Total Control (2019) s02e02 Episode Script

1
We just thought it'd
be a better fit for you
out there in Western Sydney.
New South Wales?
- So who represents us now?
- At least I'm here.
- That's not fucking good enough.
- Do you know this idiot?
CHARLIE: She's not an idiot.
She can still hear you.
WOMAN: Did you put him up to it?
ALEX: No-one can make Tom do anything.
MARCIE: I can't breathe! Someone help!
DAMIEN: The fallout from the
deaths of those girls, the cover-up.
I can't win an election
with you, Rachel.
The party thanks you for your service.
EDDIE: Hey, Stephen.
Your mum asked me to save a pup.
ALEX: A friend of mine back
home just killed himself.
Apparently, the bank was
gonna take his farm away.
What are we doing for people like him?
If your precious folks
back home vote for us,
we'll do something for the fuckers.
You'll never be prime minister, Laurie.
I'll be standing as an independent,
and it'll be up to the people of
Freeman to decide if they want me.
No-one else.
(WIND BLOWS)
(DOG PANTS)
(WHISTLES)
He's not here, Rocky.
(WHISTLES) Come on.
Come on.
(ROCKY WHIMPERS)
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
(ROCKY WHIMPERS)
(VEHICLE APPROACHES)
Mate!
WOMAN: This is it?
MAN: You're not wrong. It's a mess.
(TENSE MUSIC)
Come on!
Resale's not gonna be great.
Anything recoverable inside?
Whitegoods, that's it.
- Pull 'em out.
- OK.
Go to the property next door and
see if we can get any interest.
(VOICE FADES)
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
Come on, Rocky.
(THEME MUSIC)
DAMIEN ON TV: Australia is crying out
for leadership and certainty,
and that is what we will
give the folks of Australia,
and I know that they are sick and
tired of not being listened to.
Well, I'm listening.
My party is listening.
But is Laurie Martin listening?
He listened to Alex Irving
and look where that got him.
NEWSREADER: Alex Irving's
shock announcement
to stand as an independent candidate
in her home electorate of Freeman,
a seat that's been held by conservatives
for most of its existence.
(TURNS DOWN TV VOLUME)
They saying your damn fool
sister's blown her chance
of being a minister
in the next government?
Case study in political suicide.
I mean, they offered you
Indigenous Affairs, for fuck's sake.
To blackwash their front bench.
Mm, you thought it was love?
I mean, at least you'd have
your feet under the table.
What are you gonna do here? Jack
Ramsay's held the seat for years.
Stephen tried to call me.
Jesus, sis, that's not your fault.
People like Stephen
are killing themselves.
No-one's lifting a finger.
Both sides think this is a safe
seat, not worth fighting for.
It's time we make them take notice.
Yeah? How are you gonna do that?
We are running a grassroots campaign.
Actually talk to the community for once.
Who 'we'?
You're gonna be my campaign manager.
You've got the theory.
I've got the profile.
We don't even agree on how
much Vegemite to put on toast.
We agree on what needs to change.
No, we'd rip each other's throats
out by lunch, Alex. You know that.
(TURNS UP TV VOLUME)
LAURIE: Well, let me just say
that the party wishes Ms Irving
all the very best in her endeavours,
but really,
the only alternative to another
three years of Damien Bauer
and his climate deniers
is to put them last on the ballot paper.
And quite honestly, Alex Irving
was never going to do that for us.
- Smug bastard.
- Yeah, course he's smug.
He doesn't have to
deal with you anymore.
LAURIE: Oh, I shouldn't think
so. Wran Wran is, uh
You haven't said no yet.
That's because it's insane.
I mean, what community do you
actually think you speak for?
That's the point. We
have to speak to everyone.
(SNORTS) Yeah. Right.
I'm offering you a chance to
change the way politics is done.
Isn't that what you're
always banging on about?
What's back in Sydney for you,
anyway? You're still suspended.
I've had another offer.
Better than helping
your sister get elected?
Bathurst.
Associate professor of pol science.
- When?
- They're sending me the paperwork.
(WOMAN VOCALISES WORDLESSLY)
Congratulations.
Yeah, thanks.
(POURS WATER)
You're not gonna make me
get rid of him, are you?
Have Stephen come back and rouse on me?
He was a good bloke. I'm sorry, bub.
It's not your fault.
It was the bastards at the bank.
They didn't help.
What about Sydney?
That's the good news.
We're staying here.
