Party Tricks (2014) s01e03 Episode Script
The Launch
1 The political landscape's changed dramatically over the past few weeks.
To contest the seat of Mount Waverley and to spearhead our campaign, Mr David McLeod.
Could you just pop out and pick up a prepaid mobile? I can't do it on my phone because it's synced to Ann-Marie's computer.
I know you won't play dirty.
I know you won't attack me personally or my daughter.
OK, what is she wearing? She looks like a 22-year-old going to a nightclub to pick up.
Don't worry.
I'm not gonna post them.
Something's come up.
It's to do with Matilda McLeod.
A few photos have been floating around.
In one photo, she's deliberately exposing her right breast.
A 15-year-old's social media is private and not at all relevant.
She is actually 16.
It's not even anything.
It's just No-one's that keen on a journo sitting in the next room? I don't think you should be premier, David.
So I'm gonna fight hard.
And I'd expect nothing less.
You have five new messages.
Me again.
You're obviously still angry.
I'm sorry.
Gimme a call when you can.
Love you.
I'll have another one.
Sure.
Hi.
You've called Geoff's number.
Leave a message.
Hi, it's me.
Um, I'm sorry that I've missed your calls.
I haven't stopped all day.
And I'm not angry anymore.
I know you were just trying to help.
It's just that, I just I don't know how I feel about it all.
I, um I don't have to make a choice overnight so II'll call you tomorrow.
Hello, again.
What are you doing here? Exclusive with Ben Cousins.
What's your excuse? Thanks.
Leadership conference.
Hmm.
I'm glad you're not angry anymore.
No-one likes an angry premier.
Well, now, don't get ahead of yourself.
I haven't even decided whether I'll throw my hat in the ring.
Come on.
You and I both know it's yours for the taking .
.
if you want it.
Well, David .
.
truth is, I don't know what I want.
How about another drink? Look, all I'm saying is there's nothing wrong with personal ambition.
Huh? I agree.
No, you don't.
Just said I did.
What I'm saying is that there are times when your own agenda has to give way to your constituents' needs.
That's the whole idea of public service, isn't it? Serving the public, hence the term 'public service'.
It's not self-service, is it? No, I believe that's something else.
Oh Must be exhausting being such a smart-arse all the time.
Sometimes it is.
I'm I'm not a good drunk.
Oh, I dunno.
I think I'd prefer you drunk.
Well, it does have its advantages.
You're less annoying and slightly better looking.
Uhh Hi.
Hi.
Hey.
Hi.
How ya goin'? Yeah, good.
Good.
Good.
Great.
Why does everybody drink so much at these things? I don't know.
Ahh I thought you were really good today.
Oh, good on you.
You know, got a bit bored in the middle of it.
I reckon I pulled it out towards the end.
Yeah, the end was really strong.
See ya in the morning.
Yes.
See ya.
Sleep well.
That's me.
I don't need to ask you to keep our conversation between us, do I? No, you don't.
Goodnight.
Goodnight.
Ooh! Oh Are you following me? I'm on this floor too.
What are you doing? What are you doing? Ladies and gentlemen, it's my privilege to introduce the man who needs no introduction, a man who's not afraid to take on fresh challenges with his sheer tenacity and both hands.
The only Hawthorn supporter I'd sit to next to at the footy.
Ladies and gentlemen, the one, the only, the irrepressible .
.
David McLeod! # I don't know what you want from me # Or what you think # A love ought to be # I want something that's open and strong # As the country this road's moving on # From the mountain to the valley # From the ocean to the alley # From the highway to the river # One emotion to deliver # One heart # One way # One love # To share but not to chain # That's freedom # It's a song in the heart # A race in the wind # A light in the dark # That's freedom # It's a reason to live # And after the rain # Rekindle this fire Let freedom ring.
Thanks, Trevor.
Thank you, mate.
Well, it's impossible to overstate what it means to me to be standing before you today.
I love this state! You know, my old man used to say to me, "Dave, it doesn't get any better than this.
"You're growing up in the single best place in the world "at the best possible time, "and if you're prepared to work hard enough, "to back yourself and to think outside the box, "well, there's nothing you can't achieve right here.
" Sadly, though, I believe we're losing that Victoria.
We're losing it because this current government is so fixated on their own political agenda they've actually forgotten about the people they're supposed to be representing.
Us.
I think Victoria deserves better.
A hell of a lot better.
I believe our children deserve the opportunity to compete with the rest of the world and win.
# Oh, gather your courage # And go out and find it Dreamer, your moment So the choir wind up, Geoff heads out from here.
Uh He does his intro whilst you wait on your mark just here.
OK.
Uh, Geoff will whip the crowd up into a frenzy of anticipation.
Applause, applause.
There'll be a lighting change and the screen rises and you'll walk out.
There's the lighting change, the screen rises.
Do we need the screen? Yes.
Yes, the screen will rise.
It was rising 10 minutes ago and it will rise on the day.
It won't be a problem.
I'll just walk around it.
David McLeod's entrance took seven and a half minutes and he had the entire room clapping in time to That's Freedom.
I'll just walk around it.
Just walk around it.
So as you travel to the lectern, maybe a wave to the kids.
There was a suggestion it might be nice to receive some flowers from one of the children.
Oh, no.
No flowers.
Why not? Because it's not appropriate.
But it's a key frame.
I mean, it's just a bit of eye contact, a bit of a smile, a bit of warm fuzzy and you're out of there.
It's 20 seconds.
There will be no flowers.
No flowers? Travel to the lectern.
Uh, there's just one last lighting queue.
And that's it.
You're on.
Ladies and gentlemen, uh, the Premier of Victoria, my wife, the love of my life, the at times impossible to reason with, Kate Ballard! Thank you, everyone.
Thank you so much.
Well, I am not an entertainer.
Great.
Open with a negative.
I can't take a chest mark or dazzle you with choreographed moves but I do have a vision for this state.
I have a proven track record, sound policies and the means to implement real, effective change.
Who I am and what I stand for might not fit into a sound bite, but I believe in the process of government.
In the past eight years, the number of students completing Year 12 has hit a record high.
