1 00:00:03,930 --> 00:00:06,449 Sean Aylmer: Welcome to the Fear and Greed Daily Interview. I'm Sean 2 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:10,050 Sean Aylmer: Aylmer. Tonight, Treasurer Jim Chalmers will hand down his first 3 00:00:10,050 --> 00:00:12,780 Sean Aylmer: full budget since the Labor government won the election last 4 00:00:12,780 --> 00:00:15,720 Sean Aylmer: year. He's living a mini budget in October in part 5 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:17,970 Sean Aylmer: to set out the new government's priorities, but in the 6 00:00:17,970 --> 00:00:21,540 Sean Aylmer: last six months, both the economic and political environments have 7 00:00:21,540 --> 00:00:24,030 Sean Aylmer: changed somewhat. I wanted to take a look at the 8 00:00:24,030 --> 00:00:26,280 Sean Aylmer: politics of this budget, what it means to the Albanese 9 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,220 Sean Aylmer: government, and whether the cost of living crisis means ordinary 10 00:00:29,220 --> 00:00:34,050 Sean Aylmer: voters are paying closer attention. Charles Croucher is the chief political editor 11 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:36,210 Sean Aylmer: for 9News. Charles, welcome to Fear and Greed. 12 00:00:36,510 --> 00:00:36,960 Charles Croucher : Good day, Sean. 13 00:00:37,740 --> 00:00:40,589 Sean Aylmer: First off, chief political editor for 9News. You're about five 14 00:00:40,590 --> 00:00:42,420 Sean Aylmer: months into the job, are you? How is it? Big 15 00:00:42,420 --> 00:00:45,150 Sean Aylmer: shoes to fill that your previous two incumbents. 16 00:00:45,390 --> 00:00:48,450 Charles Croucher : Yeah, huge shoes. Five months and two budgets as of 17 00:00:48,450 --> 00:00:50,729 Charles Croucher : tonight into the job, which is a strange way of 18 00:00:50,729 --> 00:00:54,390 Charles Croucher : doing it, but look, it's an amazing role. I can't 19 00:00:54,390 --> 00:00:57,600 Charles Croucher : think of two more storied careers than Laurie Oakes and 20 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,960 Charles Croucher : Chris Uhlmann, so to be following them feels a little 21 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,030 Charles Croucher : bit surreal and a little bit silly, but I'm here 22 00:01:03,030 --> 00:01:06,630 Charles Croucher : and trying and they've been a huge help. I call 23 00:01:06,630 --> 00:01:08,670 Charles Croucher : them as much as I can and budget time is 24 00:01:08,670 --> 00:01:09,240 Charles Croucher : no different. 25 00:01:09,750 --> 00:01:12,420 Sean Aylmer: Fantastic. So tonight's budget, what do you think are the big 26 00:01:12,420 --> 00:01:14,819 Sean Aylmer: themes coming out of it? I suppose cost of living 27 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:15,570 Sean Aylmer: is one. 28 00:01:16,230 --> 00:01:19,319 Charles Croucher : Yeah. It's a strange budget in that there are two 29 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:23,039 Charles Croucher : almost dual stories going on. The first is cost of living, 30 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,340 Charles Croucher : the need for more money in the economy, more money 31 00:01:26,340 --> 00:01:29,370 Charles Croucher : to help those people who are less fortunate. Then the 32 00:01:29,370 --> 00:01:33,209 Charles Croucher : second is what is a really good set of numbers 33 00:01:34,020 --> 00:01:37,860 Charles Croucher : on the basis of resources, obviously, but also of labour market. 34 00:01:38,220 --> 00:01:41,220 Charles Croucher : There are more people working now than any time in 35 00:01:41,220 --> 00:01:44,610 Charles Croucher : Australia's history, and it's going to show in the numbers 36 00:01:44,610 --> 00:01:48,270 Charles Croucher : that come out in terms of taxes brought in. It 37 00:01:48,270 --> 00:01:51,930 Charles Croucher : is a really strange parallel pathways where the government is 38 00:01:51,930 --> 00:01:55,200 Charles Croucher : trying to give more money to those that are unable 39 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:57,900 Charles Croucher : to find work or need support for work, but at 40 00:01:57,900 --> 00:02:01,560 Charles Croucher : the same time, keep the economy going with all those 41 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:05,340 Charles Croucher : jobs and try not to prop up inflation too much 42 00:02:05,340 --> 00:02:07,890 Charles Croucher : because the Reserve Bank is doing its darndest, clearly, to 43 00:02:08,250 --> 00:02:10,650 Charles Croucher : get inflation back down into that target level and the 44 00:02:10,650 --> 00:02:12,960 Charles Croucher : government's going to have to try and help it out 45 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,919 Charles Croucher : while still providing a helping hand. They're almost contrasting ideas. 