Topics: Newspoll; Malcolm Turnbull; Peter Dutton; Roger Cook and political division; Fatima Payman
KARL STEFANOVIC, HOST: For the first time the Coalition has edged ahead of Labor in the battleground state of NSW, as well as young voters, this morning according to the figures, have abandoned the Federal Government for the Greens. Joining us to discuss today's headlines is Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth and Greens Senator Nick McKim. Good morning, guys. Nice to see you on this Monday morning. Amanda, you better get to that early election, huh?
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Well, look, there's an election due sometime in the first half of next year and that's what our Government is working towards. I mean, if I spent all my time dissecting every poll, I wouldn't have time for my day job. But we're getting on with the job. We've got tax cuts flowing that are supporting low and middle income earners. We've got the energy bill relief. Just last week we passed legislation to ensure that Commonwealth Rent Assistance will be increased again come the 20th September. So, we're getting on with the job. It's no surprise, it is difficult at times for people and that's why we are providing the cost-of-living support that we are doing.
KARL STEFANOVIC: How are you going to stem the bleed, though?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: You know, it is easy to get a headline. What people want to see however is thoughtful, careful policy and that's not what they're seeing from the opposition, it's not what they're seeing from the Greens. So, it will be easy to come up with a headline like nuclear power. But when you actually scratch the surface, there's more problems than solutions there. So, our Government will keep getting on with the job governing for all Australians. Obviously, when you govern, there comes difficult decisions, but we'll work through those, bringing people together.
KARL STEFANOVIC: You have an uneasy relationship with the Greens. Nick, The Greens are looking golden at the moment.
NICK MCKIM, GREENS SENATOR: Oh, look, no surprises in this poll and no surprises that more and more people, particularly younger people, are hearing our message. I mean, it's getting harder and harder to tell Labor and Liberal apart. And we've got really strong policies and plans around things like climate action, no new coal and gas mines, things like putting dental and mental health into Medicare and stopping supermarket price gouging to address what is an existential cost-of-living crisis for many people. And also wanting the Australian Government to stop being complicit in a genocide in Palestine. And those messages are resonating and we understand that.
KARL STEFANOVIC: OK. Meantime, not everyone is on board with the Coalition. Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull hitting out at Peter Dutton on the protest.
MALCOLM TURNBULL, THE PROJECT: He's a thug. He's a thug. Look, Peter's got one tune that he plays. I mean, that's been all his political life. And that is division and animosity generally targeted at immigrants. It is real. I couldn't think of anyone less suited to be Prime Minister of a multicultural society like Australia.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Amanda, Malcolm carries a fair burden of hate, doesn't he? You might need him in this election against the Greens.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, firstly, I would say Malcolm Turnbull…
KARL STEFANOVIC: …he’s a great Australian.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: He hasn't been shy to share his views when he was Prime Minister and when he was not Prime Minister. But look, I think when it comes to character, Peter Dutton is relentlessly negative. Nothing positive to offer Australia and I think that's one option. Now, I would say that when it comes to something like housing, we've got a plan when it's comes to housing. And it's been disappointing that we've seen the Greens and the Liberal party regularly vote against our housing plans. So, I think we will spend our time getting on with the job. Obviously, Malcolm will play his role, as he always does, in being very good and alliterative with his words.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Nick, Malcolm Turnbull went on to say he doesn't think we'll head to the polls until at least March. What do you think? When are we going to the polls?
NICK MCKIM: I think he's probably right about that, but ultimately that's a matter for the Prime Minister and for the Labor party. But look, a word of advice for Mr Turnbull, for that matter, for Amanda, like, people don't want to hear politicians just relentlessly attacking each other. People want to understand what you stand for, what your values are, what your plan is to make their life better. And that's what the Greens are going to be focusing on.
KARL STEFANOVIC: WA Premier Roger Cook has weighed in on Fatima Payman's defection from the Labor party. Vowing to protect his state from sectarian politics, or as he calls it – poison – Amanda, he likened the political division in Canberra to cane toads. I mean, has Federal Parliament really become that toxic?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Of course, people are watching what's happening in Canberra and the debate and I think he's right when he says that people want to be encouraged to work out what we have in common to promote social cohesion. That's really important. And I think when we see things like the desecration of the War Memorial, people do get really distressed and really upset. And so I agree with Roger that we do need to promote more social cohesion. We need to bring people together. You know, it is a distressing circumstance, what's happening over in the Middle East, but we need to not further inflame division. We need to work out how we work together.
KARL STEFANOVIC: After this next election, Nick, we might have a whole bunch of minority parties. How cohesive do you think it could be?
NICK MCKIM: Oh, look, I think what we've seen over decades, actually, in Australia is a slow erosion of votes from Labor and Liberal, and those votes are going to the Greens and to other smaller parties. I mean, the political establishment in Australia is shrinking and that's ultimately a good thing for democracy because parliaments should reflect the communities that elect us that's what we're seeing over time.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Well, we just saw it in France overnight too. It should be interesting to see how that all works out. Hey, good on you guys. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
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