This is a quick post in response to the pretty stellar misquotes of Greens leader Richard Di Natale doing the rounds today.

Di Natale recently spoke with GQ Australia about the future of his party. Listening to Labor and much of the media, you could be led to believe Di Natale was planning an alliance with the Liberal party. I’ve copied out what was actually said below, highlighting the tiny fragment being hammered by Labor.

Also in the interview Mr Di Natale talks about his relationship with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, his thoughts on former PM Tony Abbott and the possibility of the Greens one day forming government with a major party. 

“In my view it’s much more likely that the opportunity rests with Labor, but you should never rule out any possibility [of an alliance with the Liberal Party] though it’s unlikely,” he told GQ. 

“It’s a question for the party but I think it’s never going to happen. I don’t see a time when we can form a coalition with the Liberal Party, particularly this Liberal Party, because our views are so far apart. [Still], ‘Never say never’ is the quote I’d use about everything in politics.”

Yep, the full line contains two clarifications it is unlikely to ever happen, followed by the explicit statement “I think it’s never going to happen.”

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In response to the misquoting, Di Natale reiterated that point on Twitter:

@actualfredsmith 100% no “LNP-Greens alliance.” Wld be rather awkward given we disagree w them on almost everything https://t.co/fT4RghNy43

— Richard Di Natale (@RichardDiNatale) March 9, 2016

This is the most easily disproved scare campaign I’ve seen in a while. Is googling really that hard?

I suspect the only time a #Greens/Liberal alliance will be considered is when Labor drifts right of the Libs.https://t.co/r0K91fkdSB #AusPol

— William PJ Kulich (@WillPJK) March 9, 2016

(Image: Richard Di Natale on Twitter.)