Zali Steggall: Scott Morrison must look at climate change for the sake of his daughters
New Warringah MP Zali Steggall is calling on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to tackle climate change for the sake of his children, as she says it’s time for a more moderate form of politics.
Manly
Don't miss out on the headlines from Manly. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Warringah’s new MP Zali Steggall has called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to take a stronger stance on climate change, for the sake of his children.
In an exclusive interview with the Manly Daily she praised Mr Morrison’s campaign, but denied that the result showed less of a thirst for climate change action.
And she said the national political landscape looks great from her point of view and she hopes to capitalise from it.
The Coalition has 75 seats, with a number of seats still in doubt, leaving Prime Minister Scott Morrison waiting to see whether he will have a majority or not.
“The numbers are tight and that’s great from my point of view,” she told the Manly Daily.
“It forces a moderate form of politics and the need for collaboration.
“Even if it’s a majority government there will still be moderation. If it’s a minority government, even better.”
Although the former Olympian unseated Liberal giant and former prime minister Tony Abbott in a shock result in Saturday’s election, she said she was aligned with some of his party’s policies, including the economy.
Ms Steggall, 45, said she thought she would be able to work well with Scott Morrison who she congratulated on his incredible victory.
“He was a one-man band with one message on the economy,” she said.
“We agree on a stable economic policy.
“We understand that people need to be able to afford their lives.
“The core of Australia is small to medium businesses and owners need to feel the government is safe and going in the right direction.
“We are on a par and agree on that approach.”
However, on her main campaign issue of climate change of which she promised to be a “climate leader” to cheers from her supporters at Manly’s Novotel on Saturday night, she said the Liberals had a different perspective.
“I look forward to discussing it with him (Mr Morrison),” she said.
“He has two young daughters and he says what he does is for his children.
“In that case he can’t ignore the environment and what it will look like in the future.”
In response to the idea that climate change was not a main issue for voters after a win for the Coalition, Ms Steggall said she disagreed.
She said voters shied away from Labor because of the party’s complicated agenda, not its climate change policy.
“Labor’s economic reform agenda was not popular,” she said.
“Sadly, the key issue was climate change.”
Ms Steggall said it was the number one issue for the majority of Australians and if Labor had campaigned on that single issue they would have been better supported.
She also said she would like to see Tanya Plibersek as leader of the Labor Party.
“They need to review their leadership,” she said.
“Tanya Plibersek would be my choice.”
Her husband Tim Irving, 56, who joined her at Manly Beach today to walk their dog Charli, gave an insight into their family life. He said they had worked together as a team during the campaign, juggling their five children and two businesses.
He said all the family had helped canvas support, including his father Malcolm, who was a long standing friend of both heavyweight Liberals John Howard and Tony Abbott.
“My father wrote to Tony to say he would be supporting Zali in the campaign,” Mr Irving said.
IN OTHER NEWS
“He wrote back saying, ‘you have to support family’.”
He said they appreciated his sentiments and saw that he had a strong family backing him too.
Mr Irving said whatever people’s views Mr Abbott he had served his community for 25 years and should be respected for that.
Speaking on how politics was a brutal business to be in, he said his wife coped well with what had come her way and the flak even motivated her.
He said he was in no doubt that in everything she did next she would do with integrity.
Mr Irving said she was phenomenal, warning that “most people who underestimate her do so at their peril”.