WEBVTT - How Nigel Farage ended up facing off with a bin 0:00:01.840 --> 0:00:05.800 Just when you thought world politics couldn't get any more ridiculous. 0:00:05.240 --> 0:00:06.920 Well let's turn to the Bin himself. 0:00:07.000 --> 0:00:09.400 Count Binface joins us in the studio. 0:00:09.760 --> 0:00:14.720 Hello Bin, it's count actually, but it's lovely to meet you, Paddy. 0:00:14.800 --> 0:00:15.080 The one. 0:00:15.120 --> 0:00:18.439 Tonight, far right British politician Nigel Farage is set to 0:00:18.480 --> 0:00:20.640 go head to head in a by election of his own, 0:00:20.640 --> 0:00:24.200 making his main opponent a joke candidate by the name 0:00:24.200 --> 0:00:27.880 of Count Binface who says he's an alien space warrior 0:00:27.960 --> 0:00:31.280 and wears a superhero costume featuring a bin for a head. 0:00:32.840 --> 0:00:35.559 Maybe this is just a group hallucination. Maybe we're all 0:00:35.560 --> 0:00:38.640 in one of Christopher Nolan's inceptions, and it's a giant 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:40.199 publicity stunt for the Odyssey. 0:00:40.280 --> 0:00:40.800 Who knows. 0:00:40.920 --> 0:00:43.960 But the thing is the contest has turned into a circus. 0:00:44.360 --> 0:00:47.720 But the five million pound donation scandal which prompted it 0:00:47.800 --> 0:00:53.400 is deadly serious. I'm Ruby Jones and you're listening to 0:00:53.479 --> 0:00:57.840 seven AM today. European correspondent for the Australian Financial Review 0:00:57.880 --> 0:01:01.400 Andrew Tillet on the contests, gandal behind it and the 0:01:01.440 --> 0:01:05.280 parallels between Farage and Australia is far right offering one nation. 0:01:08.360 --> 0:01:18.479 It's Thursday, August thirteenth, So Andrew, tonight people in Clacton, 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:22.240 which is this little seaside town near London, are going 0:01:22.240 --> 0:01:25.600 out to vote, and this by election that they're heading 0:01:25.640 --> 0:01:28.840 to it really didn't have to happen. It's entirely of 0:01:28.959 --> 0:01:32.400 Nigel Farage's making. So tell me about why it is 0:01:32.400 --> 0:01:33.319 that he triggered this. 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:36.319 Well scentually Ruby, it's emerging the last few weeks that 0:01:36.600 --> 0:01:40.280 Farage was given a few weeks before the twenty twenty 0:01:40.319 --> 0:01:43.000 four general election here in the UK five million pounds 0:01:43.040 --> 0:01:47.680 by a crypto currency tycoon called Christopher Harborn. And this 0:01:47.960 --> 0:01:51.280 now questions over just what such a gift. 0:01:51.040 --> 0:01:54.080 In tails Nigel Farage? Please, what has happened to this 0:01:54.160 --> 0:01:55.240 five million pound gift? 0:01:56.400 --> 0:01:57.240 With all due respect? 0:01:57.280 --> 0:01:58.080 What's it going to do with you? 0:01:58.560 --> 0:01:58.760 Well? 0:01:58.760 --> 0:02:01.560 Because it speaks to the position you hold an office. 0:02:01.600 --> 0:02:03.760 Initially we were told that it was because of your 0:02:03.800 --> 0:02:06.080 personal security and it would pay for that for the 0:02:06.080 --> 0:02:08.280 rest of your life. Then apparently it was some kind 0:02:08.320 --> 0:02:11.480 of reward for campaigning for Brexit. I am told we 0:02:11.520 --> 0:02:14.120 have two different stories, which is the truth. I think 0:02:14.120 --> 0:02:16.480 you're controdicting yourself there, aren't you. Well, if you tell me. 0:02:16.720 --> 0:02:21.880 Farage didn't declare it in his Register of MP's interests, 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:24.919 similar to what we have in Australia. He yes, oh 0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:27.400 this money, it was a personal gift. I wasn't a 0:02:27.400 --> 0:02:28.440 candidate at the time. 0:02:28.680 --> 0:02:30.000 It's an unconditional gift. 0:02:30.040 --> 0:02:33.320 I can spend it on Ferraris if I Want'd entirely 0:02:33.400 --> 0:02:33.720 up to me. 0:02:33.880 --> 0:02:37.720 But the rules are pretty clear, I say MPs, when 0:02:37.720 --> 0:02:40.520 they get elected, any gifts and benefits they have received 0:02:40.520 --> 0:02:43.280 in twelve months before their election they have to declare. 