(SIGHS)
Bad news?
You've got school tomorrow.
Piss off.
Hey, you better be talking to that dog.
(HAUNTING MUSIC)
(BIRDSONG)
Barry.
I'm nominating to stand for Freeman.
I've heard.
Yeah, well, I need to collect
signatures to make it official.
Can I leave this here?
And I'll take any electoral
enrolment forms you've got.
(GRUNTS)
You know you're not exactly
Miss Popularity around here.
Yeah, I heard.
Screwed your mob, good and proper.
Yeah, and then I went and
stuck it to the Prime Minister.
Any points for that?
I'll just leave that there.
Don't work too hard, Barry.
(SOLEMN PIANO MUSIC)
ALEX: Hi, uh, just wanted
(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
Excuse me. (CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
Um, couldn't No?
SONG: I'm on the edge of something ♪
Got an itch in my bones ♪
There's a fire in
the middle of my soul ♪
I'm on the edge of something ♪
And it's gonna take time ♪
But I'm doing it for you ♪
No ♪
No regrets ♪
Got no further to fall ♪
When you've hit the bottom ♪
(SPEAKS INAUDIBLY)
No ♪
No regrets ♪
I'm my mother's daughter ♪
I got plenty of fight left ♪
Oooh ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
- Want some milk?
- Yes, please.
Oooh ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
Oooh ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
I'm on the edge of the unknown ♪
- You OK to have it black?
- There's a valley of secrets ♪
Stretched out below ♪
But I got you in my chest ♪
And it's giving me power ♪
Yeah, this kinda love don't rest ♪
No ♪
No regrets ♪
Ain't no further to fall ♪
When you've hit the bottom ♪
No ♪
No regrets ♪
I'm a mother with a daughter ♪
I got plenty of fight left ♪
We're on the edge of something ♪
Possibly beautiful ♪
Possibly beautiful. ♪
(INTERCOM BUZZES)
MAN OVER INTERCOM: Hello?
Alex Irving. I'm here to
see a prisoner. Tom Campbell.
There's no prisoner by that name here.
He's here. I'm here to see him.
He's not listed.
Then your lists are wrong.
One moment, please.
(CLICK)
Thomas Campbell has been moved.
Moved? Where to?
You should have received notification.
You family?
No.
Then I'm sorry. I can't
help you. (HANGS UP)
(PATRONS CHATTER)
Anyone who wants to nominate
me to run for Freeman,
feel free to give me your autograph.
I need a hundred signatures
before I'm an official candidate.
- Well, don't all rush at once.
- JOELY: Seriously?
You expect people around here
to go busting a gut to back you?
I wouldn't vote for you if you paid me.
Good to know, Ivan.
Look, all I want is the
chance to represent you.
You get to decide if I'm worth it.
Well, what are you gonna do for us?
You tell me. What do you want?
Rain.
(PATRONS LAUGH)
Yeah, I'm not that good. What else?
Well, who's gonna listen to you
anyway? You burnt both parties.
What would you say to the
PM if you had the chance?
Why would the PM want to talk to you?
- (PATRONS CHUCKLE)
- MAN: Yeah!
(INTRIGUING MUSIC)
Yeah, hi, it's Alex Irving.
I need to speak to the Prime Minister.
WOMAN: I'm sorry, that's not possible.
Make it possible.
The Prime Minister's
in a meeting right now.
I don't care. He owes me
and he fuckin' knows it.
I'll wait.
One second, please.
What's this about, Irving?
Damien, I've got a couple
of folk here in Winton
who wanna have a word with you.
And I thought, seeing as
you're a man of the people
What kind of fuckin' stunt
are you trying to pull here?
You're on speaker phone, Prime Minister.
Hello!
This is Damien Bauer. Who's this?
Hello?
Damien, it's a few of us
blokes down the pub here, mate.
Ah, half your luck, mate. Why
don't you have a XXXX for me, eh?
(PATRONS CHUCKLE)
Listen, uh, look, I know you blokes
have been doing it tough up there
and, uh, I just wanna
thank you personally
for, uh, getting through this
bloody bugger of a drought.
So, Damo, you been getting any lately?
No, I'm too bloody shagged
running the country, mate.
(PATRONS LAUGH)
Alright, well, uh,
I've gotta take off now.
It's good to speak to you blokes.
- I've gotta get to another meeting.
- Alright, mate. Catch you later.
- MAN: See ya, Damo!
