SUBJECTS: PEP 11; Visit to the Central Coast; unofficial Mayor of the Central Coast.
 
HOST: We've got a very special guest on the Central Coast today. It is the Leader of the Opposition, Anthony Albanese. He joins us this morning. Anthony, hello, mate.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: G'day, how're you going?

HOST: Look, alright.

ALBANESE: You're really putting on the weather for us. It's a bit ordinary, guys.

HOST: Yeah, I know. Albo, what are you here on the Central Coast for today?

ALBANESE: I'm here to talk about PEP 11 with Dr Gordon Reid. We're doing a press conference down at Avoca Beach at the Surf Club. It's about the need to end this crazy proposal. It's been on the Minister's desk, Keith Pitt, since February. We have unequivocally said that Labor is opposed to it. All the independent members are opposed to it. Emma McBride has been campaigning against it. Dr Gordon Reid, our candidate, is against it. The community is against it. Surfers. Everyone on the coast is against it, right up and down.

HOST: That's a permit for oil and gas exploration just off the coast.

ALBANESE: It's this idea that you would have oil and gas exploration up to five kilometres close into the coast. And it's just a bizarre proposal. It can be ended with the stroke of a pen and the Morrison Government won't do it.

HOST: Anyone who wants to see you today can get down to Avoca Surf Lifesaving Club to hear you speak on this. But look, more importantly right now at this point in time, Paddy and I are opponents in a political stoush of our own for the unofficial Mayor of the Central Coast and what a guest to have on the radio show right now. I'm just looking for the best way to maybe deflect metaphorical stone throwing from an opponent, which Paddy seems to do quite well. How do you deflect stuff like that?

ALBANESE: Oh, they're bringing families into it now. I reckon I would've broken into tears and, you know, actually go for the heartstrings.

HOST: Actually crying when he hung up on my mum, yeah.

ALBANESE: Hanging up on your mum, that's low.

HOST: Well, Rob is proposing he wants more oil exploration and drilling as unofficial Mayor.

HOST: That is an outright lie, Albo.

ALBANESE: Well, I'm against him then.

HOST: Thank you, Albo. That's all we needed. That's the only grab we needed. You're against him. Hey, also South Sydney. Awww. How're they looking for next year, you reckon?

ALBANESE: Two points. I'm still in therapy. Adam Reynolds, that goal.

HOST: Don't bring it up. Don't bring it up.

HOST: I can't believe you've eaten Paddy's political pavlova.

HOST: It's a really important issue that you're discussing today. That's at Avoca. And from up there on the Central Coast, are you heading somewhere else after that?

ALBANESE: I'll be here tomorrow as well. Going to try and have the day off tomorrow. How about that?

HOST: Good stuff, spend it in paradise.

ALBANESE: Catch up with people. Yeah, well, my partner's grandmother, Claire Hastings, she's 93 years old and she wins prizes on your radio program. So, I reckon anyone who's ringing into Triple M at age 93, I reckon they should be the Mayor.

HOST: Wow, that is fantastic. I think she rang to pledge her vote to the Palmer campaign.

HOST: Oh, she did. That's when she didn't know there's gonna be oil exploration and drilling by the Palmer party. As you know, Anthony, anything with Palmer at the end of it. You got Clive Palmer, Rob Palmer all in the same category. You'd think they were identical twins when you look at both of them.

ALBANESE: There's an angle. Only their mothers can tell them apart.

HOST: I'm hanging up on him!

ALBANESE: See ya, guys.

HOST: Hanging up on him. You're disrespectful. 

HOST: Well, mate. Clive Palmer. Of all the people to draw a parallels with.

ENDS