Speaker 1: This week, we had Susan Lee on seven AM, but
Speaker 1: we weren't alone. Susan Lee was everywhere speaking with everyone.
Speaker 2: Yes, nobody was special. You weren't special. I wasn't special.
Speaker 1: Actually Raper is the political editor at Channel ten. She
Speaker 1: spoke to the leader of the opposition too, she did everybody.
Speaker 2: I've never quite seen a media blitz like it. Susan
Speaker 2: Lee is the leader of the Opposition. She joins me. Now,
Speaker 2: Susan Lee, welcome to Affective.
Speaker 3: Here in the studio with you, Susan Lee, thank you
Speaker 3: for joining the Daily US.
Speaker 2: It's a pleasure. Susan Lee. Welcome to the show. Great
Speaker 2: to be with you a few Good morning, he says,
Speaker 2: nice to see you this morning. Everything okay, coom morning Karl.
Speaker 2: You've got the lights on. It's fine.
Speaker 4: Everything's fine here in Brisbane.
Speaker 3: I'm talking about my affordable energy plan everywhere I go,
Speaker 3: and I'm asking the Prime Minister one simple question, Karl,
Speaker 3: when our power price is going to come down?
Speaker 2: So this was all about silly the plan.
Speaker 3: Why they were ditching net zero, because they were trying
Speaker 3: to balance, especially for the liberals here to say what
Speaker 3: is this about? And they were obviously going down this
Speaker 3: is all about affordable energy, which is a line that
Speaker 3: will resonate with people. Our energy bills are high. But
Speaker 3: the second part to it was this big question of
Speaker 3: climate credibility for the Liberals and they say that their
Speaker 3: plan will reduce emissions year on year, that's what they
Speaker 3: want to do, but there are no targets.
Speaker 2: That have abandoned targets. So there was that part, But
Speaker 2: it was all about her.
Speaker 3: Leadership, coming out as a strong leader, and this was
Speaker 3: about shoring up her leadership as well.
Speaker 1: So did the media blitz work and what is the
Speaker 1: chaos and the coalition meant for the government while the
Speaker 1: press gallery has been looking the other way. I'm Daniel
Speaker 1: James and you're listening to seven AM today Ashley Raper
Speaker 1: on the Weekend Camera. Australia has failed to host cop
Speaker 1: the last ditch effort the past new environment laws and
Speaker 1: what twenty twenty six would look like if season Lee
Speaker 1: loses her job. It's Saturday, November twenty two. Actually, let's
Speaker 1: talk about Susan Lee's decision to get out on the
Speaker 1: front foot. This week it was about net zero, but
Speaker 1: it was also about her leadership. So what is she
Speaker 1: dealing with right now? Inside the Liberal Party.
Speaker 3: Look, you know, there was a very powerful image that
Speaker 3: happened last week on the Wednesday ahead of that Liberal
Speaker 3: Party room, and that image has been played over and
Speaker 3: over again of the right faction coming together. There were
Speaker 3: the three Liberal women at the front cincin number, Jibber Price,
Speaker 3: Sarah Henderson, Jess Collins.
Speaker 2: There was Aus Taylor and Andrew.
Speaker 3: Casety, you know, the two leadership aspirants, and that was
Speaker 3: very very damaging to Susan Lee.
Speaker 2: Then on Sunday, the day that the Coalition partyment was meeting.
Speaker 3: And just how I just happened to do this lovely
Speaker 3: sit down in the paper, this very soft piece. So
Speaker 3: it was an interview, you know, when he tells everybody
Speaker 3: that he loves The Devil Wears Prato. It's one of
Speaker 3: his favorite movies. So this was all happening in the
Speaker 3: background when you know, we know that the right is
Speaker 3: agitating and they're happy they got their way on ditching
Speaker 3: net zero.
Speaker 2: But then you've also got the moderates here, and the
Speaker 2: moderates we know within the Liberal Party are very very
Speaker 2: upset about ditching net zero. So in terms of Susan.
Speaker 3: Lee's leadership, you know, and this blitz. You know, I'm
Speaker 3: not sure that it was that effective for her.
Speaker 2: You've got to give it to us.