- Hooroo, mate. (LAUGHS)
You stupid bastards.
Just because he knows
what beer you drink
you think Damien Bauer's one of you?
If a bit of blokey banter is all
it takes for you to roll over,
you bloody deserve what you get.
Enrolment forms. Signatures.
(MUTTERS) Bunch of dickheads.
(PATRONS CHATTER)
I spoke to a 78-year-old woman today.
She drives her husband 200 k's
each way for chemo each week.
Guess who she votes for.
Yeah, Jack Ramsay.
A single mum, she spends
every cent on bottled water
because the bore water
gives her kids eczema.
I mean, there's no mental
health services, no rehab,
no decent skills training.
I mean, no exit plan for farmers
who don't want to be buried
under a mountain of debt.
I mean, I sound like a
friggin' broken record.
I mean, how many people need
to set themselves on fire
before anyone takes notice?
(SETS DOWN PLATE)
Rural issues are never gonna
dominate the political agenda.
If I make this seat marginal,
it'll force the pricks
to pull their finger out
and do something for these people.
If you could make this seat marginal,
it'd be a bloody miracle.
Come on, Charlie.
You really want to be standing
in a theatre, spouting bullshit?
We can do this.
I don't believe in miracles.
You know they've moved Tom?
Yeah, I heard.
Why didn't I know?
Kel moved the kids to Brisbane.
Apparently he asked for a
transfer to Brisbane Correctional
so they could see him.
I tried calling him.
Maybe it's time to stop.
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
You reckon Mum would approve?
Yep.
God, I miss her.
This is a profound loss,
and it's hard not to feel the
weight of that grief and sorrow,
to feel that the higher ideals of
integrity and decency have died.
But I will never forget,
and nor should you,
that a life of service leaves a
light that can never be extinguished.
And no man shone brighter
than Harold Clyde.
He was a giant of our Parliament
and I, like so many of you,
am honoured to have called
him my friend and mentor.
They don't make them
like you anymore, Harry.
And so we say goodbye
and thank you for your service.
Now go see Alex and I'll
be with you in a moment.
OK, Mum.
Helena.
Dad would have loved your speech.
Shame more from the party didn't come.
We asked them not to.
I'm sick of them. All of them.
They're all as bad as each other.
I'm sick of it all.
- I'm sorry.
- Don't be silly.
- They're stacking the branch.
- What?
- They're trying to pressure me out.
- Oh, the bastards.
It's all just so toxic.
(MOURNERS MURMUR)
I know.
What would your dad say to you?
He'd tell me to stare them down.
Yes, he would.
I should go and talk to people.
Mm, go. Hey, I'm here.
Rachel.
Well spoken.
It's a shame no-one's listening.
Nick Pearce. Shouldn't you be in jail?
I blame lax policing for that oversight.
Droll as ever.
I wanted to talk to you.
And you're not taking my calls.
I'm running a think tank.
(CLICKS TONGUE) Isn't everyone?
We're well funded.
Able to support a number of candidates
and we hope to make a significant
impact on the election.
Sounds dubious.
All above board.
At least we're not denying
science like everyone else.
What do you want, Nick?
The question, former Prime
Minister, is what do you want?
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
You got a hundred?
109, just to be safe.
Can't trust anyone around
here saying who they are.
- What are you doing?
- (CAMERA CLICKS)
Getting a record.
In case the post office stuffs up.
(CAMERA CLICKS)
What's that?
Mum's shouting you a scanner.
What are you doing up, anyway?
I've turned down Bathurst.
A grassroots campaign, right?
A different way of doing politics.
On one condition.
Only one?
I get to choose my own team.
(LAIDBACK MUSIC)
Welcome to campaign HQ.
Cool, cool.
So what kind of internet
speeds do you get around here?
Shit on a good day.
Right. OK. On it.
My nephew, Eddie. My sister, Alex.
Alex, this is Leo.
You're wearing shoes.
(CHUCKLES) Barefoot Senator.
Ah.
Charlie says you're
a political whiz-kid.
Had an OK teacher.
Do you know anything
about the electorate?
I know it's not winnable.
(CHARLIE LAUGHS)
He's good.
I've got you a swag on the couch.
It's comfy. 'Cause you're
not sleeping in my room.
(PATRONS CHATTER)
- What are you having?
- Coke, thanks.
Anything in it?
Uh, just Coke.
You are over 18, right?
Two Cokes. One straight.
The usual?
Thanks.
