Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Assistant Minister for the Public Service
TOM CONNELL, HOST: Joining me now to talk through the week, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman, and former Liberal MP Jason Falinski. Thanks as ever for your time, gents. Can't believe it's raining a moment ago there and Pat. But the sun's come out just to prove it never really rains in Perth, does it? Redistribution. Perth. Another seat. It's notionally Labor. You've been crunching the numbers. You know you've got a path straight to head office. Is this a seat, though, you think the Libs will win? You know you had a 10.5% swing at the last election in WA. You can't repeat that effort, can you?
PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE: Well, Tom, you know, maybe I'm a passionate, proud Labor Party member. I always want us to contest every seat as strongly as possible. That's what I do in my electorate here in Perth, which will get a little bit smaller after this redistribution. But what I also seek to do is to make sure that we have a really strong Labor presence in all of those seats, including what might be the new seat of Bullwinkel, named after Vivian Bullwinkel, who has an incredible story as a prisoner of war, a nurse working with our armed forces. I think that's an excellent name that the Electoral Commission has put forward. And the seat itself, it's notionally Labor. I want to make sure it's safe Labor after the next election, if that's indeed the final redistribution.
CONNELL: Alright, good to see you get out beyond the wine bars, too, Patrick, as people were beginning to talk, not least of which Jason Falinski. Jason, I want to turn your attention to the redistribution in Melbourne. So, Kooyong has shifted - new boundaries. Does that mean Josh Fydenberg can take a fresh look and perhaps decide he might want to run after all?
JASON FALINSKI, FORMER LIBERAL MP FOR MACKELLAR: I hope so, Tom. I think that Josh would be silly not to be looking at the new boundaries and not be reconsidering his decision last year not to recontest. I think that Kooyong is almost a certain pickup for the Liberal Party now. Peter Khalil and Josh Burns are in a lot of trouble. Peter Khalil to the Greens. Josh Burns, I think, to the Liberal Party. Chisholm now looks like it's safely a Liberal seat. Menzies now looks like it will be easily retained by the Liberal Party. And I've got to say, Goldstein is also really looking like a Liberal pickup in that state, given some of the changes in the boundaries down there as well.
CONNELL: So, you hope Josh Frydenberg does reconsider? And what would that mean for Amelia Hamer, you just say, 'sorry, Amelia, you got preselected, but the big guy's back'?
FALINSKI: No, I think that Amelia is a team player and she would understand that we want to put our best people on the field and there are other seats, especially in state parliament, that need to be filled. I think Katie Allen would be looking at Macnamara quite seriously. Amelia might see some other seats that she might want to look at. Ultimately, these are discussions that Josh and Amelia need to have. But I hope that Josh seriously has those discussions with Amelia and they come to some outcome which benefits Australians, not just the Liberal Party.
CONNELL: All right, very interesting.
GORMAN: I think it's always dangerous, Tom, I think this is interesting. You've got the former NSW Liberal Party President meddling in preselections in Victoria. I don't know how the Victorian Liberal Party will feel about that.
CONNELL: Ah Patrick - come on, don't talk down a story. We're making news here, mate. I'll get to you in a moment. Jason, final one for you.
FALINSKI: I haven't started on WA yet, Patrick.
CONNELL: What if Mackellar gets a bit friendlier for you, Jason, or for your side of politics? Would that have you reconsidering the recent report in the AFR that you're done, you're not running again?
FALINSKI: Look, I think that there will be - well, there's obviously going to be a redistribution in NSW. It's disappointing that the process that the AEC started first in NSW is, as usual, the last to come out. Look, those boundaries, I think, look very dangerous for the Teals. They will clearly be losing a seat on the, on the North Shore. And, you know, if the media wasn't so biased in Australia, it would be talking up the conflict that is clearly going on between different Teal members of Parliament at the moment as they scramble to see who's got a seat after the music stops. But, you know, we'll just have to wait and see. Tom, that can be next week's panel.
CONNELL: It's almost like you missed all those interviews where we asked that very question, but anyway, I know you don't always have time for politics now on Afternoon Agenda - I don't take any personal offence. Now, that's not a question.
FALINSKI: I'm sorry to hear that.
CONNELL: Patrick, Donald Trump - convicted felon now. A civil case as well that found he was liable for the sexual abuse of E. Jean Caroll, does that sound like a good fit for someone wanting to become, again, the most powerful person in the world?
GORMAN: Well, of course, we don't comment on our foreign legal proceedings, and indeed, when it comes to the choice that the American people will make at the next election that is entirely up to them. They'll take into account all of the factors about who they want to be leading their nation. But I'd just remind all of your viewers that the deep bonds between Australia and the United States of America go beyond any one individual. They've been with us for more than a century. Our relationship with the United States is one that we treasure. We had a visiting delegation from the United States in Parliament this week, some 25 members of Congress, it's a deep relationship, always has been and always will be.