Higher education admissions have set a new record and hospital wait times have decreased by 40%.
Our crime rate is down.
Our housing is more affordable.
Victoria is smarter, healthier and safer under a Labor Ballard Government and we are just getting started.
Exactly.
Sorry.
I'll be back.
Excuse me, please.
Thanks for sharing.
You're always Ah.
Jodie, how are you? Great work out there.
It's not done yet.
But you're on your way.
Yes.
Excuse us.
Uh thanks for coming.
Ah, we have a bit of an issue with Matilda.
The Daily Feed are running photos of her and they're not good.
Where the hell did these come from? They showed up on Instagram.
You said that she'd been checked out.
She was.
They weren't on her page.
They were on a friend of a friend of a friend's page.
I thought someone gets paid to check on friends of friends.
They weren't online when she went through the vetting process.
They showed up a couple of days after we announced you as leader.
At this stage, they're only on The Daily Feed and if they get picked up by other outlets, most people are pretty desensitised to this type of thing.
Oh, fuck! Fuck! I don't mean to underestimate the impact of this on Matilda or you but in terms of the campaign This is exactly why I said I didn't want her involved.
Remember? I understand that.
But David, it is very important that she doesn't respond in any way.
It's also worth bearing in mind that she might not even know these are online.
Hi.
You've called Til.
I can't take your call Where are you going? Where do you think I'm going? McLeod residence.
Hi, Barb.
It's me.
Is Tilly home? She's not answering her mobile.
I made her put it on silent.
The bloody thing was buzzing every five seconds and she's got that big maths assignment due tomorrow.
She's fallen asleep on the couch.
Do you want me to wake her? Um, no.
I'm on my way home.
If you're not too far away, I might head off.
Yeah.
No worries.
And she hasn't had her dinner yet.
Thanks, Barb.
We'll see you in the morning.
This is just a happy coincidence, is it? Oh, they probably leaked it themselves.
Really? We're thinking that he leaked naked photos of his own child, are we? Could be part of their strategy.
It's out of the box, sure, but it's also a little bit brilliant if you think about it.
The exact photos that you had in your possession last week.
OK.
As flattering as it is, do you think that I can control social media? I'm afraid my powers don't extend quite that far, so I might get back to work.
It really could've been anyone.
No-one has more to gain from this than we do and I don't like it.
It's grubby, underhanded.
Everyone will assume that it's come from our side.
Not necessarily.
She's a kid, Ollie.
She's a teenager.
This is what they do.
It's not as if she posed for Playboy.
It's a run-of-the-mill selfie with a bit of excess boob.
It's a storm in a teacup, really.
I doubt her father sees it that way.
Is that you? Yeah.
You got a new phone? No, it's not mine.
It's Kate's.
Why have you got Kate's phone? Sorry, just, um, hang on one Um, I just have to make a really quick phone call.
Ollie? I just got a text on the prepaid.
"Please tell me you had nothing to do with this.
" Oh, shit! Do you want me to respond? Hm, no, no.
Just Whereabouts are you? I'm at home.
I suppose you're eating dinner.
You want me to bring you the phone, don't you? Yes.
Is that possible? Yeah, of course.
I'll leave now.
Thank you.
Ollie, I know this is getting more and more intrusive.
It means a lot to me that I don't feel judged by you.
Well, he's a very attractive man.
Good thing you didn't sleep with Trevor Bailey.
I'll drop it off in 10 minutes.
I have to head out for a while.
Kate needs the phone so How did you end up with Kate's phone? It's just a prepaid, just so she can communicate with me privately so Kate wanted to communicate with you privately? Mm-hm.
So she bought a prepaid phone? Yeah.
Just the one? Sorry? Just ignoring the question of of why for a minute, wouldn't you need two - one for you, one for her? What we have here is a situation not unlike the one from the other night.
You're not gonna tell me.
No.
I'm not.
And I love the fact that you're going to be OK with that.
Yeah, I'm not really OK with it.
I need you to have not heard that phone beep.
But I did hear it.
Yeah, I know, I know.
And if I could just go a step further, if we could pretend that the phone doesn't actually exist.
The phone in your hand? Yeah.
Thank you.
This isn't over.
There will be follow-up questions.
Can't wait.
Hey.
What time is it? They're not even the best ones.
Hard to go past that one.
But then there is this.
What do you want me to say? Why the hell didn't you tell me about this? I specifically asked if there was anything - anything - that the media could dig up about you.
I-I didn't know that they were online.
Well, they're online.
Yeah, I can see that.
Oh, it's OK, is it? Well, it's not great, obviously, but they're not that bad! I mean, we were just mucking around.
We were just being stupid.
We were trying to freak out this guy from school because he was sending us pictures of his bum and Audrey dared me to flash him back.
They were taken ages ago, before you even decided to go into politics.
This has got nothing to do with politics.
This is about my 16-year-old daughter exposing herself in front of some fuckwit with a camera.
Now, who took those photos? What difference does it make? Who took the photos?! I did.
You're so much smarter than this.
You're smart enough to know that this stuff will follow you around.
I'll fix it.
Well, it's not that easy, is it? I'll apologise, or No, you'll do nothing of the sort.
Look at me.
You'll say nothing to no-one.
We give this zero oxygen.
Do you understand me? And you're staying home from school tomorrow until this whole thing blows over.
- Hey.
- Hi.
How'd you go? Aside from the technical stuff-ups, it wasn't a complete debacle.
So it was OK that I wasn't there? Yeah, it was fine.
Oh.
But you should know that Wayne's expecting you to whip the crowd into a frenzy of anticipation.
Yeah, I know.
We spoke about that.
Oh, he mentioned the frenzy? I am across the frenzy.
And I just saw Matilda McLeod and her pixelated boob on the late news.
Fucking Wayne.
I-I specifically told him to sit on those photos.
Are you sure it was him? Well, he's denying it, of course.
Well, he might've done you a favour.
Completely disregarding my instructions.
I can't take a chest mark or dazzle you .
.
choreograph But I do have a vision Hello? Are you asking how Matilda is because you feel guilty? Do you really need to ask me that? I had nothing to do with it.