No worries, I'll bring 'em over.
Oh
you might wanna take
these while you're at it.
We're talking 17 regional councils
across an area three
times the size of the UK.
That's a lot of walking
between letterboxes.
Which is where Leo comes in.
Now, he's built cloud-based software
that can connect the whole electorate.
Yeah, so we can actually profile anyone
that interacts with us online,
through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
We can analyse likes, comments,
and extrapolate that metadata.
And then we can map exactly
who and where your fan base is,
identify undecided voters,
pinpoint the strongholds
and target any weak spots.
We're having a meeting.
I know. I'm on a break.
Joely's on the team.
What as?
Communications manager.
This is you choosing your team?
With what qualifications?
Certificate III in pulling
a beer and mouthing off?
Bachelor degree in
communications from Brisbane Uni.
Honours.
And I was the assistant
to the social media manager
in the last state election.
You've done nothing but give me shit.
And now you wanna
support me? Which is it?
Can't I do both?
- Cut it out. We're playing nice.
- It's politics, isn't it?
New politics.
People are fed up with the main parties.
They've had a gutful of
smear and name calling.
We have to prove we're different.
Which is why we're running
a positive campaign.
Anyone who works on the campaign
has to sign an agreement
not to go negative.
No fake news, no muckraking,
no smearing the other candidates.
We stay positive, we stay clean.
You're the only one who'll
be running a clean campaign.
Joely
No, no, sure, if you
wanna get your arse kicked.
Have you seen the shit
out there about you?
And it's not all me.
Charlie's given up another job for this.
I've got two black girls
and a man who burned himself
to death on my conscience.
If it's not your bag, we can get
another communications manager
who knows how to pull a beer.
OK.
Right, first up, we
engage with the people.
So we identify job
losses and where they are,
but what about the growth areas
CHARLIE: We find out what
matters to them, who's hurting,
how they voted in the past,
why, what would swing their vote.
We collate it all, agree
on priorities and values,
and formulate a platform that
speaks for and to the community.
We'll set up an office at my place.
That'll be the centre of all operations
for the duration of the campaign.
And Joely will establish
a social media presence.
Next, we need to recruit volunteers,
as many as we can from
all over the electorate.
They'll be the backbone
of this campaign.
- Penny.
- Penny?
CHARLIE: We train them up,
we give them the tools and
structure to work within,
and then we send them
home to their communities.
Not friendly enough.
Let's go one more time.
CHARLIE: Then we'll need a campaign bus.
That bus needs to be
able to get all four of us
to every corner of the electorate.
What do you reckon?
And where's all the money
coming from for all this?
Mum's tea tin isn't bottomless.
- Crowd funding.
- What?
Crowd funding.
It's an online fundraising
platform. It's cool. I'm onto it.
Individual contributions,
in-kind donations,
local services, small businesses.
And we have one more try.
Remember, this is for Alex Irving.
That's the knock.
- That's what I call a good knock.
- Mm-hm. Mm-mm.
Chook raffles, trivia
nights, lamington drives.
We're not taking any
corporate money or donations
from interest groups, agreed?
TEAM: Agreed.
Have I forgotten anything?
Uh, yes.
- (VEHICLE APPROACHES)
- (ALL SPEAK INAUDIBLY)
(WOMAN VOCALISES WORDLESSLY)
CHARLIE: There's a stack of
A2s and general campaign stuff.
Yep, great. I'll hold.
First public forum, Longreach town hall.
All of the candidates are invited.
Big hall?
Big enough.
Alright, I'll get out my flying monkeys,
my cheerleaders, my town criers.
We'll put it out there online
and spend some ad dollars
so people know where
we're at, what we're doing.
Do I have to post?
I'll need your input,
but I can manage it.
You got a strong stomach?
I've seen what they're saying about you.
Not all of it. There's rape threats.
Usual 'black bitch' shit.
Got a few regulars,
but there's one particular charmer
who's been going at me for a while.
Handle?
Bait15.
- (CHARLIE CHATTERS INDISTINCTLY)
- (SOBER MUSIC)
My God.
-
- I'm sorry, Alex.
This is fucked.
Not your fault.
I've had my fair share of
shit, but nothing like this.
Hey, nerd. How's your
troll-tracking skills?
Give us a look.
Uh
Ooh.
I'd have to go deeper,
but a lot of these look
like sock puppet accounts.
Fake?
Yeah. Chances are it's someone you know.
