosing to move their vote back to Labor over concerns the minor party could not deliver on issues like cost of living.

The Epoch Times contacted the Australian and Queensland Greens for further comment.

Women’s Rights Group Calls for Freedom of Speech

Independent women’s rights group, Woman Up Queensland, is backing Hutton’s stance on freedom of speech.

Spokesperson Sue Clarke said women’s voices were being increasingly silenced, as trans rights become dominant.

“Every time we gather to speak in public we are met with intimidation and, at times, violence,” she said in a statement.

“It shouldn’t take a police line to keep us safe.”