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Inside Labor’s courting of the teal independents

Sep 9, 2024
Karen Barlow, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper, discusses the shifting political landscape in Australia, focusing on Labor's strategic courting of teal independents. They dissect the challenges independent politicians have faced in Canberra, including setting ambitious climate targets. The conversation also touches on the rising influence of the Greens and the potential for a hung parliament to alter alliances. Key issues like electoral reforms and grassroots engagement highlight the evolving dynamics of the Coalition and Labor as they vie for power.
13:49

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Labor is strategically working to solidify relationships with teal independents, recognizing their potential influence in a hung parliament context.
  • Independent MPs are increasingly concerned about proposed electoral reforms that may compromise their role and the transparency they championed.

Deep dives

Labor's Strategic Relationship with Independents

Labor is actively working to forge a crucial alliance with independent members of parliament, particularly as they approach the next election amid a potential hung parliament. Initially, the Albanese government faced challenges in integrating independents, especially after cutting their staff resources, which created tensions. However, over time, they've established a working relationship characterized by regular meetings and collaborative discussions aimed at improving legislation and policy. Independents have pointed to significant achievements despite not holding the balance of power, such as pushing for a net zero emissions target of 43%, indicating their influence on government priorities.

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