Welcome back to Today. Federal Politicians will return to Canberra this Monday for the final sitting week of the year. It comes amid expectations that there will be no leadership spill when Liberal MPs hold their final party room meeting. Let’s bring in Today’s talkers. Shadow Immigration Minister Paul Scarr and our very own Lizzi Pearl. Now Paul, Sussan Ley, is she going to survive 2025? We see Libs going left, right and centre. Is she going to make it to the end of the year?
Senator Scarr
I believe so. I think Sussan’s done an outstanding job. The hardest job in politics is being an Opposition Leader after your party is coming off a very bad election defeat, and I give a lot of commendation to Sussan with respect to the courage and her resilience, and I’m sure she’s going to be there up to the end of the year and beyond.
Host
Now, Lizzie, it’s been about three weeks for the Libs. Do you think all these spills have done potentially permanent damage to the Liberal brand?
Lizzie Pearl
Look, I don’t think so, because the Liberals both state and federally are dealing with a sort of crisis of identity. Now, they’ve done what they think they need to do to win the next election, both in New South Wales and in Victoria. We’ve seen the party choose women of the moderate faction in the Liberal Party, so I don’t think these leadership skills are going to have a major impact on their brand. However, the work really does need to start now. We can’t see any more leadership spills because that’s when the real damage is happening. When we see leader after leader after leader, like a revolving door. There is a lot of focus on the Liberal Party now, to try and figure out what they are, what they stand for, because now, none of us really know.
Host
What about in some good news! New Vic Liberal Leader Jess Wilson sees a bit of an advantage early in the polls. Do you think this is a turning point down there?
Senator Scarr
I believe so, and I know Jess and she’s an outstanding young woman. She’s got wonderful professional experience, a great communicator, and she’s got a vision for Victoria, and after so many years of bad government, they need a change in government in Victoria. The people of Victoria need a change in government, so Jess is the right person.
Host
Now I’m just meeting you today, Paul, so this is really going to test our relationship, because Julia Gillard has produced a wild idea. She wants politicians to stop yelling at each other. Can we all just be friends?
Senator Scarr
Well, it’d be great, wouldn’t it, and look, I’ve got to be incredibly careful here. I’ve got to be incredibly careful here in terms of pot and kettle issues. I am known to interject. I do try and be witty, Felix. I do try. Often, I may not be that successful, that is for others to judge. I think all of us must consider our behavior.
Host
We need to ramp it up a notch – a bit of nonlethal weapons on the floor! Nerf guns, water balloons, you name them. Let’s get out there and really turn it into something. Is it even parliament if there’s no yelling?
Lizzie Pearl
I do take Julia Gillard’s points. I mean, we are paying for these people, let’s be clear, and it looks like a high school playground. The way they’re speaking to each other, it’s not a good example for anyone in leadership, in business, in schools. I do think we need to clean up their act a little bit, but we also need a bit of fire, and we need to make it interesting. I did like Julia Gillard’s point that perhaps we don’t need to have allocated seats, because you are more likely to behave worse if you’ve got your mates sitting around you, so if perhaps there was randomized seating, I think that might clean up their act a little bit.
Host
What about this one? Gone are the days of being afraid of chucking a sickie, because according to a new study, Gen Zer’s are taking more sick days than any other age group. Paul, do you feel guilty taking a sick day from work?
Senator Scarr
Look, I belong to that generation that does, but we all know those people who drag themselves into work, and they should really be staying at home and not infecting their work colleagues. So, I think we’ve got to get the right balance here, so I’m going to defend Gen Z.
Host
We have a live Gen Zer that works in this office. She hasn’t been to work all week. There she is right there. Finally turned up in a hoodie, no less, and Jess has said that she reckons that it’s the older crowd that needs to take more sickies in the workplace.
Lizzie Pearl
Look, I like Gen Z. I like how they do things their way, and they don’t just, you know, go the norm. However, I’ve got a bone to pick with all this generational talk. I’m from Gen Y. When do you ever hear anyone talking about Generation Y? We’ve just been wiped from the map. No one talks about us. All we ever do is talk about Gen Z. Bring back more chat about Gen Y.
Host
Paul, do you know what generation you are?
Senator Scarr
I’m Gen X. I’ve got all the attributes – you could go through the checklist.
Host
Thank you very much for joining us and appreciate you for not yelling at us as well.
Senator Scarr
Absolutely, was I witty?
Host
You certainly were. Great to have you on Paul. Thank you very much.