46 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,019 Charles Croucher : So that's what faces Jim Chalmers. 47 00:02:19,500 --> 00:02:24,060 Sean Aylmer: It seems to me that there's lots of reprioritisation of 48 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,660 Sean Aylmer: spending tonight. I think with $ 17. 8 billion, a big 49 00:02:27,660 --> 00:02:30,600 Sean Aylmer: chunk of that's obviously in defence. Is it going to be one 50 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:32,610 Sean Aylmer: of those budgets where the devil's in the detail, they're 51 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:34,260 Sean Aylmer: taking one to give to the other? 52 00:02:34,740 --> 00:02:36,870 Charles Croucher : Oh, absolutely. It's also one of those budgets, I think, 53 00:02:36,870 --> 00:02:40,049 Charles Croucher : where the devil may come six months down the track 54 00:02:40,050 --> 00:02:43,500 Charles Croucher : and that's not just in terms of inflation and support payments 55 00:02:43,500 --> 00:02:47,190 Charles Croucher : and where everyone is landing. Of course, we know about 56 00:02:47,190 --> 00:02:50,040 Charles Croucher : mortgage rates and the mortgage cliffs so many Australians are 57 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,859 Charles Croucher : about to fall off, but also things like cheaper medicines. 58 00:02:52,860 --> 00:02:54,600 Charles Croucher : This is one of the policies that the government has 59 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:59,310 Charles Croucher : really backed itself and tied its flag to the masts 60 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:03,299 Charles Croucher : in so many ways. The pharmacies say there's not going 61 00:03:03,300 --> 00:03:06,120 Charles Croucher : to be medicines because of this idea of cheaper medicines. 62 00:03:06,270 --> 00:03:10,230 Charles Croucher : We won't know for six months time who's right. If 63 00:03:10,260 --> 00:03:12,540 Charles Croucher : the government is right, I don't think they'll get the 64 00:03:12,540 --> 00:03:15,900 Charles Croucher : same amount of credit that they would if they're wrong 65 00:03:16,020 --> 00:03:18,270 Charles Croucher : and how much they'll get blamed for it. So it 66 00:03:18,270 --> 00:03:21,810 Charles Croucher : is high risk, but given the circumstances, it can be 67 00:03:21,810 --> 00:03:24,660 Charles Croucher : high reward down the path as well because they're in 68 00:03:24,660 --> 00:03:29,010 Charles Croucher : a very strong position politically. There's lots of capital to use. 69 00:03:29,340 --> 00:03:32,310 Charles Croucher : If anything, the risk of tonight is not using that 70 00:03:32,310 --> 00:03:35,880 Charles Croucher : capital for some of the more wholesale changes that need 71 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:38,490 Charles Croucher : to go on both in the budget but also in 72 00:03:38,490 --> 00:03:41,610 Charles Croucher : the way this place operates because that would be the 73 00:03:41,610 --> 00:03:44,880 Charles Croucher : reprioritising that is needed rather than some of the tinkering 74 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:47,910 Charles Croucher : that goes on. $ 20 billion is $ 20 billion, but we 75 00:03:47,910 --> 00:03:49,350 Charles Croucher : have much bigger problems down the path. 76 00:03:49,890 --> 00:03:54,930 Sean Aylmer: Okay. Do you think ordinary voters care that much about 77 00:03:54,930 --> 00:03:57,180 Sean Aylmer: the budget generally, but particularly tonight because it is going 78 00:03:57,180 --> 00:03:58,290 Sean Aylmer: to be a cost of living budget? 