WEBVTT - "Not a surprise": Sam Emery on Albanese's victory

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<v Speaker 1>You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks.

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<v Speaker 2>I'd be Anthony Albanesi's Labor government has had a well

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<v Speaker 2>a landslide victory of a night making, marking the first

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<v Speaker 2>re election in Australia since two thousand and four. They

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<v Speaker 2>like to change the governments over in IZI don't they anyway?

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<v Speaker 2>I sent a mixt of reactions, with some analysts even

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<v Speaker 2>saying Albanesi has Donald Trump to think for as one

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<v Speaker 2>and the ABC reporter Sam Emory is with us now,

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<v Speaker 2>Sam Good afternoon.

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<v Speaker 3>Tim goodat how are you going?

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<v Speaker 1>Good?

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<v Speaker 2>Good? No surprise really was it?

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<v Speaker 3>Oh, probably a little bit of a surprise in terms

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<v Speaker 3>of the size of the landslide. Not necessarily a surprise that,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, Anthony Alberanzi and the Labor Party were able

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<v Speaker 3>to hold on. But there's always that sort of threat,

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<v Speaker 3>isn't it. I mean, there was certainly a sort of

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<v Speaker 3>calm around Australia, in particular Sydney where I'm based at

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<v Speaker 3>the moment, and there's almost sort of this sense of

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<v Speaker 3>I told you so from the voters, meaning that swinging

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<v Speaker 3>voters and you know, the rusted on Liberal and National

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<v Speaker 3>voters who were threatening to walk away if they were ignored,

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<v Speaker 3>and I think that's how they felt this time around.

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<v Speaker 3>I was listening to some talkback callers this morning on

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<v Speaker 3>ABC Radio. There was one who was even I think

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<v Speaker 3>in his eighties. He said he was a former friend

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<v Speaker 3>of the former Prime Minister John Howard, and he voted

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<v Speaker 3>labor for the first time. I think he said his

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<v Speaker 3>whole family, who were generational liberal voters, had jumped over

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<v Speaker 3>to the other side of politics. And it's a fascinating

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<v Speaker 3>time right now. You know, we seem to be I

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<v Speaker 3>think in the last election, we were certainly leaning more

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<v Speaker 3>towards these sort of more extreme policies and even these

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<v Speaker 3>smaller parties, and we saw the rise of the independence

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<v Speaker 3>as well, taking scalps of you know, the likes of

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<v Speaker 3>Tony Abbott, you know, and Freedenberg, you know, in the

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<v Speaker 3>last election. And I think now we've sort of we

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<v Speaker 3>seem to be moving more towards the middle. I think

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<v Speaker 3>we want a bit of calm. I think we want

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<v Speaker 3>a bit of that safety around us. And you know,

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<v Speaker 3>whether that that sort of global political atmosphere has had

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<v Speaker 3>that impact on us here locally, I think we're just

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<v Speaker 3>sort of we just as you said, we certainly don't

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<v Speaker 3>mind changing prime minister, as we had six in three

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<v Speaker 3>elections most recently. And I think we're over that, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>I think we quite like a steady hand. And you know,

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<v Speaker 3>full credit to Anthony Albernezi who was able to sell

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<v Speaker 3>that well.

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<v Speaker 2>As you're saying that, I was thinking, does this mean

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<v Speaker 2>that in a way labor will be thinking already this

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<v Speaker 2>is an opportunity for us to try and bring in

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<v Speaker 2>an error of stability. I mean they're going to be looking.

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<v Speaker 2>I almost wonder if they're already looking and thinking, well,

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<v Speaker 2>this is great, We've got our second term. But this

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<v Speaker 2>is a real opportunity to bring in some stability and

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<v Speaker 2>consistency with the government.

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<v Speaker 3>Most definitely, I think there has been this push, even

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<v Speaker 3>with the Treasurer last night, Jim Chalmers sort of saying,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, we just want to stay calm, We don't

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<v Speaker 3>want to get over excited here. I mean, they must

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<v Speaker 3>have been sort of really dealing with butterflies in their

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<v Speaker 3>stomach as they saw that majority getting bigger and bigger.

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<v Speaker 3>And you know, albou came out last night to a

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<v Speaker 3>full RSL, you know, cheering his name, and said the

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<v Speaker 3>Ale people will take up the task with new hope,

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<v Speaker 3>new confidence, and new determination. So I think, I mean,

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<v Speaker 3>it's got to be hard. When you've got that majority.

