WEBVTT - Breakup to Makeup: Can the Coalition last?

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<v Speaker 1>The coalition is back together and looking to the future,

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<v Speaker 1>not the past.

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<v Speaker 2>It's been just over two weeks since the Liberal and

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<v Speaker 2>National Party's dramatic split, and now the coalition is back together.

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<v Speaker 1>We did have differences, David and I and our party rooms.

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<v Speaker 1>We've resolved those differences.

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<v Speaker 2>Susan Lee and David Little Proud insists they're now solid,

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<v Speaker 2>guaranteeing that after two coalition splits in the space of

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<v Speaker 2>a year, this time there'll be no more breakups.

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<v Speaker 1>We've strengthened our processes and we're going forward as a

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<v Speaker 1>united coalition to take the fight up to labor On

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<v Speaker 1>behalf of millions of Australians who are cheering us on.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm Nicole Johnston and you're listening to seven AM Today

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<v Speaker 2>Press Gallery journalist Karen Middleton on how the coalition got

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<v Speaker 2>back together after their big blow up and whether this

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<v Speaker 2>time it's for good. It's Monday, February nine. Karen, it

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<v Speaker 2>was pretty short lived as far as breakups go, just

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<v Speaker 2>over two weeks. They're now back together. How did we

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<v Speaker 2>get here and could you tell us what happened?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, well, how we got here is a long and

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<v Speaker 3>winding road, Nicole. This is the second breakup and the

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<v Speaker 3>second reconciliation in nine months, and we're supposed to believe

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<v Speaker 3>it all is forgiven and everything is fine. Now it's

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<v Speaker 3>happy families again and they'll be working for the Australian

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<v Speaker 3>people and the Australian people can rely on that. I

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<v Speaker 3>think we might need a little more evidence than that,

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<v Speaker 3>to be honest, after the ructions of the last nine months,

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<v Speaker 3>where we got to I guess was we saw the

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<v Speaker 3>most recent bust up three weeks ago now, when the

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<v Speaker 3>government brought the new hate speech laws into the Parliament.

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<v Speaker 3>The Nationals insisted there wasn't enough time, and in the

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<v Speaker 3>end that three of their shadow ministers crossed the floor

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<v Speaker 3>in the Senate and we're basically forced to resign from

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<v Speaker 3>the shadow ministry, as is the convention. That's where the

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<v Speaker 3>fund began. They said they shouldn't be forced to resign

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<v Speaker 3>or shouldn't be sacked, and all the Nationals from the

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<v Speaker 3>front bench walked out and the coalition collapsed again. So

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<v Speaker 3>now we're supposed to believe that everything's been sorted out

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<v Speaker 3>in the last couple of weeks, especially in the last

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<v Speaker 3>few days in conversations back and forth.

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<v Speaker 2>Don't worry about it. We're good mouth and from what

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<v Speaker 2>you've heard, how tense were these negotiations.

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<v Speaker 3>They've become increasingly colorful, according to news reports. News dot

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<v Speaker 3>com Au reported, for example, that at one point David

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<v Speaker 3>Little Proud shouted at Susan Lee.

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<v Speaker 2>Resign, resign, resign, and then the Nine.

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<v Speaker 3>Papers have suggested that in response, Susan Lee said, well,

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<v Speaker 3>you've given me an assessment of my leadership, let me

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<v Speaker 3>give you an assessment of yours. So you know, no

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<v Speaker 3>love lost really at a personal level between the two

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<v Speaker 3>of them, and yet somehow we have reached this mutually beneficial,

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<v Speaker 3>it seems, agreement and everyone's meant to believe it's going

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<v Speaker 3>to be fine. You can tell, probably by my tone

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<v Speaker 3>that I'm struggling to be convinced.

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<v Speaker 2>So in terms of this agreement, though, what's in it?

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<v Speaker 2>What have they actually come up with.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, they've agreed that the three Nationals front benches will

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<v Speaker 3>only be suspended from the Shadow ministry for six weeks.

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<v Speaker 3>Originally it was going to be six months, but really

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<v Speaker 3>under the convention that has existed since they were in coalition,

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<v Speaker 3>it should be they're out. So they've negotiated and horse

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<v Speaker 3>traded on that and got to a six week deal.

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<v Speaker 3>That means that all the Nationals shadow ministers will become

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<v Speaker 3>shadow ministers again as of the first of March, and

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<v Speaker 3>that means that the acting arrangements that Susan Lee has

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<v Speaker 3>put in place with her Liberal front bench will end

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<v Speaker 3>on that date. There are a couple other provisions, such

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<v Speaker 3>as the shadow ministers will be required to sign an

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<v Speaker 3>agreement adhering to shadow cabinet solidarity that's supposed to make

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<v Speaker 3>sure that this kind of a a breach of the

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<v Speaker 3>party position doesn't happen again and neither party is able

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<v Speaker 3>to override the other. And they're going to have a

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<v Speaker 3>sort of a note taking a minute taking arrange and

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<v Speaker 3>in shadow cabinet to take note formally of decisions made.

