[00:00:00] Hi, I'm Chrissy Mack from Radio Northern Beaches and you've just tuned in to the Listen and Chat with Chrissy Mack podcast. This is the space where we pull no punches, sometimes a little controversial, sometimes downright outrageous and sometimes just packed full of information that is interesting to know.
[00:00:18] I have tried, I really, truly have tried to stay out of politics, but honestly, they just give me way too much ammunition. Every time I think I'm out, our elected leaders hand me a comedy script on a silver platter. So today, grab a cup of tea, pull up your chair and let's talk about the absolute circus that went down in Parliament on Thursday.
[00:00:47] The 10th of September, 2026. If you tuned into Question Time today, hoping to see our elected leaders tackling high grocery bills, broken regional roads or local doctor shortages, you would have been bitterly disappointed. What we got instead was a textbook example of political theatre.
[00:01:12] A session that collapsed into a laughing stock over a lazy attempt at a political gotcha. The manager of the opposition business, Dan Tehan, who is also the federal member for Wannan, spent his precious time grilling the Prime Minister over a news story about an old membership detail.
[00:01:34] Even after it became glaringly clear that the facts didn't stack up because the Prime Minister wasn't even part of that electorate at the time, he doubled down and persisted. Instead of pivoting to real issues, he stood his ground until the Chamber treated the argument like a joke. By refusing to back down when the facts unravelled, he became a clown in a circus of his own creation.
[00:02:02] To understand why this is so frustrating, it helps to look at what the manager of opposition business is actually paid to do. In simple terms, that role is the chief strategist for the opposition on the floor of the Parliament. Their job isn't to sling mud or grab cheap headlines. Their job is to run a tight, tactical operation that holds the executive government accountable. They control the opposition's questions.
[00:02:32] They are supposed to inspect government legislation, spot political failures and use question time like a courtroom cross-examination. A good manager of opposition business gathers cold hard facts, unspent budgets, missing project deadlines, broken election promises and traps ministers in direct, inescapable questions. It is a serious position designed to force the government to answer to Australian politics.
[00:03:01] It is not meant to be a stage for partisan sideshows. While this political theatre played out, the real concerns of everyday Australians, and specifically the voters of South West Victoria, were left completely ignored. He should have brought specific figures to the table, demanding to know exactly how many minions in promised federal funding are still sitting locked in Canberra,
[00:03:30] while local council roads and freight highways in Wanoon deteriorate. He should have interrogated the government on targeted financial relief and input cost support for primary producers across dairy, livestock and grain farming. He should have confronted the health minister with precise questions on what is being done to fix the severe shortage of rural GPs and aged care beds across regional townships.
[00:03:57] That is how an MP uses power of office. You take the real world struggles of your community, back them up with facts and put them directly on the parliamentary record. Voters right across the political spectrum are exhausted by broad, lazy questions, personal attacks and politicians trying to prove each other liars. We couldn't care about procedural games or partisan scorecards.
[00:04:25] The job of an elected representative, especially one holding a senior parliamentary leadership role, is to bring the voices of their electorate to the floor of parliament. Today was a missed opportunity. It's time to drop the circus axe, skip the mudslinging and get back to representing the people who put them there.
[00:04:47] Now, if you've been listening to my recent podcast, you know I've been sharing a few thoughts on the state of our politics and where this nation is headed. And as usual, I always wrap up by saying these are my opinions and not necessarily anyone else's. Well, surprise, surprise. It turns out a lot of Australians are standing right there with me.
[00:05:11] A major study came out recently called the Purpose of Government Pulse, put together by the Centre of Policy Development. And when you look at the results, the message from everyday people couldn't be clearer. To put this report in plain speak, Australians are fed up with political theatre. They want the government to get back to basics and govern.
[00:05:33] Over half of the people surveyed, 55%, said they feel our politicians are completely focused on the wrong issues and are failing to serve the public interest. When asked what the government's main jobs should actually be, the number one answer was simple. Ensure a decent standard of living. People want them to focus on everyday essentials.
[00:05:57] Keeping a roof over our heads, fixing our roads, supporting our healthcare system and easing the cost of living. The study made it obvious that while Canberra is busy playing tactical political games, the rest of the country just wants them to deliver on the fundamental services that keep our communities running. And this isn't just a one-off result.
[00:06:22] When you look at other major national surveys, the exact same story keeps popping up. The ANU, Australian Election Study, says ongoing research shows a steady decline in how much trust people have in politicians. Their data regularly highlights that voters are exhausted by question time antics and partisan mudslinging. What people actually want are clear policies and real results in their local regions.
[00:06:52] And what about the Elder Trust Barometer? Their national tracking shows that a strong majority of Australians believe our political leaders actively focus on issues that divide us, rather than doing the hard work to solve our shared real-world problems. So, as it turns out, wanting our representatives to skip the circus acts, drop the cheap point scoring, and focus on things that actually matter isn't just my opinion.
[00:07:20] It's the overwhelming consensus of the Australian public. It's time for politicians across every party line to stop worrying about tomorrow's media cycle, listen to what the country is telling them, and get back to the actual job of governing the people. And as usual, these are my opinions, and not necessarily anybody else's. Yeah, have a great week. All right.
[00:07:46] I hope I've given you a lot to think about, and talk about, and debate, and maybe disagree with. Don't forget to follow, like, and share. Stay safe, and I'll catch you next time.