OK.
I'm not I'm not sure it's a good idea that we speak.
Well, maybe you should've thought of that before you answered the call.
How is she? I don't know.
I mean I was too busy losing my shit to ask her.
I was just so embarrassed for her, you know? And I don't know what to say to her.
Why don't you tell her what you used to get up to when you were a kid? Because that was different.
Because you were a boy? Yeah, and it was the '80s.
I made a dickhead out of myself in front of three other dickheads and we were all too pissed to remember anything, anyway.
It's a whole different ball game these days.
I mean, this sort of thing could haunt her for the rest of her life.
You have to tell her that's not gonna happen.
She needs to know that this won't define her.
It's just a glitch.
I'm glad you called.
You called me.
Well, I'm glad I called.
So am I.
Ah, did you catch the launch? I did.
I was a little disappointed.
Really? Yeah.
As soon as that guitar came out I was so sure you were gonna sing.
And you'll be singing? I might pull out a little a cappella number.
Bugger the children's choir.
The children's choir? You got a bloody children's choir and you're having a go at me? Well, the kids are just a warm-up.
Guess what I'm pulling out after the singalong.
A couple of cartwheels.
Brace yourself for multiple policies.
Ooh what? More than one? Yeah, that's right.
I'm gonna throw some numbers around, pull out some facts.
Oh, well, don't hurt yourself.
I'll do my best.
Ah I know you will.
Don't beat yourself up about Matilda, OK? This will pass.
Good luck tomorrow.
Thanks.
You won't need it.
Um See ya out there.
Goodnight.
Night.
Also this morning, lots of people weighing in via text messages.
It seems the majority of you don't think it's that big a deal.
Rhonda in Footscray.
Good morning to you.
Oh, morning, Jon.
I think the issue is that McLeod is asking us to believe that he's this devoted single dad.
So if your kid posts a provocative photo of themselves online, you're not a devoted father? Well, he might be devoted but he's not in touch, that's for sure.
OK, to Montmorency.
Ray, good morning to you.
Morning, Jon.
I think it's something we should be worried about.
Standards are dropping.
When's it gonna stop? I don't mean just Morning.
Good morning.
Social media Thank you.
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook We're raising a generation who are all about attention.
- She here? - OK, moving on now to Told her to take the day off.
Welcome.
Storm in a teacup, Jon.
When are they gonna It's not a pat on the back.
I just want her out of sight.
Starve this whole bloody thing.
You should set an example.
Talk about something Or we could go the other way.
If we can flip it from irresponsible dad to empathetic dad, we not only make you more relatable but we could poach airtime from their launch in the process.
What do you mean? A one-on-one on Late Edition tonight.
I don't like that idea.
We can't starve it completely.
We just need to target our response and we're not gonna get a softer landing than Tash.
.
.
interim Opposition Leader Trevor Bailey on the line Do you know about this? No.
.
.
photos of Matilda McLeod this morning.
Not what you were hoping for after such an elaborate campaign launch.
This is a difficult situation but at the end of the day, we're talking about a 16-year-old girl.
She's in a very unusual position with a high-profile father and, you know, she made a mistake.
She's not the first 16-year-old to make a mistake and she won't be the last.
So have you spoken to David McLeod this morning? Not as yet.
I'm sure his priority right now is the welfare of his daughter.
We'll have to leave it there, Mr Bailey.
Thanks for calling in.
Now a quick traffic check Thanks for calling in?! So, what, he just volunteers his opinion, does he? No phone call, no attempt to contact me whatsoever, and he's gone to the bloody media.
He's trying to help.
Oh, bullshit! He's trying to undermine me.
He's a self-serving little prick.
What he said was great and the more news space we can take away, the better.
What are you doing? David, you don't wanna call him when you're reacting like this.
You just need to take a moment to calm down and I was just talking about you.
Yeah, I just heard your little routine on the radio.
Excuse me? Let me make myself crystal clear.
You don't talk to the media about me or my family unless you clear it with me first.
Understood? Look, I know you got your nose out of joint.
No-one likes playing second fiddle and I understand that.
If you ever try and backdoor me again You'll what? What are you gonna do? Oh, I've muzzled bigger arseholes than you, mate.
Believe me.
Now, let me tell you something.
You're here to win us this election and if you do - and it's a big if - if you get us back in then that'll be it.
That'll be your job done.
You're not a leader.
You're a fucking muppet, mate.
And your head's so far up your own arse you have no idea who you're playing with, you fucking upstart.
He just hung up on me.
OK, please don't call anyone else.
As a personal favour to me, please do not Duncan.
David.
Just had a conversation with Bailey.
I'm not happy, mate.
I'm not happy at all.
I'd appreciate a call back ASAP.
You feel better? Little bit.
Morning.
Did you get any sleep? Not really.
I've been doing a lot of thinking and I want to apologise publicly.
Not gonna happen.
Why not? Because I said so.
I thought you were staying home.
I want to go to school.
Go on, then.
Til? Straight home, OK? You've gotta see this from Trevor's point of view.
His ego is bruised.
He thought that he was a shoo-in.
That's got nothing to do with me.
I understand that.
Duncan, you came to me.
So I did.
And he was man enough to take it on the chin and get behind you.
What if I don't want him behind me? Well, right now you don't have that choice to make but If you can get the people onside, if you can win this convincingly Convincingly? You said I had the support of the entire party.
I said what I had to say to get you a shot.
Now look at you.
You've got a shot.
Don't let Bailey get into your head.
I don't trust him.
No-one's asking you to trust him.
From now on, he keeps his fucking mouth shut.
Alright.
I'll have a word to him.
Look, I know this business with Matilda has been upsetting but we'll shut that down tonight on Late Edition and that'll be the end of that.
We can move on, right? Yeah, right.
Right.
Now I've gotta move.
It's my granddaughter's ballet concert.
God help me.
Daughters.
# So gather your courage # And go out and find it Dreamer, your moment has come.
Thank you.
Thanks, everyone.
The first time I met Kate, I knew I'd never met anyone like her.
She was a 26-year-old lawyer brimming with compassion, courage and the kind of work ethic money just can't buy.
