There’s one very simple reason why Australia doesn’t have a Mamdani, and never will

“Is it time for Australia to have a Mamdani?”

“Who is Australia’s Mamdani?” 

“Could X be Australia’s Mamdani?”

Of all the inane reporting this week about the Greens leadership election (listen to Thursday’s episode for more), it was this kind of line that drove me particularly crazy. 

I completely understand the desire many people have for a reinvigorated left-wing political movement in Australia, particularly one that can win votes, and especially one that offers an alternative to the trajectory we’re currently heading down under a dire Albanese government and resurgent One Nation. I can deeply relate to the sense of excitement people feel about the glimmers of hope offered by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, or other insurgent progressives around the world like the UK Greens leader Zack Polanski. This podcast was the first media outlet in the country to draw attention to Mamdani’s political rise, back when he was still far behind in the Democratic primary race.

Today, Mamdani-mania in Australian political circles has reached such a crescendo that even more conservative commentators, who have little time for actual radical left ideas, like those in The Australian, the ABC’s Patricia Karvelas and Waleed Aly have been forced to acknowledge what a charismatic and compelling political figure he is. He has even become the go-to figure to contrast with what is on offer from the Australian Greens.

The irony of that kind of endorsement, of course, is that the mainstream media works every day to suffocate anyone who attempts to replicate his politics or approach, and when they do emerge (or even when much more lukewarm versions emerge) they attempt to destroy their lives and careers. The thing is, wishing and praying for a local version of a radical-yet-charming-and-appealing-and-handsome-and-Muslim-and-a-migrant-but-not-too-scary political figure won’t magically make them appear.