CONNELL: No comment on international proceedings about Julian Assange, for one, off the top of my head. But anyway, we're doing lots of topics. So you get away with that. What about you, Jason Falinski? You've got this wonderful freedom of not being an MP until you throw your hat back in the ring. So what are your feelings about a second Trump presidency?
FALINSKI: Well, Tom, I was just gonna say in response to what Patrick just said, then I mean, I hope he has time to ring some of his friends in the Senate because it seems to me every third ALP Senator at the moment is tweeting out their views on Donald Trump. So I'm glad it's policy that applies to Pat, not everyone else in the Labor Party. But, look, obviously, I think that Donald Trump is ahead in the polls in the United States, it's difficult to tell what the outcome of this court case means. Already that we have seen large sections of the United States, unusual sections of the United States have thrown their support behind Donald Trump because they don't see this as justice, they see this as persecution. I mean, in the last couple of days, Dennis Quaid, who raised money for Barack Obama has come out and said that he's changed his mind he'll be voting for Donald Trump because he considers this to be an abuse of process. But look, Pat is right - these are the decisions of the people of the United States. And ultimately, whoever is elected, Australian Governments will continue to work with whoever the President of the United States is.
GORMAN: That's right.
CONNELL: Alright. Jason, you sent this to our little chat group, the three of us, and I just thought, sure, I'll pick up a bit of it. This is I'm reliably told someone who does a bit of humour and sarcasm on Insta, have a look:
JACKTOSSOL ON INSTAGRAM [PLAYED ONSCREEN]: The boss only provided Nescafe Blend 43 Instead of Moccona in the smoko room. That's why I joined the Union. One of the work utes only had AM radio. That's why I joined the Union. There were two drops of rain on the site and work wasn't called off. That's why I joined the Union. At the Union we make sure that Government contracts take twice as long as quoted to complete so you stay on the big bucks for longer. Everyone regardless of skill and intelligence deserves a wage which can support a cocaine and pokie addiction, three trips to Bali, and a new Hilux and jetski every year. Dropped out of school at 14 and want to earn more than a doctor that's done 10 years at university? Join your union today.
CONNELL: Jason, why do you hate unions so much?
FALINSKI: Mate I love unions, I think they do a great job for Australians. But having said that, I mean, the CFMEU has basically, is a lawless organisation in Australia. Anna Booth, who is the Fair Work Ombudsman has dropped a number of cases where there have been issues of criminality involved including assault. Justice Vasta in the last month, issued his decision, because Anna Booth withdrew that action that, that, against CFMEU officials. And you know, we talk - we love talking and the Labor Party loves talking about work, work health and safety, loves talking about safety on the workplace, but doesn't seem that interested when it involves CFMEU officials creating havoc and assault and Tom, there's something -
CONNELL: Okay, we're nearly out of time.
FALINSKI: Something that your viewers need to be aware of -
CONNELL: - okay, very quickly -
FALINSKI: - which is - okay. No problem.
CONNELL: Well, I was going to say 'very quickly.' Alright. You've stopped.
FALINSKI: Oh, on the first of July under changes that Tony Burke introduced, there will be people who union officials will be able to enter workplaces of ordinary businesses without without a warrant and without, without warning. This is, this is a massive change to the common law, not just here but around the world. Sorry, Pat.
CONNELL: Patrick? CFMEU dragging the reputation of unions down across the country? What do you reckon?
GORMAN: Well, it doesn't surprise me that Jason, as a true and passionate Liberal gets very excited whenever there's an opportunity to do some union bashing. What we know is that unions have been good for this country. They have made sure that we have safer workplaces, more secure jobs -
FALINSKI: Well, they've been good for your donors.
GORMAN: - and if I think about the work that we've done recently in terms of helping make sure that aged care workers, who are some of the lowest paid workers got that pay rise -
FALINSKI: Yeah. They turn up to all your fundraisers. Indeed.
GORMAN: - that our Government was happy to partner with, to make sure that we can deliver it. That's really important work and I'd just say to all your viewers, Tom: if you want to make sure you get respect, good pay and a secure job, join your union.
CONNELL: Alright. Great answer with no mention of the CFMEU.
FALINSKI: And Labor will get at least 10 per cent.
CONNELL: Yeah. Got to leave it there, Patrick, you get to send in your video next week. Let's see what you can manage, I don't know -
GORMAN: Alright, I'm going to go join the Reconciliation Week March.
CONNELL: Alright, you get out there. Well done - Patrick getting out and about in the electorate. Jason, we like you because you come to the studio and that's easier for our resources. Alright, we'll talk next week. Patrick, Jason.
