Q&A recap: Jim Molan plans political return

Jim Molan made a bid to return to politics in Arthur Sinodinos’ newly vacant Senate seat.

Former senator Jim Molan appears on the ABC's Q&A.

Retired general and former senator Jim Molan used last night’s episode of Q&A to make a bid to return to politics in Arthur Sinodinos’s newly vacant Senate seat.

General Molan said in the federal election he received a historical high of over 137,000 first preference votes after a campaign urging people to vote below the line, causing anger in the NSW Liberal Party.

“My understanding is that (those) 137,000 voters — that it’s not just that election, it’s the largest number of first-preference votes than any individual politician has got at state and federal level in the history of Australian politics,” General Molan said.

“I have not made any argument to the Prime Minister (to take Mr Sinodinos’s seat) and I would not make that argument to the Prime Minister …. I will run for preselection, and I will leave it up to the preselectors.”

Jim Molan had the highest personal vote count in Australia, but couldn’t claim a seat. Does he believe that factional politics disadvantages the interests of the people? #QandA pic.twitter.com/7QunDxcF8I

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) July 15, 2019

General Molan said he still had work he wanted to do in politics, using Q&A to outline what he would do if he returned to the Senate.

“I also have one significant issue of unfinished business, and that is I will propose, and encourage government to adopt a national security strategy … I’m not asking government to spend one more cent on defence, but what I’m saying … is that there are very important issues across not just defence, but across energy, food resilience, water resilience, a number of different areas that need to be addressed which are not being addressed.”

Labor spokeswoman for Indigenous Affairs and Social Services Linda Burney joked General Molan’s monologue on his qualifications was like “a job interview”.

Comedian Sami Shah laughed: “This ad brought to you by Jim Molan.”

General Molan made this pitch to return to politics despite saying factional politics in NSW was “stark-raving mad”.

Indigenous recognition

Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt’s proposal for a referendum on indigenous recognition in the Constitution kicked off a discussion over whether the voice, which would consult on legislation, would create a so-called “third chamber” of government.

Ms Burney ruled out the voice becoming a third chamber, calling it “nonsense”.

Are claims that establishing an Indigenous voice to Parliament would create a ‘third chamber’ just “dog whistling”? #QandA pic.twitter.com/LF4bCDk0Ul

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) July 15, 2019

“I want to say once and for all, and draw a line under it for the naysayers, a voice to the parliament is not, never has been perceived, and will not be a third chamber,” Ms Burney said.

“It is nonsense and it’s mischievous to even describe it as that … there is a long way to go with this discussion, and I believe that having an Indigenous voice to the parliament would be beneficial to everyone,” Ms Burney said.

Ms Burney said neither she or the Labor Party would make concessions: “I am not talking about, and the Labor Party is, not talking about compromise.”

She said the Labor Party would work “collaboratively” with the government, but the views of indigenous people would be at the forefront of discussions.

Marketing expert and political strategist Toby Ralph said he was looking for real leadership from Mr Wyatt, but he understood the government’s hesitancy to put out concrete proposals about the voice.

“I think if (Mr Wyatt) put a specific recommendation it could get shot down now. I think it is unsurprising that some people have very high expectations of the great news that will come from (the proposal), and others are scared of it. I think that’s all just part of a conversation that will evolve.”

General Molan said he was unwilling to put the voice in the Constitution, and the government should be wary of doing things for symbolism.

“I think if it becomes a symbolic activity, you have to ask yourself why you would do it. I’m not scared of the position, But … I can’t see how (the voice) is related to the Constitution,” General Molan said.

“I find it very, very interesting that having taken racial references out of the Constitution, we’re going to put them back in.

“You’re not going to solve homelessness, you’re not going to solve any of those issues by putting them in the Constitution,” General Molan said.

.@JimMolan thinks Indigenous Australians would not benefit from any changes to the constitution. #QandA pic.twitter.com/YtnrHttJ4b

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) July 15, 2019

Centre Alliance MP for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie said the referendum was a “huge opportunity” for recognition of indigenous people.

“It’s about recognition and you need to ensure that in a Constitution we recognise that this land has been the land of Aboriginal people for 60,000 years,” Ms Sharkie said

Shah said the indigenous referendum was not a case of identity politics. He said Indigenous Australians should be given extra help and recognition because they have suffered more than other Australians, after an audience member said it was unfair to make decisions based on race rather than need.

“It’s easy to dismiss the value of race when it’s not something that has been a defining aspect of your life, when it’s not something that has been used to vilify, deprive, and in many cases destroy entire communities,” Shah said.

Ms Burney agreed, saying indigenous communities had suffered huge bigotry in Australia.

“The truth is First Nations people have a special relationship with the land and have a very spiritual relationship with country which has gone back tens of thousands of generations … if you think bigotry and racism has not been part of the Australian story, then you are wrong,” Ms Burney said.

“The thing I see daily are the terrible outcomes of that bigotry and that racism and that history.”

Ms Burney said the Labor Party had “completely embraced” the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and the voice should not be separated from recognition of Indigenous Australians in the Constitution.

Propaganda in elections

Mr Ralph said political parties could be “locked up” for the misrepresentations made in the election, including the debate over franking credits.

“I think (political advertising) leads to duplicitous but robust debate. My hope — and my belief, actually — is that Australians are actually smart enough to see through the nonsense that we produce and make a balanced decision at the end of the day.

“(In the federal election) you had allegations of death duties, which bubbled up which were patently false. The franking credits situation was patently misrepresented.

Does Toby Ralph believe politicians can be truthful and still win an election? #QandA pic.twitter.com/BqY9jLYHwN

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) July 15, 2019

“Were that a corporation … they could be locked up. You know, they’d be done under the Misleading and Deceptive Trade Practices Act” Mr Ralph said.

Ms Sharkie said the solution to the political spin in elections was to have a “live” reporting system on political donations.

“My belief is that we need to get money out of politics. Because if we do, the major parties can’t afford the hired guns,” Ms Sharkie said.

“In order for us to get to the truth in political advertising, I think we need to get rid of money first.”