She was more interested in helping other people than in getting ahead herself.
And she still is.
She believed she could make a difference, and she can.
This election isn't a contest for Kate.
It's not about winning or losing.
This is her life, and I'm very proud to be a part of it.
Please, join me in welcoming the Premier of Victoria, Kate Ballard.
Thank you.
Thank you, everyone, so much.
I am not an entertainer.
I can't take a chest mark or dazzle you with choreographed moves.
We still love you! But I do have a vision for this state.
Labor kicked off their campaign today before a hearty audience of true believers.
Premier Ballard spoke at length to the crowd of her pride looking back over her time in office.
She paid tribute to her predecessor, Rob Hutchins, as well as listing her own extensive achievements as Premier.
Certainly.
And coming up after the break Oh, come on.
.
.
our exclusive interview with opposition campaign leader, David McLeod.
Are you serious? No way.
You're kidding me.
Is that all we're getting? That's bullshit! You know what would've helped, don't you? Flowers.
Just one image of you getting those flowers from those disadvantaged, musical little ones.
Oh, shut up, Wayne! For fuck's sake! You were robbed.
You killed it.
That that coverage was bullshit.
You deserve better.
Absolutely.
You were you were outstanding, Kate.
Thank you.
Except for the flowers.
30 seconds, Tash.
Thanks.
Oh, how's your mum? Oh, yeah, she's alright.
Still refusing to listen to anyone.
Good on her.
10 seconds.
OK, here we go.
Four, three, two David McLeod, thanks so much for your time this evening.
Thanks for having me.
Well, after a very polished campaign launch a less-than-ideal development last night with photos of your daughter surfacing.
Firstly, how is Matilda? She's pretty disappointed in herself.
Suffice to say, we're not a very happy household at the moment.
Well, it seems that you're not the only family dealing with these concerns.
According to the ACMA, an increasing number of parents are struggling to keep up with privacy issues with cyber bullying, with exposure of inappropriate content.
Are parents doing enough? Well, I think we're doing the best we can.
Um And this is not an excuse, but Matilda had to grow up pretty fast when she lost her mum.
She's a good kid but she's still learning, as am I.
I did some pretty stupid stuff when I was a kid, but thankfully, no-one I knew could afford a camera.
And there was no such thing as social media? Exactly.
Kids don't realise just how exposed they are and that's something that, as parents, we need to be taking more responsibility for.
So you've clearly spoken to Matilda about the photos? Of course.
Mm-hm.
And what did you say to her? That I was disappointed.
That I expected more of her.
She knows that.
But I also told her that, ultimately, this won't define her.
Smart.
It wasn't an easy conversation to have, but it's one I believe we should be having, both as parents and as a society.
David McLeod, thanks so much again for your time this evening.
Thanks, Natasha.
Well, now to Well, you've got to hand it to him.
That was inspired.
No-one's gonna be sucked in by his bullshit.
People aren't idiots.
People are idiots and McLeod just won the day with his kid's tit.
How come you're not in bed? I couldn't sleep.
Get your maths assignment in? How do you think you went? I know you didn't ask for any of this.
And I don't know if I've made the right decision, Til, but we're in it now.
There's more scrutiny and that means you can't get away with what the other kids are doing.
And that's not fair, but it's just how it is.
I saw you on Late Edition.
You never said any of that stuff about this not defining me.
I know.
I should've because it's true.
And Uncle Tony had a camera.
You said no-one you knew had a camera when you were a kid.
I've seen photos.
Well, there's a lot of stuff you haven't seen.
Hm, like what? Like I'll show you when you're 35.
I didn't mean to come down so hard on you.
I don't care about the photos.
I mean, I'm not happy about them but They won't mean anything down the track.
You know that.
I didn't mean Hey.
I know.
It's OK.
It's OK.
It's OK.
And in Victoria, Kate Ballard today launched her election campaign.
I am not an entertainer.
Oh Hey! I can't listen to her anymore.
She's so full of shit.
Hey.
Well, she is.
Charlotte told me that the photos came from her side.
Well, Charlotte doesn't know that.
And even if they did, doesn't mean she knew about them.
Why are you defending her? I'm not defending her.
Well, I hope someone leaks some nude photos of her.
Come on, mate.
You don't mean that.
Yeah, I so do.
I hope that you totally annihilate her.
Come here.
Hey.
Hey.
I saw the coverage.
I don't wanna talk about it.
And McLeod on Late Edition.
Yep.
Don't wanna talk about that, either.
Let's just do you.
How was your day? It was good.
It was productive.
I think I've cracked it.
What? The prepaid scenario.
No.
Come on, please.
Was I not clear about the prepaid scenario being off limits? I've been thinking about it all day and I've boiled it right down.
Please don't tell me.
It's either one of two things.
She's corrupt or she's having an affair.
It's not an active situation in any sense.
It is long gone.
It's nothing.
It's history.
You know that I'd never say anything no matter what it was.
Yeah, I know that.
She's too straight up and down to be corrupt.
Please stop talking.
So she's having an affair? I don't know how I can be any clearer about this.
I'm not going to tell you.
Oh, come on! She's got to be having an affair! It can't be anything else! She's not having an affair.
Then she had an affair! Past tense.
She had an affair! I knew it.
She had an affair.
Yes! She had an affair! OK?! There it is! Are you happy?! You've cracked the prepaid scenario! The Right Honourable Kate Ballard had an affair.
It was a long time ago! It's well and truly over! It's dead, it's buried and that is the end of our conversation about it.
We spoke last hour to Labor's Senate Leader Penny Wong about this, and Who with? Is it someone good? Alright.
OK.
I'm going to bed.
Thank you so much for respecting my professional boundaries and not pushing it.
It's someone in the party.
This is me walking away.
Someone in politics? Do not interpret my silence in any way.
Oh, it was someone famous, wasn't it? I'm going to bed now! Is it Rob Hutchins? It wasn't Wayne, was it? Can you let me sleep, please? I'm trying to sleep.
It's not Trevor Bailey? David McLeod? Was it a woman? That wouldn't surprise me.
