"Getting Murdoched" and Raiding Pine Gap - Andrew Dodd, Matthew Ricketson, David Shoebridge

Yes.

the ALP National Conference was on.

And I think we all just got to witness the Stalinist tendencies of Albanese play out.

It was the most distinctly bland national conference I think that anybody can remember.

And that's saying a lot because there hasn't been huge debates really since the whole Keating era.

But there was literally no debate at all.

I think the only thing that crept through was the issue of telehealth for assisted dying for the regions.

And despite Ed Husic's best efforts to be a one-man opposition on a whole range of issues, we got nothing on gambling.

We got nothing on AUKUS.

We got nothing on Gaza.

I hope you shouldn't really be surprised though, Dave.

No, I guess I have to confess, you know, sort of some ignorance.

I've been in the desert storming a CIA base with a bunch of Palestinians and indigenous people.

I've been sort of tuned out.

But it sounds to me, Joe, like it's gone as you would expect.

It sounds to me like Ed Husic, you know, Trying is best, but ultimately this is a ship that is too rotten and headed in a certain direction that I don't think any individuals inside can steer it around at this point.

I did note on the socials there were protests outside the conference.

Activists, Extinction Rebellion resurfaced, some climate protests.

I'm not really surprised, but the way you describe it, it sounds very much like Albanese's way or the highway with little dissent tolerated.

Look, it was absolutely the case.

And I really wonder what the rank and file membership must be thinking about all of this because we have heard that they were already feeling frustrated at the direction of the Albanese government.

And then now for the national conference, which...

You know, it has always been something of a set piece, but there have nonetheless been dissenting voices previously allowed.

When Husic was out there trying his best, I mean, they, you know, he was subject to ad hominem attacks.

Oh, it's just always about Ed for Ed, you know, when he's actually trying to make kind of the moral argument for a stronger position on Gaza and against Israel's behaviour, not even against Israel.

Yes.

the ALP National Conference was on.

And I think we all just got to witness the Stalinist tendencies of Albanese play out.

It was the most distinctly bland national conference I think that anybody can remember.

And that's saying a lot because there hasn't been huge debates really since the whole Keating era.

But there was literally no debate at all.

I think the only thing that crept through was the issue of telehealth for assisted dying for the regions.

And despite Ed Husic's best efforts to be a one-man opposition on a whole range of issues, we got nothing on gambling.

We got nothing on AUKUS.

We got nothing on Gaza.

I hope you shouldn't really be surprised though, Dave.

No, I guess I have to confess, you know, sort of some ignorance.

I've been in the desert storming a CIA base with a bunch of Palestinians and indigenous people.

I've been sort of tuned out.

But it sounds to me, Joe, like it's gone as you would expect.

It sounds to me like Ed Husic, you know, Trying is best, but ultimately this is a ship that is too rotten and headed in a certain direction that I don't think any individuals inside can steer it around at this point.

I did note on the socials there were protests outside the conference.

Activists, Extinction Rebellion resurfaced, some climate protests.

I'm not really surprised, but the way you describe it, it sounds very much like Albanese's way or the highway with little dissent tolerated.

Look, it was absolutely the case.

And I really wonder what the rank and file membership must be thinking about all of this because we have heard that they were already feeling frustrated at the direction of the Albanese government.

And then now for the national conference, which...

You know, it has always been something of a set piece, but there have nonetheless been dissenting voices previously allowed.

When Husic was out there trying his best, I mean, they, you know, he was subject to ad hominem attacks.

Oh, it's just always about Ed for Ed, you know, when he's actually trying to make kind of the moral argument for a stronger position on Gaza and against Israel's behaviour, not even against Israel.