The books, podcasts and TV shows keeping WA politicians entertained these holidays

Next year is a big one for Western Australia’s politicians, with both a state and federal election looming – meaning the next few weeks will be crucial to decompress and reset for the year ahead.

So, when they’re not reading legislation or listening to parliamentary debate, what books, podcasts and movies are our pollies using to relax?

Black Doves is at the top of the watchlist for many WA pollies this Christmas break.Credit: Netflix via AP

WA Premier Roger Cook (Labor)

Cook says he’s just started reading WA journalist Joe Spagnolo’s Two Baggy Suits, an Accordion and the Alfa: “it’s funny and full of Perth nostalgia – a good beach read,” he says.

He’ll also continue streaming Netflix’s Black Doves with his wife Carly.

“I love a spy thriller and this is a great take on the genre,” he says.

He’ll also get pumped up for a holiday run or ride listening to EDM, including Japanese progressive house DJ Shingo Nakamura.

WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam

After bruising final few weeks, Mettam will tuck into former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston’s new book, The Chairman’s Lounge.

Joe Aston’s book The Chairman’s Lounge details Qantas’ ties to the top end of town.

“The downfall of Qantas’ reputation in recent years was fascinating to watch. Joe Aston played a remarkable role in the whole saga. I think he is one of Australia’s best writers, and I look forward to his first full-length piece of investigative journalism and really getting into the weeds of how and what exactly went wrong for Qantas,” she says.

On the telly, Mettam will watch the Boxing Day Test, which she says is a family tradition.

“My husband says it’s better than Christmas Day itself,” she says.

WA Opposition Leader and Nationals leader Shane Love

The WA Nationals and Liberals may not have aligned on policy this year, but their respective leaders reading tastes certainly have.

Love is looking forward to also getting stuck into The Chairman’s Lounge.

“I expect it is an insightful read about big business and politics in Australia,” Love says.

Federal opposition defence spokesman and Member for Canning Andrew Hastie (Liberals)

The former SAS member plans on reading the latest from The Rest is History podcast host Tom Holland – Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age – and renowned British engineer Adrian Newey’s book How to Build a Car: The Autobiography of the World’s Greatest Formula 1 Designer.

Newey’s book is homework for Hastie’s defence portfolio.

“Because we need to be more innovative and dynamic in defence,” he says.

In keeping with the defence theme, Hastie says he has also just finished the sniper spy series The Day of the Jackal.

WA Treasurer, Transport and Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti (Labor)

Saffioti says she doesn’t do podcasts, and her kids dominate the TV with repeats of Andy Samberg’s comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine – but when she’s not cooking or baking with her children, she likes to sneak in some football.

Cop comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a favourite in the Saffioti household.Credit: Eddy Chen/NBC

“For me, I love catching up on international football, especially watching the highlights of Serie A and Premier League in the morning,” she says.

WA opposition police, corrective services and culture and the arts spokesman and MLC Peter Collier (Liberals)

The retiring Liberal stalwart will be seeking comfort from an old favourite over the Christmas holidays by rewatching all 12 episodes of the John Cleese classic Fawlty Towers.

“While Fawlty Towers is irreverent and politically incorrect, it is also hilarious, and for me, it is a wonderful reminder of just how magnificent it was to live in the 1970s,” he says.

Federal Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Minister and Member for Burt, Matt Keogh (Labor)

Keogh says he will finish Rory Stewart’s Politics on the Edge and continue listening to The New Statesman and The Rest is Politics podcasts.

“Why? Because it’s always good to get broader context of how other countries with similar issues are seeking to solve problems,” he says.

Federal Shadow Attorney-General and WA Senator Michaelia Cash (Liberals)

The JD Vance fan plans on catching up on the Vice President-elect’s greatest hits over the holidays, including his book Hillbilly Elegy (and the 2020 film of the same name).