It wasn't Paula, was it? That'd actually be kind of hot.
To contest the seat of Mount Waverley and to spearhead our campaign, Mr David McLeod.
Could you just pop out and pick up a prepaid mobile? I can't do it on my phone because it's synced to Ann-Marie's computer.
I know you won't play dirty.
I know you won't attack me personally or my daughter.
OK, what is she wearing? She looks like a 22-year-old going to a nightclub to pick up.
Don't worry.
I'm not gonna post them.
Something's come up.
It's to do with Matilda McLeod.
A few photos have been floating around.
In one photo, she's deliberately exposing her right breast.
A 15-year-old's social media is private and not at all relevant.
She is actually 16.
It's not even anything.
It's just No-one's that keen on a journo sitting in the next room? I don't think you should be premier, David.
So I'm gonna fight hard.
And I'd expect nothing less.
You have five new messages.
Me again.
You're obviously still angry.
I'm sorry.
Gimme a call when you can.
Love you.
I'll have another one.
Sure.
Hi.
You've called Geoff's number.
Leave a message.
Hi, it's me.
Um, I'm sorry that I've missed your calls.
I haven't stopped all day.
And I'm not angry anymore.
I know you were just trying to help.
It's just that, I just I don't know how I feel about it all.
I, um I don't have to make a choice overnight so II'll call you tomorrow.
Hello, again.
What are you doing here? Exclusive with Ben Cousins.
What's your excuse? Thanks.
Leadership conference.
Hmm.
I'm glad you're not angry anymore.
No-one likes an angry premier.
Well, now, don't get ahead of yourself.
I haven't even decided whether I'll throw my hat in the ring.
Come on.
You and I both know it's yours for the taking .
.
if you want it.
Well, David .
.
truth is, I don't know what I want.
How about another drink? Look, all I'm saying is there's nothing wrong with personal ambition.
Huh? I agree.
No, you don't.
Just said I did.
What I'm saying is that there are times when your own agenda has to give way to your constituents' needs.
That's the whole idea of public service, isn't it? Serving the public, hence the term 'public service'.
It's not self-service, is it? No, I believe that's something else.
Oh Must be exhausting being such a smart-arse all the time.
Sometimes it is.
I'm I'm not a good drunk.
Oh, I dunno.
I think I'd prefer you drunk.
Well, it does have its advantages.
You're less annoying and slightly better looking.
Uhh Hi.
Hi.
Hey.
Hi.
How ya goin'? Yeah, good.
Good.
Good.
Great.
Why does everybody drink so much at these things? I don't know.
Ahh I thought you were really good today.
Oh, good on you.
You know, got a bit bored in the middle of it.
I reckon I pulled it out towards the end.
Yeah, the end was really strong.
See ya in the morning.
Yes.
See ya.
Sleep well.
That's me.
I don't need to ask you to keep our conversation between us, do I? No, you don't.
Goodnight.
Goodnight.
Ooh! Oh Are you following me? I'm on this floor too.
What are you doing? What are you doing? Ladies and gentlemen, it's my privilege to introduce the man who needs no introduction, a man who's not afraid to take on fresh challenges with his sheer tenacity and both hands.
The only Hawthorn supporter I'd sit to next to at the footy.
Ladies and gentlemen, the one, the only, the irrepressible .
.
David McLeod! # I don't know what you want from me # Or what you think # A love ought to be # I want something that's open and strong # As the country this road's moving on # From the mountain to the valley # From the ocean to the alley # From the highway to the river # One emotion to deliver # One heart # One way # One love # To share but not to chain # That's freedom # It's a song in the heart # A race in the wind # A light in the dark # That's freedom # It's a reason to live # And after the rain # Rekindle this fire Let freedom ring.
Thanks, Trevor.
Thank you, mate.
Well, it's impossible to overstate what it means to me to be standing before you today.
I love this state! You know, my old man used to say to me, "Dave, it doesn't get any better than this.
"You're growing up in the single best place in the world "at the best possible time, "and if you're prepared to work hard enough, "to back yourself and to think outside the box, "well, there's nothing you can't achieve right here.
" Sadly, though, I believe we're losing that Victoria.
We're losing it because this current government is so fixated on their own political agenda they've actually forgotten about the people they're supposed to be representing.
Us.
I think Victoria deserves better.
A hell of a lot better.
I believe our children deserve the opportunity to compete with the rest of the world and win.
# Oh, gather your courage # And go out and find it Dreamer, your moment So the choir wind up, Geoff heads out from here.
Uh He does his intro whilst you wait on your mark just here.
OK.
Uh, Geoff will whip the crowd up into a frenzy of anticipation.
Applause, applause.
There'll be a lighting change and the screen rises and you'll walk out.
There's the lighting change, the screen rises.
Do we need the screen? Yes.
Yes, the screen will rise.
It was rising 10 minutes ago and it will rise on the day.
It won't be a problem.
I'll just walk around it.
David McLeod's entrance took seven and a half minutes and he had the entire room clapping in time to That's Freedom.
I'll just walk around it.
Just walk around it.
So as you travel to the lectern, maybe a wave to the kids.
There was a suggestion it might be nice to receive some flowers from one of the children.
Oh, no.
No flowers.
Why not? Because it's not appropriate.
But it's a key frame.
I mean, it's just a bit of eye contact, a bit of a smile, a bit of warm fuzzy and you're out of there.
It's 20 seconds.
There will be no flowers.
No flowers? Travel to the lectern.
Uh, there's just one last lighting queue.
And that's it.
You're on.
Ladies and gentlemen, uh, the Premier of Victoria, my wife, the love of my life, the at times impossible to reason with, Kate Ballard! Thank you, everyone.
Thank you so much.
Well, I am not an entertainer.
Great.
Open with a negative.
I can't take a chest mark or dazzle you with choreographed moves but I do have a vision for this state.
I have a proven track record, sound policies and the means to implement real, effective change.
Who I am and what I stand for might not fit into a sound bite, but I believe in the process of government.
In the past eight years, the number of students completing Year 12 has hit a record high.
Higher education admissions have set a new record and hospital wait times have decreased by 40%.