79 00:03:58,590 --> 00:04:02,730 Charles Croucher : Yeah, tonight feels like one that Australians will. Everyone knows 80 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,370 Charles Croucher : that it's tough to make ends meet at the moment 81 00:04:05,790 --> 00:04:08,310 Charles Croucher : and there are so many governments in the past that 82 00:04:08,310 --> 00:04:11,760 Charles Croucher : have effectively died by this sort of inflation if people 83 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,580 Charles Croucher : are going backwards in their wages. It's one thing to 84 00:04:14,580 --> 00:04:17,220 Charles Croucher : see the amount of money coming in your pay packet 85 00:04:17,220 --> 00:04:19,529 Charles Croucher : at each fortnight or each month go up, but it's 86 00:04:19,529 --> 00:04:21,690 Charles Croucher : a whole different scenario if it's going up and yet 87 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:23,880 Charles Croucher : you're being able to afford less. I think that would 88 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,779 Charles Croucher : be quite demoralizing, not just for families and for budgets, 89 00:04:27,779 --> 00:04:31,020 Charles Croucher : but for the whole economy if it stays that way. 90 00:04:31,020 --> 00:04:34,589 Charles Croucher : So it's a really tricky one for the treasurer, but 91 00:04:34,830 --> 00:04:37,229 Charles Croucher : it will be a tricky one for households as well 92 00:04:37,230 --> 00:04:40,140 Charles Croucher : because the thing we speak about a lot when it 93 00:04:40,140 --> 00:04:43,680 Charles Croucher : comes the idea of raising the JobSeeker payments, it's pretty 94 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,710 Charles Croucher : well acknowledged that that needs to go up. Now the 95 00:04:46,710 --> 00:04:49,110 Charles Croucher : government has this whole committee they've set up as part 96 00:04:49,110 --> 00:04:51,779 Charles Croucher : of negotiations with David Pocock that will remind them this 97 00:04:51,779 --> 00:04:53,969 Charles Croucher : time every year that it needs to go up. But the 98 00:04:53,970 --> 00:04:58,290 Charles Croucher : politics is often ugly when it comes to raising base 99 00:04:58,290 --> 00:05:00,029 Charles Croucher : payments because there's a lot of people that are out 100 00:05:00,029 --> 00:05:02,789 Charles Croucher : there working now. We know the unemployment rate's at 3. 5%, 101 00:05:03,510 --> 00:05:06,240 Charles Croucher : who think they're out here doing it tough, working hard, 102 00:05:06,450 --> 00:05:08,430 Charles Croucher : and they can't make ends meet. So they want to 103 00:05:08,430 --> 00:05:14,070 Charles Croucher : be looked after first. It's a difficult path, but also, 104 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,200 Charles Croucher : I think it can be rewarding because there are a 105 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,360 Charles Croucher : lot of families that need a bit of a hand now. 106 00:05:18,690 --> 00:05:22,380 Charles Croucher : If inflation can be regulated, then the budget has the 107 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:25,860 Charles Croucher : chance to effectively set this government up politically for what's 108 00:05:25,860 --> 00:05:28,169 Charles Croucher : going forward, but set the country up for some good 109 00:05:28,170 --> 00:05:29,010 Charles Croucher : days ahead as well. 110 00:05:29,460 --> 00:05:31,349 Sean Aylmer: Stay with me, Charles. We'll be back in a minute. 111 00:05:37,290 --> 00:05:39,960 Sean Aylmer: My guest this morning is Charles Croucher, Chief Political Editor 112 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,620 Sean Aylmer: for 9News. What about Peter Dutton, the opposition? They never 113 00:05:43,620 --> 00:05:46,110 Sean Aylmer: get much of a voice on a day like today. 114 00:05:46,770 --> 00:05:49,739 Sean Aylmer: He will respond in a couple of days time, but 115 00:05:51,029 --> 00:05:53,460 Sean Aylmer: it hasn't been a great four months with the opposition 116 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:56,790 Sean Aylmer: and it doesn't look as if things are necessarily going 117 00:05:56,790 --> 00:05:58,320 Sean Aylmer: to get much better very quickly. 