1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: From the Australian. Here's what's on the front. I'm Claire Harvey. 2 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: It's Thursday, November sixth, twenty twenty five. Mining bosses want 3 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: Indigenous Australians to grow their prosperity by claiming ownership of minds, 4 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: petroleum leases, processing facilities and infrastructure. It's no longer enough 5 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: to brag about Aboriginal companies winning contracts. They need to 6 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:32,840 Speaker 1: be focusing on ownership, says the Minerals Council of Australia. 7 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: The worst he's ever seen. That's the assessment of Wednesday's 8 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 1: Question Time by our national editor Dennis Shanahan. He's been 9 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: covering politics for decades and says he's never seen a 10 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: federal opposition behave quite like this. 11 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 2: People who have been around Parliament almost as long as 12 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 2: I have are saying the same thing. This is a 13 00:00:58,480 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 2: diabolical situation. 14 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 1: You can read Dennis's full scathing assessment right now at 15 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: the Australian dot com dot au. An ultra charismatic, self 16 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: proclaimed social democrat has just been elected Mayor of New 17 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 1: York and made himself a seriously formidable enemy in Donald J. Trump. 18 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 1: The ultimate New Yorker Zoran Mamdani is just thirty four 19 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 1: and he's been elected on a sweeping set of promises 20 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: to control rent, make childcarefree, and overhaul public transport. Is 21 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: he the future of the Democrats or a false dawn? 22 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:42,679 Speaker 1: That's today's episode. 23 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 2: It is an historic rate here at Zoro Mamdani Head Corridors. 24 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 2: New York City has just elected its first Muslim, first 25 00:01:57,640 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 2: Indian American mayor. 26 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 3: Came from near obscurity sword to the top of the 27 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 3: list in the primary. We have seen a record turn 28 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 3: out in this election here in New York. 29 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:12,519 Speaker 2: There you have it. 30 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: The news has reached the crowd. Soar own. 31 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 3: Mom Danny has been named the mayor eleact. 32 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: Karen Stewart is the Australian's chief international correspondent. He's also 33 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: an honorary New Yorker, having spent many years living in 34 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: the Big Apple Camp. New Yorkers have elected a new 35 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: mayor who's causing a lot of concern and a lot 36 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: of celebration, depending on your perspective. What's your take on 37 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: who zorain Mum Danny is. 38 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 2: He's an extraordinary character, Claire. He has emerged from pretty 39 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 2: much nowhere. He's only been in the New York State 40 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 2: Parliament for about two years. He hasn't got any real 41 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 2: management experience at all. He's a Muslim, He's thirty four 42 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 2: years old and extremely young for a mayor. He has 43 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 2: got a few controversies that swirl around him. For example, 44 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 2: he's described Israel as a genocidal state in its war 45 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 2: in Gaza, which is pretty remarkable given that New York 46 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 2: City has the largest Jewish population of any American city. 47 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 2: He's really come from nowhere to storm and take the 48 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 2: job as mayor of New York City, which is a 49 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 2: huge job in America. It's the biggest, most unwieldy, unmanageable 50 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 2: city you could ever imagine. And here's this guy at 51 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 2: thirty four years about you suddenly find yourself on the throne. 52 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 2: And it's a huge moment for a couple of reasons. 53 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 2: Because he basically is very left wing. He calls himself 54 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 2: a democratic socialist. That's very unusual for anyone in the 55 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 2: American politics to happily call themselves a democratic socialist. He's 56 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 2: got a very left wing agenda. His whole concept when 57 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 2: he signed himself to the voters of New York City 58 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 2: was to try and cut the cost of living in 59 00:03:56,360 --> 00:04:00,839 Speaker 2: New York and to appeal to immigrants, taxi dri uber 60 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 2: delivery people, et cetera, et cetera, that whole sort of, 61 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 2: if you like, underclass of New York City who he 62 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 2: felt were not getting a fair go, and so he 63 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 2: tailored all these policies very much towards them. We had 64 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 2: free buses, We've got rental freezers, two hundred thousand new 65 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 2: units being set up. We've got a whole raft of 66 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 2: things that he has done very much for the working man. 67 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 2: And he's going to pay for that by taxing corporates 68 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 2: more highly and also people who earn over a million dollars, 69 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 2: so increased actuation, higher spending, all aimed at the working man. 70 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,039 Speaker 2: And this really resonated in New York City. 71 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: It's not just those people who have voted for him. 72 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:43,679 Speaker 1: Of course, you can't get fifty percent of the vote 73 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: with just the workers. Many of the New Yorkers who 74 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: would have voted for mum Danni are people who someone 75 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: like Donald Trump, although he's also from New York City, 76 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 1: would describe as elites. You know, they are wealthy, highly 77 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 1: educated people who live in this city that often doesn't 78 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: really feel like part of the rest of America. What 79 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: do you think is appealing about mum Dani to those 80 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: voters who might themselves be very well off. 81 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 2: That's a good question. I mean, New York City has 82 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 2: really been hit hard by the inflation rises of recent years. 