Our crime rate is down.
Our housing is more affordable.
Victoria is smarter, healthier and safer under a Labor Ballard Government and we are just getting started.
Exactly.
Sorry.
I'll be back.
Excuse me, please.
Thanks for sharing.
You're always Ah.
Jodie, how are you? Great work out there.
It's not done yet.
But you're on your way.
Yes.
Excuse us.
Uh thanks for coming.
Ah, we have a bit of an issue with Matilda.
The Daily Feed are running photos of her and they're not good.
Where the hell did these come from? They showed up on Instagram.
You said that she'd been checked out.
She was.
They weren't on her page.
They were on a friend of a friend of a friend's page.
I thought someone gets paid to check on friends of friends.
They weren't online when she went through the vetting process.
They showed up a couple of days after we announced you as leader.
At this stage, they're only on The Daily Feed and if they get picked up by other outlets, most people are pretty desensitised to this type of thing.
Oh, fuck! Fuck! I don't mean to underestimate the impact of this on Matilda or you but in terms of the campaign This is exactly why I said I didn't want her involved.
Remember? I understand that.
But David, it is very important that she doesn't respond in any way.
It's also worth bearing in mind that she might not even know these are online.
Hi.
You've called Til.
I can't take your call Where are you going? Where do you think I'm going? McLeod residence.
Hi, Barb.
It's me.
Is Tilly home? She's not answering her mobile.
I made her put it on silent.
The bloody thing was buzzing every five seconds and she's got that big maths assignment due tomorrow.
She's fallen asleep on the couch.
Do you want me to wake her? Um, no.
I'm on my way home.
If you're not too far away, I might head off.
Yeah.
No worries.
And she hasn't had her dinner yet.
Thanks, Barb.
We'll see you in the morning.
This is just a happy coincidence, is it? Oh, they probably leaked it themselves.
Really? We're thinking that he leaked naked photos of his own child, are we? Could be part of their strategy.
It's out of the box, sure, but it's also a little bit brilliant if you think about it.
The exact photos that you had in your possession last week.
OK.
As flattering as it is, do you think that I can control social media? I'm afraid my powers don't extend quite that far, so I might get back to work.
It really could've been anyone.
No-one has more to gain from this than we do and I don't like it.
It's grubby, underhanded.
Everyone will assume that it's come from our side.
Not necessarily.
She's a kid, Ollie.
She's a teenager.
This is what they do.
It's not as if she posed for Playboy.
It's a run-of-the-mill selfie with a bit of excess boob.
It's a storm in a teacup, really.
I doubt her father sees it that way.
Is that you? Yeah.
You got a new phone? No, it's not mine.
It's Kate's.
Why have you got Kate's phone? Sorry, just, um, hang on one Um, I just have to make a really quick phone call.
Ollie? I just got a text on the prepaid.
"Please tell me you had nothing to do with this.
" Oh, shit! Do you want me to respond? Hm, no, no.
Just Whereabouts are you? I'm at home.
I suppose you're eating dinner.
You want me to bring you the phone, don't you? Yes.
Is that possible? Yeah, of course.
I'll leave now.
Thank you.
Ollie, I know this is getting more and more intrusive.
It means a lot to me that I don't feel judged by you.
Well, he's a very attractive man.
Good thing you didn't sleep with Trevor Bailey.
I'll drop it off in 10 minutes.
I have to head out for a while.
Kate needs the phone so How did you end up with Kate's phone? It's just a prepaid, just so she can communicate with me privately so Kate wanted to communicate with you privately? Mm-hm.
So she bought a prepaid phone? Yeah.
Just the one? Sorry? Just ignoring the question of of why for a minute, wouldn't you need two - one for you, one for her? What we have here is a situation not unlike the one from the other night.
You're not gonna tell me.
No.
I'm not.
And I love the fact that you're going to be OK with that.
Yeah, I'm not really OK with it.
I need you to have not heard that phone beep.
But I did hear it.
Yeah, I know, I know.
And if I could just go a step further, if we could pretend that the phone doesn't actually exist.
The phone in your hand? Yeah.
Thank you.
This isn't over.
There will be follow-up questions.
Can't wait.
Hey.
What time is it? They're not even the best ones.
Hard to go past that one.
But then there is this.
What do you want me to say? Why the hell didn't you tell me about this? I specifically asked if there was anything - anything - that the media could dig up about you.
I-I didn't know that they were online.
Well, they're online.
Yeah, I can see that.
Oh, it's OK, is it? Well, it's not great, obviously, but they're not that bad! I mean, we were just mucking around.
We were just being stupid.
We were trying to freak out this guy from school because he was sending us pictures of his bum and Audrey dared me to flash him back.
They were taken ages ago, before you even decided to go into politics.
This has got nothing to do with politics.
This is about my 16-year-old daughter exposing herself in front of some fuckwit with a camera.
Now, who took those photos? What difference does it make? Who took the photos?! I did.
You're so much smarter than this.
You're smart enough to know that this stuff will follow you around.
I'll fix it.
Well, it's not that easy, is it? I'll apologise, or No, you'll do nothing of the sort.
Look at me.
You'll say nothing to no-one.
We give this zero oxygen.
Do you understand me? And you're staying home from school tomorrow until this whole thing blows over.
- Hey.
- Hi.
How'd you go? Aside from the technical stuff-ups, it wasn't a complete debacle.
So it was OK that I wasn't there? Yeah, it was fine.
Oh.
But you should know that Wayne's expecting you to whip the crowd into a frenzy of anticipation.
Yeah, I know.
We spoke about that.
Oh, he mentioned the frenzy? I am across the frenzy.
And I just saw Matilda McLeod and her pixelated boob on the late news.
Fucking Wayne.
I-I specifically told him to sit on those photos.
Are you sure it was him? Well, he's denying it, of course.
Well, he might've done you a favour.
Completely disregarding my instructions.
I can't take a chest mark or dazzle you .
.
choreograph But I do have a vision Hello? Are you asking how Matilda is because you feel guilty? Do you really need to ask me that? I had nothing to do with it.
OK.
I'm not I'm not sure it's a good idea that we speak.