Statistically. You know, like, murder.
Thanks for bringing that up.
So how's he contacting you?
WhatsApp and text.
I change my numbers, but
he still gets through.
- Then there's the tweets.
- Don't worry. Leo will find him.
No guarantees.
If he's good at covering his tracks,
he'll be really hard to trace.
- How do you know it's a he?
- Statistically, it's
- Like murder.
- Yeah.
- (FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)
- Where are you going?
EDDIE: Out.
- You got any homework?
- Nuh.
Good chat.
(ETHEREAL MUSIC)
CLANCY: Let's go. Make it quick.
Go! Go!
(TENSE MUSIC BUILDS)
Oi! Watch out!
Eddie, watch out!
(TYRES SKID)
- Are you OK?
- Yeah, I think so.
He could have killed you.
Dickhead.
(SIREN PIPS)
KYLIE: Shit!
What have you done now?
CLANCY: I wonder what's up this time.
What are you kids doing
out here without helmets on?
Clancy?
Nothing.
- Where have you been?
- Just muckin' around.
Riding along the creek
bed, but it got too hot.
What happened there, Eddie?
Came off. Hit a stone.
Some stone.
Put it in the back. I'll
give you a lift into town.
- I'm OK.
- Throw it in. Let's go.
What about you two?
We're right.
Then get off the road before
I ping you for no helmets.
OK.
Come on. Your mum would kill
me if I left you out here.
LEO: So Jack Ramsay got 57%
of the first preference vote
at the last federal election,
and 75% two-party preferred.
Ramsay's the equivalent
of a pile of dog shit.
What? Everyone knows that.
Uh, Opposition got 26% first
preferences, United Christians 15.
Independents?
Uh, none of them got over 4%.
Jesus. That's no better
than the informals.
(DOOR SHUTS)
Oi.
Where have you been?
I was down at the creek.
- What's this?
- I fell off my bike. It's nothing.
Doesn't look like nothing. Go get
the antiseptic from the bathroom.
(DOOR SLAMS)
(INTRIGUING MUSIC)
(INTERCOM RINGS)
Nick.
Nice place.
- Uh, it's a friend's.
- Hmm!
Are you just gonna stand there?
Actually, do you mind if I vape?
(INHALES NOISILY)
I have a balcony.
So what are your plans?
I'm considering my options.
Travel? Memoir?
TV producer?
Why not?
"Rachel Anderson bows out gracefully."
That's not really you.
You don't know me, Nick.
Maybe not.
Given any thought to
how your obit might read?
"Disgraced Prime Minister
rolled by her own side
over corruption cover-up."
It's hardly the legacy you'd hope for.
Yeah, well, I'm not dead yet.
- (POURS DRINK)
- As good as.
And you wonder why I
don't take your calls.
There's no question it
was a shitty way to go, OK?
And you'd be forgiven
for spending the rest of
your days licking your wounds
and sticking pins into a
pudgy little Damien Bauer doll.
Here's your problem.
Normal people don't join
political parties anymore.
They're busy having actual lives,
which means the rank and file
has been reduced to 5G fuckwits
and the branch stacking shock
troops of the Christian right.
And don't even get me
started on Queensland.
They're dragging the
party to the fringe,
leaving the middle wide open,
and that's your part of the sandpit.
The sensible centre.
Exactly.
And no-one's speaking for them.
Look, I don't know what
you've got in mind, Nick,
but I'm hardly at the
height of my popularity.
No, you're vulnerable.
People actually think
you're human for once.
You used to be 'Nutcracker' Anderson.
The death-stare bitch with hair
that could stop a fucking tank.
But now you're one of them.
Fucked over and left behind.
You're the underdog. People love that.
I've been disendorsed, Nick.
Maybe you didn't get the memo.
There's another word for 'disendorsed'.
Freedom.
(PATRONS CHATTER)
That's great. Look forward
to it. Alright, mate.
Longreach Town Hall's locked in.
All candidates confirmed.
Now, how we go there will set
the tone for the whole campaign.
No pressure.
You can bet that Ramsay'll
stack the audience.
He doesn't need to.
Longreach is a stronghold.
Forget about Ramsay.
All you have to do is
stick to your talking points
and show them that you're listening, OK?
If you can pull this off
TV: for re-election
have been dealt
Joely, turn that up.
In an unprecedented move,
former prime minister Rachel Anderson
has just announced
she's running as an independent
in her former seat of North Sydney.