83 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,280 Speaker 2: He is an expensive place to live. There's a lot 84 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 2: of problems in New York City at the moment. There's 85 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 2: a fair bit of crime. Perhaps they see a more 86 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 2: radical approach to this as the way to go. I mean, 87 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 2: there really wasn't many other alternatives for the voters. The 88 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 2: main opponent for Mamdami was Andrew Cuimo. He of course 89 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 2: used to be the governor of New York State until 90 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 2: four years ago he had to resign in disgrace over 91 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:46,919 Speaker 2: sexual harassment allegations. He then went up against Mamdani in 92 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 2: the Democratic primary, lost it comprehensively, and then ran as 93 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 2: a third party candidate. Now look, you know, he's sixty 94 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,599 Speaker 2: seven years old, and I think that has just looked 95 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 2: and they just thought, we're just sick of the same 96 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 2: tied old Democrat stuff. He's this new, fresh faced guy. 97 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:04,479 Speaker 2: Let's give him a go. And the thing about Ma'm 98 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 2: Danny Claire is he's got a very almost like a 99 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:09,840 Speaker 2: Baraco Obama ability to campaign. 100 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,159 Speaker 3: What's going on, everybody, It'saura Mamdani. It's next playoff season 101 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 3: out here. Let's see what New Yorkers are thinking. Right, 102 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 3: not right, we're outside because New York has deserve a 103 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 3: man that they can see, they can hear, they can 104 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 3: even yell at. 105 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 2: His folks see, he's articulate, his media friendly, He's got 106 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 2: a very savvy social media campaign. 107 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 3: I'm about to say something to you you've never heard 108 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 3: of politician, say please stop sending us money. 109 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 2: And you know this army of young voters just flocked 110 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 2: to him. 111 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,039 Speaker 3: I've call him my African people. 112 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 4: First, thank you, my mother, because I know with you 113 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 4: the actually wait, thank you. 114 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 2: He's real superpower is the ability to attract young voters 115 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 2: to his cause. 116 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: The appeal of Mamdani probably depends on how old you are. 117 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: You know a lot of as you say, young New 118 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 1: Yorkers really like him, whereas perhaps their parents might not. 119 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,679 Speaker 1: And that's also the same in Jewish families. Cam surveys 120 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: have shown that young Jewish voters are much more likely 121 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: to be open to Mandani than their parents are. He's 122 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 1: made some pretty staunch statements about Israel. He's been a 123 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: long campaigner against Israel. He at University, led a Palestinian 124 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: support group and has long supported the boycott, divestment, sanctions 125 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: movement against Israel. He's said that Benjamin Etna who should 126 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: be arrested. How do you think Jewish New Yorkers grapple 127 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,239 Speaker 1: with this question of whether or not he is anti Semitic. 128 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 2: I think the Jewish community in New York is quite divided. 129 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 2: On the one hand, we have younger, more liberal Jewish 130 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 2: voters who, according to Poles, have been quite supportive of Mandani. 131 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 2: They are also unhappy with the actions of the Israeli 132 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 2: government and they don't see that as a reason not 133 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 2: to vote for him. However, older and more traditional Jewish voters, 134 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 2: I think a lot of them appear to be horrified 135 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 2: by the notion of having a mayor who effectively doesn't 136 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 2: agree with the existence of the state of Israel. And 137 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 2: this has played out in the broader politics. Claire of 138 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 2: the Democratic Party, I mean, you have the left wing 139 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:33,319 Speaker 2: fire Browns if you like, like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and 140 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 2: Bernie Sanders saying Mandami is the best thing that's ever 141 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,959 Speaker 2: happened to the Democratic Party. Then you have the more 142 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:43,959 Speaker 2: traditional and more conservative Democrats who are wary of him. 143 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 2: They worry that he might if he succeeds. He's already 144 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 2: succeeded in getting elected, but if he succeeds, especially in 145 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 2: his mandate, that he will drag the Democratic Party further 146 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 2: to the left. And you have some of the party eldest, 147 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 2: most particularly the Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is 148 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 2: a Jewish New Yorker, and he's refused to endorse Man 149 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 2: Dami throughout the entire campaign, which is really quite extraordinary, 150 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 2: and it does show there is reluctance and reticence to 151 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 2: back him strongly from the more conservative traditional Democrats. 