In last night's 7.30 report titled "Greens look to win over disaffected Labor voters", Lindsay Tanner made this rather odd statement:

"The truth is the Greens are about cannibalising progressive Labor votes. They're not that interested in who the Government is, they're not that interested in trying to defeat John Howard or Tony Abbott. They're interested in defeating people like me." 

He went onto say that the Greens had "a sinister purpose" in trying to "defeat the Labor Party".

Tanner has made this argument several times before. According to Tanner, the Greens have no right to stand against Labor candidates. 

It's a profoundly undemocratic view that represents a sense of entitlement reminiscent of the worst 'born to rule' elements of the conservative side of politics. No one "owns" the progressive vote and Tanner would do well to remember that.

The only "sinister purpose" of the Greens is to advance progressive policy in Australia. Lindsay Tanner might see it as impertinence, but contesting seats as a registered political party is something we call "democracy". 

The reality is that in its first term of government the ALP has continued to ditch progressive policies in a desperate race to the bottom with the opposition. The ALP, like the opposition, now stands in the way of progressive change. Tanner might find this unpalatable truth hard to stomach but the facts speak for themselves.

I recommend watching the whole report here, and judging Tanner's attitude for yourself.