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<v Speaker 3>I guess that's so that nobody can come back later

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<v Speaker 3>and so hang on, we didn't agree to that, So

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<v Speaker 3>that's what they're calling a strengthening of processes.

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<v Speaker 2>So at the end of the day, who do you

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<v Speaker 2>think of the better deal?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, that's the interesting question, isn't it. I think they've

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<v Speaker 3>both reached a deal because suited them to do that

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<v Speaker 3>more than staying apart. I'm not really sure what the

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<v Speaker 3>Nationals achieved by walking out the way they did. The

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<v Speaker 3>people are still being suspended, albeit for a shorter time.

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<v Speaker 3>They're now being forced to sign up to arrangements on

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<v Speaker 3>shadow cabinet, where the shadow cabinet arrangements were more loose before.

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<v Speaker 3>So I don't know what they've gained by.

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<v Speaker 2>That, Susan Lee.

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<v Speaker 3>I guess has gained the restoration of the coalition, which

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<v Speaker 3>was something that senior liberals were calling for, the likes

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<v Speaker 3>of John Howard, for example, former Prime Minister, saying, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>we need a coalition back together. Mind you, there were

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<v Speaker 3>some other senior liberals in recent days saying maybe we

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<v Speaker 3>need some time apart, maybe this has one too many

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<v Speaker 3>chansions from the Nationals and it's time we stood back

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<v Speaker 3>and worked out what we actually believe in.

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<v Speaker 2>So David Little Proud said he could guarantee there'd be

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<v Speaker 2>no more breakups.

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<v Speaker 3>It looked ugly, but we've had the courage to come

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<v Speaker 3>back and say we're going to make sure it never

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<v Speaker 3>happens again.

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<v Speaker 2>Is that realistic given the personal differences here, because it's

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<v Speaker 2>only just been over two weeks since they resigned.

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<v Speaker 1>Our party room has made it very clear we cannot

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<v Speaker 1>be part of a shadow ministry under Susan Lee.

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<v Speaker 2>What's changed since then?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, this is the credibility problem that David Little Proud

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<v Speaker 3>in particular faces. He has made a lot of strong statements,

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<v Speaker 3>particularly the one you just cited, the coalition could not

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<v Speaker 3>reform under seasonally. Apparently now that's all changed because they've

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<v Speaker 3>had some face to face conversations and they've looked each

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<v Speaker 3>other in the eye and they've got each other's measure

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<v Speaker 3>and he absolutely trusts the Liberal Party and.

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<v Speaker 2>The leader of the Liberal Party.

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<v Speaker 3>Now, well, I just think it stretches credibility and I

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<v Speaker 3>think the Australian people, those who pay any attention to

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<v Speaker 3>this at all, will be saying, hang on a minute,

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<v Speaker 3>like one minute you're saying one thing and another minute

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<v Speaker 3>you're saying another thing. How did we get this all

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<v Speaker 3>patched up so quickly? And isn't this really just a

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<v Speaker 3>matter of expediency for both of you. I think they've

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<v Speaker 3>lost a huge amount of credibility all round from these shenanigans,

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<v Speaker 3>and I struggle to believe that this will be the

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<v Speaker 3>end of it.

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<v Speaker 2>What was your response or what did you think when

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<v Speaker 2>you heard both of them say in the press conference

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<v Speaker 2>I trust him I trust the party.

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<v Speaker 1>Yes, one hundred percent. I trust David and I wouldn't

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<v Speaker 1>be standing here today if I didn't trust Susan Lene,

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't trust the Liberal Party.

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<v Speaker 2>How did you find that vibe? Well, I just don't

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<v Speaker 2>believe it. It's a statement of convenience.

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<v Speaker 3>How can Susan Lee trust someone who's walked out on

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<v Speaker 3>her twice and then come back saying oh, it's forgiven twice,

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<v Speaker 3>and just three weeks ago said can't be part of

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<v Speaker 3>anything that she leads and has given off contemptuous vibes

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<v Speaker 3>about her. He does not behave like he likes her

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<v Speaker 3>or that he respects her. There's an awful lot of

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<v Speaker 3>discomfort all round in the Liberal Party and in some

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<v Speaker 3>parts of the Nationals about the way he refers to

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<v Speaker 3>her and behaves towards her. He uses the word respect

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<v Speaker 3>all the time, but the way he is when he

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<v Speaker 3>talks about her does not give off that indication. So

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<v Speaker 3>I think we will see how it goes. But if

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<v Speaker 3>I were her, I'd be a bit wary, and if

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<v Speaker 3>I was him, I'd be thinking will she be here?

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<v Speaker 2>And do I want her to be here?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, that's a question only David Little praud can answer

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<v Speaker 3>for himself, but you've got to wonder whether he's thinking

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<v Speaker 3>a few steps ahead and planning for another Liberal Party.

