“If the way the Labor Party tails the Liberal Party on so many important questions is what you get inside the tent, I think it’s time to burn the tent down.“

Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese often speaks about his passion for fighting Tories. But lately, Albo’s been fighting Greens.

He’s been on the offensive against one Green in particular: firefighter, union leader, Stanmore local and Greens candidate for Grayndler, Jim Casey.

Casey, described at the NSW Greens’ campaign launch as the “Bernie Sanders of the Inner West”, spoke to Backchat‘s Hannah Ryan about his campaign for the increasingly marginal seat.

Have a listen below.

Why are inner city Labor MPs like Albo suddenly under threat by The Greens?

The seat of Grayndler takes in suburbs such as Newtown and Balmain, as well as parts of Marrickville and Dulwich Hill.

Earlier in the campaign, Albanese told Backchat that the threat from The Greens came from the wave of gentrification sweeping the inner-west.

“What you have is people living in houses that have previously been occupied by Greek, Italian or Portuguese families, and ‘professionals’ moving in.

“These are people who don’t need ‘the state’.”

Whichever party wins on July 2, Grayndler will be one to watch as the site of progressive political battles for years to come.

Keep up to date with the campaign on Twitter:

• @BackchatFBi
• Jim Casey
• Anthony Albanese MP

Want more Backchat? Subscribe to the podcast.