Speaker 3: She's gone out, she's absolutely given her a red, tackled
Speaker 3: her head.
Speaker 2: On, but I'm not sure what she actually achieved here.
Speaker 1: You mentioned the moderates are upset. Do they still have
Speaker 1: Susan Lee's back?
Speaker 2: There weren't a lot of moderates out the week.
Speaker 3: A lot of moderates have regular spots in the media,
Speaker 3: whether it's on Sky News or ABC on radio, and
Speaker 3: they all pulled out. Mostly there were a few, but
Speaker 3: Anne Rustin, who was really the Moderate leader now and
Speaker 3: the Senate, she's a shadow Health minister.
Speaker 2: She did come.
Speaker 3: Out on Monday and when there were rumors that maybe
Speaker 3: the moderates had pulled their support from Susan Lee in
Speaker 3: Andrew Hasey's favor, and she came out, So that's absolutely
Speaker 3: not true.
Speaker 5: The Australian newspaper reported that some are rethinking their support
Speaker 5: for Lee and want Andrew Hasty to run. Susan Lee's
Speaker 5: office responded today with a statement issued on behalf of
Speaker 5: two leading moderates that they continue to strongly support Susan's
Speaker 5: leadership and that she will lead the party strongly to
Speaker 5: the next election.
Speaker 3: At this stage, the moderates are still backing in Susan Lee,
Speaker 3: but they are very hurt by this.
Speaker 1: What a more right wing replacement fair any better? Is
Speaker 1: this about her? Or about where the country is at
Speaker 1: right now, especially giving the support of one nation at
Speaker 1: the moment.
Speaker 3: What we have been seeing with the Liberals federally, and
Speaker 3: we're six months posts an election, there's always this soul
Speaker 3: searching and trying to work out what they're doing. And
Speaker 3: the right faction is very powerful in that room at
Speaker 3: the moment because in the seats that have been lost
Speaker 3: in those city seats, a lot of them were the
Speaker 3: more moderate voices, so those voices aren't in the room.
Speaker 3: So it's almost like in a way they're in this
Speaker 3: echo chamber and speaking to the moderates over the past
Speaker 3: few weeks as they've worked out this net zero position,
Speaker 3: they were very concerned. But the right faction right now
Speaker 3: is very powerful and they are you know, it must
Speaker 3: be said that they are undermining Susan Lee's leadership with
Speaker 3: what they're doing and what they're saying. You know, they're
Speaker 3: not willing to be good soldiers and toe the line,
Speaker 3: which makes it very difficult for Susan Lee. But you
Speaker 3: look at what's happening, you know, with Victoria and even
Speaker 3: in New South Wales. In Victoria they rolled Brad Baton.
Speaker 3: I stand continuously proud in the role that I've done
Speaker 3: and the things that I've done for the community.
Speaker 2: And they have a moderate leader in Jess Wilson.
Speaker 3: While I was so honored to be elected unopposed by
Speaker 3: my Liberal party room yesterday Mark Speakman, who was the
Speaker 3: New South Wales Liberal leader and opposition later he also
Speaker 3: stepped down, but effectively was chapped as well.
Speaker 5: I've had a difficult set of cards handed to me.
Speaker 5: I've done my best with those, but I think now's
Speaker 5: the time to hand over the baton.
Speaker 3: Now they've installed Kelly Sloan as the Liberal leader.
Speaker 2: She's also a moderate.
Speaker 3: It's an incredible honor, huge responsibility when I don't take lightly.
Speaker 2: I'm ready to.
Speaker 3: Work for New South Wales and I thank my colleagues
Speaker 3: for the faith and the trust that they're placed in me.
Speaker 2: Today.
Speaker 3: The big states in New South Wales and Victoria where
Speaker 3: the federal Liberals lost seats six months ago at the election,
Speaker 3: they're not looking to the right.
Speaker 1: Coming up Australia has failed with the host of Global
Speaker 1: Climate Summit. Actually, the press gallery has been focused on
Speaker 1: the will they won't they of the coalition's climate policy
Speaker 1: for weeks on end and rightly so, so what does
Speaker 1: that meant for the government?
Speaker 2: Well, they mean good time, aren't they?
