1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:02,640 Speaker 1: Matt Cunningham was doing his bit to try and help 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: us work out who to vote for. Yesterday with the 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: two major political parties going head to head in the 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 1: Sky News federal election debate in the contest for the 5 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:16,240 Speaker 1: seat of Solomon, and we know that Luke Gosling indeed 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: well went head to head with the Country Liberal Party 7 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: candidate Lisa Bayless and they debated the big issues for 8 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: Solomon in what many are predicting is going to be 9 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: a close contest, that is, despite the fact that it's 10 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: got a ten percent margin which is held by mister Gosling. 11 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 1: Now joining us live on theline, Matt Cunningham, Sky News 12 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: Bureau Chief for Northern Australia. Good morning to you, Matt. 13 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 2: I get a Matt. 14 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: How did it go yesterday? Oh? 15 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 2: Look, it was good fun. I think, you know, I 16 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 2: both care to thaty CO acquitted themselves pretty well. You know, 17 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 2: there was a bit of argie bartie on a few issues, 18 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 2: but you know, I thought it was a good debate 19 00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 2: and hopefully people who watched it had a bit of 20 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 2: a clearer idea about what the different policies are for 21 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 2: the two major parties and helps them make that tough 22 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 2: decision because it is going to be an interesting election. 23 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: I think I think it is going to be a 24 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: very interesting election. What were some of the key issues 25 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: that you touched on. I mean I watched it. I 26 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: know that crime was one of the ones that your 27 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: viewers had raised with you. Obviously, the port, middle arm, 28 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: What were the you know, what were the main topics 29 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: that you guys really got stuck into. 30 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 2: Certainly, it was interesting because we went out a day before, 31 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 2: we went out to the Gateway shopping center and just 32 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 2: got some punters basically to give us their questions for 33 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 2: the candidates. It would be no surprise to you and 34 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 2: your listeners that one of the issues that that was 35 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 2: raised quite often by people when we spoke to them 36 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 2: on the street was the issue of crime and law 37 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 2: and order, even though you know that is the purview 38 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 2: of state and territory governments. But there was quite a 39 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 2: bit of discussion about that. I mean, it's no secret 40 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 2: that Wester Bayless was certainly trying to run strong on 41 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 2: that issue and hitching herself to the new CLP Chief 42 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 2: Minister Leaf noki Aio. But Luke Goslin had some interesting 43 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 2: things to say on that issue as well. Okay. I 44 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 2: it was interesting that he was quite critical of the 45 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: Northern Territory Labor government. I asked him directly a question 46 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 2: about that, and he did criticize the former Labor government, 47 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 2: particularly the decision that they had made around allowing alcohol 48 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 2: back into Aboriginal town camps and some of those smaller 49 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 2: communities when the Stronger Future legislation expired. I mean, we've 50 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: heard Marion Scrimsher had been sort of very vocal about 51 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 2: that issue in our Springs at the time, but it 52 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: was certainly the first time that I had heard Luke 53 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 2: b as strong and as critical of the former Labor 54 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 2: government on that issue. I think that tells you where 55 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 2: the feedback coming to the parties and through focus groups 56 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 2: and polling, et cetera, what it's saying. And you can 57 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 2: see it in the advertising that the CLP is running 58 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 2: as well. You know, I was looking watching the Telly 59 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 2: last night and I saw one of their apps and 60 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 2: it has the former actors, Minister and Natasha files like 61 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:20,239 Speaker 2: front and Center and the CLP dads, so they're trying 62 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 2: to sort of hammer home that point. The CLP, you know, 63 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 2: Lisa Bayless is obviously trying to align herself with Leaf 64 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 2: and Nociero. Probably not great timing for Lisa Bayless that 65 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 2: Leof and no Guiero was away for the first two 66 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,079 Speaker 2: and a half weeks of the campaign, but she's back 67 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 2: on the ground now, so they'll certainly. I think I'd 68 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 2: expect to see those two out together quite a bit. 69 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 2: In fact, I think they're out this morning together and 70 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 2: event so, so I think that's where things are at 71 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 2: with crime. We talked quite a bit about cost of 72 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 2: living as well, about flight prices and about the cost 73 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 2: of housing. It was interesting to being the punts because 74 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 2: you know, you