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<v Speaker 2>Partner coming up. Can Lee stay impact Karen? There had

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<v Speaker 2>been this speculation that Angus Taylor could challenge Susan Lee

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<v Speaker 2>for the leadership this week. So what does this development

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<v Speaker 2>mean for her position and does it keep the sharks

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<v Speaker 2>from circling for now?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, that's the question, and the suggestion has been that

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<v Speaker 3>she was motivated to do this deal because she risked

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<v Speaker 3>Angus Taylor quitting the front bench if she didn't and

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<v Speaker 3>then bringing on a challenge this week. Now, has this

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<v Speaker 3>stopped that from recurring? Maybe maybe it's still aid things.

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<v Speaker 3>Maybe it hasn't. You could argue, had she held out

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<v Speaker 3>and told David Little Proud no, she wasn't going to

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<v Speaker 3>reform the coalition and reallocated those Nationals front bench seats

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<v Speaker 3>to Liberals, then she would have half a dozen or

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<v Speaker 3>so more Liberals beholden to her for a front bench position,

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<v Speaker 3>and Angus Taylor would be in the position of having

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<v Speaker 3>to decide, well, if he challenges is he offering those

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<v Speaker 3>people positions again or is he going to pull them

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<v Speaker 3>back and try and reform the coalition, and so that

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<v Speaker 3>means there would have been a half dozen liberals also

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<v Speaker 3>who owed their front bitch positions to Susan Lee. Now

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<v Speaker 3>you know that's just a counter narrative. It just tells

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<v Speaker 3>you there are a number of different ways of looking

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<v Speaker 3>at things, and I don't know that you can be

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<v Speaker 3>certain that this move in reforming the coalition at this

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<v Speaker 3>time in this way has stopped any chance of a

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<v Speaker 3>challenge to her leadership.

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<v Speaker 2>If we could broaden it out a bit to the

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<v Speaker 2>Albanezi government, they've had this brief reprieve with the coalition

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<v Speaker 2>in crisis. Will they now have to watch their backs

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<v Speaker 2>again or will they be looking to find a way

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<v Speaker 2>to try and exploit any cracks.

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<v Speaker 3>So I think all political parties are looking to exploit

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<v Speaker 3>cracks in other political parties. They need to make sure

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<v Speaker 3>they don't overplay their hand. Though they couldn't help themselves

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<v Speaker 3>with a few funny one liners in Parliament last week,

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<v Speaker 3>just drawing attention to the shambles on the other side.

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<v Speaker 3>But I don't think they'd want to keep doing that

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<v Speaker 3>for too much longer, because they're the ones in charge

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<v Speaker 3>and they need to focus on the economy and improving

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<v Speaker 3>things around the country. So I think a little bit

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<v Speaker 3>of leeway to have a joke at the expense of

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<v Speaker 3>the other side. But if you keep doing it, your

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<v Speaker 3>own credibility starts to be questioned, because you've got a

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<v Speaker 3>big job to do and you should focus on that.

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<v Speaker 3>So I don't know that they're going to be pushing

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<v Speaker 3>things much further, but you can't blame them, really, and

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<v Speaker 3>you can't be surprised that a political party might have

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<v Speaker 3>a crack when their opponents are in such a mess.

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<v Speaker 2>So, Karen, from everything you've said, it sounds like you

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<v Speaker 2>think that the credibility of the Liberal and National parties

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<v Speaker 2>has been shot. How do they go about rebuilding from here? Well,

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<v Speaker 2>that's the big question.

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<v Speaker 3>Can they really get along? When they said they couldn't,

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<v Speaker 3>and they demonstrated that they couldn't, and all their interactions,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, to blind Freddy suggested that they couldn't. Now

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<v Speaker 3>apparently they can. Well, the problem proving that something's not happening,

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<v Speaker 3>Ah is it is quite difficult to do. And we'll

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<v Speaker 3>see if they can find a way to demonstrate that

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<v Speaker 3>they unified that doesn't involve a leadership ballot in either

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<v Speaker 3>of the Liberal or the National Party.

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<v Speaker 2>Karen, thank you so much for joining us today.

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<v Speaker 3>Thanks the goal.

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<v Speaker 2>Also in the news, police will be given the powers

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<v Speaker 2>to season destroy illegally modified e bikes after the new

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<v Speaker 2>South Wales government announced a crackdown. Any bikes able to

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<v Speaker 2>exceed the twenty five kilometer an hour speed limit will

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<v Speaker 2>be crushed. It comes after a group of forty young

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<v Speaker 2>riders swarmed the Sydney Harbor Bridge last week performing stunts

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<v Speaker 2>and Queensland is set to outlaw the phrases from the

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<v Speaker 2>River to the Sea and globalize the into Fada under

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<v Speaker 2>new laws designed to tackle anti Semitism and hate speech.

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<v Speaker 2>There will also be tougher penalties on the use of

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<v Speaker 2>symbols such as swastikas, the hamas and Islamic state flags

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<v Speaker 2>and the Hesbala emblem. The crackdown includes penalties of up

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<v Speaker 2>to seven years jail for intimidation and wilful damage at

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<v Speaker 2>places of worship. I'm Nicole Johnston. This is seven am.

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<v Speaker 2>I'll be back tomorrow.