Lisa Singh

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

DOORSTOP

HOBART

WEDNESDAY, 27 JULY 2016

 

SUBJECTS: Re-election to Senate

SENATOR LISA SINGH: Well the people have spoken, this is a historic win, I’m very humbled by the support I have received and the personal support I have received. This is really though not just my win, it is the people’s win, the people of Tasmania who have made their voices heard throughout this election campaign and felt that they wanted to vote for a progressive Labor Senator. So I owe a huge, huge thank you to so many Tasmanians some twenty thousand or more of them in fact. I was told that is filling an entire Bellerive football oval. The issues that they voted for me on, the values and interests that they hold dear and that I also hold dear. I would like to thank a number of people, firstly there were so many grass roots members of the Tasmanian community that came on board to be part of this campaign, there were people who came off the street and asked how can I support Lisa’s re-election, how can I volunteer, there were people talking around the kitchen table, emailing, calling and came out in huge numbers whether it was coming into the office and talking to people, on the phones, letterboxing, or letter stuffing.

I owe a huge amount of gratitude and thanks to so many of them. Many of those people though were also Labor party members and I thank the bravery and commitment of so many rank and file members who were not happy that I was placed at the bottom of the Senate ticket and wanted to make their voices hear and indeed do something about it and certainly they did and so I thank all of them as well. They recognise that I have been working hard as a Labor Senator, that I have been representing the State now in politics in total for some ten years and that they wanted to seeme returned to the Senate. I also want to …in particular former Labor Senator Margaret Reynolds and former Labor Senator Kay Denham who quietly agitated and who were relentless in their efforts to get me re-elected.

I also need to thank the Re-Elect Lisa Group, this was a grass roots campaign, members of the community, people that I still have not met who went out of their way to put in their own funds, run their own campaign in the hope of course that I would be re-elected. That kind of outreach effort was pretty remarkable, the well spring of support from members of the community that simply wanted to ensure that a progressive Labor Senator continued on in the Senate.

Finally I do need to thank the AEC staff because this has been some three and a half weeks of waiting. We’ve had a number of people call asking when are we going to know and I know they were working as diligently as possible to get the result that we have today.

Many Tasmanians spoke to me outside the campaign about how they were not happy with me being pushed down the ticket, they expressed how they were going to vote below the line, that they were going to do something about it themselves and I think in Tasmania is shows that we do take our democracy seriously. We have of course the Hare Clarke system, we are used to choosing our candidates ourselves and looking at the individuals that we want to represent us in Parliament. I want to thank all of them for considering their vote and making their voices heard and taking an interest.

I’ve been pretty open to the fact that I would have preferred to have been higher up the ticket. But being lower down, well at least at the bottom has allowed me to campaign on my values. My values are Labor values, I am a Labor Senator, with Labor values that campaigned for a Labor win. I am very pleased with the campaign that I ran. I ran a dignified campaign based on integrity and respect for others and of course in the hope for a Shorten Labor government and I did campaign for as many Labor Senators to be elected as possible. Whether people voted above the line or below the line they were voting for Labor and I think the strong result reflects that. The fact that Labor has won five Labor Senators I don’t know whether that will be achieved anywhere else in the country and I think it is a fantastic result for Labor voters.

Now many considered many of you in this room considered this to be the unwinnable Senate spot. I think we have proved that wrong. Many people said to me it was impossible in fact to win from the bottom and in fact I started to believe it myself there for a while. But when people started phoning our office and saying they were going to vote below the line, when people started coming into the office asking how they could help to ensure I was elected, when people in the street basically anywhere we went would come up to me and say hang in there, we want you re-elected. I started to realise a momentum was going on in Australia and that perhaps the impossible would be possible. That resulted in people asking for my poster, at that time I didn’t have any posters so we then had to actually get to work and decide that we needed to run a campaign. I ran as I said a campaign that was dignified, I ran a campaign to be re-elected as a progressive Labor Senator. So as well as campaigning for a Shorten Labor government I was campaigning of course for my own re-election. So what a historic win this is, this is a special and historic day because Tasmanians have decided for themselves who they want elected into the Senate, they have taken their democratic rights seriously and chosen for themselves rather than following a party ticket order. I understand this kind of primary vote is unusual in fact I was told it is the first time this has been achieved since 1953. So we have made some history today but in Tasmania we are used to making history. We are pretty good at it. So to all of those people who told me they had their fingers crossed and some of them their toes, you can uncross them now. This is your win, this is an incredible day, a historic day for Tasmania and I am very, very humbled by all the support.

