Q+A Tonight Thursday 26 May on ABC TV

David Speers hosts Q+A live from Melbourne tonight for more post-election analysis.

It’s an election result unlike any other – a change in government coinciding with a shift away from the major parties and an overwhelming endorsement of female ‘teal’ independents, driven by disillusioned female voters. After three terms in Opposition, Labor is now in government, led by Anthony Albanese who has swiftly been sworn in as the 31st Prime Minister of Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says “the Australian people have voted for change” and his government will build a “better future for all Australians”. Labor is expected to form an outright majority government and the full ministry will be sworn in next week. What do you think a Labor government mean for Australia’s future? Will they succeed in changing politics in Australia? What sway will a larger-than-ever crossbench have in shaping national policy?

Meanwhile conservative Liberal Peter Dutton is set to replace Scott Morrison as party leader with former Environment Minister Sussan Ley emerging as the front runner for deputy. The soul searching for the party has begun after it lost a swathe of seats, many held by moderates in traditional Liberal heartland. Now it’s been revealed a group of Liberal MPs urged former deputy Josh Frydenberg to challenge Scott Morrison for the leadership last September. The former treasurer lost his seat to independent Monique Ryan. What direction will the party take with Peter Dutton at the helm? How will this new leadership lead the party on key election issues like climate change, the treatment of women and the establishment of a federal anti-corruption commission?

Voters also punished Labor by giving their vote to independent candidates in safe Labor seats and for the first time in history, a major party won the federal election with less than a third of the national vote. More than a dozen women and a record number of MPs from diverse backgrounds will make up the next parliament and the Greens are also expected to increase their representation in the lower house. How will more independents and minor parties influence the next parliament? Will they support the new Labor government’s policy platform?

Anthony Albanese and newly installed Foreign Minister Penny Wong have wasted no time getting to work, attending the Quad meeting in Tokyo this week, along with leaders from the United States, Japan and India. Climate change, China’s increasing assertiveness in the region and the war in Ukraine were all on the agenda, as well as the government’s $470 million foreign aid package. While China has congratulated the new Labor Prime Minister on his election victory signalling a thawing relationship between the two countries going forward, Mr Albanese has called on China to lift trade sanctions on Australia. What will Australia’s foreign policy look like under an Albanese government? What will it mean for our relationship with China?

Joining David Speers on the panel:

Amanda Rishworth, Labor Member for Kingston
Andrew Bragg, Liberal Senator for NSW
Mehreen Faruqi, Greens Senator for NSW
Monique Ryan, Independent Member for Kooyong
Alexander Downer, Former Liberal Foreign Affairs Minister

Airdate: Thursday 26 May 2022 at 8:30pm on ABC TV.