I've been overwhelmed by
the messages of support
from the people of my electorate,
from people all over the country,
begging me to represent them
as an independent candidate.
Is this a strike back at
the party that dumped you?
We've lost integrity in politics.
And we've lost true representation.
I'm standing for all
those who feel the parties
have abandoned them
and no longer represent
their core values.
Rachel Anderson had only recently
That bitch won't die.
following reports of
a campaign against her
by forces loyal to the Prime Minister.
The government's always denied
this, a denial (VOICE FADES)
What are you gonna do for health care?
Infrastructure. Targeted funding.
Incentives to keep doctors.
More training for local
nurses and midwives.
Can you turn up the
aircon back here, please?
Education.
Stop the closure of local schools.
No kid should be travelling
more than an hour.
Who'll listen to anything you've
got to say? You're full of shit!
I'm heckling. Come on.
(ENGINE ROARS IN DISTANCE)
(TYRES SKID)
(ENGINE REVS AGGRESSIVELY)
(ENGINE REVS AGGRESSIVELY)
Come on! I'm right here!
Come on!
(ENGINE ROARS)
(CROWD CHATTERS)
So you each get four minutes
in front of the microphone
to introduce yourselves and
to make an opening statement.
Then the floor is open to questions.
You can respond to each other,
but there is a 30-second
limit on rebuttals.
Any questions?
Yeah, I have one.
Where's the incumbent?
Still got 10 minutes.
(SILENCE)
I'm a fourth-generation farmer.
We have no water, we have no
feed and our cattle are dying.
Six weeks ago,
my father-in-law took his rifle out
into the hay shed and shot himself.
The only supermarket in town
burnt to the ground
because there wasn't enough
water to put the fire out.
But the cotton farmers and the
bloody army base have got water.
When's someone gonna admit
this isn't about the drought?
It's about bloody water mismanagement,
it's about corruption
and it's about greed.
CROWD: Yeah. Yeah! Hear, hear!
- Why should we vote for any of ya?
- MAN: Yeah!
What have you got to
say about that, Alex?
MAN: Yes!
(SILENCE)
I'm sorry to hear about
your father-in-law.
I'm not gonna pretend
I've got all the answers.
But one thing I know is that
any one of us on stage tonight
can do more for you than an empty chair.
For the last 25 years,
this electorate has put its confidence
into a member of parliament
who has so little respect
for his constituency
he hasn't even bothered
to front up to this debate.
- (CROWD MURMURS AGREEMENT)
- Yeah, true.
The main parties don't believe
people are interested in politics.
They want you to turn up on
polling day, buy a sausage,
stick your vote in the ballot box
and walk away and leave
them with everything.
But we've seen where that gets us.
I am no different to any of you.
I want what everyone here wants.
I want my son to get
the same opportunities
that kids get in Brisbane -
education, training and a job.
I want my aunty to get medical treatment
without travelling 500 k's for it.
I want water to drink and wash in
that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
And I want the land around
me to be managed by people
who actually live on it
rather than the banks
and foreign companies.
- (CROWD MURMURS AGREEMENT)
- WOMAN: Yes!
That's why I'm here tonight.
To talk to you.
Because any one of us,
we can make a difference.
- (EMOTIVE MUSIC)
- (APPLAUSE)
- (WOMAN VOCALISES WORDLESSLY)
- (BIRDSONG)
Hm. Who else is on the panel?
Ah.
Let me get back to you on that one.
Alright, thanks.
JOELY: Great, we'll be standing by.
Thank you.
Radio interview, 11am.
And you'd better put on some lippy
because we've got a photographer
from the local paper coming around.
You're going off, old girl.
What?
They want you on 'Q+A'.
'Q+A'?
Me? Why?
They're doing an election special
focusing on independent candidates.
They've invited four others,
including Rachel Anderson.
No way. I'm not doing it.
Ah, bullshit you're not.
I mean, it's a set-up.
They just want a catfight
between me and Anderson.
It's national television.
Actually, it was Rachel Anderson
who suggested they invite you.
Oh, worse. She wants the catfight.
And? You can whip her skinny white
arse in front of the entire nation.
Alex, we can't buy
this kind of publicity.
Yeah, you gotta do it.
(CONTEMPLATIVE MUSIC)
(CONTEMPLATIVE MUSIC CONTINUES)
(MUFFLED VOICES)
MAN: Alex.
Welcome.
Brian Dale. Great to
have you on the show.
