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Are the Coalition getting back together?

Are the Coalition getting back together?

After a public and messy break-up, the Liberal and National parties have agreed to delay announcing their respective frontbench picks "in good faith". So, will separation be short-lived?
And if the parties don't reconcile, how will both Sussan Ley and David Littleproud move next?
Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly are joined by Anna Henderson, SBS Chief Political Correspondent on The Party Room.
Got a burning question?
Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

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‘Politics in front of people': Great in awe of ‘powerful words' as boss explains roadblock to Devils' stadium alternative
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News.com.au

time17 minutes ago

  • News.com.au

‘Politics in front of people': Great in awe of ‘powerful words' as boss explains roadblock to Devils' stadium alternative

Devils chief executive Brendon Gale says the 'no stadium, no team' condition for Tasmania's AFL entry remains crucial, stressing Hobart and Launceston's major venues are still 'not fit' to 'underpin a team in the big league on a sustainable basis'. Gale on Fox Footy's AFL 360 on Tuesday night remained defiant his club was still 'on track' to enter the AFL in 2028, despite a state government bombshell this week casting doubt over the Devils' future. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Wednesday morning was hit with a no-confidence motion, which will continue to be debated in state parliament on Thursday. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Opposition leader Dean Winter, who filed the no-confidence motion, wrote to AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon amid the parliamentary chaos on Wednesday and reaffirmed the Labor Party's support for the new Macquarie Point stadium build and the Devils' entry into the AFL. But Winter's move was based off claims the Rockliff Government had mismanaged the state's budget and bungled key infrastructure projects, including the proposed stadium. Should Rockliff fail to stave off the no-confidence motion, it's possible Tasmania will be pushed to a snap election, which could derail the new stadium plans and put the 19th AFL licence in jeopardy. The AFL on Wednesday reiterated it remained steadfast that a 'clear requirement' for Tasmania's inclusion is 'a new 23,000 seat roofed stadium at Macquarie Point'. That agreement is between the AFL and the state government, with the stadium needing to clear passage of both Houses of Parliament. Premiership Brisbane Lions coach – and Tasmanian football hall of fame legend – Chris Fagan said the AFL 'should let the team come in and then sort the stadium out' in the long-term, saying the Devils should just 'use facilities that are available' in Launceston and Hobart. 'It would be such a tragedy if the team itself doesn't go ahead because there wasn't a new stadium when there are other football fields down there that AFL footballers currently play on,' Fagan told the Herald Sun. 'The surfaces are fantastic. 'But I think it is only a noisy minority who don't want it (new stadium) anyway. The vast majority of Tasmanians I think do want it. 'Once you have the team in there, then these things become easier.' When asked on Fox Footy's AFL 360 if the 'no team, no stadium' policy to introduce Tassie was 'too ambitious' and that 'too many stumbling blocks' had been placed in front of the key stakeholders, Gale said: 'No, I just think it's been a difficult concept to explain. 'Firstly, there's no good time to build a stadium around the world. They're always big and they're expensive, and there's always a whole range of other priorities … Whether it's Adelaide or Perth Stadium, they're difficult to get through and get popular support. 'I guess that's compounded by the fact that people in Tasmania think: 'Well, we've got two perfectly good stadiums in Hobart and Launceston, why can't we just have those?' And they're reasonable stadiums and they've been fit for purpose. But they're not fit for the purpose of providing sustainable commercial business model to underpin a team in the big league on a sustainable basis. 'It's hard to explain in seven or 10 seconds, but once you do have the time and space to explain, you know, why it is important – and then also the whole range of other benefits that will be created and will be unlocked – people tend to come around. But it's not easy.' The anguish of the impact of the political turmoil on the Devils was personified on Wednesday by club general manager of marketing, corporate affairs and social impact Kath McCann – the Devils' longest-serving official – who broke down in tears at a press conference. 'This club is powered by our future generations, by our kids and by our grandkids,' a teary McCann said. 'It's an opportunity to bring this state together, it's an opportunity to create pathways. 'I've got 50 students out here in my sight line, they power us every single day — and they will keep doing that and we're going to play on. We want to see this team become a reality because our young people deserve it.' Premiership Eagle Will Schofield was blown away by McCann's passion and 'powerful words'. 'This is more than just a footy club. This is something for an entire state, an entire generation of Tasmanians coming up behind it,' Schofield told Fox Sports News' AFL Tonight. 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No Liberal concession call after Bradfield turns teal
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News.com.au