0:02:43.520 --> 0:02:47.000 And so we have this sort of situation where there 0:02:47.080 --> 0:02:49.000 was all this scrutiny over it, and so Forrag just 0:02:49.040 --> 0:02:50.799 sided to say, right, I'm going to short circuit. This 0:02:51.000 --> 0:02:54.040 will throw open to my constituency whether they're still what 0:02:54.160 --> 0:02:54.760 me is my MP. 0:02:55.280 --> 0:02:59.120 Today I will resign as a Member of Parliament for 0:02:59.160 --> 0:03:04.480 Clacton on Sea, thereby forcing a by election, which would 0:03:04.480 --> 0:03:08.320 happen I hope in short order. Now I've decided that 0:03:08.360 --> 0:03:12.240 the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions. 0:03:13.080 --> 0:03:17.639 This will be a people versus the establishment by election. 0:03:18.360 --> 0:03:21.320 It's a chance to stick two fingers up to the 0:03:21.480 --> 0:03:22.440 entire establishment. 0:03:23.320 --> 0:03:26.560 Yeah, okay, so we've got Farage trying to deflect from 0:03:26.680 --> 0:03:29.960 this scrutiny over his finances by calling this by election, 0:03:30.520 --> 0:03:33.120 but that seems to have gone awry when the major 0:03:33.160 --> 0:03:36.320 parties decided to not actually field any of their own candidates. 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:40.000 Right yeah, I'm the Labor Party of the Liberal Democrat Party, 0:03:40.240 --> 0:03:44.600 the Conservative Party, the Greens, Restore UK, who's another sort 0:03:44.640 --> 0:03:46.080 of minor party on the right. 0:03:46.440 --> 0:03:48.160 Devil said, noap, this is a stunt. 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:53.280 We're not going to indulge Farage in this by giving 0:03:53.320 --> 0:03:56.600 it sort of credibility. So we've ended up in this 0:03:56.720 --> 0:03:59.920 sort of effect where Farads is essentially running against himself 0:04:00.000 --> 0:04:04.960 plus thirty three other various novelties and misfits and single 0:04:05.000 --> 0:04:08.360 ish year people and independence and things like that. So 0:04:08.360 --> 0:04:13.120 it's all become quite a circus. 0:04:13.280 --> 0:04:15.960 And there's one of those thirty three that has attracted 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:20.280 more attention than the others. Tell me about Count Binface. 0:04:25.120 --> 0:04:28.480 Yeah yeah. Count Binface is the politician that Britain didn't 0:04:28.520 --> 0:04:30.839 know they needed, but he sort of seems to have 0:04:30.880 --> 0:04:41.760 captured a bit of a zeitgeist. He's a creation of 0:04:41.800 --> 0:04:45.479 a sort of a comic writer at Jonathan Harvey who 0:04:45.560 --> 0:04:48.240 sort of came up with Count bin Face as he's 0:04:48.320 --> 0:04:51.400 sort of like an intergalactic explorers is his backstory? 0:04:51.480 --> 0:04:53.760 Appear to be in out of space and wearing your bin? 0:04:55.080 --> 0:04:58.120 Well, what else would you expect mate? You know, I 0:04:58.200 --> 0:05:00.680 was on my way back home to Sigma No but 0:05:00.839 --> 0:05:04.200 of R and R and an old Nigel throws his 0:05:04.320 --> 0:05:07.240 toyes out of the prem as a hessy fit called 0:05:07.279 --> 0:05:10.680 an unnecessary by election. I got wind of that. I've 0:05:10.760 --> 0:05:12.599 turned around the starship pronto. 0:05:12.760 --> 0:05:13.360 How about that? 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:13.840 Lovely? 0:05:15.839 --> 0:05:20.000 He sort of devices that he satirizes the political process. 0:05:20.680 --> 0:05:22.680 What is your appeal going to be to the people 0:05:22.680 --> 0:05:23.240 of Clacton. 0:05:24.839 --> 0:05:26.160 I'm not Nigel Farage. 0:05:30.120 --> 0:05:34.320 He's run against prime ministers before in the Seas general elections, 0:05:34.400 --> 0:05:37.640 in by elections, He's run for Mayor of London in 0:05:37.720 --> 0:05:40.520 the past. In faces has been a bit of a joke. 0:05:40.680 --> 0:05:43.119 Just now one sort of taken him seriously. But because 0:05:43.120 --> 0:05:46.120 of the lack of organized opposition, and this guy just 0:05:46.160 --> 0:05:46.640 stands out. 0:05:46.680 --> 0:05:47.320 He literally just. 0:05:47.279 --> 0:05:50.160 Has quite a huge bin for a head and this 0:05:50.320 --> 0:05:53.560 sort of really funky little spacesuits as his costume. 