Jason Falinski: The Libs should reconcile with the Nats. Just not yet
Fitz: Given this last result, can you acknowledge the bleeding obvious that choosing Peter Dutton as the opposition leader in 2022 was a mistake?
JF: I think that Peter Dutton performed really well, he kept the party together. He came up with some interesting policies. You know, we cannot underestimate the impact that Donald Trump had on the dynamics of Australian politics through 2025.
Fitz: Jason! I've sold you to my editors as 'a straight shooter'. I respectfully submit to you that saying Peter Dutton was a great choice, and he came up with great policies is not right. I mean, what were these great policies? I can name nuclear, which was a rolled-gold disaster, a cut in the fuel excise – which generated no fewer than 17 photo ops – and getting rid of working from home for the surviving public servants after they sacked 41,000 of them, both of which they caved in on.
JF: [ A little chastened. ] Yeah, look, [it did get tough] you're absolutely right. We ended up in a Mexican standoff with the ALP over who could give out more subsidies, and if you're talking about giving out subsidies, then the Labor Party is going to win that war every time, because they have more experience at it, and people believe that the Labor Party is going to do that much more than they believe we will. And so ultimately we got completely boxed in.
Fitz: OK, you now run a strategic advisory firm, whatever that is. We know you think the best advice you can give the Libs is they must say to the Nats, 'Don't let the door hit your arse on the way out.' My advice would be to listen to their own Charlotte Mortlock who noted that the average Liberal Party member is a 70-year-old male, while the average Australian voter is a 36-year-old female. These days, you could probably make it into the Young Liberals as a 50-year-old, so long as you still went to Shore and wear a tie. It is obvious to me, that has to change. Surely their policy star from here, has to be what will bring in young women. Do you agree?
JF: Broadly. We've got to start reaching out, and bring more people of all kinds in. There's a great Reagan quote, along the lines of, 'We've got to stop talking to ourselves about ourselves, and go out there and tell the people that while we're fewer in numbers, we've got the values and principles you've been looking for.' And by the way, I don't think Charlotte's right, I think most Liberal Party meetings that I go to, it's actually probably 70-year-old women, and there are some older men, and to be fair they want younger people to come through.
Fitz: Indeed, a problem. The point has also been made that in the whole of NSW, the Liberal Party does not get a single harbour view, and along the entire NSW coast from Victoria to Queensland you have only one coastal view, in Scott Morrison's old seat of Cook, which has somehow held on!
JF: That's right, and that speaks to our challenge, and also speaks to why we must go our own way from the National Party.
Fitz: OK, so you think it shouldn't be a trial separation, it should be a divorce, with a custody battle over who must take Barnaby?
JF: [ Laughs. ] No. I do hope the couple can still get back together, but before they can, they need to deal with the fundamental issues that have driven those problems. And I don't think we should just reconcile with the Nats just because it looks better. I think we should reconcile only after we've dealt with the fundamental issues underlying the problems that we face. We Liberals now need to go and do the hard, arduous work of talking to and being in dialogue with the Australian people, so that in a year's time, when we start coming up with ideas, we have a far better understanding of what problems and what challenges they're facing. Then, and only then, should we come back together and talk to the Nationals to see what they've come up with. But I repeat: If we don't develop polices for our natural constituencies in the big cities, we will be completely lost.
Fitz: Aren't you already lost? Laura Tingle has said that, basically, the Liberal Party's manoeuvred itself to be little more than an observer in the current House of Reps and that's fair. Without the Nats, you're hobbling around on one leg, and can't really run a proper campaign in an election.
JF: I don't agree with you or Laura. We're still the official opposition party in the lower house and in the Senate regardless of whether we're with the National Party or not. What we need to do most of all now is look after our patch, and let the Nats go and look after theirs.
Fitz: Do you agree that, whatever happens, David Littleproud's crazy-brave insistence that nuclear must stay on the table is batshit crazy when you went to the polls with that as your major policy, only to come up – dot three, carry one, subtract heaps – 50 seats behind! Can you explain how it is even possible for the Libs to get back together with the Nats if they are stuck with that insane policy?
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JF: Look I think it is batshit crazy to lock it in for another three years without actually undertaking a fundamental review of it. But there actually is an argument that as everything turns electric, the demand for electricity will be five times what it is now, and we will only be able to meet those demands in 2050 by having nuclear as part of it. You may be right that we can do all of this on renewable energy, but there is no one else in the world that is saying that. At the moment we're relying on coal to make up the difference, but it might have to be nuclear in the end. I don't think 'nuclear with government subsidies', but you could allow market forces to come into play.
Fitz: On the subject of coal, you were a strong voice against Matt Canavan's contention in 2021 that our future was coal, coal, coal. Yet I remember a recent controversy where the lobby group you are involved with, Australians For Prosperity, took $725,000 from coal interests?