118 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:00,930 Charles Croucher : Yeah. He's at the stage now where every decision has 119 00:06:00,930 --> 00:06:02,820 Charles Croucher : to become a risk and every risk has to become 120 00:06:02,820 --> 00:06:06,719 Charles Croucher : a decision. This far out from an election still, I 121 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:11,160 Charles Croucher : think the opposition are confident that inflation will politically be 122 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:14,130 Charles Croucher : their friend. They think that there is troubled times ahead, 123 00:06:14,460 --> 00:06:17,010 Charles Croucher : not just for households, but that will then flow through 124 00:06:17,010 --> 00:06:20,370 Charles Croucher : when those households start blaming the government. In terms of 125 00:06:20,490 --> 00:06:24,300 Charles Croucher : the opposition's political fortunes though, there are some big risks ahead 126 00:06:24,300 --> 00:06:27,000 Charles Croucher : in the next six to eight months, not just the by- 127 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,640 Charles Croucher : elections coming up on the Gold Coast and then also 128 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:34,410 Charles Croucher : likely in Scott Morrison's seat in Cronulla, but also the 129 00:06:34,410 --> 00:06:38,070 Charles Croucher : referendum. Then the closer this gets to an election, the 130 00:06:38,070 --> 00:06:42,089 Charles Croucher : more nervous backbenchers get. So Peter Dutton has certainly got 131 00:06:42,089 --> 00:06:43,950 Charles Croucher : the backing of his party room, the control of his 132 00:06:43,950 --> 00:06:47,820 Charles Croucher : party room, but in terms of connecting with voters, voters 133 00:06:47,820 --> 00:06:50,190 Charles Croucher : know Peter Dutton. They've known him for a long time 134 00:06:50,190 --> 00:06:54,000 Charles Croucher : and he's running out of opportunity to recast or recalibrate 135 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,460 Charles Croucher : their thoughts of him. This is one of the rare 136 00:06:56,460 --> 00:06:59,370 Charles Croucher : opportunities he will get this year and I suspect and 137 00:06:59,370 --> 00:07:01,739 Charles Croucher : having spoken to those around him and to him and 138 00:07:01,740 --> 00:07:04,680 Charles Croucher : to the coalition leadership team, they want to make this 139 00:07:04,740 --> 00:07:05,849 Charles Croucher : the one that counts. 140 00:07:06,450 --> 00:07:09,240 Sean Aylmer: You mentioned the Gold Coast by- election, Stuart Robert, seat 141 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:13,020 Sean Aylmer: of Fadden. Morrison, if he goes, they're unlikely they're to 142 00:07:13,020 --> 00:07:16,800 Sean Aylmer: fall to Labor. When you said that, I thought, I 143 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:18,360 Sean Aylmer: don't think this is going to be Aston again, but 144 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:19,020 Sean Aylmer: maybe it will. 145 00:07:19,260 --> 00:07:21,600 Charles Croucher : No, it shouldn't be, but it's all risk in that 146 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,090 Charles Croucher : circumstance for Peter Dutton because you have to get through 147 00:07:24,090 --> 00:07:28,380 Charles Croucher : the preselection system, which is always fraught, particularly as New 148 00:07:28,380 --> 00:07:31,380 Charles Croucher : South Wales Liberals have proven in the last federal end 149 00:07:31,380 --> 00:07:33,630 Charles Croucher : state election that that can be fraught and then you 150 00:07:33,630 --> 00:07:35,520 Charles Croucher : actually have to get through the by- election. There's not 151 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,340 Charles Croucher : a whole lot to gain for Peter Dutton there. There 152 00:07:38,340 --> 00:07:40,410 Charles Croucher : is a lot to lose though, because if either of 153 00:07:40,410 --> 00:07:42,900 Charles Croucher : those were to go to an independent or to Labor, 154 00:07:42,900 --> 00:07:46,170 Charles Croucher : then he could