0:05:53.640 --> 0:05:56.599 He's sort of become the rallying. 0:05:56.400 --> 0:06:01.120 Call for people who's looking to make a protest against 0:06:01.200 --> 0:06:02.360 against Ferrad. 0:06:04.000 --> 0:06:08.400 N Paige Sin face face absolutely, because you want camp 0:06:08.440 --> 0:06:11.000 in Face to be your elected representative in parliam. 0:06:10.760 --> 0:06:14.480 Havet's manifesto and there is a lot of rubbish in there, don't. 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:14.800 Get me wrong. 0:06:15.000 --> 0:06:18.000 Is it basically against against for ours? 0:06:20.560 --> 0:06:24.400 These policies, some are pretty funny. 0:06:24.480 --> 0:06:26.400 You know, he wants to nationalize a deal. 0:06:26.839 --> 0:06:29.719 I mean some of my national policies will remain. I 0:06:29.839 --> 0:06:33.080 pledged to build at least one affordable house. I will 0:06:33.200 --> 0:06:36.320 nationalize adele. I heard you a bit about the water, 0:06:36.720 --> 0:06:38.920 and I'll make water bosses have to take a dip 0:06:38.960 --> 0:06:41.880 in British lievers to see how they like it. I'll 0:06:41.960 --> 0:06:45.240 price cap ninety nine flakes at ninety nine pence. I 0:06:45.279 --> 0:06:47.400 think the Clacton folk were like that one. 0:06:48.200 --> 0:06:50.560 It's sort of longing up with what would have been 0:06:50.600 --> 0:06:52.400 a pretty dull election campaign. 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:56.520 And as you say, this isn't the first time that 0:06:56.600 --> 0:07:00.880 Campinface has contested a seat. And there is this history, 0:07:00.920 --> 0:07:03.680 isn't there in the UK of joke candidates like this 0:07:03.839 --> 0:07:05.040 running in elections. 0:07:05.279 --> 0:07:07.599 Yeah, there's back to the sixties and seventies. 0:07:07.920 --> 0:07:10.040 You know it sort of started screaming awards such and 0:07:10.520 --> 0:07:12.160 the monster raving Looney Party. 0:07:12.440 --> 0:07:15.040 I think the best policy we've discussed and what's come 0:07:15.080 --> 0:07:16.960 out of is we're going to do away with January 0:07:17.080 --> 0:07:20.040 February so we can have a shorter winter, and I 0:07:20.040 --> 0:07:21.000 think that's an ideal. 0:07:21.600 --> 0:07:24.480 The Loonies have got about three candidates they're running in 0:07:24.520 --> 0:07:27.960 the by election. These are guys they sort of dress 0:07:28.040 --> 0:07:31.120 up in very sort of colorful costumes, you know, big 0:07:31.200 --> 0:07:35.080 hats and real oversized yellow rosettes and things like that. 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:38.760 The first cabinet reshuffle. 0:07:40.520 --> 0:07:43.440 And you mentioned the way that Farage sort of wants 0:07:43.520 --> 0:07:46.880 to present himself as anti establishment, and I think that's 0:07:46.960 --> 0:07:50.200 part of the reason that this by election is so 0:07:50.320 --> 0:07:54.400 interesting as an outsider, because Forage himself, at least at 0:07:54.400 --> 0:07:57.760 the beginning of his political career, was considered fringe, and 0:07:57.800 --> 0:08:01.080 he certainly wants to see himself as or portray himself 0:08:01.080 --> 0:08:04.120 as a political outsider. So there's something quite fascinating and 0:08:04.160 --> 0:08:08.320 watching him define himself as the more legitimate candidate against 0:08:08.360 --> 0:08:10.080 a guy with a bin on his face. 0:08:11.280 --> 0:08:12.320 Well, it's funny. 