JF: Sure. Coal Australia is a major supporter of mining in Australia, and they represent a lot of mining communities, and yeah, they did donate money to us to help us to stand up for economic policies that are about driving prosperity in the Australian community, and I don't think we've had a lot of that in the last generation, and it's something we've got to get back to. Our group was founded on the proposition that there's too much time spent in Australian politics talking about social and cultural issues, and how do we divide the cake? And no one – or very few people in Australian politics these days – talks about, how can we actually grow the cake so everyone gets a little bit more than they've got, or a lot more than they've got at the moment.
Fitz: Traditionally, that is the argument made by the Liberal Party. To finish though, is it possible that the Coalition is just … done? You know, that all of the debate, all the manoeuvres of the next three years is no more than a 'bouncing of the rubble', because the whole thing has collapsed in on itself?
JF: [ Long pause. ] It's possible, but improbable. For now, we need to re-engage with our people, and listen to them – and let the Nats do the same. Then and only then should we even contemplate re-forming the Coalition. Regardless of what happens, a lot of people in this country want the government to promote fairness and stand up for the right and freedoms of individuals. If we want to survive and thrive, that is what we need to do.
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"The US government has senselessly destroyed a highly valued news service in the Pacific. An own goal." America's retreat from foreign aid is being felt deeply in Pacific media, where pivotal outlets are being shuttered and journalists work unpaid. The result is fewer investigations into dubiously motivated politicians, glimpses into conflicts otherwise unseen and a less diverse media in a region which desperately needs it. "It is a huge disappointment ... a senseless waste," Benar News' Australian head of Pacific news, Stefan Armbruster, told AAP after seeing his outlet go under. Benar News, In-depth Solomons and Inside PNG are three digital outlets which enjoyed US support but have been cruelled by President Donald Trump's about-face on aid. Benar closed its doors in April after an executive order disestablishing Voice of America, which the Unitd States created during World War II to combat Nazi propaganda. An offshoot of Radio Free Asia (RFA) focused on Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Benar kept a close eye on abuses in West Papua, massacres and gender-based violence in Papua New Guinea and more. The Pacific arm quickly became indispensable to many, with a team of reporters and freelancers working in 15 countries on a budget under $A1 million. "Our coverage of decolonisation in the Pacific received huge interest, as did our coverage of the lack women's representation in parliaments, human rights, media freedom, deep sea mining and more," Mr Armbruster said. In-depth Solomons, a Honiara-based digital outlet, is another facing an existential threat despite a proud record of investigative and award-winning reporting. Last week, it was honoured with a peer-nominated award from the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan for a year-long probe into former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare's property holdings. "We're just holding on," editor and co-founder Ofani Eremae told AAP. A US-centred think tank continues to pay the wage of one journalist, while others haven't drawn a salary since January. "It has had an impact on our operations. We used to travel out to do stories across the provinces. That has not been done since early this year," Mr Eremae said. A private donor came forward after learning of the cuts with a one-off grant that was used for rent to secure the office, he said. Its funding shortfall - like Port Moresby-based outlet Inside PNG - is linked to USAID, the world's biggest single funder of development assistance, until Mr Trump axed its multi-billion dollar budget. Much of USAID's funding was spent on humanitarian causes - such as vaccines, clean water supplies and food security - but some was also earmarked for media in developing nations, with the aim of bolstering fragile democracies. Inside PNG used its support to build an audience of tens of thousands with incisive reports on PNG politics: not just Port Moresby, but in the regions including wantaway province Bougainville that has a long history of conflict. "The current lack of funding has unfortunately had a dual impact, affecting both our dedicated staff, whom we're currently unable to pay, and our day-to-day operations," Inside PNG managing director Kila Wani, told AAP. "We've had to let off 80 per cent of staff from payroll which is a big hit because we're not a very big team. "Logistically, it's become challenging to carry out our work as we normally would." AAP has confirmed a number of other media entities in the region which have suffered hits, but declined to share their stories. The funding hits are all the more damaging given the challenges faced by the Pacific, as outlined in the Pacific Islands Media Freedom Index. The latest report listed a string of challenges, notably weak legal protections for free speech, political interference on editorial independence, and a lack of funding underpinning high-quality media, in the region. The burning question for these outlets - and their audiences - is do other sources of funding exist to fill the gap? Inside PNG is refocusing energy on attracting new donors, as is In-depth Solomons, which has also turned to crowdfunding. The Australian and New Zealand governments have also provided targeted support for the media sector across the region, including ABC International Development (ABCID), which has enjoyed a budget increase from Anthony Albanese's government. Inside PNG and In-depth Solomons both receive training and content-focused grants from ABCID, which helps, but doesn't fund the underpinning costs for a media business or keep on the lights. Both Mr Eremae, who edited two major newspapers before founding the investigative outlet, and Mr Armbruster, a long-time SBS Correspondent, expressed their dismay at the US pivot away from the Pacific. "It's a huge mistake