know that both of the major parties 75 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 2: in this election have now it's some pretty significant housing 76 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 2: policy around trying to get buyers into the market. So 77 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 2: you know, you've got the coalition making mortgage repayments on 78 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 2: new homes for tax for the first home buyers, or 79 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 2: interest on those payments tax deductible. And you've also got 80 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 2: labor you know, trying to get people into the market 81 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 2: with just a five percent deposit that now won't be 82 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 2: means tested. But a lot of the concerns that people 83 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: we spoke to on the ground about were about, you know, 84 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,600 Speaker 2: the cost of renting the impact on sort of homelessness 85 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 2: and how hard it is to get a rental property 86 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 2: and the price of a rental property, which can be 87 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:38,479 Speaker 2: I think the median price is the second highest in 88 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 2: the country at about seven hundred bucks a week for 89 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 2: an hour. We had a bit of discussion about that 90 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 2: and whether you know, those policies of the major parties 91 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,280 Speaker 2: announced would actually push up those rental prices further and 92 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 2: so much. 93 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 1: In terms of I know there was some discussion as 94 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,359 Speaker 1: well in terms of the Darwin port but also in 95 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:00,159 Speaker 1: terms of Middle Arm and Marian Scrimjor had come out 96 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: a little earlier in the week, or maybe it was 97 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,279 Speaker 1: even towards the end of last week and had made 98 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: it sort of sound as though, you know that the 99 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: funding was not there, or that the amount that had 100 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: been committed, you know, maybe wouldn't come through. Luke Gosling 101 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 1: made it sound like absolutely it was going to I. 102 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 2: Thought that was really interesting you I think you've spoken 103 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 2: about and you had seen that the ABC had done 104 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,799 Speaker 2: that story earlier in the week where they had video 105 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 2: of Marion Scringer from a candidate for him in Al 106 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 2: Springs at the weekend and she was basically walking away 107 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 2: from middle Arm, saying that she never really supported it 108 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 2: in the first place. She thought that any of that 109 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 2: development should be at East but then she said it's 110 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 2: not in my elector anymore, and I'm handballing it to 111 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 2: Luke Goglin. Well, you know, I think Luke Gosling was 112 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 2: unequivocal in his support for middle Arm. He just shot 113 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 2: that idea and I even asked him because there had 114 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 2: been some suggestion I think the Environment Center it suggested 115 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 2: that they should use the money that had been set 116 00:05:55,839 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 2: aside for middle Arm to pay for the poor to 117 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 2: buy the port back from Landbridge. Luke Gosling shot that 118 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 2: suggestion down straight away and seeming to be all in 119 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 2: his support for Middle Arms, so that I think that 120 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 2: was interesting, and obviously that's the colp's position as well. 121 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 2: We had an interesting discussion about the port as well. 122 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 2: You know, I'd put it to Luke that he had said, 123 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 2: I think about four weeks ago that there would be 124 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 2: more to say about the port, and we know that. 125 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 2: You know, we had the incident a couple of weeks 126 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 2: ago where Anthony Albanezi rang into ABC radio at four 127 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 2: point thirty on Friday afternoon to try to get ahead 128 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 2: of Petter Duton on that one. So you know, we've 129 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 2: got both sides now committed to buying back or taking 130 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 2: back the port in some way, either through commercial means 131 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 2: or through compulsory acquisition. I think the difference is that 132 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 2: the COLP is saying we'll do it within six months 133 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 2: and Lad's not putting a time frame on that. 134 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, and that I mean it's an interesting time. 135 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 1: Do you think was there a winner, was there a 136 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: clear winner or not? Really? 137 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:08,600 Speaker 2: Oh, look, it's not for me to say. I don't think, 138 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 2: you know, Kay as the moderator of the. 139 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: Debate, right when you're moderating. 140 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 2: Others have their view. I mean it's interesting because I've 141 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 2: spoken to see people and ALP people since the debate 142 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 2: and you know, and they both, you know, both sides 143 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 2: have said that they're pretty pretty happy with their performance 144 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 2: and how it went. Maybe that means I didn't do 145 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 2: a particularly good job. 146 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: I thought you'd done a good job. I thought you 147 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: made it quite interesting, Mash. You know, you made it 148 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: a bit exciting. 