INTERVIEW ON 2GB DRIVE WITH CHRIS O’KEEFE

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Subjects: NSW State Election results. 

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E&OE…

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Chris O'Keefe

Now joining me now with his reaction to the New South Wales election and the Liberals defeat, is Federal Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg. Senator G'day.

Senator Andrew Bragg

G'day, Chris. How are you?

Chris O'Keefe

Is Peter Dutton electable.

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, I agree with you. I think that Peter is a very good bloke and he's very personable and he has got a lot of good ideas. And I'm sure that you'll see him in Sydney during this parliamentary cycle.

Chris O'Keefe

When's the last time he came to Sydney, Peter Dutton?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, I'm not an expert on all his diary comings and goings, but I think he'll definitely be campaigning in Sydney.

Chris O'Keefe

Has he been to Sydney in 2023? I'm being genuine, I can't remember the last time he was here.

Senator Andrew Bragg

Actually he has, because he was there in January.

Chris O'Keefe

In January?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Yeah.

Chris O'Keefe

Does he like Sydney? Peter should come check it out. It's a nice place.

Senator Andrew Bragg

No, it's a very good place and it's a very fine place to represent. And I've got no doubt that he will be there come election time, because he is personable, he is good and I think look, there's no doubt we've had some brand damage in the Liberal Party that also washed through on Saturday and I don't think Peter is part of that brand damage.

Chris O'Keefe

No, I agree with you, but I don't understand why the New South Wales Liberal Party would dictate to Peter Dutton where he can and can't go.

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, I mean, I guess it was their election, they felt they wanted to run it in their way. And you'd have to say that after twelve years they've only had a very small swing, they've held onto the heartland seats and they can win again in four years.

Chris O'Keefe

What did you make of the wash up?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, I think the fact that they've held onto the North Shore, Inner West, Eastern Suburbs seats means they're in a much better position than we were federally last year. It means they've got a springboard to go further west and into the regions and they can win in four years. I think the fact that we got cleaned out so badly in the traditional heartland seats, so to speak, has meant it's much harder for us federally.

Chris O'Keefe

Sure, but we know Western Sydney wins and loses elections, doesn't it? And you've been wiped out in Western Sydney.

Senator Andrew Bragg

Yeah, but we were cleaned out almost everywhere across Sydney at the federal level. So I think they've got a good starting point for next time. And the fact is that they've proven that you can hold the inner metro seats. Now there was a narrative going around, Chris, that you couldn't do that as a Liberal Party anymore, anymore. But they proved that they could do it.

Chris O'Keefe

Yeah, but they lost Western Sydney.

Senator Andrew Bragg

Yeah.

Chris O'Keefe

So can you do both, is my question?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, we've got the reverse challenge in both parliaments, haven't we? So I think you can, and it shows why you need to have the great big tent intact where you can have your liberals and your conservatives.

Chris O'Keefe

Here's a question for you, and I said this at the outset of the show, and if you're just tuning in - I believe that the pathway forward for the Liberal Party and conservative politics in Australia is to enable 18 to 30 year olds to own their home. Because you can't have conservative voters if there is nothing for them to conserve. Is that fair?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, I agree. I mean, you're not going to have a strong stake in society if you don't have a house or you don't have security of some form. And I think the decline in home ownership amongst millennials in particular has caused us to lose a lot of voters, and we haven't to date many solutions. I mean, we have the super idea, which I really like. I mean, I'd like to expand that idea, but we need to do more than just that.

Chris O'Keefe

What else are you thinking?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, I think we should expand the super policy. At the moment, you can only take out fifty grand worth of super and then you've got to put it back in. I'd like to see people be able to take all of it out to buy a first home and not put it back in. Because I think that security in retirement is driven by stability of home ownership. I mean, if you can only have one or the other, either a super fund or a house, you can only live in one of those things. And the way the tax and social security system works, you're much better off having a house in retirement.

Chris O'Keefe

And do you believe that's where the Liberal Party should be and should be talking about, rather than social issues and culture wars?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Yeah, I think so. We have to have differentiated and very clear economic policies that improve people's lives, like on home ownership. But we've also got to keep away from divisive issues and we can't chase US style culture war agendas.

Chris O'Keefe

Why do so many of your colleagues do it, Senator Bragg?

Senator Andrew Bragg

I don't do it.

Chris O'Keefe

I know you don't, but your colleagues do. They love it.

Senator Andrew Bragg

I don't know. I think it's on the margins mainly, but it just really upsets people, particularly in the cities, if they think that Liberal Party members are focused on weirdo, wacko culture war things.

Chris O'Keefe

But it's not that it upsets them, they just don't care.

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, they're not mainstream issues.

Chris O'Keefe

No, because people can't pay their bills. They're looking to how are they going to pay their mortgages. They're trying to get pay rises out of people and you guys at every second culture war event beating the drum. It doesn't make any sense to me, and I don't know how that is a winning position for a mainstream party.

Senator Andrew Bragg

Look, I just think people are pretty tolerant. They don't care if someone is gay or they don't care if people are deeply religious or whatever. People just want to get on with their lives. And so that's why I think it's a vote shedder. So we've just got to be careful we don't go down that path any further and, as I say, focus on those economic issues. And I think the State Government did a good job in terms of putting forward ideas on childcare and on emissions reduction, which were popular, so it can be done.

Chris O'Keefe

Bit of mail around that Matt Kean might be thinking about heading down the Hume Highway into Federal Parliament. Would you accept him in the Party Room?

Senator Andrew Bragg

It's not my job to accept people into the Party Room, Chris.

Chris O'Keefe

Give him a big hug?

Senator Andrew Bragg

You've given me a promotion there, mate.

Chris O'Keefe

But give him a big hug?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Of course, but that's a matter for him and for the Liberal Party members if they wanted to do that, but I don't know what he's going to do.

Chris O'Keefe

Would you think Matt Kean would have something to offer in Canberra?

Senator Andrew Bragg

I think he's shown that you can neutralise major issues that cause us to haemorrhage votes at the federal election. I mean, the seats that we got rolled in, in Canberra, last May, North Sydney, Mackellar, Warringah, Wentworth. I mean, we've held almost all those seats in those areas on the weekend, and I think a large part of that because we had credible policies on emissions reduction, on childcare, on the economy.

Chris O'Keefe

Sure. Is it hard, though, given Kean's I shouldn't say treachery, but he made it hard for Scott Morrison at the May election.

Senator Andrew Bragg

I think, my understanding is he gets along very well with Peter Dutton, but it's not Peter's say either. I mean, this is up to the members of the Party if they wanted to do that, but obviously Matt is the key person here. If he wants to do that, that's up to him.

Chris O'Keefe

Senator, I appreciate your time and I heard the bells ringing, so I hope you didn't miss a division.

Senator Andrew Bragg

[Laughs] All good, thanks Chris.

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[Ends]

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