But I am not going to dwell on this result, it is back to work and back to ensuring I am representing the people of Tasmania and the issues and interests that they elected me for. They voted in a progressive Labor Senator and I stand by the progressive values I hold and ensuring I represent their views here in Tasmania and in the Senate. There is a lot of work to do in keeping the Turnbull Liberal government holding them to account but also standing up for the issues which are important to Tasmanians. Whether it is our elderly who are making decision to keep their heating on or go to bed to keep warm, whether it is ensuring we have decent quality education in Tasmania for all our student not matter where they live, or whether it is fighting for bulk billing to not be a thing of the past because of a Medicare rebate freeze that this government doesn’t seem to want to budge on. There are so many issues that are important to stand for Tasmanians on and that is exactly what I intend to get straight back on to doing.

JOURNALIST: Do you think this result will make the Labor party in Tasmania look at the pre-selection process?

SINGH: Before I answer that question I just need to add one thing. I do want to pay tribute today to Richard Colbeck. I think that all of us go in to Parliament, despite our differences with a similar ambition to make our communities better places and I now that Richard has had that ambition and has served Tasmanians well, and I do want to wish him the best for his future endevours. I do know what it is like to lose your seat, it happened to me in 2010, so I do wish Richard all the best today and that he continues to hold his head up high, he certainly should be doiong that.

JOURNALIST: Is it time for the Labor party to reconsider the pre-selection process and rank and file inclusion as you’ve mentioned many times today?

SINGH: Well look I’ve said all along that I think it is always a good thing when a party, when the Labor party tries to democracize itself. There is a discussion to be had to ensure our pre-selection process is fair and accountable as possible. I think that Labor party members don’t join the Labor party to be part of backroom deals, they join the Labor party to be part of a party that represent their values and so that they can have a say in the party’s structures. So there is an ongoing discussion to be had on those issues. But today I will probably leave that to others because today is really about reflecting on a historic win, a win for the Tasmanian people.

JOURNALIST: You go back without your Shadow Parliamentary Secretary role, how disappointing is that?

SINGH: Look I was disappointing in not holding onto my front bench position but in holding onto my seat and the factors around that I’m celebrating. So I think I can be just as effective on the backbench as the front bench in representing my values and the interests I hold. I have seen that things change in politics so who knows what the future holds in that space. We do have a number of talented people who make up the front bench and there were more talented people coming forward than positions but as I said at the time I was obviously disappointed in not staying on the front bench.

JOURNALIST: Just too clarify you would reject the proposition that people voted for you as an individual rather than voted for you as a member of the party?

SINGH: There were a number of Labor party members and supporters that voted for me because of the progressive Labor values that I hold. But there were also a number of people who told me they were voting for a Labor Senator for the first time. So there were clearly a mixture of voters that were voting for me. What is clear out of this election is that I gave Labor the best chance of winning the five Senate seats that has resulted. Without that we may not have got five. Clearly we have done well through people choosing a progressive Labor Senator to be elected as their choice. Now I think people voted for me based on two reasons, one they people voted for me as a progressive because I’m a progressive Labor senator and that’s who they wanted elected based on the values I hold. Other people voted for me because they were not happy with me being pushed down the ticket and they wanted to make their democratic voices heard so the result has been a very strong below the line vote. In fact stronger than I could’ve ever thought or hoped for. I have gone beyond doubling my below the line vote from the 2010 election. Those votes have come across the state and from all sections of our community. The fact I had a high vote in Bass and Lyons and Franklin not just in Denison which is obviously the seat I used to hold at the State level and where I live shows that this is a result for a lot of Tasmanian's wanting somebody like me elected to the Senate again.

JOURNALIST: Have you spoken to Bill Shorten since the result? And if so what did he have to say?

SINGH: I have spoken to Bill, not since today but I have spoken to Bill when it looked like the result was looking good. Bill congratulated me on bringing such an incredible vote into the Labor party.

JOURNALIST: You have said it was factional deals that got you demoted to the bottom of the ticket in the first place, how can you stop that from happening again?

