Topics: Greens threat in Melbourne; election result; Parakeelia.
E&OE…
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
To look at what is happening here in Victoria, and the Coalition’s chances generally in the state, I am joined live by the Liberal Senator, Scott Ryan. Scott Ryan welcome to the program.
SCOTT RYAN:
Good morning Michael.
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
So, what is happening? We are used to the Greens being a threat in previously safe Labor seats, but this is unexpected isn’t it?
SCOTT RYAN:
Adam there talked about voters getting jaded, I think voters are getting jaded with the cynicism of the Greens. I live in Melbourne, I used to live in parts of Batman, this area down in Higgins doesn’t feel anything like that. What the Greens have been doing constantly, is that they try and create a bit of a media cycle, very cynically, to create a different impression than reflected on the ground. The mood on the ground here in southern Melbourne is very different than the mood in the inner-northern suburbs where I live. And, Jason Ball, the Greens candidate, has been cynically trying to manipulate the media to create an impression that is just not reflected on the ground.
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
The Greens won the state seat nearby here, in the same sort of area. It does seem, though, that the Greens – that there is certainly more support for the Greens. Whether it is actually going to overturn the seat of Higgins or not, you have to accept that the Greens are doing better than they were in this area.
SCOTT RYAN:
I think you hit the nail on the head. The Greens won a state seat in the west in the electorate, that is also outside of the electorate, with less than a quarter of the vote. So, this is partly about the Greens trying to maintain their hold in a state seat in two years. It is not reflected in the rest of the electorate, or indeed in eastern and southern Melbourne.
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
Clearly, even if it is not enough to overturn a blue ribbon seat like this, there is some concern from among of the residents about some of those social issues and social policy – same sex marriage, climate change, that sort of thing. Are Liberal voters, some of them, are they drifting to the Greens?
SCOTT RYAN:
Having seen the rise of the Greens where I live, and electorates I have worked in, I don’t see the same thing happening from Liberal voters that I have seen among Labor voters. Labor voters have moved to the Greens, and the Labor Party has followed the voters to the Greens, adopting some of their policies. Here in Victoria, we have a state government that adopted Greens policies on stopping the East-West Link and we have seen that reflected federally on issues, even today on asylum seekers. Every electorate has a range of people and there is no electorate that is not a contest in Australia. But, my experience over the course of the last six weeks has been people interested in economics, people are interested in what is the plan for jobs, are their kids going to have a job, are their kids going to be able to move from university into employment and what chance are they going to have at a stable career?
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
You heard Adam Bandt there talking about Liberals perhaps looking for somewhere to turn on those issues. Many thought they would have turned to, they could have turned to Malcolm Turnbull on those issues. There is some disappointment out there by some on a lack of progress in some of those areas, is that perhaps fuelling this?
SCOTT RYAN:
In all honesty, the last person I am going to take advice from about Liberal voters is Adam Bandt, who is on the far, extreme left of Australian politics. And as someone who promised his own electorate a lot of visibility, he is barely visible at the moment. He should get back to his own electorate because you don’t see much of Adam Bandt in Melbourne.
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
The Greens here in Victoria are an interesting proposition aren’t they? Somewhat different from their colleagues in the rest of the country, and Richard Di Natale is presenting a very pragmatic sort of approach. Is that changing things too?
SCOTT RYAN:
The fact that they might have a different presentation doesn’t change the fundamentals of the policy. But, I suppose one might say about Richard that he sounds less extreme than Lee Rhiannon, but the point is that the policies are still there. And so, for a small business like this one, the Greens don’t want to give them a tax cut. For people who are concerned about border security, the Greens want to institute policies that put our secure borders at risk, and for those who want a functioning road system – Richard Di Natale has the same policies as Lee Rhiannon. So, while the presentation might be slightly different, the policies still do not meet the needs of most people in Melbourne and Victoria.
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
So, are you confident Kelly O’Dwyer is safe?
SCOTT RYAN:
Absolutely.
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
How are you feeling generally about the election now? There is a sense that there is a momentum away from the Government, but not enough to change the Government. That Labor isn’t picking up the sort of votes it needs in those marginal seats. Is that what you’re feeling.
SCOTT RYAN:
I have learnt over the last few years to not make predictions. But what I will say is that I think last week was a very important week because in my time with voters this week, I have had people talk to me about what they see is the risk of Labor returning the Budget to a substantial and growing deficit. And that has resonated with the public, I think that is a very important issue. I hope that our message about needing stability in Government, that voting for an independent or Greens will just bring back a Labor minority government, is actually resonating. And I think it is.
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
What about a narrow victory for Malcolm Turnbull, you were a key supporter of Malcolm Turnbull in the leadership change. Is a narrow victory enough of an affirmation for him?
SCOTT RYAN:
I have been involved in elections that are very close, and in all honesty the result is: do you win the election? And are you in Government or are you in opposition?
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
I guess the question really is about the expectations in your Party, from the right in your Party, who clearly still have some issues with the leadership change. Will there be some more pressure do you think from Malcolm Turnbull to reach across, be more inclusive, bring Tony Abbott into the Ministry perhaps?
SCOTT RYAN:
Matters of the Ministry are entirely a matter for the PM and I have learnt not to comment on those as a member of his Ministry. But, I think what we have seen from the Prime Minister is an enormous amount of inclusiveness, there have been people who have had different views in the Cabinet and he has run a strong Cabinet process Government. Yes, some people have said some issues have taken a bit of time to deal with like tax, but that was because we had a Cabinet process that was deliberative and consultative. I think that has been demonstrated over the last six weeks as our policies have stood up to public scrutiny.
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
The question still remains though, there is still some disquiet among some in the Party about the leadership change, isn’t there? Is that going to be an issue?
SCOTT RYAN:
I don’t think so, there was some difficult moments last year. But I don’t think that has been reflected in the last six weeks at all, as every member of the Coalition has been out there campaigning to re-elect Malcolm Turnbull as PM. And truth be told, elections are about being in Government or in opposition, and we hope to be in Government on July 3.
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
Can I just ask you quickly about the Parakeelia issue…
SCOTT RYAN:
Yep.
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
…which is the software company that appears to be channelling money, taxpayer money back through itself to the Liberal Party. You have said you will cooperate with any investigation that is coming into that, but how do you answer the central charge that taxpayers’ dollars are being used, appear to be being used for Party political purposes?
SCOTT RYAN:
This is a long-standing practice of both major Parties, that authorised software – authorised under an official process – was allowed to be reimbursed to Members of Parliament to help manage constituents and their electorate office. And until 2014, I understand, Labor used to ensure that money was paid directly to the Labor Party. Parakeelia has complied with every rule; it complies with AEC disclosure requirements, and it does not make donations. If Bill Shorten wants to complain about it, and he started to yesterday, he should explain why, when he was leader, the Labor Party used to pay it directly to the Labor Party.
MICHAEL BRISSENDEN:
Okay, Scott Ryan, we will leave it there. Thanks very much for joining us.
SCOTT RYAN:
Thanks Michael.
(ENDS)