A fiery exchange erupted on national television as Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek and One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce clashed on Channel Seven's Sunrise program on Monday morning. The heated debate unfolded against the backdrop of fresh Newspoll figures revealing the Coalition's primary vote has slumped to a record low of just 18 percent.
Polling Numbers Paint Bleak Picture for Coalition
The latest polling data shows a dramatic shift in Australia's political landscape. While the Coalition's primary vote has plunged to 18 percent, One Nation has surged to 27 percent, placing them just six points behind Labor on 33 percent. The figures also indicate significant dissatisfaction with Opposition Leader Sussan Ley's leadership, with 62 percent of Australians expressing discontent compared to 53 percent dissatisfied with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Joyce Describes Situation as "A Little Bit Sad"
Barnaby Joyce described the polling situation as "a little bit sad" during the Sunrise appearance, telling viewers the Coalition needed to "do something" to address their declining support. "For our part... we are just going to keep doing our job and making sure that we are presenting ourselves to the Australian people," Joyce said. "We understand the polls are an indicator, they're not a fact, and we'll do our very best job to make sure the Australian people have a safe set of hands to vote for."
Plibersek Points to Coalition Chaos
Tanya Plibersek acknowledged it had been a difficult week politically but emphasized Labor's focus on cost-of-living pressures rather than internal instability. "We're focused on the Australian people and making sure that we help with the cost of living," she stated. The Social Services Minister argued that ongoing turmoil within the Coalition was undermining public confidence in Australia's democratic processes.
"It's not good for democracy for this sort of chaos to continue," Plibersek asserted. "In a sense, I don't think they've given Sussan Ley a fair chance. You know that Angus Taylor was snapping at her heels at the time of their party election at the very beginning, and he's never really let up."
Plibersek directly linked the Coalition's poor polling to internal conflicts, stating: "People say it's a mess, it's chaos, they've got poor polling, well, Barnaby started it by leaving, and they've kept it going with the chaos and speculation about leadership. No wonder people say they're not going to vote Liberal or National while they're all fighting each other instead of focusing on the Australian people."
Policy Debate Heats Up Over Energy Future
Joyce Outlines Coal-Fired Power Station Plans
The debate intensified as Joyce outlined One Nation's energy policy, proposing to refurbish and rebuild coal-fired power stations using funds redirected from Labor's energy schemes. "We're going to get the money that the Labor Party are squandering on the capacity investment schemes," Joyce explained. "Probably hundreds of billions of dollars that is going off to overseas billionaires, domestic billionaires, putting the price of power through the roof... we're going to get that money, and we're using that to refurbish and rebuild coal-fired power stations."
Joyce detailed a phased approach, stating: "We will start with a platform of two, and then we will expand out from there. That is the policy, and we've showed you where the money is coming from." He emphasized locating these projects "where there are already coal-fired power stations, so we don't have to build the transmission lines, the swindle factories, the solar panels... get some logic back into this and attract heavy industry back into Australia."
Plibersek Dismisses Coal Proposal as Expensive
Plibersek strongly dismissed Joyce's proposal, arguing that new coal-fired power represents "the most expensive form, other than nuclear, of new energy." She countered: "There is a bunch of evidence out there, the cheapest form of new electricity is cheaper, cleaner, renewable energy. We got up to 52 percent of the power grid last year, wholesale prices are coming down, we've got millions of homes out there with solar on the roof... they're not crazy greeny lefties Barnaby, they worked out solar is cheaper, and if you had a battery you can get your bill down to nearly zero."
Joyce Questions Renewable Subsidies
Joyce hit back by questioning why renewable energy required subsidies if it was truly the cheapest option. Plibersek responded by asking why he was proposing subsidies for coal if it was so affordable. The exchange grew increasingly tense, with Joyce telling Plibersek to "have a look at your power bill" as evidence of current energy policy failures.
Leadership and Policy Credibility Under Scrutiny
Plibersek Challenges Joyce on Policy Detail
Throughout the debate, Plibersek challenged Joyce to move beyond criticism and outline detailed policy proposals. "If Joyce wants One Nation to be considered as a party of parliament and to be considered as the alternate Prime Minister one day, he will need to start outlining concrete policies and plans, instead of just listing the things he is complaining about," she asserted.
Joyce Denies Prime Ministerial Ambitions
Joyce denied making claims about wanting to become Prime Minister, responding simply: "We've got policies, Tanya." He labeled Labor's 33 percent primary vote position as "diabolical," warning: "If 33 percent is where you're happy... then you have to understand that it's terribly febrile and you can flip from a strong majority to a massive minority in the heartbeat of one election. You are not at a safe place at 33."
Joyce Rejects Instability Claims
The One Nation MP rejected claims that he was contributing to political instability, stating: "I made a decision to join One Nation, and it looks like the Australian people and their polling are making the same decision. I don't take it for granted."
Host Intervenes as Debate Intensifies
As the exchange grew more heated, Sunrise host Nat Barr was forced to intervene, urging Joyce to answer questions directly. "I can't hear both of you," Joyce said at one point as the politicians spoke over each other. Plibersek pressed Joyce on the cost and location of proposed coal-fired power stations, prompting visible frustration from the One Nation MP who described the interruptions as "crazy."
Public Frustration Reflects Broader Concerns
Speaking for many Australians watching the debate, Barr brought the fiery exchange to a close by noting the widespread frustration shared by households across the country. "Most of us just know power bills are going up and we can't work out why," she observed, capturing the sentiment of viewers grappling with cost-of-living pressures amid political debates about energy policy and leadership stability.
The Sunrise clash highlights the deepening political divisions in Australia as major parties grapple with declining primary votes and increasing support for minor parties. With energy policy emerging as a central battleground and leadership questions continuing to dominate political discourse, Australian voters face complex choices amid rising living costs and concerns about the nation's economic direction.