probably draw a line even this early 155 00:07:46,170 --> 00:07:49,350 Charles Croucher : on through Peter Dutton's leadership, which sounds bizarre given he's only had 156 00:07:49,350 --> 00:07:51,840 Charles Croucher : the job for 12 months. But that's where the stakes 157 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:55,740 Charles Croucher : are at the moment. So that's why it's a potential trap 158 00:07:55,740 --> 00:07:57,570 Charles Croucher : I don't think it's one he'll fall down, but it's 159 00:07:57,570 --> 00:08:00,090 Charles Croucher : one they'll be aware of in the next six to 160 00:08:00,090 --> 00:08:02,760 Charles Croucher : eight months and one that this budget can either help 161 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:04,200 Charles Croucher : or hurt on the Labor side. 162 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,690 Sean Aylmer: Yeah. Once we get through the budget, does it mostly 163 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:07,890 Sean Aylmer: turn to the Voice, do you think? 164 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,280 Charles Croucher : Yeah, there's a bit to get through. Legislatively, this will 165 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:13,560 Charles Croucher : be tough. There is the friction between Labor and the 166 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,950 Charles Croucher : Greens that we're seeing more of now. It really has 167 00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:21,150 Charles Croucher : emerged through this battle over housing. Housing is when it 168 00:08:21,150 --> 00:08:23,490 Charles Croucher : comes to cost of living being the biggest issue around 169 00:08:23,490 --> 00:08:26,310 Charles Croucher : kitchen tables. Well, cost of housing and rent is the 170 00:08:26,310 --> 00:08:29,970 Charles Croucher : biggest issue in cost of living. There was an old 171 00:08:29,970 --> 00:08:31,890 Charles Croucher : Mississippi governor who used to say the main thing is 172 00:08:31,890 --> 00:08:34,500 Charles Croucher : to keep the main thing the main thing. This is the main 173 00:08:34,500 --> 00:08:37,800 Charles Croucher : thing, so that will be an ongoing battle. The Housing 174 00:08:37,830 --> 00:08:41,850 Charles Croucher : Future Fund that promised some 30, 000 houses, $ 10 billion into 175 00:08:41,850 --> 00:08:46,109 Charles Croucher : the Future Fund use whatever is made from that to 176 00:08:46,110 --> 00:08:49,230 Charles Croucher : go back into housing every year, it's got all the 177 00:08:49,230 --> 00:08:51,750 Charles Croucher : support it needs apart from the Greens and that's really 178 00:08:51,750 --> 00:08:54,870 Charles Croucher : causing a stir among the Labor ranks and around the 179 00:08:54,870 --> 00:08:57,270 Charles Croucher : cabinet table. They're frustrated with that. They think this is 180 00:08:57,270 --> 00:08:59,670 Charles Croucher : an easy solution that will at least get the ball 181 00:08:59,670 --> 00:09:03,210 Charles Croucher : rolling. I think the politics will get a bit tricky 182 00:09:03,210 --> 00:09:05,850 Charles Croucher : there with managing the Senate and managing the Greens who 183 00:09:05,850 --> 00:09:08,400 Charles Croucher : are trying to establish themselves as a force and are 184 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,400 Charles Croucher : eyeing some of those Labor seats. The Voice will always 185 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:14,309 Charles Croucher : be there in the immediate future. We have Defence and 186 00:09:14,309 --> 00:09:17,760 Charles Croucher : the Quad and that's ignoring what might happen internationally, if 187 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:21,270 Charles Croucher : not Ukraine, then potentially a little closer to home around 188 00:09:21,270 --> 00:09:24,420 Charles Croucher : Taiwan and the South China Sea. So there is some big 189 00:09:24,420 --> 00:09:27,870 Charles Croucher : events coming up, you would say the biggest until we 190 00:09:27,870 --> 00:09:30,090 Charles Croucher : get into the Voice and the battle that will go 191 00:09:30,090 --> 00:09:30,480 Charles Croucher : on there. 