1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:03,239 Speaker 1: From the Daily OS. My name is billye fitz Simon's 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: and this is no silly questions. Today we're covering more 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: of the basics in the lead up to the federal election, 4 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: which is getting closer and closer. We're about eighteen days 5 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: away now, which is crazy. It is creeping up on us. 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: As always, I am joined by Tom Crowley, political journalists 7 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: at the Daily OS and election enthusiast. 8 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 2: I am certainly an enthusiast, Billy. I'm bringing with enthusiasm. 9 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 2: It's election season, it's exciting. Is only three weeks left. 10 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: I'm sure everyone finds it as exciting as us. 11 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:32,639 Speaker 2: I'm sure they do, and if not. 12 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 1: It's our job to make sure you're so excited. So, Tom, 13 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: we're doing something a little different today. We've been talking 14 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: in general about politics and the political system, of course, 15 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: but today we're going to bring together some of those 16 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: things we've talked about in previous episodes and use them 17 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 1: to talk about this election campaign we're in right now. 18 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: So what's the plan today? 19 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 2: So our question today is what happens if nobody wins 20 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 2: the election? And to do that, we're going to revisit 21 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 2: I suppose one of our favorite topics on no silly questions. 22 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 2: The House of Representatives, we've talked about it a lot. 23 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 2: We know it's the place where government is formed. We 24 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 2: know we're aiming for seventy six seats out of one 25 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty one to get there. We've talked a 26 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,279 Speaker 2: little bit about the question of what happens if nobody 27 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 2: gets to that magic seventy six. But today we thought 28 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: it'd be worth looking a little closer at that for 29 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,759 Speaker 2: the very good reason that it could happen. It looks 30 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 2: a very real possibility that there will be no clear 31 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 2: winner from this election, and so we figure it's something 32 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 2: you might have been hearing about and maybe wondering about. 33 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 2: So today we're going to set out to try and 34 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: give you the answers. 35 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 1: Okay, so for your sixty second overview, can you refresh 36 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: us on how government is actually formed and what happens if, 37 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: as you said, nobody wins. 38 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 2: All right, So House of Representatives the place full of 39 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 2: one hundred and fifty one local representatives who collectively decide 40 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 2: who forms the government. It's got a voting system based 41 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 2: on preferences, and it tends to favor the bigger parties, 42 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 2: which is why it's usually dominated by Labor and the coalition. 43 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 2: Now quite often one of them gets to a majority 44 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 2: seventy six seats by themselves and forms government by themselves. 45 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 2: We're kind of used to that. I think we take 46 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 2: it for granted a bit, but it doesn't always happen. 47 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 2: If neither major party gets to seventy six, they need 48 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 2: to make up those extra numbers by doing a deal 49 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 2: with the crossbench. So that's minor parties independence anyone who 50 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 2: gets a seat who's not a major, and the goal 51 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 2: is to get enough of these cross benches to guarantee supply, 52 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 2: which really just means agree to let you be the government. 53 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 2: How does that work. It depends. There aren't any formal rules, 54 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 2: and that's what we want to zoom in on a 55 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 2: bit today. What we've seen in the past is negotiations 56 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 2: where the cross benches will ask for particular policies to 57 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 2: change or for other things to change in exchange for 58 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 2: their support, but that support isn't binding. You might be 59 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 2: able to get enough to agree to form a government, 60 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 2: but if they change their minds, it's all over. So 61 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 2: in that sense, this sort of minority government environment is 62 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 2: a lot more precarious and if they can't agree, if 63 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 2: no party you can manage to cobble together seventy six, 64 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 2: this might sound kind of insane, even for an election enthusiast. 65 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 2: This sounds a bit exhausting. We would have to go 66 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 2: back to the polls and run the election all over again. 67 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 2: That could be the territory we find ourselves in this time. 68 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: Okay, So let's talk about this election campaign specifically. I 69 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 1: feel like I've heard the word independence a lot more 70 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: than in previous election campaigns. Do you think that there's 71 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: a decent chance of no major party winning a majority 72 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: government this time? 73 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 2: I think there is a bit of a chance. Yeah, 74 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 2: And I think this is a real possibility this time, 75 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 2: in part because of what you're saying there about the independence. 76 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 2: Let's kind of talk about the scoreboard a little bit, 77 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 2: where the parties are at in terms of the numbers 78 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 2: of seats that they have now, just to give us 79 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: a little bit of a sense of how this is balanced. 