Well, maybe you should've thought of that before you answered the call.
How is she? I don't know.
I mean I was too busy losing my shit to ask her.
I was just so embarrassed for her, you know? And I don't know what to say to her.
Why don't you tell her what you used to get up to when you were a kid? Because that was different.
Because you were a boy? Yeah, and it was the '80s.
I made a dickhead out of myself in front of three other dickheads and we were all too pissed to remember anything, anyway.
It's a whole different ball game these days.
I mean, this sort of thing could haunt her for the rest of her life.
You have to tell her that's not gonna happen.
She needs to know that this won't define her.
It's just a glitch.
I'm glad you called.
You called me.
Well, I'm glad I called.
So am I.
Ah, did you catch the launch? I did.
I was a little disappointed.
Really? Yeah.
As soon as that guitar came out I was so sure you were gonna sing.
And you'll be singing? I might pull out a little a cappella number.
Bugger the children's choir.
The children's choir? You got a bloody children's choir and you're having a go at me? Well, the kids are just a warm-up.
Guess what I'm pulling out after the singalong.
A couple of cartwheels.
Brace yourself for multiple policies.
Ooh what? More than one? Yeah, that's right.
I'm gonna throw some numbers around, pull out some facts.
Oh, well, don't hurt yourself.
I'll do my best.
Ah I know you will.
Don't beat yourself up about Matilda, OK? This will pass.
Good luck tomorrow.
Thanks.
You won't need it.
Um See ya out there.
Goodnight.
Night.
Also this morning, lots of people weighing in via text messages.
It seems the majority of you don't think it's that big a deal.
Rhonda in Footscray.
Good morning to you.
Oh, morning, Jon.
I think the issue is that McLeod is asking us to believe that he's this devoted single dad.
So if your kid posts a provocative photo of themselves online, you're not a devoted father? Well, he might be devoted but he's not in touch, that's for sure.
OK, to Montmorency.
Ray, good morning to you.
Morning, Jon.
I think it's something we should be worried about.
Standards are dropping.
When's it gonna stop? I don't mean just Morning.
Good morning.
Social media Thank you.
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook We're raising a generation who are all about attention.
- She here? - OK, moving on now to Told her to take the day off.
Welcome.
Storm in a teacup, Jon.
When are they gonna It's not a pat on the back.
I just want her out of sight.
Starve this whole bloody thing.
You should set an example.
Talk about something Or we could go the other way.
If we can flip it from irresponsible dad to empathetic dad, we not only make you more relatable but we could poach airtime from their launch in the process.
What do you mean? A one-on-one on Late Edition tonight.
I don't like that idea.
We can't starve it completely.
We just need to target our response and we're not gonna get a softer landing than Tash.
.
.
interim Opposition Leader Trevor Bailey on the line Do you know about this? No.
.
.
photos of Matilda McLeod this morning.
Not what you were hoping for after such an elaborate campaign launch.
This is a difficult situation but at the end of the day, we're talking about a 16-year-old girl.
She's in a very unusual position with a high-profile father and, you know, she made a mistake.
She's not the first 16-year-old to make a mistake and she won't be the last.
So have you spoken to David McLeod this morning? Not as yet.
I'm sure his priority right now is the welfare of his daughter.
We'll have to leave it there, Mr Bailey.
Thanks for calling in.
Now a quick traffic check Thanks for calling in?! So, what, he just volunteers his opinion, does he? No phone call, no attempt to contact me whatsoever, and he's gone to the bloody media.
He's trying to help.
Oh, bullshit! He's trying to undermine me.
He's a self-serving little prick.
What he said was great and the more news space we can take away, the better.
What are you doing? David, you don't wanna call him when you're reacting like this.
You just need to take a moment to calm down and I was just talking about you.
Yeah, I just heard your little routine on the radio.
Excuse me? Let me make myself crystal clear.
You don't talk to the media about me or my family unless you clear it with me first.
Understood? Look, I know you got your nose out of joint.
No-one likes playing second fiddle and I understand that.
If you ever try and backdoor me again You'll what? What are you gonna do? Oh, I've muzzled bigger arseholes than you, mate.
Believe me.
Now, let me tell you something.
You're here to win us this election and if you do - and it's a big if - if you get us back in then that'll be it.
That'll be your job done.
You're not a leader.
You're a fucking muppet, mate.
And your head's so far up your own arse you have no idea who you're playing with, you fucking upstart.
He just hung up on me.
OK, please don't call anyone else.
As a personal favour to me, please do not Duncan.
David.
Just had a conversation with Bailey.
I'm not happy, mate.
I'm not happy at all.
I'd appreciate a call back ASAP.
You feel better? Little bit.
Morning.
Did you get any sleep? Not really.
I've been doing a lot of thinking and I want to apologise publicly.
Not gonna happen.
Why not? Because I said so.
I thought you were staying home.
I want to go to school.
Go on, then.
Til? Straight home, OK? You've gotta see this from Trevor's point of view.
His ego is bruised.
He thought that he was a shoo-in.
That's got nothing to do with me.
I understand that.
Duncan, you came to me.
So I did.
And he was man enough to take it on the chin and get behind you.
What if I don't want him behind me? Well, right now you don't have that choice to make but If you can get the people onside, if you can win this convincingly Convincingly? You said I had the support of the entire party.
I said what I had to say to get you a shot.
Now look at you.
You've got a shot.
Don't let Bailey get into your head.
I don't trust him.
No-one's asking you to trust him.
From now on, he keeps his fucking mouth shut.
Alright.
I'll have a word to him.
Look, I know this business with Matilda has been upsetting but we'll shut that down tonight on Late Edition and that'll be the end of that.
We can move on, right? Yeah, right.
Right.
Now I've gotta move.
It's my granddaughter's ballet concert.
God help me.
Daughters.
# So gather your courage # And go out and find it Dreamer, your moment has come.
Thank you.
Thanks, everyone.
The first time I met Kate, I knew I'd never met anyone like her.
She was a 26-year-old lawyer brimming with compassion, courage and the kind of work ethic money just can't buy.