149 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: Mate. 150 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 1: Sometimes, you know, we're all sort of getting to the 151 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: point as the election draws closer and closer, and you know, 152 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: you're seeing the like the federal leaders, Peter Dutton and 153 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 1: Anthony Albanezy go head to head and you're like, oh, 154 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: how is this going to you know, like is it 155 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: going to be very exciting? What are they going to discuss? 156 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 1: I thought it was good. There was a bit of 157 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: fire in there, you know, not too much. You managed 158 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: to keep them under control, though more a little. 159 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 2: Bit more sort of archers barge between the two candidate 160 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 2: and there were a couple of moments where it sort 161 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 2: of flared up into that. But I'm not sure whether 162 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 2: it was a deliberate strategy on both of their behalf. 163 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 2: But I didn't seem too too keen to get absolutely 164 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 2: adamantly starting to one another. And so yeah, and I 165 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 2: think two very different personalities as well. We saw in 166 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 2: that debate. Yeah, you know, Luke, who's an experienced politician, 167 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 2: was certainly trying to get on the front and quite 168 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 2: forethrow of the things that he was saying. Lisa, who's 169 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 2: somewhat new to the game, was more measured and more 170 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 2: reserved and more sort of quietly spoken. But you know, 171 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 2: that may have been a deliberate strategy on their part. 172 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 2: I'm not sure. 173 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, it's going to be interesting there is no 174 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 1: doubt about that. We might try and I reckon I'm 175 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,200 Speaker 1: going to try and organize just one final week that 176 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: was with the with the candidates, or certainly we'll get 177 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: the two from the two major parties and we'll have 178 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 1: to get you in as well. Matten. We might ask. 179 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: I'll see how we go. It's a little bit difficult 180 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: when you've got you know, like seven or eight sort 181 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: of people or however many there are they put their 182 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: hand up to have any other kind of debate besides 183 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: the two major parties. Nonetheless, we have really seen a 184 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: situation I think you and I have probably seen it 185 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 1: over the last ten years with different elections federally and 186 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: also in the Northern Territory where you have different independents, 187 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 1: you have green candidates, you have different candidates pop up 188 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 1: from time to time. Terry Mills, I think was probably 189 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 1: the best example, or the biggest example where they do 190 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: really want to, you know ingrain themselves into those debates 191 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 1: and into those discussions, and you can't, you know, you 192 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 1: can't knock them for that. They're wanting to have a go. 193 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:50,680 Speaker 1: But I do wonder whether there's going to be as 194 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: big a swing towards the Teals or the Independence as 195 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 1: what they think there's going to. 196 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 2: Be interested in. Watch. We spoke about it briefly in 197 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 2: the debate yesterday, and you know, Phil Scott, he's seen 198 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:09,959 Speaker 2: a dirty on me that he wasn't included yesterday. But 199 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 2: we looked at we looked at the results from twenty 200 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 2: twenty two and they are interestingating because more than thirty 201 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 2: five percent of voters in twenty twenty two did not 202 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 2: vourage for one of the major parties. Lo Godley increased 203 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 2: his margin partly significantly at the twenty twenty two elections, 204 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 2: but he still saw a fall in his primary vote, 205 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 2: so his problems vot I think was down north point 206 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 2: five in the twenty twenty two election piece now percent. 207 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 2: That was partly because you know, Sam McMahon had run 208 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 2: in the Senate to the Liberal Democrats and her former 209 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 2: staff a Kyla Gnani had run in the in Solomon 210 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 2: and a good ten percent of the vote I think. 211 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 2: But you also saw it a ticking the Greens vote 212 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 2: at the last colection it was up three percent and 213 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 2: three years before. So you know, I think that it 214 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 2: will be interesting to see how the Greens and the 215 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:18,680 Speaker 2: Independence and Puel Scott the fuel Independent how he goes. 216 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:25,439 Speaker 2: They're certainly running a well organized campaign, so yeah, it's 217 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 2: an interesting an interesting addition to the mix. I would 218 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 2: say that. 219 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, well it always is. Makes things a bit of fun. 220 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: Matt Cunningham from scott News. It's always good to catch 221 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: up mate, have a great Easter long weekend. Thank you.