An explosive new political book has alleged that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese once physically blocked his Greens rival from entering his office and issued a stark warning: 'I am coming to get you'.
A Claim of a Tense Parliamentary Confrontation
The claim is made by veteran political journalist and insider Niki Savva in her latest tell-all, 'Earthquake', which chronicles the turbulent lead-up to the 2025 federal election. That election resulted in a historic landslide victory for Labor and a devastating defeat for the Liberal Party, which was left with just 34 seats.
Savva provides a vivid account of an alleged tense encounter between Albanese and Max Chandler-Mather, the then-33-year-old Greens housing spokesman. Chandler-Mather had become a persistent thorn in the government's side with his aggressive campaigning against Labor's housing policy.
According to Savva's narrative, the drama unfolded when Chandler-Mather allegedly attempted to join another group that had a scheduled meeting with the Prime Minister. 'Albanese refused to allow Chandler-Mather into his office when he tried to tag along,' Savva writes, adding that the PM then delivered the pointed warning.
Greens MP Denies the Alleged Incident
While the acrimonious relationship between the two politicians was well-documented during the parliamentary term, Max Chandler-Mather has categorically denied the incident when approached by the Daily Mail for comment.
He stated that the account was 'categorically not true' and refuted the claim that Albanese ever said 'I am coming to get you'. 'The PM also definitely never said that to me and never asked me to leave his office. I would remember that if he did,' Chandler-Mather asserted.
Sources close to the former Greens MP confirmed he met with Albanese in his office on at least two occasions during heated negotiations over the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF). Insiders familiar with those talks noted that a final meeting was crucial in securing an additional $1 billion for social housing, on top of a $2 billion commitment negotiated earlier.
The Meteoric Rise and Fall of a Greens Star
Max Chandler-Mather, once hailed as the Greens' rising star and a future leader, built his reputation as a fierce advocate for affordable housing and renters' rights. Elected in 2022 as the Member for Griffith, he was central to the Greens' historic breakthrough in Queensland, helping the party win three inner-city seats.
However, his political trajectory was dramatically reversed in the 2025 election, where he lost his inner-Brisbane seat of Griffith to Labor's Renee Coffey. His defeat marked the end of a rapid political ascent. While his future in public life remains unclear, he has not ruled out a return.
In October following the election, Chandler-Mather made a rare public statement to criticise Labor's Home Guarantee Scheme. He argued the policy, designed to help first-home buyers, would worsen Australia's housing crisis by saddling buyers with debt and inflating property prices further.
The Daily Mail has contacted the offices of both Anthony Albanese and Niki Savva for comment on the claims made in the book.