She was more interested in helping other people than in getting ahead herself.
And she still is.
She believed she could make a difference, and she can.
This election isn't a contest for Kate.
It's not about winning or losing.
This is her life, and I'm very proud to be a part of it.
Please, join me in welcoming the Premier of Victoria, Kate Ballard.
Thank you.
Thank you, everyone, so much.
I am not an entertainer.
I can't take a chest mark or dazzle you with choreographed moves.
We still love you! But I do have a vision for this state.
Labor kicked off their campaign today before a hearty audience of true believers.
Premier Ballard spoke at length to the crowd of her pride looking back over her time in office.
She paid tribute to her predecessor, Rob Hutchins, as well as listing her own extensive achievements as Premier.
Certainly.
And coming up after the break Oh, come on.
.
.
our exclusive interview with opposition campaign leader, David McLeod.
Are you serious? No way.
You're kidding me.
Is that all we're getting? That's bullshit! You know what would've helped, don't you? Flowers.
Just one image of you getting those flowers from those disadvantaged, musical little ones.
Oh, shut up, Wayne! For fuck's sake! You were robbed.
You killed it.
That that coverage was bullshit.
You deserve better.
Absolutely.
You were you were outstanding, Kate.
Thank you.
Except for the flowers.
30 seconds, Tash.
Thanks.
Oh, how's your mum? Oh, yeah, she's alright.
Still refusing to listen to anyone.
Good on her.
10 seconds.
OK, here we go.
Four, three, two David McLeod, thanks so much for your time this evening.
Thanks for having me.
Well, after a very polished campaign launch a less-than-ideal development last night with photos of your daughter surfacing.
Firstly, how is Matilda? She's pretty disappointed in herself.
Suffice to say, we're not a very happy household at the moment.
Well, it seems that you're not the only family dealing with these concerns.
According to the ACMA, an increasing number of parents are struggling to keep up with privacy issues with cyber bullying, with exposure of inappropriate content.
Are parents doing enough? Well, I think we're doing the best we can.
Um And this is not an excuse, but Matilda had to grow up pretty fast when she lost her mum.
She's a good kid but she's still learning, as am I.
I did some pretty stupid stuff when I was a kid, but thankfully, no-one I knew could afford a camera.
And there was no such thing as social media? Exactly.
Kids don't realise just how exposed they are and that's something that, as parents, we need to be taking more responsibility for.
So you've clearly spoken to Matilda about the photos? Of course.
Mm-hm.
And what did you say to her? That I was disappointed.
That I expected more of her.
She knows that.
But I also told her that, ultimately, this won't define her.
Smart.
It wasn't an easy conversation to have, but it's one I believe we should be having, both as parents and as a society.
David McLeod, thanks so much again for your time this evening.
Thanks, Natasha.
Well, now to Well, you've got to hand it to him.
That was inspired.
No-one's gonna be sucked in by his bullshit.
People aren't idiots.
People are idiots and McLeod just won the day with his kid's tit.
How come you're not in bed? I couldn't sleep.
Get your maths assignment in? How do you think you went? I know you didn't ask for any of this.
And I don't know if I've made the right decision, Til, but we're in it now.
There's more scrutiny and that means you can't get away with what the other kids are doing.
And that's not fair, but it's just how it is.
I saw you on Late Edition.
You never said any of that stuff about this not defining me.
I know.
I should've because it's true.
And Uncle Tony had a camera.
You said no-one you knew had a camera when you were a kid.
I've seen photos.
Well, there's a lot of stuff you haven't seen.
Hm, like what? Like I'll show you when you're 35.
I didn't mean to come down so hard on you.
I don't care about the photos.
I mean, I'm not happy about them but They won't mean anything down the track.
You know that.
I didn't mean Hey.
I know.
It's OK.
It's OK.
It's OK.
And in Victoria, Kate Ballard today launched her election campaign.
I am not an entertainer.
Oh Hey! I can't listen to her anymore.
She's so full of shit.
Hey.
Well, she is.
Charlotte told me that the photos came from her side.
Well, Charlotte doesn't know that.
And even if they did, doesn't mean she knew about them.
Why are you defending her? I'm not defending her.
Well, I hope someone leaks some nude photos of her.
Come on, mate.
You don't mean that.
Yeah, I so do.
I hope that you totally annihilate her.
Come here.
Hey.
Hey.
I saw the coverage.
I don't wanna talk about it.
And McLeod on Late Edition.
Yep.
Don't wanna talk about that, either.
Let's just do you.
How was your day? It was good.
It was productive.
I think I've cracked it.
What? The prepaid scenario.
No.
Come on, please.
Was I not clear about the prepaid scenario being off limits? I've been thinking about it all day and I've boiled it right down.
Please don't tell me.
It's either one of two things.
She's corrupt or she's having an affair.
It's not an active situation in any sense.
It is long gone.
It's nothing.
It's history.
You know that I'd never say anything no matter what it was.
Yeah, I know that.
She's too straight up and down to be corrupt.
Please stop talking.
So she's having an affair? I don't know how I can be any clearer about this.
I'm not going to tell you.
Oh, come on! She's got to be having an affair! It can't be anything else! She's not having an affair.
Then she had an affair! Past tense.
She had an affair! I knew it.
She had an affair.
Yes! She had an affair! OK?! There it is! Are you happy?! You've cracked the prepaid scenario! The Right Honourable Kate Ballard had an affair.
It was a long time ago! It's well and truly over! It's dead, it's buried and that is the end of our conversation about it.
We spoke last hour to Labor's Senate Leader Penny Wong about this, and Who with? Is it someone good? Alright.
OK.
I'm going to bed.
Thank you so much for respecting my professional boundaries and not pushing it.
It's someone in the party.
This is me walking away.
Someone in politics? Do not interpret my silence in any way.
Oh, it was someone famous, wasn't it? I'm going to bed now! Is it Rob Hutchins? It wasn't Wayne, was it? Can you let me sleep, please? I'm trying to sleep.
It's not Trevor Bailey? David McLeod? Was it a woman? That wouldn't surprise me.
It wasn't Paula, was it? That'd actually be kind of hot.