Today Show

15 Dec 2017 Transcipt

SUBJECTS: Bennelong Bi-election

CHRIS UHLMANN: I can't tell you how weird this feels. A crucial Bennelong bi-election rate race will be run tomorrow and it will be a bleak Christmas for Malcolm Turnbull if the government loses, because he will also lose his one seat majority. I'm joined by Anthony Albanese and Christopher Pyne. Welcome gentleman.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Good morning Mr Uhlmann, it’s nice to have you interviewing us.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: Good to be with you, sir.
CHRIS UHLMANN: (inaudible) Christopher Pyne if you lose the Bennelong bi-election that will be a huge blow for the government and it looks like it's a toss of a coin.
CHRIS UHLMANN: Well, it is very tight. And it's a very much a contest between a good local member who is creating local jobs and a candidate who is basically just making her next career move. And of course you can have Kristina Keneally because she can go into the Senate. So if you like Kristina Keneally you don't have to vote for her tomorrow, she's going into Sam Dastyari's vacancy.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: There is confidence for you from a government.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: She won't even rule it out.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: From a government that has run out of ideas, put it out of its misery. It's an opposition in exile sitting on government's benches.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Rubbish.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: Make them comfortable and put them over there.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: We are creating 371,000 jobs in the last 12 months, 80% of them in full time and...
ANTHONY ALBANESE: He bringing along his talks points at the same time.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: John Alexander is a part of that, John Alexander is creating local jobs in Bennelong, all Kristina Keneally will to is her next career move.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: If John Alexander was any further on the backbench he would be out of the building.
CHRIS UHLMANN: The unkind might say that Bill Shorten is not helping Kristina Keneally in this race. Liberal Party polling is certainly saying that and there is some other indications of that. Should he pull out of the race and give her more of a chance.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: Every single front bencher, Bill Shorten, myself, Chris Bowan was there yesterday I noticed.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Andrew Lee.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: We have all been there and I will be handing out tomorrow morning in Bennelong.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: I will be handing out tomorrow afternoon.
CHRIS UHLMANN: You had Cabinet there (inaudible) how much money is the government spending trying to keep this seat?
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: I'm flying myself to Sydney because I'm paying for myself to come. So it is really not relevant about the taxpayers money for that.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: Save the money Christopher, donate the money to John's campaign. He would prefer that I think.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: If Kristina Keneally wins in Bennelong, Bill Shorten is one seat closer to being Prime Minister of Australia. And Bill Shorten is not the right person to be the Prime Minister of this country. He has six new taxes that he wants to impose on business, and on individuals…
ANTHONY ALBANESE: The talking points just keep rolling out.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Whereas John Alexander just wants to create jobs. And Kristina Keneally is only interested in one job, her own.
CHRIS UHLMANN: Just one thing for you though Anthony Albanese, Kristina Keneally has introduced sort of a race card into this election by talking about China-phobia. The government was trying to bring in some legislation which is about the Chinese Communist Party interference in Australia or foreign government interference in Australia. Is playing a race card a pretty low tactic?
ANTHONY ALBANESE: No, the fact is that this is a government that has been prepared to go out there and raise all sorts of scare campaigns about influence, what we should be concerned about…
CHRIS UHLMANN: It didn't say all Asians, Kristina Keneally said all Asians are under fire.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: What we should be concerned about is, of course, foreign influence from any government in Australian politics. Kristina Keneally is someone who will make a contribution as the member for Bennelong. John Alexander ran a campaign in 2010 about the Parramatta to Epping rail line, Kristina Keneally and myself as the Infrastructure Minister delivered the funding for that and it was cancelled by the Abbott and Turnbull governments along with Barry O'Farrell.
CHRIS UHLMANN: You’ve had the gloves out all year for each other. But actually behind the scenes you get on quite well…
ANTHONY ALBANESE: Don't tell anyone Chris.
CHRIS UHLMANN: I will try not to tell anyone. Christopher Pyne, it is the season to be jolly and kind-hearted. Do have you something nice to say about Albanese?
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Well, I shouldn't really say anything nice about him because that's not what I have been instructed to do of course, on the show. But, I will say I like Anthony Albanese because he has got a great sense of humour. He knows how to laugh at himself and knows how to laugh at at politics in general and that's what's kept him going for 20 years in Parliament.
CHRIS UHLMANN: Return the favour?
ANTHONY ALBANESE: Look, Christopher does have a good sense of enjoyment about life and you can have an argument and then have a chat, a cup of coffee or maybe even the odd glass of wine late at night, only ever one.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Only one.
CHRIS UHLMANN: Gentlemen thank you.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: If he has two drinks he gets quite silly actually.
CHRIS UHLMANN: I have been to dinner with you Christopher Pyne and it is not measured in glasses, it is measured in bottles.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Rubbish.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: The difference is I need a glass.
CHRIS UHLMANN: Christopher Pyne, Anthony Albanese, great to have you.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: Merry Christmas.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Thanks for having us all year. We had a great year.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: We love the better time. We are in prime-time in 2018.
CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Our lives like it more. Check Bill's horoscope for Saturday, it is not good.
CHRIS UHLMANN: I hope you both get to spend time with your families this Christmas.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: We will, thank you.