152 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 1: Promising a rent freeze was the way he really grabbed 153 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: international attention, because, of course, everybody's watched TV shows about 154 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: New York and what their apartments are like. Why is 155 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 1: day to day life in New York so hard and 156 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: so expensive? Why can't they grapple with the basic issues 157 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: of for example, sanitation. They've been fighting about how to 158 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,719 Speaker 1: get rid of New York's rats for so centuries. 159 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:39,439 Speaker 2: Now, look, New York is neca system to itself. I mean, 160 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:44,199 Speaker 2: it is so crowded that just naturally, apartment prices are stratispheric, 161 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 2: and you know what happens is you see the poorer 162 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 2: people get more marginalized. I mean, Harlem used to be 163 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 2: a very poor place. Now it's quite upmarket. The gentrification 164 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,719 Speaker 2: is moving out because the demand is so much in 165 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 2: the city of Manhattan. But regularly you get governments that 166 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:04,560 Speaker 2: just cannot cope with this incredible mass of people and 167 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 2: the services required. I mean, how often have we seen 168 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 2: huge garbage strikes in New York. It's a very unionized 169 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 2: Democrat place as well, so you know when there are strikes, 170 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 2: they're very effective because they've got very strong unions and 171 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 2: it's a very tough place to manage. And I mean 172 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 2: that really goes in waves, and ma'am Daney has basically 173 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 2: tapped into a wave that people believe he can actually 174 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 2: improve the city from where it is now. And you know, 175 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 2: it's the story he's sold well to these voters, and 176 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 2: so they've given their trust to him. 177 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 1: Coming up Zoran versus Donald, ma'am Danney wouldn't be able 178 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 1: to run for president of the United States because he 179 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: was born overseas, So the Democrats still have the task 180 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 1: of finding candidates for presidential elections, who people actually want 181 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: to vote for. Do you think his election gives a 182 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:15,959 Speaker 1: hint as to which way the Democrats might lean? Are 183 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: they going to lean hard left next time they're looking 184 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 1: at a candidate for the presidency. Given the success of Mamdani, left. 185 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:27,319 Speaker 2: Wing Democrats will be hoping that his election is an 186 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 2: example of where the party should go. The Democrats are 187 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 2: really caught in the civil war right now between the 188 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 2: left wingers who support obviously Mamdani, and the conservatives as 189 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 2: to the direction of the party after Kamala Harris's defeat. 190 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 2: It's a battle royal between them to see which way 191 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 2: they go. So loo wingers will be hoping that this 192 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 2: is a sign that they're going to go left. I 193 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 2: think there'll be a lot of resistance to that. I 194 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 2: think that the lesser to the last election is that 195 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 2: the Democrats need a centrist in the mold of Bill 196 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: Clinton who can bring back and win back Middle America. 197 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 2: That's what they lost last time, and I think the 198 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 2: conservative wing of the Democrat Party is very fearful that 199 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 2: ma'am dne the victory and the left wing of the 200 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:12,679 Speaker 2: Democrats could drag the party to a place which it's 201 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 2: really not electable from because it's not really representing Middle America, 202 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 2: and that's what they're concerned about. So, look, this could 203 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 2: be a booby trap for the Democrats. Certainly Donald Trump 204 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:23,959 Speaker 2: thinks this could be a booby trap for the Democrats. 205 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: Zorhan Mundami thirty four year old Democratic socialist. He's the prime. 206 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 2: Minist, non socialist, communist are He's far worse than. 207 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 4: A sus Some people have compared him to a left 208 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 4: wing version of you, charismatic breaking the old rules. What 209 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:38,719 Speaker 4: do you think about that? 210 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 2: Well, I think I'm a much better looking person than him. Right, 211 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 2: he's already started a tack campaign and he said he's 212 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 2: threatened to not give federal funding or at least withdraw 213 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 2: a lot of federal funding to New York City as 214 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 2: a result of his victory. He's said it's going to 215 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 2: be a social and economic disaster. I mean, this is 216 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 2: Trump in full flight. So it's going to be a 217 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 2: spectacular battle between a young, new but hugely popular New 218 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 2: York mayor and Donald Trump. 219 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:18,599 Speaker 4: So, Donald Trump, since I know you're watching, four words 220 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 4: for you, turn the volume up. 221 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 1: Cameron Stewart is the Australian's Chief International correspondent. You can 222 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:41,959 Speaker 1: read Cam's reporting and analysis right now at the Australian 223 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: dot com dot au