192 00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:36,900 Sean Aylmer: Well, a couple of things. Foreign affairs, Albanese suddenly is 193 00:09:36,900 --> 00:09:39,780 Sean Aylmer: this foreign states person, which two or three years ago, 194 00:09:40,230 --> 00:09:42,000 Sean Aylmer: no way in the world would have I thought Albanese 195 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,839 Sean Aylmer: would've been a great foreign leader or anything, but perception 196 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:47,069 Sean Aylmer: wise, he's done a very good job. 197 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:50,280 Charles Croucher : Yeah. Well, no, I shouldn't say such a surprise because 198 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:52,770 Charles Croucher : he certainly would back himself as a leader and he knows 199 00:09:52,770 --> 00:09:55,380 Charles Croucher : Penny Wong and he knows the area as well. But for someone 200 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:59,520 Charles Croucher : who campaigned so disciplined and feverishly on the domestic side 201 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,750 Charles Croucher : of politics, I think his great successes have come internationally 202 00:10:03,929 --> 00:10:06,630 Charles Croucher : and that has largely been towards Penny Wong. She gets 203 00:10:06,900 --> 00:10:10,020 Charles Croucher : a lot of credit from not just those on her 204 00:10:10,020 --> 00:10:13,590 Charles Croucher : own side, but also those on the other side of politics. 205 00:10:14,010 --> 00:10:15,900 Charles Croucher : It's going to be more and more crucial as we 206 00:10:15,900 --> 00:10:17,970 Charles Croucher : see the emergence of the Quad. There are free trade 207 00:10:18,030 --> 00:10:20,790 Charles Croucher : agreements being negotiated, not just the one to be signed 208 00:10:20,790 --> 00:10:22,590 Charles Croucher : with India and that will become a bigger part of 209 00:10:22,590 --> 00:10:25,860 Charles Croucher : our puzzle, but I suspect Don Farrell is now days, 210 00:10:25,860 --> 00:10:27,870 Charles Croucher : if not weeks away from going to China and seeing 211 00:10:27,870 --> 00:10:32,520 Charles Croucher : some big changes with the relationship there that will roll 212 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,489 Charles Croucher : through too. I'm going off on a little bit of 213 00:10:35,490 --> 00:10:38,850 Charles Croucher : knowledge here, but it's 50 years since Gough Whitlam went 214 00:10:38,850 --> 00:10:41,640 Charles Croucher : to China in October. I suspect the Prime Minister might 215 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:44,070 Charles Croucher : have that circled in his calendar for his own visit 216 00:10:44,370 --> 00:10:46,229 Charles Croucher : and that would be a big change again, and then 217 00:10:46,230 --> 00:10:50,550 Charles Croucher : of course, the relationship with the Quad and with NATO 218 00:10:50,550 --> 00:10:52,770 Charles Croucher : and keeping the rules- based order going as well. It's 219 00:10:52,770 --> 00:10:55,710 Charles Croucher : a big challenge. So look, Penny Wong has been, if 220 00:10:55,710 --> 00:10:58,800 Charles Croucher : not the standout performer of the government, certainly one of them. 221 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,890 Charles Croucher : If you ask government frontbenchers, they're pretty split between Penny 222 00:11:01,890 --> 00:11:04,830 Charles Croucher : Wong and Katy Gallagher as the ones they think that 223 00:11:04,830 --> 00:11:07,110 Charles Croucher : have been really driving the agenda and they're giving a 224 00:11:07,110 --> 00:11:07,679 Charles Croucher : lot of credit to. 225 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:11,040 Sean Aylmer: The point is that there are actually more than one 226 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,250 Sean Aylmer: person running the party as well, which we are hearing 227 00:11:14,250 --> 00:11:16,620 Sean Aylmer: a lot more from a lot of different players in 228 00:11:16,620 --> 00:11:17,190 Sean Aylmer: this government. 