Hirsch made several attempts to enter political life without success, but in 1902 was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Mandurang (near Bendigo, Victoria). Hirsch resigned this seat in November 1903 to contest the Wimmera constituency in the Federal house of representatives as the fiscal question was now purely a federal matter. However, Hirsch was defeated by 160 votes by the incumbent Protectionist Party member, Pharez Phillips. Hirsch had become the recognized leader of the single tax movement, and his ability in both handling this question in public debates and in his writings brought him many supporters. In his fight for free trade, then a live question in Australia, Hirsch met with much hostility from vested interests, and his opponents did not forget to remind the public that he was German and a Jew. It was even suggested that he was opposed to reasonable wages being paid to the workers. This was quite contrary to the facts, as Hirsch was essentially democratic in his views, and held strongly that the higher the wages paid the better for trade. In 1906 he again failed to win the election for Wimmera. In October 1908 Hirsch left Melbourne on a business mission to Siberia. His health had not been good and it was hoped that the sea voyage would benefit him. Hirsch died at Vladivostok after a short illness on 4 March 1909. He never married.