Speaker 3: And this has also been the problem, you know with
Speaker 3: the Liberals and the Coalition not really having their act
Speaker 3: together right now or fighting amongst themselves that they're not
Speaker 3: being an effective opposition really and they haven't been for
Speaker 3: the past six months, which isn't good for democracy. And
Speaker 3: so look, the government has had a pretty easy ride.
Speaker 2: They're very much in a honeymoon period. But you know,
Speaker 2: we've got the.
Speaker 3: Final sitting week of Parliament coming up and there are
Speaker 3: some tough pieces of legislation that the government does want
Speaker 3: to get through. So it might not be as smooth
Speaker 3: sailing this last week for the government as they may
Speaker 3: have hoped.
Speaker 1: What are they looking to achieve in this final week, Well.
Speaker 2: They really want to get the environmental protection laws through.
Speaker 3: Now this has such been an although exiger that actually
Speaker 3: predated the Albanese government in twenty twenty two, trying to
Speaker 3: land these laws that really balances approval for developments, whether
Speaker 3: it be a mining or housing, balancing that with protecting
Speaker 3: the environment. They couldn't get it done in the last
Speaker 3: term when Tanya Plibsek was the Environment Minister. Murray Watt's
Speaker 3: now being installed as the Environment Minister and he has
Speaker 3: one job to get these lulls through.
Speaker 4: At the end of the day, what I want to
Speaker 4: make sure of is that the package of reforms that
Speaker 4: we do pass through the Parliament and I'm very confident
Speaker 4: that we will do achieve that balance. If that requires
Speaker 4: tweaks here or there that I'm obviously open to hearing
Speaker 4: from people, but that's the overarching goal that we're seeking.
Speaker 2: They do want to rush them through by the end
Speaker 2: of parliament, but he has to do a deal.
Speaker 3: Obviously, the government doesn't have the numbers in the Senate,
Speaker 3: so they have to look to the Coalition or the Greens.
Speaker 3: Now Labor wants to go with the coalition. They feel
Speaker 3: like that will be an easier path. It's a more
Speaker 3: palatable path for business as well, and that's how the
Speaker 3: government is selling that.
Speaker 2: Now.
Speaker 3: The Coalition has been in disarray, so they haven't been
Speaker 3: great to negotiate with, and I think that's been problematic
Speaker 3: with the government.
Speaker 2: This week though there has been movement.
Speaker 3: The Levels have come out and said look, these are
Speaker 3: our demands, this is what we want. We could land
Speaker 3: a deal. The Greens would say, look, you should be
Speaker 3: dealing with us, but they also want to extend it
Speaker 3: and there's an inquiry that's pushed out to next year.
Speaker 3: So look, a lot can happen in the last week
Speaker 3: to get this deal done.
Speaker 2: It's unclear where that will actually happen, though.
Speaker 1: This week the Government finally conceded defeat the Turkey over
Speaker 1: who will host the next cop summit. Why did the
Speaker 1: government want the.
Speaker 2: Job, Well, they wanted it for for a long time.
Speaker 3: They want it for a number of reasons, but it
Speaker 3: was also a big with Pacific Nations and that was
Speaker 3: a really key part of it because if you look
Speaker 3: at strategically what the government is trying to do, and
Speaker 3: you hear the government say this all the time, they
Speaker 3: want Pacific Nations to turn to Australia as in their words,
Speaker 3: their partner of choice rather than China, and that's about
Speaker 3: influence and national security and military and through the Pacific
Speaker 3: Islands climate change.
Speaker 2: They're at the front line. They're feeling the effect.
Speaker 3: So it was a big with Pacific lines and that's
Speaker 3: why Australia wanted it.
Speaker 2: They also wanted to.
Speaker 3: Look like, you know, they were being proactive on climate change.
Speaker 2: It would be big cree to get it also for
Speaker 2: Adelaide as well.
Speaker 3: South Australian government really wanted it because of what it
Speaker 3: does for the economy. Obviously would be cost to host
Speaker 3: an event like that. So there's just been this standoff
Speaker 3: now for such a long time and who was going
Speaker 3: to blink first and Australia did. But they have got
Speaker 3: a few things as a result in these negotiations, and
Speaker 3: so Chris Bolan personally has had a bit of a win.