80 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 2: So the coalition's on basically sort of seventy six at 81 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 2: the moment, so they're right on the line there in 82 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,119 Speaker 2: terms of having a majority. They don't have much room 83 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 2: to fall back. But Labour's quite a bit behind on 84 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 2: sixty eight. So it's not hard to imagine a scenario 85 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 2: where the Coalition loses a few seats, Labor gains a few, 86 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 2: but nobody gets to seventy six, and that's where this 87 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 2: kind of cross bench comes into play, even before we 88 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 2: get to any of the new independence. You know, imagine 89 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 2: Labor takes four off the coalition. You then get to 90 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:16,039 Speaker 2: about seventy two to seventy two and the current cross 91 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,719 Speaker 2: bench comes into play. But as you say, we're hearing 92 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 2: more and more about all of these independents that are 93 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 2: threatening traditionally safe seats, particularly coalition seats. There are a 94 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 2: number of high profile independence running in what we say 95 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 2: are traditionally safe liberal seats, often kind of areas that 96 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 2: have never voted for anything other than the Liberal Party. 97 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 2: They're often kind of quite affluent, well off areas, but 98 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 2: where there are increasingly concerns about, in particular climate change 99 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 2: and government integrity. They seem to be things that are 100 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 2: striking accord in these seats, and party insiders are suggesting 101 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 2: that there are sort of at least four seats, maybe 102 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 2: even more than that that might have a good chance 103 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 2: of falling. So a couple of them are in Sydney 104 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 2: and a couple of them are in Melbour, and we're 105 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 2: looking then at a decent likelihood. You know, even more 106 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 2: if some of those seats fall ending up in this 107 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,159 Speaker 2: hung parliament territory, which is this territory where nobody gets 108 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 2: to seventy six and where we have this kind of 109 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:15,239 Speaker 2: I guess uncharted waters of negotiation with a whole bunch 110 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 2: of different independence and crossbenches playing a role in deciding 111 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 2: then which party gets over the line to seventy six, 112 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 2: or does anyone get over the line to seventy six. 113 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 2: That's really kind of something I think that is a 114 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 2: live possibility. 115 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: So it does look like it's a real possibility. So 116 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: say we do end up with a hung parliament, there's 117 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: a whole range of independents who could get in. Have 118 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,479 Speaker 1: many of them given an indication of who they'll side 119 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 1: with between the Labor or Liberal Party. 120 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 2: No, they have not. And it's I think very difficult 121 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 2: to see exactly what could happen if we end up 122 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 2: in that scenario this time. It's really anyone's guess. And 123 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,160 Speaker 2: of course it's hard to make predictions about this kind 124 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 2: of thing because we don't know exactly where the numbers are. 125 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 2: If one party gets to seventy four or seventy five, 126 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 2: then it's pretty easy. You've just got to get one 127 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 2: or two of these cross benches to get yourself over 128 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 2: the line. But if both of them are a fair 129 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 2: way back, then it's kind of harder for either of them. 130 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 2: So that's a little bit of a cop out. I'll 131 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 2: see if I can say something a bit more specific 132 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 2: about what could happen this time. Firstly, there are a 133 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 2: couple of people already in the Parliament who are probably 134 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 2: more likely on balance to support Labor, So in particular 135 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 2: the Greens. Adam Bant is in the House of Representatives, 136 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 2: he's likely to be back there again. They might certainly 137 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,039 Speaker 2: have some concessions that they ask of from Labor, but 138 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,479 Speaker 2: it's very unlikely, and in fact I think they've ruled 139 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,559 Speaker 2: out ever working with the coalition. There are a couple 140 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 2: of other independents who are more likely to go in 141 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 2: the Labor column. But these new independents who are challenging 142 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 2: liberals in liberal held seats, it's a little bit of 143 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 2: a trickier one for them because on the one hand 144 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:50,719 Speaker 2: they are running on climate change and they're very critical 145 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 2: of the Liberal Party's policies on climate change. But on 146 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 2: the other hand, they're going to be representing areas that 147 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 2: have often voted Liberal for decades and have never elected 148 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 2: Abor MPs, and so that puts them in a difficult 149 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 2: position and might make it difficult for them to kind 150 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 2: of naturally align themselves with Labor. But then at the 151 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 2: same time, they'd want some pretty significant concessions on climate 152 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 2: policy from the Coalition if they were going to give 153 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 2: them their support. And it's there where it gets a 154 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 2: little tricky for anyone who's sort of followed the climate wars, 155 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 2: if you like, in Australian politics over the last few years. 156 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 2: There are a lot of people within the coalition and 157 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 2: particularly the Nationals Party, who have tended to be really 158 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 2: resistant about stronger climate change policies. And that's still the case. 159 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 2: And so if the Liberals are sort of caught between 160 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 2: this rock and a hard place trying to negotiate with 161 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 2: these independents and make some concessions, then maybe they risk 162 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 2: losing the support of the Nationals that coalition that the 163 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 2: Nationals and the Liberals have. It's not automatic. The Nationals 164 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 2: can decide if they're not happy that they walk away 165 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 2: from that, and so it's quite possible that if we 166 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 2: end up in this position where Labor can't win over 167 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 2: enough of the cross bench, but then the Coalition can't 168 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 2: quite get itself together on a climate policy that it 169 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 2: can get these very different groups of people to agree on, 170 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 2: then we might be in this territory, as I sort 171 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 2: of suggested before, where we have to go back to 172 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 2: the polls, and that would be pretty exhausting for everybody 173 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 2: if that were to happen. But it is quite possible. 