Sunrise, Sydney - interview with David Koch

DAVID KOCH The Coalition has 74 seats, compared with Labor's 66, five are still up for grabs. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop joins me now. Fell over the line, looks as though you're going to get a majority, is that satisfying?

JULIE BISHOP I am delighted that we have won more seats and won more votes than the Labor Party and of course it's an honour and a privilege to serve the Australian people in government. So I am looking forward to the final result being determined but with Bill Shorten conceding, yes, it means that we have won the election and now it's on with the business of governing for all Australians.

DAVID KOCH Now Malcolm Turnbull said, ok, it's a mandate for the business tax cuts, for the construction union watchdog to come in. Also superannuation as well.

JULIE BISHOP Well, Kochie, we have an obligation, a responsibility to honour the promises that we took to the election. We will do that, but it also means working with the Senate in a constructive way to ensure that we are able to pass those pieces of legislation that we took to the election.

DAVID KOCH Superannuation the changes, you will try and get through the Senate?

JULIE BISHOP I expect that we will present the budget legislation as we took to the budget, as we took to the election.

DAVID KOCH Pauline Hanson a little earlier said she doesn't think you have a mandate for much, you've just fallen across the line, particularly if you are a minority government, it doesn't give you a mandate for anything.

JULIE BISHOP We are yet to see. We are hopeful that we will see the 76 seats which means we are a majority government. Don't forget, we will be the first re-elected government since 2004 to reach a majority, should that be the case…

DAVID KOCH In the lower house…

JULIE BISHOP In the lower house, that's right. I did see Pauline's interview. She indicated that she is prepared to work constructively with us, engage with us. Of course we will sit down with her and explain the legislation, explain the implications of it and why we have promoted such legislation. So I look forward to working with her.

DAVID KOCH She is great at giving you advice, give her some advice. What mandate does she have? Does she have a mandate to have an opinion on anything other than what she campaigned for?

JULIE BISHOP Each candidate, each party campaigned on a platform and the public are entitled to hold those candidates and the parties to that platform. In the case of the Liberal National Party, we campaigned on a number of election promises and we have an obligation and a responsibility to honour those promises. Those who were elected on a much narrower platform, one or two issues, I think Derryn Hinch said he had about 7 issues, they are entitled to continue to promote those issues and negotiate with the government. At the end of the day, we won a majority of seats in the lower house, we have won a majority of the votes, and therefore I hope that all senators work constructively with us so that we can implement those promises.

DAVID KOCH So, let's take Derryn for example, he had 7 issues. Apart from those 7, all other issues should he automatically support the government that that has all been elected?

JULIE BISHOP We should all respect the wishes of the Australian public. I would expect that all senators will want to work constructively with us so we have got good government for Australia. We have to work together in the interests of all Australians, and I note that Bill Shorten said yesterday that the Labor Party would seek to find common ground. We certainly want to find common ground.

DAVID KOCH Do you believe him?

JULIE BISHOP He said it. The Australian public will hold him to account on it. The experience of the last election of the Medicare lie does concern me of course, but Bill Shorten has said to the Australian public he wants to find common ground. Well if the Liberal Party and the Labor Party are able to agree, there is no need to negotiate with the senators, but I would expect that all senators act in the national interest.

DAVID KOCH Malcolm Turnbull has suggested there will be a Cabinet reshuffle. Do you want to keep foreign?

JULIE BISHOP I would be absolutely honoured to continue to serve as the Foreign Minister of Australia. There is a lot of unfinished business, a lot of things I would like to do. So if I'm elected the Deputy of the Party, I would choose foreign affairs.

DAVID KOCH Do you aspire to be Treasurer?

JULIE BISHOP No, I aspire to be Foreign Minister.

DAVID KOCH That's the only job that you would like at the moment.

JULIE BISHOP I came into politics with a desire to end up as foreign minister if I were able to, and this has been the fulfilment of that and I want to continue in that role.

DAVID KOCH Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten have suggested maybe changing to electronic voting because the result has taken so long. Do you think that is a chance to get up?

JULIE BISHOP It has been a frustrating week, I can assure you, not just for the members of parliament and it's also been a tough week for those who were not re-elected, and I certainly think of them over the past week, not knowing their fate for such a time. Electronic voting has been considered by a parliamentary committee after the last election. It does come down to a question of expense but then you weigh that off against not knowing who the government of the country is for a time. But also security - we would have to ensure that there was great integrity as a voting system. I am not suggesting the system we have now is perfect, but most certainly these are issues we can consider. I would like to see it if we can get the results instantaneously, that would be a joy for those of us who are sitting around waiting for the result.

DAVID KOCH I can't believe the current system doesn't ask me for ID that I am who I am. In terms of voting.

JULIE BISHOP It's harder to get a card from a video store than it is to go and vote in Australia, I agree.

DAVID KOCH That's legislation from politicians.

JULIE BISHOP I agree. We need to work together and I was pleased to hear that Labor are interested in electoral reform. We need to work together to ensure that there is a system that reflects the will of the people and has great integrity. The cost of course is important, but so is security, the security of a person's vote.

DAVID KOCH Julie Bishop, thank you for joining us.

JULIE BISHOP It has been a delight.