Michael McCormack has suggested that Barnaby Joyce’s unpopularity in the inner city contributed to the Coalition government’s downfall in climate-conscious electorates, write Paul Karp and Daniel Hurst.
And finally, he was asked if he would not take on the role as ‘the blocker’ in the next parliament:
Look, if you look back at the 2010 power-sharing parliament, did any side get everything they wanted? Probably not. But [the] Greens worked with independents, worked with the Labor party to get some real action on things like getting dental into Medicare for kids. And we got action on climate.
And … we want to take this approach this parliament as well. We really want to see some action on the big issues the country is facing on the big climate issues, on housing affordability – so, we’re willing to have any of those discussions in good faith.
Primarily, though, the ball will be in the government’s court as to what approach they want to take to this parliament and whether they’re prepared to accept what the Australian people have said, which is they want third voices at the table.
Bandt was also asked what the party’s priority was for the next parliament – no prizes for guessing what he answered:
The principles that we’ll be taking to it are very clearly that we’ve gotta tackle climate action, and that’s gotta start with this question of coal and gas.
One of the reasons that I think we saw alot of people switch to the Greens for the first time this election is that our approach was that we need to have a plan that deals with coal and gas but that looks after the communities.
Greens leader Adam Bandt was just on the ABC – he said they are still watching the counting in Richmond in NSW and Macnamara in Vic to see if they pick up two more lower house seats.
We’re going to need to see the postal votes that come in over the next few days, but they’re still on the cards for us. We see this very clearly as a mandate for climate action and tackling inequality.
Bandt was asked how aggressive they would be in pushing Labor on its climate target, which is to reduce emissions by 43% from the 2005 levels.
The approach that we’ll take, especially if it turns out that Labor’s unable to secure a majority to form government and they need to have discussions, our approach will be one of approaching it with, I guess, strong principles but open minds.
The second thing I’d say is, look, Liberal and Labor’s vote went backwards this election. Labor may get over the line with the majority or may not, but their vote went backwards, and the Greens and independents said, “We need to take action on coal and gas,” which are the main causes of the climate crisis, and people agreed. We’ve just lived through three years of droughts and fires and floods, and people want action.
Good morning
Morning everyone – it’s going to be a big start to the week, with a new government.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese will be sworn in as Australia’s 31st prime minister today, after claiming victory on Saturday night.
The makeup of the parliament is still unclear but Labor is inching in front in 78 seats, which would give it a majority in the House of Reps – so we will keep a close eye on those numbers throughout the day, though it is likely to take a couple of days.
Leaving his house around 7am, Albanese told reporters:
It’s a big day in my life. But a big day for the country, when we change the government. I want to lead a government that has the same sentiment of optimism and hope that I think defines the Australian people. I want to be positive.
I want to channel the opportunity that we have to shape change so that we bring people with us on the journey of change. I want to bring the country together, and the new government starts today.
He will be sworn in with deputy prime minister Richard Marles, incoming foreign minister Penny Wong, new treasurer Jim Chalmers and new finance minister Katy Gallagher.
Afterwards Albanese and Wong will fly to Japan later today to meet with the leaders of the Quad – the United States, India and Japan.
The prime minister-elect issued a statement on Sunday night, saying he would use the meeting to talk about his government’s ambitions to tackle climate change and pursue a stronger foreign policy focus on the region.
NSW Liberal treasurer Matt Kean has told the ABC the election loss was an “unmitigated disaster” and that the party needs to “get its act together”.
It comes as Peter Dutton is emerging as the most likely to take the leadership spot, with Josh Frydenberg not ready to concede defeat in his inner-city Melbourne seat of Kooyong.
Supporters of a Tamil asylum seeker family have said they hope to see them return to Biloela in central Queensland in just a few weeks, after years of living in immigration detention.
They’re currently living in community detention in Perth and the Labor party promised that, if it won the election, they’d would be able to go home.
And experts at the UN World Health Assembly are meeting in Geneva to discuss monkeypox, a rare viral infection that has now spread to at least a dozen countries, including Australia.
Two cases have been confirmed in travellers who have returned to the country – one in New South Wales, the other in Victoria. The smallpox-related disease has only been seen previously among people with links to Central and West Africa.