0:08:12.360 --> 0:08:15.480 The whole outsider attitude for rasis because this guy went 0:08:15.520 --> 0:08:18.040 to a private school, worked as a trader and in 0:08:18.080 --> 0:08:21.560 the city he made millions and then and then nine 0:08:21.600 --> 0:08:26.840 he started dabbling in politics and emerged as this sort 0:08:26.880 --> 0:08:33.520 of fringe eurosceptic campaigner. But he'd run seven times support 0:08:33.559 --> 0:08:35.360 to try and win a seat in Westminster before he 0:08:35.400 --> 0:08:38.000 won Clackton at his eighth attempt, so he's always just 0:08:38.000 --> 0:08:39.880 sort of seen his bit of this ravel rouser on 0:08:39.920 --> 0:08:44.200 the right. But yeah, he still very much portrays himself 0:08:44.240 --> 0:08:48.800 as Nigel versus what they call here the Unie Party, 0:08:49.280 --> 0:08:53.120 that the major labor conservative party, and that he's the 0:08:53.120 --> 0:08:56.480 one taking on the establishment. But it's an interesting image 0:08:56.520 --> 0:08:58.760 given that he's sort of like no rag so which 0:08:58.800 --> 0:08:59.640 is sort of story. 0:09:00.440 --> 0:09:02.920 And so none of these candidates are a real threat 0:09:02.960 --> 0:09:06.520 to Farage? Was that clear from the outset? Is that 0:09:06.559 --> 0:09:09.920 why none of the major parties even tried to stand 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:13.520 Because you'd think that they might have taken the opportunity 0:09:13.559 --> 0:09:17.280 to try and contest against Farage, So why didn't they? 0:09:17.520 --> 0:09:21.600 Well, well then it's Eastiful. I'm in post in Essex. 0:09:21.960 --> 0:09:25.199 It's an older, poorer and wider electric than most of 0:09:25.280 --> 0:09:29.839 the country, so it's very much placed to Farage's strengths. 0:09:30.040 --> 0:09:32.440 But you know, in running Farrage. 0:09:31.960 --> 0:09:35.840 Is put on hold this sort of Parliamentary Standards Commission 0:09:35.960 --> 0:09:39.679 investigation into the five million pound donation. That process, if 0:09:39.679 --> 0:09:42.559 he wins the seat, that will restart and that may 0:09:42.640 --> 0:09:45.920 well find adverse finings against Farage, and then we could 0:09:45.920 --> 0:09:48.439 be back here again in a few months time having 0:09:48.480 --> 0:09:51.199 another Biola, and that is when the major parties will 0:09:51.200 --> 0:09:53.480 hop in, you know, they'll hopefully then be out from 0:09:53.480 --> 0:09:55.480 that point of view, be able to then argue, well, 0:09:56.080 --> 0:09:57.440 this guy has done the wrong thing. 0:09:57.760 --> 0:09:58.800 You should turf him out. 0:10:02.760 --> 0:10:05.400 And again the five billion though, has just got such 0:10:05.960 --> 0:10:09.720 headlines because it's just such a big, huge summer money, 0:10:09.720 --> 0:10:12.320 you know, almost ten million dollars. Could you imagine a 0:10:12.400 --> 0:10:15.880 politician's sto being given ten million dollars by a wealthy diary. 0:10:15.920 --> 0:10:21.280 It's just sort of extraordinary. So come Friday we may 0:10:21.320 --> 0:10:27.280 well start seeing these questions being raised again by the question. 0:10:30.240 --> 0:10:34.160 Still to come the similarities between Nigel Farage and Pauline Hanson. 0:10:40.160 --> 0:10:43.520 And so you've been in Clacton talking to people who 0:10:43.840 --> 0:10:46.800 are going to go out and vote. What sense do 0:10:46.840 --> 0:10:50.200 you get about what they think of both the donations 0:10:50.280 --> 0:10:53.839 and the lack of declaration and the kind of inability 0:10:54.000 --> 0:10:57.200 that Forage has had to answer what's actually going on 0:10:57.320 --> 0:10:57.920 with the money. 0:10:58.400 --> 0:11:02.520 I think it's pretty polarized for people who really believe 0:11:02.600 --> 0:11:05.400 in Farage. And then there's sort of elements here of 0:11:05.559 --> 0:11:08.040 you know, comparisons to people a Donald Trump and Pauline 0:11:08.120 --> 0:11:12.160 Hanson in terms of like voters who just think these 0:11:12.200 --> 0:11:15.319 people can do no wrong and see media scrutiny and 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:19.120 political taxes sort of the establishment getting up on them. 0:11:19.320 --> 0:11:21.720 So do you feel even more in bold invate for 0:11:22.280 --> 0:11:23.400 Nigel Fararge this time. 0:11:23.280 --> 0:11:24.800 The last time? Yeah, definitely. 