SINGH: Well as I answered before I think I’ll leave that for others to discuss for now. I think those are reflections for the future. I hope that I have made the path a little bit easier for the next person who may be in my position because we have shown that the impossible is possible that no matter where you are placed on the ticket if you stand by your values and it’s representing the Labor party and to go into parliament then people will vote  as how they see fit. They won’t necessarily follow the senate ticket and now we have these new senate voting rules, you only have to vote 1-12 it is not as hard anymore to vote below the line. Having said that we have a history in Tasmania of voting below the line more than any other state and again I think that is because of our Hare Clarke system and the fact we are used to choosing our own individual candidates. So this is going to make things different, not just in Tasmania but across the country in the future when it comes to party ticket orders and what then the voters want. I think there has been a clear disconnect in what the Labor party’s ticket was and what the people of Tasmania wanted for themselves.

JOURNALIST: Do you hold any resentment towards parts of the Labor party given it was that which saw you so low on the ticket and how hard you have had to work for this win?

SINGH: Not at all, not at all, I am part of the Labor team, this is about getting back on and fighting the Turnbull Liberal government. Internal politics, external politics I am in the business of politics so these shenanigans happen from time to time would I have like things to have been different, well potentially. Of course who would want to be at the bottom of the senate ticket when you’re on the front bench and you’re a sitting senator and you’re in your first term. But as it has turned out the people took that decision into their own hands, they decided for themselves who they wanted elected and today they have certainly won and they have made their voices heard loud and clear.

JOURNALIST: Will you receive a three year term or a six year term?

SINGH: I don’t know about that I understand and obviously everyone can read Antony Green’s blog and get bogged down in it, there are two different methods and all the rest of it. So I’ve come tenth out of twelve in the senate count today on the basis of that I would that perhaps I would be in the three year term but I would probably need that confirmed once the senate makes that decision and that happens by way of motion once it has been worked out. But ot have come tenth again I think is something that I think anyone, certainly my expectations and I think it is a credit again to the dedication, commitment and support right across the state and those who worked hard. People felt they were part of something.

JOURNALIST: Have you been congratulated by any of your fellow Labor Senators for this historic win?

SINGH: I have, and if you haven’t heard my phone going off the entire time we’ve been here but it has been pretty constant. A number of my colleagues in the federal caucus but also our state MP’s as well.

JOURNALIST: But your fellow Labor Senators? Have they congratulated you yet?

SINGH: That could be them right there.

JOURNALIST: You have a huge personal mandate now and you have spoken about being a progressive Labor, about refugees about being more compassionate, are you freer now to advocate on those issues, particularly when you’re not on the front bench as well?

SINGH: Indeed I think being on the backbench does give you a certain level of freedom to be able to stand for those issues whether you’re fighting internally in the party caucus or whether it is externally. People know very much that I have quite a long history now of standing up for a more compassionate and humane refugee policy and I will continuing to fight for that.

JOURNALIST: What in particular do you mean there?

SINGH: Well we shouldn’t have children in detention to start with. I think that what has transpired over the last day in relation to the incarceration of children in youth juvenile centers in the Northern Territory is absolutely abhorrent and well done to Four Corners for obviously highlighting it. As a former Corrections Minister I was absolutely disgusted and horrified at the way this is happening in Australia. How we are treating young boys, who have been incarcerated and that’s what it is. Whether it is detention offshore or children in detention onshore we certainly need to live up to the human rights standards that we have signed in ensuring we treat people decently.

JOURNALIST: What about boat turnbacks, are they compassionate?

SINGH: I have never been supportive of boat turnbacks, I made that very clear within my party and I hope that despite it now being Labor party policy that it is never going to have to be used if we were again in government.

JOURNALIST: Have you spoken to John Short since it became obvious that he wouldn’t win?

SINGH: No

JOURNALIST:  As a former Corrections Minister do you support a Royal Commission into children in detention being broadened into all jurisdictions or just the Northern Territory?

SINGH: Look I think there could be some scope, I would like to know more from those other states on a government level to see if there is scope in that, to see if there is any malfeasance in those other states then yes it should be broadened.

JOURNALIST: Is there any way you can make the Labor party see that you are the most popular Senator so they should put you higher next time?

