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7:22
Transcript
0:08
The sun is setting over Aubry as a key
0:11
moment in the Farah bi-election campaign
0:13
begins.
0:21
Backstage, the candidates are getting
0:23
ready for a high pressure debate.
0:36
Welcome everybody to Charles University.
0:38
Everybody here in the theater
0:40
>> 12 are in the race but two are receiving
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0:42
the most attention.
0:45
We need to be looking after ourselves
0:48
first here in this country.
0:50
>> Independent Michelle Milorp came second
0:52
in Farah at the federal election last
0:54
year. One Nation candidate David Farley
0:58
is considered her toughest competition.
1:01
>> I understand the engine room of Farah
1:03
and I understand it well.
1:05
>> Labor isn't running in this rural
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1:06
electorate where issues affecting
1:08
farmers have been front and center.
1:10
>> The reality is Australia can't afford
1:12
net zero.
1:13
>> I think it's untenable for us to think
1:17
that we can get there by 20 2050.
1:20
The Liberals and Nationals have boosted
1:21
the chances of a One Nation win,
1:24
directing preferences to David Farley
1:26
over the community independent. A move
1:28
that could backfire if it helps the
1:30
minor party increase momentum or if it
1:33
proves unpopular among traditional
1:35
coalition supporters. I want to talk
1:38
about preferences now and we'll start uh
1:40
with with you Roser and as to why the um
1:43
uh the Liberal Party chose to preference
1:45
One Nation ahead of Michelle Milford for
1:48
example
1:49
>> in terms of preferencing it it it really
1:52
was um
1:55
it it just it was just for ease of
1:57
reference in terms of our how to vote
1:58
card and that's just the reality.
2:07
Farah is the second largest electorate
2:08
in New South Wales. It was held by
2:11
former Liberal leader Susan Lee for 25
2:13
years before she quit parliament in
2:16
February.
2:17
Now the coalition is at risk of losing
2:19
the seat for the first time in its
2:21
history.
2:23
Pauline Hansen's most high-profile
2:25
recruit has been lending his personal
2:27
popularity to David Farley's campaign.
2:30
>> So good to see you.
2:34
>> Nationally, support for One Nation has
2:36
climbed since the former Nationals
2:38
leader Barnaby Joyce joined its ranks.
2:41
>> How much do you think you have to do
2:42
with that?
2:43
>> Yeah, I did my bit. You know, you can do
2:45
faux, you know, faux humility. Oh, it's
2:47
nothing. No, it was it was a bit about
2:50
reason by me because I think people he
2:53
gave them license and people said well
2:54
if he can change I can change and now
2:57
sudden
2:59
>> the one nation candidate has also had
3:01
changes of heart. He previously sought
3:04
pre-elelection for labor prompting
3:06
critics to question his long-term
3:08
loyalty.
3:09
>> This specimen is David Farley a
3:12
political chameleon who changes colors
3:14
to suit himself. Can you guarantee that
3:16
if you get into parliament with One
3:18
Nation that you will stick with One
3:19
Nation in Parliament?
3:20
>> Yeah, I'm I'm I'm more than comfortable.
3:22
One Nation uh will will change the
3:24
democracy on the 9th.
3:27
>> If David did get in with One Nation and
3:29
defected to the crossbench, would you be
3:31
bothered by that?
3:33
>> Of course. Yeah. I mean, of course I'd
3:35
be bothered by that. But I, you know, I
3:37
I can I look at him and say this
3:40
person's not going to do it.
3:42
>> How about you? Last year, David Farley
3:44
publicly praised his now rival, Michelle
3:47
Milthorp. The independent candidate has
3:49
been labeled a teal by political
3:51
opponents due to donations she's
3:54
received from climate 200. If you look
3:56
at my policies and positions, you can
3:58
see that they don't align with those of
4:00
the te independents.
4:03
Aubry has a proud place in Liberal
4:05
history. This is where the party's
4:07
governing body was formed in 1944.
4:11
Raza Picusky has the tough task of
4:14
trying to hold on to Farah for the
4:15
Liberals.
4:17
>> It's an unusual race because the two
4:19
considered front runners are obviously
4:21
not from the major parties. Why do you
4:23
think that's happened here?
4:28
>> I in terms of the two front runners, um
4:32
I'm I'm not looking at polls. I think
4:35
they generally are not reflective of
4:37
reality um quite often. But the reality
4:40
is the party is desperately trying to
4:43
rebuild and win back Australian voters
4:45
who've been abandoning it in droves.
4:48
You've come in at a tough time for the
4:49
coalition.
4:50
>> Does that make your job harder?
4:52
>> No. Um I enjoy a challenge.
4:58
>> At a Saturday farmers market near Aubry,
5:00
the produce is fresh and locals
5:02
friendly. Hello.
5:05
>> Are you a local celeb?
5:06
>> He sure is.
5:09
Ross Files is a flower farmer. He can't
5:11
vote in the bi-election because he lives
5:13
on the Victorian side of the border, but
5:16
he'll be watching the result closely.
5:18
I think the political climate's
5:21
changing. I voted Liberal for the past
5:23
50 years, and this is the first time
5:26
I've ever considered voting for another
5:30
party, and the One Nation is the party
5:32
that I would vote for.
5:36
From Aubry to the multicultural farming
5:38
community of Griffith, many voters told
5:41
7:30 they wanted change.
5:44
>> Last time I voted for Liberal and this
5:45
time I've been voted for independent.
5:48
>> Major groups have had things for too
5:50
long. Time to put someone through the
5:52
hen house and clean them out.
5:53
>> Some people are promoting the
5:55
multiculturalism. So that's why I just
5:57
uh vote for that person.
6:01
Father Peter is an Anglican priest and
6:03
community figure who was torn over who
6:05
to vote for.
6:07
>> Inside this historic mansion, he's
6:09
hosted many political guests from both
6:11
sides of politics. This week, he's
6:14
invited Pauline Hansen to tea.
6:16
>> So, Pauline Hansen might be sitting
6:18
around this table in the days ahead.
6:19
>> Well, I'm hoping so. I'll probably
6:21
There's always room in the, you know, a
6:23
bit more in the pot. The longtime
6:24
Liberal supporter is questioning his
6:26
loyalty to the party after it dumped
6:29
Susan Lee as leader.
6:31
>> Will this be the first election that you
6:33
voted in where you're not sure if you'll
6:35
vote Liberal?
6:35
>> Well, I've certainly been
6:38
less sure uh now than I've ever been
6:40
before.
6:41
>> And do you think that the the chaos that
6:43
we saw in the coalition um after the
6:45
last election is the reason people in
6:48
this electorate have been turning to One
6:50
Nation? Well, they say that One Nation
6:53
is the is the party of protest, and I
6:56
think people have a lot of reasonable
6:59
things to protest about. If you've got a
7:02
car that continually breaks down, uh,
7:04
then you do need to think about either
7:07
getting a new engine or getting out of
7:10
walking. And I think a lot of people are
7:11
getting out of walking.
— end of transcript —
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