time27 minutes ago

  • News.com.au

No Liberal concession call after Bradfield turns teal

Gisele Kapterian has still not picked up the phone to concede Bradfield after Nicolette Boele broke the Liberals' iron grip on the key Sydney seat, the independent has revealed. The Australian Electoral Commission on Wednesday declared Ms Boele the winner in Bradfield after one of the longest, messiest races of the federal election. A recount found the Climate 200-backed candidate won the seat, which has been in Liberal hands since its creation, by 26 votes. Ms Boele said on Thursday her win was 'certainly' by a slim margin. 'It's one of those times when you realise that every single vote counts,' she told the ABC. Asked if she had heard from Ms Kapterian, Ms Boele said: 'Um, I haven't, no. 'It's been a very busy, whirlwind sort of last few hours since we got the decision from the electoral commission after 4.5 weeks of counting and recounting. 'So, no, I have really just been talking to people, having a small celebration, and I'm looking forward to, I suppose, getting on with the job.' Ms Boele was initially declared victorious in Bradfield but an administrative error was uncovered and dramatically cut her lead. Ms Kapterian then led by eight votes, triggering a total recount late last month. The tight count did not stop her being welcomed into the Liberal party room and even partaking in the leadership vote that elected Sussan Ley party leader. Reacting to the result on Wednesday, Ms Kapterian thanked the AEC and her scrutineers, saying the recount process was 'testament to the adage 'if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together''. 'This recount has created a different result – while I was ahead at the conclusion of the original count, Ms Boele is now ahead after this recount,' she said in a statement. 'I will now carefully review the two counts.' Losing the seat has further slimmed the Liberals' numbers and dealt a major blow to the party's standing in North Sydney. In her Thursday morning remarks, Ms Boele said the result showed the 'electorate's definitely changing'. 'Modern Bradfield is much more diverse,' she said. 'We're definitely conservative in terms of loving business and economics, but we're very outward looking. 'We love the environment. We care about people. And those kind of care values were just not being addressed by this brand of the Liberal-National coalition.' She added that voters 'were looking for better representation' and an 'independent like me, born and bred here, someone of the community, working for the community and not for party politics' fit the bill.

Liberal Party leaders hit back at Alan Stockdale's comments on assertive women
Liberal Party leaders hit back at Alan Stockdale's comments on assertive women

ABC News

timean hour ago

  • ABC News

Liberal Party leaders hit back at Alan Stockdale's comments on assertive women

Senior Liberal Party figures have moved to distance themselves from comments by the interim head of the NSW division suggesting women were "sufficiently assertive" and the party may have to "protect men's involvement". Former Victorian treasurer Alan Stockdale, who was brought in as an external administrator to run the troubled NSW division, made the remarks during a discussion about female representation and gender quotas at a meeting of the NSW Liberal Women's Council on Tuesday. "I think women are sufficiently assertive now that we should be giving some thought to whether we need to protect men's involvement," Mr Stockdale told the meeting. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, the first female leader of the federal parliamentary party, rejected the comments. "There is nothing wrong with being an assertive woman, in fact I encourage assertive women to join the Liberal Party," she said in a statement. NSW Upper House MP and former president of the NSW Liberal Women's Council, Jacqui Munro, said the comments were deeply unhelpful as the party reflects on the federal election loss. "It's pretty disappointing and not very funny, if he was trying to make a joke," she said. "This idea that it's a joke or in poor taste is just unbelievable at a time like this, we need leaders in the party that are focused on actually delivering for the people we want to support and that is, particularly, women. "That's what we've got to be focused on, not making poor taste jokes about how women are too assertive — it's just bizarre." The Liberal Party suffered one of its worst defeats in history at the May 3 election, winning just six federal seats in NSW. NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman also distanced himself from the comments. "I want more assertive women, not fewer assertive women in the Liberal party," he told 702 ABC Radio Sydney on Thursday. "Here in NSW, 45 per cent of our Liberal frontbench are female, 45 per cent of our party room are female, and we have to be a party that reflects the demographic range in NSW, particularly on gender. "We've made great gains in the last few years in making sure we've got adequate female representation, strong female representation."

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