229 00:11:18,390 --> 00:11:22,679 Charles Croucher : They use parliament well. Anthony Albanese has been able to 230 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:24,750 Charles Croucher : study a lot of prime ministers and the way a 231 00:11:24,750 --> 00:11:27,390 Charles Croucher : lot of operations works. He's been here so long. It's 232 00:11:27,390 --> 00:11:29,880 Charles Croucher : a lot like the Howard Government. John Howard and Peter 233 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:33,630 Charles Croucher : Costello would constantly have things happening and going through parliament, 234 00:11:33,630 --> 00:11:36,300 Charles Croucher : so it always felt busy. They were always in charge 235 00:11:36,300 --> 00:11:39,480 Charles Croucher : of what was happening. That's the same here. It seems 236 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:41,910 Charles Croucher : that every time we're back in this building, there is 237 00:11:41,910 --> 00:11:46,320 Charles Croucher : some new item, some new initiative, some new law or 238 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,870 Charles Croucher : modification or change that the government's trying to get through 239 00:11:48,870 --> 00:11:51,750 Charles Croucher : and they have rotated through. You've seen Tony Burkes had 240 00:11:51,750 --> 00:11:55,439 Charles Croucher : his industrial relations win. Chris Bowen has had his win 241 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,559 Charles Croucher : on the safeguards. Ed Husic's got some of his big 242 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:01,949 Charles Croucher : manufacturing reforms through already and that's just in the last 243 00:12:01,950 --> 00:12:04,679 Charles Croucher : four months. So now, we've got big health challenges coming 244 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:06,929 Charles Croucher : up so that then Mark Butler steps up. We've seen 245 00:12:06,929 --> 00:12:11,040 Charles Croucher : changes to some of the childcare. Big education review is 246 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,770 Charles Croucher : about to be handed back down into all three sectors, 247 00:12:13,770 --> 00:12:17,370 Charles Croucher : so Jason Clare stepped forward. So that's really Anthony Albanese 248 00:12:17,700 --> 00:12:21,090 Charles Croucher : managing the parliament, managing his team in the way of 249 00:12:21,090 --> 00:12:24,000 Charles Croucher : John Howard and giving his ministers autonomy to go out 250 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:25,800 Charles Croucher : and do their thing. I think he's done that again 251 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:26,849 Charles Croucher : with Jim Chalmers. 252 00:12:27,540 --> 00:12:29,580 Sean Aylmer: Charles, I hope you enjoy that lockup today. How many 253 00:12:29,580 --> 00:12:31,319 Sean Aylmer: hours will you be in there, five hours or something? 254 00:12:31,770 --> 00:12:34,559 Charles Croucher : Five or six and then interviews and then we get 255 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:36,900 Charles Croucher : out of here somewhere near midnight and front back up for the 256 00:12:36,900 --> 00:12:39,840 Charles Croucher : Today show, but it's fun. They are good day's around here 257 00:12:39,900 --> 00:12:42,330 Charles Croucher : because you get to see how it all works and 258 00:12:42,330 --> 00:12:44,700 Charles Croucher : there's an energy that comes with budget and it's important 259 00:12:44,790 --> 00:12:46,679 Charles Croucher : and it'll affect a lot of people at home as well, 260 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:47,640 Charles Croucher : so they're good days. 261 00:12:48,059 --> 00:12:50,010 Sean Aylmer: Fantastic. Thank you for talking to Fear and Greed. 262 00:12:50,250 --> 00:12:50,670 Charles Croucher : Anytime. 263 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:54,570 Sean Aylmer: That was Charles Croucher, Chief Political Editor for 9News. This 264 00:12:54,570 --> 00:12:57,059 Sean Aylmer: is the Fear and Greed Daily Interview. Join us every 265 00:12:57,059 --> 00:12:59,309 Sean Aylmer: morning for the full episode of Fear and Greed, Australia's 266 00:12:59,309 --> 00:13:02,760 Sean Aylmer: most popular business podcast. I'm Sean Aylmer. Enjoy your day.