We sat down with ChairmanMordecai, recently out of a long retirement, to get a sense for him and his priorities.

What caused you to come out of your long retirement and sit on the bench?

Well Sophie I had been sitting around writing some history books, you know, "why John Monash may very well have been the Messiah" and "The Poms: The Story of British Imperialism and persecution in Australia", and I was essentially in splendid isolation for most of that. Sure I understood that there were changes of government but I enjoyed being a cloistered private citizen. And I had noticed things take an extreme turn for the worse as of late and I grew increasingly restless and concerned. That's why I was okay to come out of retirement. It was less of a return and more of a second beginning, because it was very much like when I first entered politics as a concerned citizen wanting to do my part for the nation. And I had always considered the High Court both an incredibly important public service position and something in dire need of serving after those two Griffo v Commonwealth cases, so when the Attorney-General very graciously approached me about balancing out the court I thought "splendid".

What caused you to then leave the bench shortly after your appointment?

Essentially I felt constrained in my ability to serve the nation. The High Court is a sleepy kind of place, it does not get much work, and as someone with time and policy ideas and passion and vigour I felt I was essentially confined in my ability to do precisely what I had signed up to do: serve. So I felt that I clearly wasn't a right fit, and should leave now before taking up too much of a salary.

Why did you choose Labour?

I chose Labour because I believed in what it was trying to do: bold, imaginative progressivism in an era of dark reactionary politics and stale libertarianism. We keep having the same old fights over the same handful of issues and it just gets worse and worse each time we go around. I chose Labour because I wanted to break that policy/rhetoric deathspiral with a fresh start. That's the ideal I wanted to serve.

What are you hoping to achieve in Labour? Are you looking for a spot in the Parliament?

What I'm hoping to achieve in Labour is the wrong question, with all due respect. It's "what am I hoping Labour will achieve?" And the answer is "Government. A bold, far-reaching, visionary, energetic, progressive government that lays the enduring groundwork for a compassionate, prosperous, and just Australia that will last beyond our lifetimes. A Government that views the outside world with curiosity and care. A Government that can safeguard our nation's success and luck into something sustainable that can endure into the future. A Government that can bring empathy and vision back into domestic politics, particularly with regards to the places and people that politics so far has chosen not to think or care about. Places like Utopia, and Wilcannia. Issues like the Murray-Darling, poverty, homelessness, the gap, and criminal injustice. Bring those to the front of our minds and the centre of our hearts, and make sure the promise of Australia is kept throughout the land, not just in the pretty places we like to keep looking at". All of that is what I want Labour to achieve, and that's what I'm here for. I believe Labour wants to achieve that as well, like I don't think I'm out of step here. And as much as I might miss being member for Sydney, I'll do whatever needs doing. Because the vision comes first. The ambition is for the party and the country, not the job title. It's why I went back to being unemployed so quickly. The vision comes first.

Wow! What a visionary. We can't wait to see what lies in this promising young politician's future.

Interview by Sophie McCabe for Direct Action