‘We are ready’: amid a sea of colour and triumphalism, the Victorian Greens launch an ambitious campaign

Perry’s: A Refreshment Club, an immaculate little venue in Collingwood with exposed brick and old-school carpeting, is the host of the Victorian Greens’ election launch and is as “home ground” as they could hope for. It’s surrounded by cafes called things like “Friend of the Earth”, sustainable wine bars, and quite a few posters for its Richmond candidate Gabrielle de Vietri.

The bathrooms make no reference to gender, simply detailing that one has a urinal and one doesn’t, and the food — sprawls of Instagram-ready charcuterie — looks as though it would fundamentally undermine my journalistic neutrality if I tried any. The crowd is a melange of multi-coloured glasses frames, side-shaved haircuts, and woolly jackets with scarves and attachments that defy physics.

If all that sounds like an out-of-touch warping of progressivism, well, let me thank you for your years of supporting Crikey. If it sounds fantastic, let me thank you for taking out this free trial, and please consider upgrading to a full subscription.