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<v Speaker 3>You sort of want to try and bring in some

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<v Speaker 3>real change too, don't you. At that time where you

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<v Speaker 3>know that they've got a chance to actually maybe make

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<v Speaker 3>some impacts on tax I think is one area people

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<v Speaker 3>would really love to see and just make that commitment

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<v Speaker 3>to this renewable resources. You know. I think the liberals

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<v Speaker 3>thought that the nuclear opposition, you know, that policy was

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<v Speaker 3>going to win them some votes, but they just hadn't

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<v Speaker 3>done the research. They didn't have the numbers, they didn't

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<v Speaker 3>have the figures to sell to the voters here that

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<v Speaker 3>it was a better option. I think we're too far

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<v Speaker 3>down the renewable path to suddenly just say, well, let's

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<v Speaker 3>change to a completely different way of doing it. So yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>I think steady is definitely what the voters want, but

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<v Speaker 3>I think, you know, some proper change, and I don't

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<v Speaker 3>think we would stay, you walk away from them. If

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<v Speaker 3>they were sticking to the core values. I think we

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<v Speaker 3>would probably respect that.

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<v Speaker 2>I noticed in Alberaneze's spectory speech at the start, he

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<v Speaker 2>acknowledged the traditional owners of the land to great applause.

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<v Speaker 2>But does he sticking the knife into Dutton on that one?

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<v Speaker 3>I think it was probably a little bit of a jab,

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<v Speaker 3>most definitely. I mean, probably a little bit of saving

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<v Speaker 3>phase too, you know he I think they thought the

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<v Speaker 3>yes vote was a shoe in and perhaps that was

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<v Speaker 3>also a big wake up call for the Labor Party.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, they really ran an on the ground campaign

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<v Speaker 3>this time around. They were you know, knocking on doors,

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<v Speaker 3>You saw them around the place, you know, much more

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<v Speaker 3>than any other election that I can remember, having covered

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<v Speaker 3>the level six. So I think it was definitely a

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<v Speaker 3>little bit of a jab to the coalition. And you

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<v Speaker 3>know that I know that the welcome to countries and

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<v Speaker 3>those sorts of things have been a point of discussion

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<v Speaker 3>and sort of you know, the Conservative seem to have

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<v Speaker 3>it a real issue for them. But you know, it

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<v Speaker 3>doesn't like a little jab in political.

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<v Speaker 2>Rather, is it a case of Alban easy connecting or

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<v Speaker 2>Dunton disconnecting failing to connectold, I say, And let's tie

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<v Speaker 2>in that the whole Trump factor, because it was a

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<v Speaker 2>certainly a factor in Canada, was it in Australia.

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<v Speaker 3>Well it was discussed last night, that's for sure, across

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<v Speaker 3>multiple panels, and you know, I think I think the

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<v Speaker 3>Liberals have certainly disconnected and in a way that not

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<v Speaker 3>only have they disconnected, but it's they've sort of lost

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<v Speaker 3>any hope of reconnecting to these people, you know, to

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<v Speaker 3>these hardcore Liberals and to the swinging voters, because as

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<v Speaker 3>I mentioned just before, we want steadiness. We don't want

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<v Speaker 3>this hardcore sort of trump Ism if we if that's

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<v Speaker 3>going to be a term that we use from now on.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, the Liberal Senator James McGrath, who was on

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<v Speaker 3>the ABC panel last night, he said their party must

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<v Speaker 3>resist that path and focus on the middle Australia. You

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<v Speaker 3>know that the coalition. He said that they're a free

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<v Speaker 3>trade party. You know, they're pro Ukraine, you know, and

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<v Speaker 3>they should continue to be center right, and it was

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<v Speaker 3>clear in the campaign that they had not figured that out.

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<v Speaker 3>Dutton was backflipping, you know, he said they're going to

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<v Speaker 3>sack forty thousand people in Canberra and then all of

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<v Speaker 3>a sudden he said, oh, I didn't mean quite that many,

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<v Speaker 3>and it was phenomenal. I've never seen a leader like that.

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<v Speaker 3>Seems so lost in a campaign.