0:11:25.200 --> 0:11:27.520 You know they're all getting at him and all that. 0:11:28.160 --> 0:11:30.160 It's like the new prime minister. You've got to give 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:33.359 them a chance, all the stuff, you know, with the donations, 0:11:33.520 --> 0:11:35.600 because that's part of the reason you step down. 0:11:36.400 --> 0:11:37.240 What do you make of all that? 0:11:38.200 --> 0:11:40.560 They're all like it, They all do the same thing. 0:11:41.480 --> 0:11:44.680 So they're real sort of die hard for Arge supporters. 0:11:44.720 --> 0:11:47.880 They're sort of like they're willing to excuse or forgive 0:11:47.960 --> 0:11:51.200 the five million gift, you know, sort of saying you know, 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:52.480 he needs it. 0:11:53.080 --> 0:11:55.480 I came across a few people who are very sort of. 0:11:57.559 --> 0:12:01.640 Dubious about it and sort of think, you know, five 0:12:01.679 --> 0:12:05.920 million pounds there are strings attached no matter what Farage, 0:12:05.920 --> 0:12:08.880 and people might say, you know, since that he's going 0:12:08.920 --> 0:12:12.720 to maybe act that this person's behest ferrage has a 0:12:12.800 --> 0:12:17.880 very sort of pro crypto currency policy position. So there's 0:12:17.920 --> 0:12:20.760 a danger that people may see him as just another 0:12:21.080 --> 0:12:24.160 politician because of it. But I don't think it's going 0:12:24.240 --> 0:12:27.800 to cost him the seat. Forage himself has never been 0:12:27.840 --> 0:12:30.760 personally popular in the terms of national polls and stuff 0:12:30.800 --> 0:12:34.560 like that. But Reform as a party has sort of 0:12:34.559 --> 0:12:36.040 come off the boil a bit in the last couple 0:12:36.080 --> 0:12:37.840 of months for different reasons. 0:12:38.120 --> 0:12:40.320 Yeah, tell me about why you think that is, Like, 0:12:40.400 --> 0:12:43.480 how much is this scandal playing into that? Is it 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:47.360 to do with the new Labor prime minister? Why has 0:12:47.440 --> 0:12:50.480 Reformed popularity gone down in recent months? 0:12:50.720 --> 0:12:54.480 There's not just one factor involved. I mean, Kirstarmer was 0:12:54.880 --> 0:12:58.600 a deeply unpopular prime minister and the beneficial the major 0:12:58.640 --> 0:13:02.240 beneficiary that had been agreeing to some extent, and also 0:13:02.360 --> 0:13:05.640 Reform on the right, you know, with white working class 0:13:06.280 --> 0:13:11.000 normal labor supporters going and throwing their support behind Faraj. 0:13:11.240 --> 0:13:12.000 The Labor Party. 0:13:12.200 --> 0:13:14.520 You know, a month of Sogo got attack together and 0:13:14.640 --> 0:13:18.360 replaced Starmer with Andy Burnham, who's seen as a much 0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:20.520 more relatable politician. 0:13:20.720 --> 0:13:23.360 Three things you probably already know about me. I go 0:13:23.440 --> 0:13:25.319 to a lot of gigs. I do like a paint 0:13:25.360 --> 0:13:27.240 and I have been known to give a DJ set 0:13:27.240 --> 0:13:30.640 from time to time. Well, today's announcement is very close 0:13:30.679 --> 0:13:33.360 to my heart. I'm giving thousands of pubs, clubs and 0:13:33.440 --> 0:13:36.360 music venues are twenty percent cut in their business rates. 0:13:36.480 --> 0:13:37.560 These places deserve. 0:13:38.040 --> 0:13:41.520 So he's made the Labor Party competitive and has given 0:13:41.600 --> 0:13:43.600 voters a reason to have a second look at Labor. 0:13:44.400 --> 0:13:47.520 At the same time, FORADS has had this sort of trouble, 0:13:47.600 --> 0:13:50.520 the question over the donations, a bit of a sense 0:13:50.559 --> 0:13:53.040 of drift around the party. That Reform did really well 0:13:53.040 --> 0:13:56.640 at the May local elections, which were devastating for Starmer, 0:13:57.080 --> 0:13:59.880 but they haven't really been able to sort of capitalize 0:14:00.960 --> 0:14:03.080 the Conservatives that sort of started to get their act 0:14:03.080 --> 0:14:05.920 together as well and trying to reclaim a bit of 0:14:05.920 --> 0:14:08.800 the territory they've lost to Ferrage as well. So it's 0:14:09.000 --> 0:14:12.000 politics is getting a lot more competitive now. But I 0:14:12.000 --> 0:14:15.000 think the big change is Andy Burnham's arrival as PM. 0:14:15.000 --> 0:14:18.480 It's it's a completely different dynamic and Farage has been 0:14:18.520 --> 0:14:20.600 a bit wrong footed and just hasn't been able to 0:14:20.640 --> 0:14:24.000 sort of find his line and linked against a new, 0:14:24.480 --> 0:14:25.880 more able opponent. 