Is it just you?
Um, yeah. Why?
Follow me.
Most guests bring an
entourage to support them.
Our budget doesn't
stretch to an entourage.
- You know everyone?
- George.
- Here she is, the runaway bride.
- Funny.
Philippa Bailey. Nice to meet you.
- You've had a hell of a year.
- Tell me about it.
And Father Harry.
Gay priest.
- Black bitch.
- Hmm!
- And Carrie will show you to make-up.
- Follow me.
Alex Irving.
- WOMAN: Hi, Alex.
- Hmm.
(HAIRSPRAY HISSES)
Hello, Alex.
Rachel.
You allergic to anything?
Perfect, thank you.
Good luck out there.
Alright.
So a couple of things.
Don't get defensive. Ever.
You'll be right. Everyone
feels the nerves the first time.
It's suicide. Get me the
fuck out of here, Charlie.
CHARLIE: Look, you can't pull out now.
It's live. She can
say anything she wants.
Look, just remember, we go high, Alex.
If she tries to rake over
your history, just ignore it.
Don't engage.
Just stay on message
and talk to the audience.
And the last thing you want to project
is angry black woman for Freeman.
Well, you got the wrong candidate.
Promise me you won't go off.
You know that's what they want.
Alex. Tanya Hosch. I'm a huge fan.
Thanks, sis.
- (PATRONS CHATTER)
- (CHARLIE SIGHS)
('Q+A' THEME MUSIC PLAYS ON TV)
Hey, can we, uh, turn this up, please?
- (APPLAUSE)
- On in five, four
The upcoming federal election
is shaping up to be a very close race.
The major parties are
neck and neck in the polls
and with more than 80 independent
candidates standing for election,
there's a chance independent MPs
could hold the balance of power
in the next Parliament.
With voters abandoning the
majors in increasing numbers,
what does this say about the health
of our democratic institutions?
And who are the people aiming to
challenge our political status quo?
Well, with me tonight to discuss
this, and to answer your questions,
the sitting member and candidate
for Illingworth, George Jeffries,
candidate for the seat of
Smithvale, Philippa Bailey,
religious left candidate
Father Harry Woods,
former government senator and now
independent candidate for Freeman,
Alex Irving.
Smile, for fuck's sake!
And last but by no means
least, the former prime minister
and independent candidate for
North Sydney, Rachel Anderson.
- (APPLAUSE)
- Here we go, mate. Gloves off. Cheers.
Well, first up tonight
is an audience question
from Jacqui McDermott.
My question's for Alex Irving.
You have a track record of
betraying your government,
running off with the Opposition,
and then dumping them at the altar.
Now you're standing as an independent.
My question's this -
how do you expect anyone in
your electorate to trust you?
Come on, Alex. We practised this.
Thanks for the question.
Uh, it's a fair question.
I'm not asking for trust.
- Who trusts politicians?
- (AUDIENCE CHUCKLES)
The people in my
electorate certainly don't.
They've been left high
and dry too many times.
Government doesn't have
to be an institution
they're shut out from,
and what I'm asking is
that they get involved.
Well, next we have a video question
from Jay Reiner in Coolangatta.
JAY: Hello, all. My question's
for the former prime minister.
What would you like to say to the
woman you invited into the Senate,
only for her to bring down your
government and put you out of a job?
(RACHEL CHUCKLES)
Plenty.
But I'm not here as a
former prime minister.
I'm here as an independent candidate,
and I'm here tonight
with my fellow panellists
because we believe that Australia's
hungry for true representation.
That's all very nice,
but I'm gonna ask you to
answer the original question.
I think I know where you're
trying to take this, Hamish.
So, OK. Let me address
the elephant in the room.
We've all done things
we're not proud of.
I delayed justice for
a young Indigenous woman
who died in youth
detention, Marcie Maclean.
She deserved better.
And her family deserved the truth.
Now, I'm not saying it's been easy,
but I do understand why Alex
made the decisions she made
out of frustration and anger
at our nation's apathy for
Aboriginal deaths in custody.
She held me to account.
And that is rare in politics.
But it's independent candidates,
like Alex and my fellow
panellists tonight,
who are in the position to do that
because they are fighting on
behalf of their electorate,
not their own careers,
and they can talk truth to power.
I think it's great,
and I think it's the future.
Give the girl a fuckin'
Oscar. Jesus Christ.
Surprising words there
from Rachel Anderson.
Alex Irving, does that mean
the hatchet's now buried?