Speaker 3: He still gets to be part of the negotiations and
Speaker 3: he doesn't quite get the title, but he's basically like
Speaker 3: the president. And also that there's the carve out that
Speaker 3: there will be a special Pacific nation focus with a
Speaker 3: leader's meeting.
Speaker 1: You mentioned the cost it was going to costs two
Speaker 1: billion was one of the estimates that I saw. And
Speaker 1: there's actually, you know, still a bit of speculation about
Speaker 1: whether the cop is actually a good vehicle for addressing
Speaker 1: climate action. Could you argue that the government maybe you've
Speaker 1: also have dodged a bullet on this as well.
Speaker 3: Yes, and I think a lot of people will argue
Speaker 3: about people withinside the.
Speaker 2: Government and outside, and that's very much.
Speaker 3: What you've heard from the opposition that it's actually a
Speaker 3: good thing. And I think people as well within the
Speaker 3: government think, yeah, probably it's not a bad thing. We
Speaker 3: look like we tried, we tried really hard, but then
Speaker 3: we didn't actually have to pay. It's like you're offering
Speaker 3: to do something and you're like, phew when you don't
Speaker 3: when you don't actually have to do it. But and
Speaker 3: this is something that the Greens are talking about. The
Speaker 3: government has got a ways well, you know, without a
Speaker 3: focus on what's happening with tossil fuels in Australia, those
Speaker 3: sorts of things, so without it's a headache that they
Speaker 3: now don't need to address by not hosting cop next year.
Speaker 1: And actually we're coming to the end of the parliamentary year.
Speaker 1: Twenty twenty five has also been an election year. There's
Speaker 1: been a lot of things go down on federal politics.
Speaker 1: How do you think the government will reflect on the
Speaker 1: twenty twenty five that they've had and how do you
Speaker 1: think they'll be feeling about twenty twenty.
Speaker 3: Six, Well, you'd have to say it as a very
Speaker 3: good year for the government. Look, they've just had this resounding,
Speaker 3: amazing win in May and Anthony Otherneasy has always really
Speaker 3: boasted about running just a discipline and methodical governments. But
Speaker 3: it's also like, well, there's always questions around how bold
Speaker 3: is this government, and I think those questions will start
Speaker 3: coming out, you know when you look at.
Speaker 2: Twenty twenty six.
Speaker 3: But in terms of as well the Prime Minister, he's
Speaker 3: done quite a bit of travel. He's had some problems,
Speaker 3: you know in Pacific getting some deals through with Banawatu.
Speaker 3: There's been success with Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The
Speaker 3: Donald Trump meeting in Washington has.
Speaker 2: Gone really well.
Speaker 3: So at the end of the year, I think obviously
Speaker 3: the government will reflect that they've had a very good year.
Speaker 3: And that's also been helped by the fact that the
Speaker 3: opposition has been in such a mess. So it could
Speaker 3: be different twenty twenty six. If the opposition does get
Speaker 3: its act together seasonally, will probably last, you know, the
Speaker 3: last living week. How long she lasts next year is
Speaker 3: another big question. Very much changed the game. If somebody,
Speaker 3: you say, Andrew Hasty becomes the leader of the opposition
Speaker 3: and what then Anthony Albanezi will have to deal with
Speaker 3: his Prime minister up against the opposition. So there are
Speaker 3: a lot of unknowns next year. But twenty five they
Speaker 3: have been able to sail through relatively unscathed.
Speaker 2: But there's always a honeymoon period.
Speaker 3: There's always a lot of goodwill to this government, but
Speaker 3: it will dry up at some point.
Speaker 1: Well, Ashley, goodwill to you and thank you for coming
Speaker 1: on seven am.
Speaker 2: Thank You.
Speaker 1: Seven Am is a daily show from Solstice Media. It's
Speaker 1: made by Atticus Basto, Ariel Richards, Chris Dangate, Ruby Jones,
Speaker 1: Sarah McFee, Flavis Evans, zom Vecho and me Daniel James.
Speaker 1: Our theme music is by Ned Beckley and Josh Horgan
Speaker 1: of Envelope Potier. As always, thanks for listening, have a
Speaker 1: great weekend.