on the part of the US ... the world's leading democracy. The media is one of the pillars of democracy," Mr Eremae said. "It is, I believe, in the interests of the US and other democratic countries to give funding to media in countries like the Solomon Islands where we cannot survive due to lack of advertising (budgets). As a veteran of Pacific reporting, Mr Armbruster said he had witnessed US disinterest in the region contribute to the wider geopolitical struggle for influence. "The US government was trying to re-establish its presence after vacating the space decades ago. It had promised to re-engage, dedicating funding largely driven by its efforts to counter China, only to now betray those expectations," he said. "The US government has senselessly destroyed a highly valued news service in the Pacific. An own goal." America's retreat from foreign aid is being felt deeply in Pacific media, where pivotal outlets are being shuttered and journalists work unpaid. The result is fewer investigations into dubiously motivated politicians, glimpses into conflicts otherwise unseen and a less diverse media in a region which desperately needs it. "It is a huge disappointment ... a senseless waste," Benar News' Australian head of Pacific news, Stefan Armbruster, told AAP after seeing his outlet go under. Benar News, In-depth Solomons and Inside PNG are three digital outlets which enjoyed US support but have been cruelled by President Donald Trump's about-face on aid. Benar closed its doors in April after an executive order disestablishing Voice of America, which the Unitd States created during World War II to combat Nazi propaganda. An offshoot of Radio Free Asia (RFA) focused on Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Benar kept a close eye on abuses in West Papua, massacres and gender-based violence in Papua New Guinea and more. The Pacific arm quickly became indispensable to many, with a team of reporters and freelancers working in 15 countries on a budget under $A1 million. "Our coverage of decolonisation in the Pacific received huge interest, as did our coverage of the lack women's representation in parliaments, human rights, media freedom, deep sea mining and more," Mr Armbruster said. In-depth Solomons, a Honiara-based digital outlet, is another facing an existential threat despite a proud record of investigative and award-winning reporting. Last week, it was honoured with a peer-nominated award from the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan for a year-long probe into former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare's property holdings. "We're just holding on," editor and co-founder Ofani Eremae told AAP. A US-centred think tank continues to pay the wage of one journalist, while others haven't drawn a salary since January. "It has had an impact on our operations. We used to travel out to do stories across the provinces. That has not been done since early this year," Mr Eremae said. A private donor came forward after learning of the cuts with a one-off grant that was used for rent to secure the office, he said. Its funding shortfall - like Port Moresby-based outlet Inside PNG - is linked to USAID, the world's biggest single funder of development assistance, until Mr Trump axed its multi-billion dollar budget. Much of USAID's funding was spent on humanitarian causes - such as vaccines, clean water supplies and food security - but some was also earmarked for media in developing nations, with the aim of bolstering fragile democracies. Inside PNG used its support to build an audience of tens of thousands with incisive reports on PNG politics: not just Port Moresby, but in the regions including wantaway province Bougainville that has a long history of conflict. "The current lack of funding has unfortunately had a dual impact, affecting both our dedicated staff, whom we're currently unable to pay, and our day-to-day operations," Inside PNG managing director Kila Wani, told AAP. "We've had to let off 80 per cent of staff from payroll which is a big hit because we're not a very big team. "Logistically, it's become challenging to carry out our work as we normally would." AAP has confirmed a number of other media entities in the region which have suffered hits, but declined to share their stories. The funding hits are all the more damaging given the challenges faced by the Pacific, as outlined in the Pacific Islands Media Freedom Index. The latest report listed a string of challenges, notably weak legal protections for free speech, political interference on editorial independence, and a lack of funding underpinning high-quality media, in the region. The burning question for these outlets - and their audiences - is do other sources of funding exist to fill the gap? Inside PNG is refocusing energy on attracting new donors, as is In-depth Solomons, which has also turned to crowdfunding. The Australian and New Zealand governments have also provided targeted support for the media sector across the region, including ABC International Development (ABCID), which has enjoyed a budget increase from Anthony Albanese's government. Inside PNG and In-depth Solomons both receive training and content-focused grants from ABCID, which helps, but doesn't fund the underpinning costs for a media business or keep on the lights. Both Mr Eremae, who edited two major newspapers before founding the investigative outlet, and Mr Armbruster, a long-time SBS Correspondent, expressed their dismay at the US pivot away from the Pacific. "It's a huge mistake on the part of the US ... the world's leading democracy. The media is one of the pillars of democracy," Mr Eremae said. "It is, I believe, in the interests of the US and other democratic countries to give funding to media in countries like the Solomon Islands where we cannot survive due to lack of advertising (budgets). As a veteran of Pacific reporting, Mr Armbruster said he had witnessed US disinterest in the region contribute to the wider geopolitical struggle for influence. "The US government was trying to re-establish its presence after vacating the space decades ago. It had promised to re-engage, dedicating funding largely driven by its efforts to counter China, only to now betray those expectations," he said. "The US government has senselessly destroyed a highly valued news service in the Pacific. An own goal."
