Anthony Albanese hosts Teal MPs for charm offensive drinks at The Lodge
The Prime Minister may well need them in the coming federal election, so it’s no surprise Anthony Albanese is hosting Teal and independent MPs tonight at The Lodge as he seeks to win their support in the event of a minority government.
NSW
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Teals and independent MPs have flocked to The Lodge at the invitation of Anthony Albanese as the Prime Minister launches a crossbench charm offensive on the eve of an election that could plunge Labor into minority government.
The eclectic mix of MPs sipped wine and soft drinks and snacked on finger food as the gathered at the official prime ministerial residence in Canberra on Tuesday evening, having received the seemingly impromptu invitation earlier that day.
NSW MPs Allegra Spender, Zali Steggall, Kylea Tink, Sophie Scamps, Andrew Gee and Dai Le, Victorians Monique Ryan, Zoe Daniel and Helen Haines, South Australian Rebekah Sharkie and Western Australian Kate Chaney were among the attendees who arrived for the brief event, which began at 6.30pm and was over by 8.
Some of the MPs who attended suggested conversation was light-hearted and squeezed in around commitments at parliament.
“The Prime Minister was a welcoming host. I needed to leave early to return to the parliament,” Mayo MP Ms Sharkie said.
Fowler MP Ms Le also suggested the nature of the meeting didn’t revolve around post-election support.
“It was nice to see The Lodge and learn the history,” she said.
“(It was the) first time for me. (I) just had some nibbles and mineral water and left as I had to return to parliament for work.”
Goldstein MP Zoe Daniel said any opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister was “worthwhile”.
“It’s important to have genuine and meaningful discussions with both sides,” Ms Daniel said.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who is the leader of government business in the lower house, and Education Minister Jason Clare also attended the event.
With the exception of Ms Tink, who is due to exit parliament this term after her seat of North Sydney was abolished in a redistribution, all the crossbench MPs are potential critical votes for Mr Albanese should Labor fail to secure a majority of seats at the next federal election due by May 17.
No Greens MPs were invited to The Lodge shindig, despite also holding a potentially vital role in helping Mr Albanese form government in the event of a hung parliament.
Mr Albanese’s focus on the inner-city “Teal” MPs, who largely all swept into office in 2022 ousting moderate Liberals from their once-blue ribbon seats, and other outer suburban and regionally based independents like Ms Haines and Ms Sharkie, is likely due to Labor not looking to contest their electorates.
However, Ms Le, who is staring down a Labor challenge in her western Sydney seat of Fowler, and Mr Gee, who is looking to retain his regional NSW seat of Calare as an independent after quitting the Nationals Party over the Voice referendum, are considered unlikely to be allies of Labor in a minority government situation.
Some of the Teals have already started outlining their demands should either Labor or the Coalition seek their support to form government, with Ms Scamps this week revealing she wanted a new commission to build the case for longer term reforms.
She also said health, public integrity and climate change would dictate who she supported.
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Originally published as Anthony Albanese hosts Teal MPs for charm offensive drinks at The Lodge
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