She also plans on setting aside three hours and 14 minutes for JD Vance’s Joe Rogan interview.

WA Finance, Commerce and Women’s Interests Minister Sue Ellery (Labor)

With retirement in her sights, Labor stalwart Ellery says she will do lots of reading over the break – all crime, and preferably Australian. She says UK-Australian author Alan Carter and Sydney writer Dave Warner both have new titles out.

“Definitely both of those to start,” she says.

In her earbuds she’ll be listening to Zoe Foster Blake’s playlist and The Rest is Politics podcast.

WA opposition child protection spokesman, shadow Attorney General and MLC Nick Goiran (Liberals)

After working his way back onto the WA Liberals’ frontbench, Goiran has a few books and shows to choose from, including Eric Metaxas’ Seven More Men – a collection of seven biographies on men of valour like Martin Luther and William Booth.

He says if he is in the mood for something lighter, he will read one of the Adventures of Tin Tin – in French.

On TV, he says he will watch season four of the crowdfunded drama about the life of Jesus of Nazareth The Chosen, or season 14 of Tom Sellick’s long-running police drama Blue Bloods.

Independent Member for Curtin Kate Chaney

Chaney says she will be catching up on some book club reads she missed this year like Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt and bingeing some Netflix with husband Bill, including spy thriller Black Doves.

Independent WA Senator Fatima Payman

After jettisoning from Labor and starting her own political party this year, Senator Fatima Payman plans to open up some recipe books, including Lebanese recipe book Sofra, which she was given by a delegation of women calling for peace in the Middle East that visited her earlier this year.

“This summer, I’m diving into Lebanese recipes—fresh flavours, rich traditions, and a fun way to celebrate culture while doing what I love: cooking!”

WA Greens leader and MLC Brad Pettitt

Juice, by WA author Tim Winton.

The WA parliament’s lone Greens member plans on finishing Tim Winton’s new dystopian climate change warning novel Juice.

He intends to catch up on New York Times columnist Ezra Klein’s podcast dissecting the US election and on the TV front has kicked off Netflix’s Black Doves.

WA Education, Aboriginal Affairs, Citizenship and Multicultural Interests Minister Tony Buti (Labor)

Voracious reader Buti has three books he wants to get through this break: Niall Williams’ Time of the Child; Roger Domeneghetti’s Everybody Wants to Rule the World: Britain, Sport & the 1980s; and John Grisham’s The Exchange.

In his earbuds he’ll be listening to The Rest is History, The Rest is Politics and Slow Burn: The Rise of Fox News while he’ll be streaming the Boxing Day test and Irish historical drama Say Nothing.

WA Planning, Lands, Housing, and Homelessness Minister John Carey (Labor)

Carey plans to unwind with a mix of political thriller and sci-fi with Netflix’s The Diplomat, Disney+’s Star Wars: The Skeleton Crew, and will round it out by reading Victoria E. Schwab’s popular fantasy novel A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic).

Central Wheatbelt MP and federal Nationals candidate for Bullwinkel Mia Davies

Davies plans to catch up on missed book club books like Verity by Colleen Hoover and Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club while doing a bit of homework on war nurses like Vivien Bullwinkel, who inspired the name of the electorate she is campaigning in at the next federal election.

“I listen to my book club books on the road as audiobooks, otherwise I’d never finish them,” she says.

“Sadly, did not make a meeting this year to enjoy the discussion (or wine and nibbles) – but love the recommendations from our group so continue to live in hope I’ll make one one day!”

Legalise Cannabis WA leader and MLC Brian Walker

The qualified GP says he is currently working on some professional development by working his way through the 600-page psychology book Values and the Evolution of Consciousness and on the political front will likely re-read The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism.

Walker says as a sci-fi tragic he will also read J.N. Chaney and Terry Maggert’s latest Backyard Starship series The Enemy Within and will binge the ABC series that delves into taboo subjects in Australian society You Can’t Ask That.

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