0:14:26.440 --> 0:14:29.800 And here in Australia. Pauline Hanson's One Nation is also 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:32.880 facing a lot of scrutiny over its funding and over 0:14:32.960 --> 0:14:37.160 Hanson's close ties to billionaire Gina Reinhart. Do you get 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:39.760 the sense that she's at the risk of falling into 0:14:39.760 --> 0:14:41.960 some of these same potholes as Farage. Do you see 0:14:41.960 --> 0:14:43.080 any similarities there? 0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:46.640 It is very interesting because like Pauline was over here 0:14:46.920 --> 0:14:51.760 a few weeks ago and met with ferrage O, Yeah. 0:14:51.560 --> 0:14:56.200 I'm not met yet. You've got a simple for going 0:14:56.240 --> 0:14:58.560 on down that what do you think of her? Well 0:15:00.040 --> 0:15:04.720 that she never presents to me once she's not those 0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:07.160 She's remarkable as you, remarkable as you keep. 0:15:07.440 --> 0:15:10.680 The immigration debate in both countries is very similar at 0:15:10.680 --> 0:15:13.640 the moment, and in Farage and Hanson has sort of 0:15:13.680 --> 0:15:17.120 adopted a similar sort of anti immigration stances. 0:15:18.080 --> 0:15:20.280 Obviously we have different donation. 0:15:20.000 --> 0:15:22.840 Laws and scrutinies, and I don't think there's been any 0:15:22.840 --> 0:15:26.000 suggestion that Hanson has done anything wrong in terms of 0:15:26.000 --> 0:15:28.680 following the rules in the way that Farage has. But 0:15:29.640 --> 0:15:34.200 it goes to this image of these battlers, anti establishment types. 0:15:34.240 --> 0:15:38.120 They're hanging around with big money money that sort of 0:15:38.920 --> 0:15:41.880 has a vested interest attached to it, and I think 0:15:41.960 --> 0:15:45.040 Hanson needs to be careful being seen as you know, 0:15:45.320 --> 0:15:48.520 as someone who's doing gender reine Art's bidding can be 0:15:48.640 --> 0:15:51.160 very dangerous to sort of get into that trap. 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:55.200 I think, well, Andrew, thank you so much for speaking 0:15:55.200 --> 0:15:55.440 with me. 0:15:55.840 --> 0:15:56.960 Thanks really appreciate it. 0:16:07.120 --> 0:16:09.880 Also in the news, the Commonwealth Bank has become the 0:16:09.960 --> 0:16:12.480 latest big lender to report a drop in lending due 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:15.480 to the property market slump. There's been a fifteen percent 0:16:15.560 --> 0:16:18.240 drop in mortgage lending since the budget was handed down, 0:16:18.520 --> 0:16:22.200 with the sharpest fall in investor loans. The bank expects 0:16:22.240 --> 0:16:24.760 first home buyers to enter the property market once they 0:16:24.840 --> 0:16:28.480 expect interest rates to fall. And the Liberals have shut 0:16:28.520 --> 0:16:32.080 down colleague Andrew Bragg's comments that migration might be slashed 0:16:32.080 --> 0:16:34.760 to one hundred and eighty thousand a year with cuts 0:16:34.760 --> 0:16:38.720 to backpackers and international students. They say Bragg's speech at 0:16:38.760 --> 0:16:41.960 the Press Club on Wednesday doesn't reflect the agreed position 0:16:42.120 --> 0:16:45.680 of the Shadow Cabinet, The Coalition, One Nation and Labor 0:16:45.760 --> 0:16:48.320 are all yet to release their targets for net migration. 0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:51.880 I'm Ruby Jones. This is seven am. Thanks for listening.