174 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 2: It's quite possible that nothing formal comes out of this 175 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 2: because again these negotiations, there aren't really any rules, there's 176 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 2: nothing that sort of says that there has to be 177 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 2: a way to cobble together a majority of seventy six. 178 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 2: It's quite possible it all falls apart, no one can 179 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 2: get it done and we all have to vote again. 180 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: I'm sure that is music to our listeners, is that 181 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: we could go through this whole thing again. 182 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 2: If it does happen, we'd test even my enthusiasm, Billy, 183 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 2: I think I might lose my mind if that happens. 184 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: But the last time there was a hung Parliament was 185 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 1: in twenty ten, with the government formed by Julia Gillard, 186 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 1: and a theme in what we're talking about here is 187 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: that minority governments are pretty unstable and pretty shaky. Is 188 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:52,479 Speaker 1: that the case Tom. 189 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 2: Tricky Question twenty ten is a really interesting example to 190 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 2: look back on. So we didn't end up having to 191 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 2: go to another election there, we ended up in this 192 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: negotiation territory and after days and days and days of negotiations, 193 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:07,959 Speaker 2: it was in the end Julia Guillard and the Labor 194 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 2: government that managed to get support from enough of the 195 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 2: cross bench to form a minority government and it held 196 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 2: pretty stable for that full term. It was a real 197 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:20,079 Speaker 2: challenge for the Gillard government because they were constantly I 198 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 2: guess like these cross benches end up with a whole 199 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 2: lot of power, they can basically take down the government 200 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 2: on any individual policy issue. But they managed to hold 201 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 2: it together and generally speaking, they managed to sort of 202 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 2: get a lot of legislation through the Parliament and they 203 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 2: survived at least until the next election when they lost. 204 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 2: But they did manage to serve a full three year 205 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 2: term that Labor government. So it is possible that you 206 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,200 Speaker 2: can kind of make this work, but of course it 207 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 2: requires I mean, just by listening to the nature of 208 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:50,559 Speaker 2: that requires so much more kind of compromise. It's not 209 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 2: always as simple as that. So in the last term 210 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:56,559 Speaker 2: the coalition has had a majority, but there have been 211 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 2: these sort of constant threats from people on the fringes 212 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 2: of the liberal parties saying they'll go to the crossbench. 213 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 2: So it's not this sort of clear cut you know, 214 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 2: minority government means disaster, majority government means stability. You know, 215 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:10,680 Speaker 2: these things are always more complicated than that. 216 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 1: And so why is it important for our listeners to 217 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: know this? How should people think about this when they vote? 218 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think the key thing here is to understand 219 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 2: this process, and particularly if you're in a seat where 220 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 2: there are kind of independence or minor parties that are 221 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:29,439 Speaker 2: considered to be in the running to I guess sort 222 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 2: of reflect on that, and I mean, as usual, you know, 223 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:33,199 Speaker 2: I think you've got to keep it pretty simple with 224 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 2: your vote. You vote for candidates that reflect your values, 225 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 2: but just sort of understanding a little bit about what 226 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 2: this road ahead looks like and looking in particular when 227 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 2: you're voting for candidates, whether they're major parties or whether 228 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:47,839 Speaker 2: they're minor parties in independence, asking the question of well, 229 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 2: you know, if you end up in this in this 230 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 2: territory of negotiations, you know, who are you going to 231 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 2: side with? What are you going to push for? That's 232 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 2: all part of informing yourself about kind of you know, 233 00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:59,559 Speaker 2: what are the candidates that you're voting stand for. It's 234 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 2: an important, a legitimate question to ask. Understandably, a lot 235 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 2: of the politicians are saying, oh, that's a hypothetical lim 236 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 2: they don't want to get into it now, but yeah, 237 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 2: just thinking through carefully kind of you know what this 238 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 2: looks like, and thinking about the candidates in your area 239 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 2: and who you want to be to be there for 240 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 2: those sorts of negotiations. 241 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: All right, I think that's all we have time for. 242 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:21,319 Speaker 1: We have learned that it's not impossible that we can 243 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:24,560 Speaker 1: have a second election this year. I hope that that 244 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: doesn't happen, for the sake of you and I, Tom, 245 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: and also for our listener's sake. Thanks Tom, thank you, 246 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: and thank you so much for listening to this episode 247 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: of No Silly Questions. We will be back on Thursday, 248 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 1: but in the meantime, if you have enjoyed this episode, 249 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: we would love if you could leave us a five 250 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: star rating on Apple or Spotify or send it to 251 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: a friend so they can be informed too in the 252 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 1: lead up to the election. Thanks so much.