Interview on NewsDay with Tom Connell

Subjects

Safeguard Mechanism Bill, NSW State Election.

In this studio here, Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg, we will talk New South Wales election. But what's your reaction to what we've just heard announced from the Greens there?

Hi Tom, well obviously, we're the government of the alternative, so we're the alternative government, I should say, and so we'll develop a policy on climate change before the next election, including on emissions reduction. And that's what we'll be doing over the course of this Parliament.

Alright, but if you're going to not be involved in negotiations, I guess if it's something that's a bit greener or hurts industry more than you're anticipating, you can say, well, it's our fault for not being involved in negotiations.

Well, the most important thing is you have a credible plan to cut emissions. And we'll be doing that. Ted O'Brien is leading that charge. So I look forward to seeing what he comes up with.

You weren't a bit miffed that Liberals wouldn't even be involved in this negotiation. Isn't that what an opposition does? Legislations are tended to be passed. Do you want to make it better?

Look, it's hard to be involved in every single issue.

It's too hard to get involved.

No, no. I mean it's difficult to get involved in every single issue in the detail.

It's a pretty big one.

But the view has been that we will develop a substantial policy on emissions reduction, including in relation to how you actually achieve the emissions reductions and the cuts. And this will be a part of it. So we'll have to turn our minds to it. But we're not running in government in exile.

No, you're not. But while you're developing that, real things are getting passed. Anyway, it's just happened. So I understand. Fair enough not to go through the little detail. What about New South Wales on the weekend? What did you take from this election result as a Liberal Party representative?

Well, the most important thing is if you run a centrist government that focuses on things that people are concerned with in the cities, then you can hold city seats. What happened at the last Federal Election is that we were eviscerated in the traditional city seats. And so the next election for the state party is very winnable because they'll need to win seats in Western Sydney, but they'll have a very strong base in which to do that.

So you think the message of the party should be, don't go right, stay centrist? They did manage to hang on to the Teal seats, it looks like, we'll see how the count goes, and not be obliterated in the West at the same time.

Well, if you focus on the issues that the majority of people are worried about; the economy, childcare, emissions reduction, we've just been discussing that, these are the policies that I think resonate with people in the cities. And if you can avoid going down the crazy US style culture war route, then I think you've got a much better chance of hanging on to governments in Australia.

The parts of your party are they going down that route? Is that the concern?

I think there's always a risk that you can pursue marginal issues. I think this is a very good lesson that you can hold on to your traditional seats if you pursue a centrist sensible approach here. I mean, the next election for the state party is very winnable.

Labor has limped across the line here, effectively.

Well, we'll see where they get to. But you effectively think the message for Peter Dutton should be as well, don't forget about the Teals, don't write them off federally.

We can't win back government in Australia unless you win back the city seats in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. There won't be any other avenue to win him back federal government.

Okay. All right. Look, we'll have to leave it there. There's a lot going on. We'll talk again soon.