Politics with Michelle Grattan
News:Politics
At the beginning of the parliamentary year, the government is beleaguered on several fronts. But Arthur Sinodinos, one of the Coalition’s most experienced operators and the newly appointed minister for industry, innovation and science, is determined to be optimistic.
“You can’t rule any possibilities out, including the possibility that the government actually goes from strength to strength as we go forward,” Sinodinos says.
“Yes, there are testing headwinds, including the international environment, but we’re going to be very keen to prosecute the case for economic growth, for jobs, for why international trade is a good thing for everybody, not just one country.”
Speaking with Michelle Grattan on the day of senator Cory Bernardi’s exit from the Liberal Party, Sinodinos has a sharp observation for his former colleague.
“What I’d say to senator Bernardi is that if you want to influence the party, you’ve got to be inside the party. You can’t do it from outside.”
Assessing Bernardi’s prospects as a force outside the Liberals, Sinodinos says “we’ll wait and see what happens”. “But he’s got some pretty formidable players out there, like Pauline Hanson, who has a very high profile and a lot of street cred as an outsider.”
“I would expect on most things that he would support Coalition policy. He was actually elected on a Coalition platform and I think if he’s going to keep faith with those voters, he should support Coalition positions.”
Adam Bandt on Greens' hopes for future power sharing
Michael McCormack moves on from his near-death experience
Mathias Cormann and Jim Chalmers on the mid-year budget update
Andrew Hastie on foreign influence, security and veteran mental health
Minister David Littleproud on bushfires, drought, and the Nationals
Ross Gittins on the government’s ‘surplus obsession’
On the trust divide in politics
Deputy PM Michael McCormack on the drought and restive Nationals
Tim Watts on Australia's changing identity
Daughters of Robert Menzies and Arthur Calwell say parliament wasn’t always a “fort”
Arthur Sinodinos with some reflections and advice
Jim Chalmers on the need to change economic course
Independent MP Helen Haines on using 'soft power'
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on a slowing economy
PM’s advisor Christine Morgan on tackling Australia’s rising suicide rates
On the ‘creeping crisis’ in the public service
Anthony Albanese on Labor's hard times
Paul Oosting responds to GetUp's critics
Centre Alliance’s Stirling Griff on Newstart
Megan Davis on a First Nations Voice in the Constitution
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free