TRANSCRIPT - Sky News NewsDay with Kieran Gilbert

PAUL FLETCHER MP

Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts

Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy

Manager of Opposition Business in the House

TRANSCRIPT

SKY NEWS NEWSDAY

12 December 2024

Kieran Gilbert: Let’s return to federal politics. Joining me now is the Manager of Opposition Business, Paul Fletcher. Paul, thanks for your time. You’ve, since we last spoke, announced you’re going leave politics at the next election. When did you make the call to call time on your political career?

Paul Fletcher: Good to be with you, Kieran. And it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a little while. But I reached the 15 year mark last week and I’ve had a very good run. I’m very grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had, including the opportunity to serve as a Cabinet Minister. But now it’s time for somebody else to have a go. I believe renewal is healthy for individuals and organisations. We’re going to get a great field of candidates in Bradfield seeking pre-selection, seeking to be the pre-selected Liberal candidate. I know we’re going to have a great candidate and I’m very confident we’re going to hold the seat of Bradfield.

Kieran Gilbert: There was a suggestion that you had made the call late in the piece and precluded Matt Kean from having a run. Was that part of your thinking?

Paul Fletcher: My thinking was about renewal, certainly wanting to achieve some personal renewal, but also renewal within the party room in Canberra. I’m keen to see a very capable, energetic, new Liberal candidate pre-selected and win the seat and come into the party room in Canberra and represent the people of Bradfield. So that was my overwhelming focus.

Kieran Gilbert: And there’s it’s not because you think that while you might get close at the next election, you could face another term in Opposition?

Paul Fletcher: I think the Dutton Opposition is extremely well placed at the next election. If you’d asked any Australian, I think two and a half years ago, did they think we would where we are now, most people would have said no. But what we’ve seen is that the Albanese Labor government is chaotic and hopeless. We’ve seen 12 interest rate rises. We’ve seen real per capita incomes down 8.7%. So people feel poorer and there’s a good reason for that. They are poorer. The economic statistics show it. The same time Peter Dutton has led a focused, disciplined Opposition. And I think the Liberal National parties are very well placed at the next election. So certainly that was not a factor in my thinking. I think we’ve got a very strong team.

Kieran Gilbert: How are the moderates? How are the moderates placed, given you and Simon Birmingham, two senior moderates in the Liberal Party pulled the pin in as many weeks?

Paul Fletcher: Simon and I are certainly from the same philosophical tradition. There are plenty of others in the party room from that philosophical tradition. Our party is at its best when the different strands of philosophical traditions are both well represented within the Liberal Party room. That is the case, and we’re going to have some very good people coming into the party room at the next election. There’s a number of seats where sitting MPs, including myself, are standing down and their replacements stand a very good chance of being elected. And there’s a number of other seats which are not held by the Liberal and National parties at the moment, where the candidate stands a very good chance of being elected. So that will mean a lot of fresh new talent coming into the Coalition party room. And amongst those will certainly be people with the same, I guess, philosophical framework that both Simon Birmingham and I have been proud to advocate for during our time in the parliament.

Kieran Gilbert: Now, just to finish up on this issue, that you haven’t made the call at this late stage to block Matt Kean, as I mentioned earlier. There has been a suggestion that you didn’t want him to be your successor. Is that is there any truth to that?

Paul Fletcher: That was not a consideration at all. Look, Matt Kean is a friend of mine. He’s delivered great service to the people of New South Wales. He’s obviously gone off and made other career choices now. My consideration overwhelmingly was making sure that we could attract a very good field of candidates into the pre-selection process. In Bradfield, that pre-selection process already underway. Some excellent candidates have come forward. I’ve said to my conference, it’s been reported publicly that I think choosing a woman would be a smart move. We’ve got some outstanding Liberal women. I know a number will be putting themselves forward through the pre-selection process. I won’t be backing any particular candidate but I want to see a strong Liberal candidate, and I look forward as soon as he or she is chosen, to campaigning strongly with our candidate over the my remaining time in parliament.

Kieran Gilbert: Just quickly before you go, a major issue continues to reverberate on antisemitism in this country. The government’s defended its position at the United Nations when it comes to Israel and saying that the two things are different. Do you think that they are, can the government change its position on Israel at the UN and stand up to antisemitism appropriately in this country?

Paul Fletcher: They’re clearly related. There’s been a lack of strong leadership from Anthony Albanese, from Penny Wong, from Tony Burke. There’s been a lack of clarity in opposing antisemitism. These are the same positions these people were taking as student left wing activists 30 plus years ago. This is extremely serious. My constituents, I have the second largest Jewish community in New South Wales in a federal electorate. I’m very proud to represent all of my constituents, but certainly my Jewish constituents. They tell me they are concerned for their personal safety. It is shameful that we should be at this point in Australia. We need to see clear leadership from Anthony Albanese. Peter Dutton has been showing good leadership. We need the Prime Minister to match that.

Kieran Gilbert: Paul Fletcher, talk to you soon.

Paul Fletcher: Thanks, Kieran.