POWERFUL, self-styled American revolutionary Bernie Sanders has sent a remarkable message of support and unity to Australian political activists.

Senator Sanders said there was “a troubling turn” in Australian politics and urged grassroots campaigners to stand up against it, news.com.au can reveal.

“Let us work together to create a better future,” said the socialist who disrupted the Democrat campaign in last year’s US elections.

And he wants to visit here in the not-too-distant future.

It’s only the second time the independent favoured by many young US voters has backed an overseas political movement. The first was a show of support for British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in June during the UK elections.

But his message to Australians is not for the benefit of the Labor Party but for activist group GetUp.

“Politics has taken a troubling turn in Australia,” Senator Sanders said. “There are millions of people today working longer hours, lower wages and worried to death for the future of their kids. People have the power to change public policies.

“Nothing happens or has ever happened unless people on the grassroots level stand up. We confront many of the same challenges in our countries.

“Let us work together to create a better future. We are all in this fight together.”

The message was sent to mark a major expansion of GetUp’s strategies, learnt from the Corbyn and Sanders campaigns.

Some 1000 volunteer recruits, the first of 30,000 the organisation hopes to attract, attended the PowerUp session in Sydney. The session was intended to be the first of several to train activists targeting individual federal seats at the election scheduled for late 2018 to late 2019.

Bernie Sanders backed the strategy, saying swing activists could “change the nation and change the world”.

He began his pre-recorded video address with a wave and, “Go GetUp.”

“The rise of intolerant, authoritarian political movements is something that we must focus on,” Senator Sanders said. “These movements have brute strength but the fact is more and more people are frustrated with their systems of government and are desperate for alternatives.

“They see their governments as corrupt and ineffective and not delivering for them or their children the opportunities they need for a better life.”

He finished with another wave and, “We are all in thus together.”