HOST:
Lots of people wanting to have their say, and I appreciate your patience. I am going to get two points of view, very quickly here, from two Labor MPs. It's important we here from these people because they are going to be deciding this stuff on Monday. We have two of them online, I have just worked out that they are on opposing sides. Let's, first of all, bring in David Bradbury, the Labor MP based in Western Sydney. David Bradbury, good afternoon.
BRADBURY:
Good afternoon Ben, how are you?
HOST:
Well, I'm very well. How are you going, which way are you going?
BRADBURY:
Look I'm supporting Prime Minister Julia Gillard, I've been very public in my support. I think she has been doing a very good job in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. I think under her leadership, the government has been delivering some real achievement that is having a real impact on the lives of people in our community but unfortunately I do think in recent times, I think a lot of the leadership speculation, the destabilisation that's been going on, really has been starving the Government of the opportunity that it's needed to sell that record of achievement, so in a sense I'm glad that this is coming to a head so it can be resolved hopefully once and all.
HOST:
David, you know at times like this we hear about people working the phones.
BRADBURY:
Yep.
HOST:
Well I'm working the phones right now, okay, because I have got Doug Cameron on the other the line.
BRADBURY:
Okay.
HOST:
Doug Cameron, good afternoon.
CAMERON:
How are you Ben? Hi, David.
BRADBURY:
Hi Doug, how are you?
CAMERON:
Good.
HOST:
Now gentlemen I'm working the phones here so I'm just going to lower the volume so no one hears this because David Bradbury you are on Julia Gillard's side and Doug Cameron you are on Kevin Rudd's team. So David Bradbury we have to win over Doug Cameron, so can you just explain to Doug Cameron why Julia Gillard needs to lead Labor.
BRADBURY:
Look, I think Julia Gillard has done a great job in difficult circumstances. We are not travelling exceptionally well in the polls - that is not a secret - but the reality is that we have taken some hard decisions and that is always going to present political challenges in the community, but I think particularly the risk of changing at this time and the risk of going to an early election at a time we are going through the process of implementing some of these reforms, we haven't bedded down some of the key reforms that we want to make and will make a really big impact on our community. If I can just underline the mining tax as an example. The opportunity here -
HOST:
Hold on David Bradbury. We need to check here, you sure you are winning over Doug Cameron? Doug Cameron are you being won over?
CAMERON:
Not convinced.
HOST:
Hold on, let's hear from Doug Cameron for a moment because we have heard from you David. Doug Cameron, let's swing it the other way. Let's work the phones the other way, can you please explain to David Bradbury, why we have to get rid of Julia Gillard and put Kevin Rudd in there.
CAMERON:
David, do you want to be a MP in the next election? If you do, vote for Kevin Rudd.
BRADBURY:
Well, if what you are saying Doug is that this is simply a question of making an assessment of political popularity at this point in time -
CAMERON:
No, it's who can win the next election.
BRADBURY:
I do believe that Julia Gillard can win the next election if she can and is given that opportunity. I am very disappointed, at every opportunity that I have seen, during the past six months in particular, just as the Government has started to get some traction on an issue there has been a leak, particularly to the Daily Telegraph I must say, and these leaks that 'there is going to be a challenge in three weeks', 'there is going to be a challenge before Christmas', 'there will be a challenge after Christmas'.
CAMERON:
Nonsense.
HOST:
Well they were right in the end weren't they Doug Cameron?
CAMERON:
It's just an absolute nonsense. You have got to accept some responsibility for your own actions. And you know Julia Gillard said to Tony Abbott, ' Game On'. Unfortunately the game has been on, but we haven't been on the field. We need someone that can actually take it up to Tony Abbott, because the big problem is that if Tony Abbott ends up the Prime Minister of this country, workers' rights are gone, penalty rates are gone, shift allowances are gone, all the good work in the environment are gone, the National Broadband Network gone, improvements to the health and the education system are gone. The fight is between the Labor party and Tony Abbott.
HOST:
Doug Cameron, why can you get along with Kevin Rudd when no one else can?
CAMERON:
Well that's not true.
HOST:
Not many can, you have to admit that. He has some personality issues.
CAMERON:
Can I tell you, I've known a number of prime ministers. Both Liberal and Labor and you could put that remark to every one of them. Every one of them. They are not in there because they are liked.
HOST:
Hmm. Yeah. David Bradbury will lose his seat at the next election. Is that what you are saying Senator?
CAMERON:
I don't think Julia Gillard can win the next election and David's got a big job ahead of him if the leader is not delivering the votes - that's part of the problem.
HOST:
David Bradbury, Doug Cameron has been around for a while. Don't you want to save your bacon?
BRADBURY:
Look, I have been around representing my local community for some 12 years and one thing I know is that people don't always stick their hands up in support of the hard decisions but if you are consistent, work hard, with a good ethic and you keep coming back for more as I have done over the years you will gain the respect of your community. Now there were plenty of people out there before the last election saying that I wasn't going to win. When the odds pushed out to four dollars on my seat, there were plenty of people telling me I couldn't win, but I'll tell you what. I kept door knocking until the end. I was handing out till 6 o'clock on the night.
HOST:
It was an upset though, I remember, I think I was covering your celebration party when you became MP. Just a final word, David Bradbury who is going to be Prime Minister next week?
BRADBURY:
Next week, it will be Prime Minister Julia Gillard all the way to the next election and beyond.
HOST:
Doug Cameron, who will be Prime Minister next week?
CAMERON:
Kevin Rudd.
HOST:
Do you want to wish each other luck?
CAMERON & BRADBURY:
[Laughter]
BRADBURY:
Good luck Doug, I did agree with much of what you said about if Tony Abbott was to get into office.
CAMERON:
Can I just say that David Bradbury is a good local Member, and hopefully he gets out there and will be back again. He is a good MP.
HOST:
Doug, Doug. Get on the blower after we are off air and just start twisting his arm. Offer him a Cabinet position. Isn't that how it works? Gentlemen I appreciate both of you coming on the air, truly.
BRADBURY:
Thanks very much Ben.
CAMERON:
See you.