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<v Speaker 2>What do you think the key issues from labor. Were

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<v Speaker 2>that really resonated with voters or is it just the

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<v Speaker 2>case of Dutton, you know, missing his opportunity.

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<v Speaker 3>Dutton missing his opportunity was the key factor. And this

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<v Speaker 3>rise of the independence, this rise of the so called teals,

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<v Speaker 3>who I think we're just able to really campaign on

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<v Speaker 3>that local level, and that meant that obviously the Independents

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<v Speaker 3>were then, you know, favoring labor with their choices as well,

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<v Speaker 3>but there's no way that the Liberals were ever going

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<v Speaker 3>to have a chance. Some people are blaming the Nationals

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<v Speaker 3>because they they're the sort of more conservative side in

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<v Speaker 3>the regional and rural areas, and we've certainly seen a

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<v Speaker 3>lot of those people lose their seats, but it's certainly

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<v Speaker 3>the Liberals who have lost more seats than anyone else.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, dun has seat. That's massive. I mean, that's a

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<v Speaker 2>real kick in the pants, isn't it. How is there

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<v Speaker 2>any other interpretation on that result and what does it

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<v Speaker 2>say about where the electorates at.

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<v Speaker 3>It's always been a tight race for Dun't I think

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<v Speaker 3>there's always only a few hundred seats in it, but

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<v Speaker 3>he had always managed to hold on to it in

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<v Speaker 3>a state that is typically more conservative. The fact that

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<v Speaker 3>the Liberals have lost now two or three seats I

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<v Speaker 3>think that were safe seats, is indicative of the fact

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<v Speaker 3>that I think, as you mentioned, it's the steady hand

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<v Speaker 3>that people are looking for, and they just didn't see

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<v Speaker 3>it in the coalition.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't think it doesn't really mean too much for

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<v Speaker 2>New Zealand, does it, because we already have a relationship

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<v Speaker 2>with the Albanesi government. So it's sort of as you wear,

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<v Speaker 2>isn't it.

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<v Speaker 3>I think so. I mean, it always seems to be

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<v Speaker 3>that way. It's one thing that has always managed to

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<v Speaker 3>stay in a respectful manner and in a cooperative manner.

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<v Speaker 3>You know. It would be interesting to see if we

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<v Speaker 3>can get some more things happening. I know there was

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<v Speaker 3>a bit of jousting happening going on with the immigration

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<v Speaker 3>plan when Labor first got in twenty twenty two, with

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<v Speaker 3>Australia sort of sending a few criminals and all that

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<v Speaker 3>sort of thing back. But that all seems to sort

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<v Speaker 3>of leveled out and I think New Zealand and Australia

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<v Speaker 3>can continue to have a great relationship.

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<v Speaker 2>Just one last question the Liberals now, I mean, every

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<v Speaker 2>government needs a decent opposition is this government of Albanese

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<v Speaker 2>is going to have an effective opposition which will hold

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<v Speaker 2>them to account or is it sort of are their

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<v Speaker 2>concerns around that the Liberals being you know, a bit

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<v Speaker 2>of a thrashing.

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, thirty one seats, I think they're saying at the

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<v Speaker 3>moment they're wor showing. Ever again, I think Australians seem

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<v Speaker 3>to have been leaning into this independence and the Independence

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<v Speaker 3>are being seen as the ones who are able to

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<v Speaker 3>hold both parties to account. And the fact that now

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<v Speaker 3>that we're looking at I think it's ten or fifteen seats,

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<v Speaker 3>so I don't have it exactly in front of me,

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<v Speaker 3>but that seems to be the way that Australia has

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<v Speaker 3>been voting, you know, by getting these smaller parties in

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<v Speaker 3>or getting the independence in and then, as I said,

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<v Speaker 3>because they're able to really represent the electorate from a

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<v Speaker 3>local point of view rather than having to sort of

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<v Speaker 3>change their views on whatever way the party wants them

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<v Speaker 3>to vote. And that has been the change in Australian

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<v Speaker 3>politics now for the last three elections. And I think

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<v Speaker 3>that's the way the Australians seems to like being able

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<v Speaker 3>to keep these major parties. But it's going to be

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<v Speaker 3>an interesting discussion, is it. When you've got one major

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<v Speaker 3>party that's becoming more and more of a minor party,

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<v Speaker 3>you know what's going to feel that void.

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