SINGH: Well, we will wait and see Felicity, I’ve only just got elected so I’m not really thinking about the next time yet, I’m just focusing on getting back to the job and back to work representing in the Senate over the next little while. I think it has been very interesting this campaign, we’ve had a long eight week campaign and I understand, well I know that it was called to get rid of the cross bench and instead what has Malcolm Turnbull done? Given birth to Pauline Hanson mark two times three. I mean what a disaster as far as that has been, as far as any election attempt to clear out the cross bench. Of course Jacqui Lambie a Senator here in Tasmania has been re-elected and she has worked very hard in her short time in the senate and obviously Tasmanian's have rewarded her in that sense as well.

I have looked back on this time and with the Chilcott report released a couple of weeks ago, it made me really reflect on my time being involved in politics since 2003. I was part of forming the Hobart Peace Coalition in Tasmania. Mums and Dads, all kinds of people got out on the streets, grassroots community support to voice our concerns about the Iraq war. In fact it led me to getting Hobart Citizen of the Year in 2004 from my work in being part of that grassroots community campaigning. I think I have continued to hold those kind of grassroots community supports with me throughout my entire time in politics and that is reflected in the fact that my door is always open, I’ve always listened to people, I’ve always been honest with them. If they have asked for my help I’ve honestly told them what I can and can’t do and then responded in doing so. I think that that’s really the way to be a politician, not only do you live by your values but you be honest to people about what you can do and I think Tasmanian's have felt that they have been lied to in the circumstances here. That there were promises made that were never delivered. These are the reasons that people get disillusioned in politics and I think that this is why in this election, whether it is the Liberals broken promises, being disillusioned in politics or finding me at the bottom of the ticket. People have decided to vote for what they believe is important, represents their values and their interests. Someone decent and honest and I think that is an important lesson out of this campaign. Whatever political stripe you have being open and honest and decent to people will keep you in good stead.

JOURNALIST: Just briefly you mentioned when things looked good you were congratulated by the opposition leader, when was that, when was the fist bump?

SINGH: That was last week, before I went to the Labor caucus, so fair to say last week.

JOURNALIST: Do you think that rank and file members should have 100% say on preselection?

SINGH: Yes, I do and that is the case in the ACT team. This is the problem we all have different rules across the country, I think 100% rank and file is completely democratising our party and that is a good thing.

JOURNALIST: In this situation it was a double dissolution election so it was an excuse to do something different which was the Admin Committee making a decision, do you think it was justified to make a quick decision like that given the circumstances?

SINGH: That’s a good question, I understand expediency. Following processes which enfranchise party members is always a better outcome.

JOURNALIST: Is it fair to say you and your Labor party colleagues are really surprised how well the Shorten Labor party did this time around?

SINGH: Yes, we are, we didn’t think we would do that well, it was fantastic.

JOURNALIST: Are you nervous at all about your reception, is there going to be some hostility?

SINGH: No, not at all, I think that people have to accept the result. The result speaks for itself, I think we wouldn’t have won five senators without the result I received. In fact I’ve got some work being done with the Parliamentary Library that actually will get to the bottom of that.

JOURNALIST: Are you going to use that to lobby for a higher position within the Shadow Ministry?

SINGH: Well the Shadow Ministry has all just been done and dusted. So that is that for now. But certainly it is good to quell any misunderstanding if people think that John Short may have got elected instead of me. That is really what I am looking into, it is my understanding that we would have only won four spots, we have won five and we gone through all the other states and we are not winning five in any other state. This will be the only state to win five, that’s an incredible result and a result that would not have happened without campaigning and community support.

JOURNALIST: Your election was probably too late for Shadow Cabinet but do you think there is a better way dealing with unaligned members and getting them into the front bench?

SINGH: Yes I do. It shouldn’t matter whether you are in a faction or not in a faction based on merit. If you are good enough, talented enough, intelligent enough to be an effective member of the shadow ministry than you should be there. I think Andrew Leigh is a good outcome of that, he’s independent, he’s unaligned and he is in the Shadow Ministry.

JOURNALIST: Only just…

SINGH: But it should be based on merit. You know, what can I say.

JOURNALIST: Do you think you will have another tough fight in another three years?

SINGH: Well three years is a while away isn’t it? Jess is…Look we all are a little bit exhausted, but exhausted with a smile on our face so you know it is a good exhausted. If I knew the Senate count was going to take so long I could’ve had a holiday or something but I probably wouldn't have been able to relax.

JOURNALIST: And the Machine Knitters can stay!

SINGH: and we’ve told them! We’ve told all the community groups that they can come back and they’re all very happy!