2025-04-24
hope, resistance and challenging the status quo
Q&A with Remah Naji, Greens Candidate for Moreton
Remah Naji is a local mum, tertiary education worker and community organiser - not a career politician. She’s running in Moreton for the Greens to give everyday people a voice, and hold our leaders accountable. She moved to Australia 12 years ago after growing up in Jordan, after her parents were forcibly displaced twice from Palestine. Remah has been running an incredible campaign and tells us about her experience.
What drew you to being part of the Greens? What has been the best part of being in the movement?
The Greens’ connection to grassroots communities is one of their greatest strengths. I’ve observed how the Greens' policy platform evolves in response to this connection, which reflects a deep commitment to participatory democracy. I believe grassroots movements expand the possibilities of electoral politics, and political parties have a responsibility to listen and respond to those movements. The Greens have shown that a grassroots model of democracy is not only possible but powerful.
The Greens’ values align closely with mine. I joined the party to work towards climate justice and to stand up for renters, workers, migrants, people with disabilities, and everyone who feels crushed by the political establishment. Peace and non-violence are deeply important to me, and I’m proud to stand with a party that has a consistent anti-war stance and a commitment to humanity and justice.
The best part of being in the Greens is standing alongside comrades - those I march with in the streets - as we organise and plan together to build a better world.
Why did you put your hand up to run?
I put my hand up in response to calls from various communities I’m connected to - people who encouraged me to stand and represent the southside. I am deeply embedded in this community. When I arrived here 12 years ago, I didn’t know anyone, so I spent much of my time volunteering and taking part in different community projects. Through that work, I formed connections with local groups and built a strong understanding of the needs of our diverse communities.
I renounced my Jordanian citizenship to be able to stand for federal parliament - a decision I did not take lightly. I’ve watched as our politicians not only ignored, but actively demonised those calling for basic rights: climate action, strong unions, justice for Palestine, renters' protections. The status quo is serving only the rich and powerful, while the major parties continue passing legislation to appease vested interests.
I’m not going to lie, we’re up against powerful institutions, and those in power don’t like it when we disrupt their comfortable privilege. But with rising homelessness, gendered violence, racism, and inequality - to name just a few - it is incumbent upon us to stand up and represent those who have been left behind.
What’s been the best part of the Moreton campaign so far?
The fact that the majority of our volunteers had never been involved in political campaigning - and never imagined they would be - speaks volumes. It shows that we’ve been able to inspire hope and bring people together. These volunteers have connected with thousands of locals and helped demonstrate that a better world is possible.
This is our main challenge: in the face of widespread disempowerment and disengagement, our challenge is to channel that anger at a political system that has failed us time and again into empowerment. I believe this campaign has already achieved some of that.
How has your Palestinian heritage helped shape your sense of social justice and community?
I was born into the struggle for liberation. My parents were Palestinian refugees who were forcibly displaced twice. When the international community and world leaders failed Palestinians, it was the community that created a space for us to belong, even far from our homeland.
Having my rights stripped from me and my family forced me to stand up for social justice. I cannot ignore the oppression of First Nations people, people with disabilities, migrants, or members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The oppression these groups face isn’t an unfortunate byproduct of the system, it is a core part of its design, essential to upholding its power structures.
Being born and destined to live in exile pushed me to seek answers through resistance. Community and social justice movements are that resistance against the systems that tear us apart and pit us against one another.
Heading into the last week of the campaign, what are you looking forward to most?
Apart from getting a little bit of rest, I’m genuinely looking forward to what comes next. We’re already winning in this campaign - we’ve created something the southside has never seen before. If we get over the line, we’ll be able to utilise our office resources to build a stronger community and establish a system that encourages participatory democracy.
But even if we don’t, we’ve already created a powerful force - one that will keep working and engaging with the community in ways that continue to inspire hope and strength.
What gives you hope? And why?
The streets give me hope. The people who show up - rain, hail or shine - to stand in solidarity with the oppressed. Those who refuse to stay silent in the face of injustice and who use unconventional methods to rock the boat and challenge the status quo.
Playing by the rules hasn’t changed anything. It only reaffirms the unearned power of a privileged few over the many. It’s time we dissent - and build a powerful movement that transforms the political and social landscape. We are on the right trajectory.
With one week to go, is there any way folks in Moreton can still get involved?
It’s not too late to sign up to help us out at a polling booth on election day, so please email hello@remahformoreton.com with your suburb and preferred contact phone number if you’d like to be rostered on as a volunteer.
But it would also be incredibly helpful if supporters can send a quick text message to friends and family members encouraging them to vote 1 Greens this time around. Word-of-mouth endorsements are far more powerful than anything our campaign could do, so talking publicly about why you support our campaign here in Moreton is especially powerful. Sharing our social media posts and making your own posts on social media about why you’re voting Greens is extremely helpful.
And of course, wherever you are in the country, we could still use more campaign donations. We’ve produced a short ad that we’re running on various social media platforms, and the more money we can raise in these final days of the campaign, the more people we’ll be able to push our message to online. If you want to support the first Palestinian woman ever to run for the Australian parliament, please consider making a tax deductible donation.