I don't know where the hatchet
is, to be honest, Hamish.
(SOME PEOPLE CHUCKLE)
But I didn't come on national television
to bullshit on about it all
being water under the bridge.
I came here for one purpose,
and that is to talk
about what my team can do
for the people in my electorate.
And how we can change
the political debate
in rural and regional Australia.
For the folks back
home. I hate this show.
You tune in for a catfight,
you get a fuckin' love-in.
Her page is going off.
Hey, is that one of yours?
No, that one's legit.
"Alex Irving for next Prime Minister."
Wow.
GEORGE: All I know is we don't need
a carbon tax to drive up prices.
We need our coal
industry, we need our jobs,
we need affordable electricity.
HAMISH: And yet you have supported
subsidising wind and solar farms.
Isn't that a contradiction?
Not for a mysterious
man like myself, Hamish.
I'm a broad church.
(ALL CHATTER)
NICK: Mm-hm. Good.
Half the feedback seems to
be about my frickin' haircut.
Saying I copied Laura Tingle.
- (SNORTS)
- (SCOFFS)
Alex, what's your poison?
Um, I can't stay.
- Nice to meet you, Father.
- Thank you.
Ah, Alex. Impressive as always.
I wanted to introduce you to my
campaign manager, Nick Pearce.
- Hello.
- Hi.
Who's running yours?
- My brother.
- Ah, Charlie.
Nice.
Listen, can we talk?
I've ordered a car.
I'll walk you out.
(SOFTLY) I'll meet you in the lobby.
I'm glad you agreed to
come on to the show tonight.
Wouldn't have, if I'd had my choice.
What do you want to say?
Do you believe Laurie Martin
is gonna win the election?
I think Laurie Martin believes he will.
What if he doesn't? What if we
get three more years of Bauer?
What difference does it
make who's prime minister?
My polling has you 20 to 30
points behind Jack Ramsay.
That's a big gap, but I've
got intel that suggests
you could get the
numbers to threaten him.
If you run a smart campaign,
secure the right preference deals
and don't shoot your mouth off,
you could swing that seat.
Finished white-splaining?
Oh, for fuck's sake, Alex.
When are you going to
stop playing the victim?
You don't even see what
it is for me, do you?
I'll tell you what I see.
A woman who thinks she
has the monopoly on anger.
- Really?
- Yeah.
Because if anyone has
a right to be angry
It's a privileged white bitch
who drinks single malt whisky?
Privileged? Privileged?
Is that what you call 17
years of misogyny in politics?
You seemed happy clutching
your pearls and handbag
as leader of the party.
I sacrificed everything to get where
I did and you blew it up in a day.
You know what? Let's
call it even, shall we?
Time to move on.
Move on?
This doesn't end for me.
I lost the trust of my community.
I have to face the
people you screwed over!
People had faith in me.
You had me stay for a
vote when my mum was dying.
I didn't get to say goodbye to her.
She asked for me and I wasn't there.
- Alex, I'm sorry. I never
- No
Just listen,
maybe we'll never understand each other,
but we can't let these bastards win.
Now, I think the independents
will hold the balance
of power in the House.
My money is on four, possibly five,
independent candidates getting up.
Now, I'm planning to be one of them
and I hope that you'll be another.
Why?
You have what it takes to
negotiate across political lines.
They'll need someone
like you to unite them.
So you want me to broker
another deal for you.
For us.
Because if we're going to achieve
anything from the crossbench,
we are gonna need all
the allies we can get.
Allies? Look where
that got me last time.
I'm not your enemy.
I still see the qualities
I first saw in you.
I think, together, we could
do something extraordinary.
You think I can win my seat?
I wouldn't bet against you.
What do you say?
I say you should go fuck yourself.
Because there's no way in hell
I'm gonna let you fuck me again.
(GRIM MUSIC)
(WOMAN VOCALISES WORDLESSLY)
PETER: There is a path back
to the party if you want it.
- Is that from Damien as well?
- No. That's from me.
JACK: Never underestimate your enemy.
ALEX: What about the
fake election flyers?
And you're wondering if I've
got anything to do with that?
WOMAN: When we get a
notification of child abuse,
we're not saying that
that's what's going on here.
It sounds like that's
exactly what you're saying.
As far as I'm concerned,
the meeting's over.
That's not fair.
Not fair? Who the fuck
said any of this is fair?
(ENGINE ROARS)
What's going on?