Movie Plot: Albanese attempts to become Australian dictator after China-US war but it does not go to plan! Eventually, Peter Dutton becomes prime minister with the same goals as Albanese.

Characters at time of the War:

Prime Minister Albanese; Defence Minister Marles; Foreign Affairs Minister Wong; Treasurer Chalmers; Attorney-General Dreyfus; PM’s Chief-of-Staff Gartrell; Secretary of Department of PM&C Davis; Secretary of Treasury Kennedy; Minister of Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Conroy; Luke Gosling; Tanya Plibersek; Mike Burgess of ASIO. Journalists Greg Sheridan, David Speers, Cameron Stewart and Nick McKenzie. Premiers: NSW Minns, Vic Allan, Qld Miles, WA Cook, Tas Rockliff, SA Malinauskas.

New Characters in Part 5:

Prime Minister Peter Dutton; Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham; Treasurer Angus Taylor, Defence Minister Andrew Hastie; Finance Minister Jane Hume; Attorney-General Michaella Cash; Minister of Immigration and Citizenship Dan Tehan; Dave Sharma; Paul Kelly, Michelle Gratton.

Scene 53: Office of Prime Minister

Wong: “Welcome back. I have been reading your daily reports. How was the flight?

Plibersek: “I could not avoid feeling very depressed. Starmer and his ministers are all at sea. I could not get a coherent answer on anything. They remain committed to the US in theory, at the top level, but as soon as you get into any details – the economy, China, Indo-Pacific, AUKUS – nothing! The US has unofficially pulled out of AUKUS deal to concentrate on Virginia subs, but Starmer and co. still pretends all is OK. The world recession had deepened, and US is focussing economics on self. Japan wants to repair some economic relations with China.”

Conroy: “And now, on top of all this, we have an election!”

Wong: “Look!. I had to call the election because there needs to be some certainty going forward. The G-G was getting very pushy – even independently talking to Dutton.”

Plibersek: “But Dutton might win.”

Chalmers: “The economy is in deep recession and exporters to China have difficulty getting paid because of US sanctions on using the $US for any dealings with China.”

Conroy: “The attacks on Chinese businesses have been growing. No Chinese have yet been killed, but it will happen, I suppose.”

Plibersek: “I thought you hated Chinese?”

Conroy: “China more than Chinese!

Scene 54: Public Service Office

Davis: “It looks like Labor is gone, and so is my job!”

Kennedy: “Dutton is a thug, not very intelligent. Even Scott Morrison was smarter — although not by much.”

Davis: “I even begin to miss Marles!”

Kennedy: “Who do think will replace you?”

Davis: “I heard a rumour that it may be Minns.”

Kennedy: “What! Why would he give up the Labor premiership of New South Wales to work for Liberal Dutton?”

Davis: “Ambition. Power is increasingly being centralized and Minns will use his state-based experience to enable that.”

Kennedy: “Can the situation get any worse?”

Scene 55: National Cabinet

Victoria Premier Allen: “Unbelievable! Minns has sold us all out. Not only has he sold out the Labor Party but he has sold out Australia’s system of federal government. Up until now he was the most opposed to any increase in federal powers.”

Minns: “My resignation as premier takes effect tomorrow, but I wanted to attend this meeting to explain that the new world and Australian situation demands new strong and thoughtful leadership. I believe that the Labor Party has under three recent leaders failed to deliver that. I believe that Peter Dutton can.”

Dutton: “The Australian people have clearly expressed their view in the election that I lead the country. I intend to do so. Chris Minns will be my right-hand man in doing this.”

Malinauskas: “I think this is a good move. We all need to pull together.”

Dutton: “I intend to announce that national cabinet has agreed to suspension of all elections in Australia until this terrible situation is resolved.”

Miles: “This is going too far!”

Dutton: “We will see!”

Scene 56: Parliamentary Press Gallery

Michelle Gratton walks in.

David Speers: “Michelle! What are you doing here?”

Gratton: “The times are too interesting to sit at home.”

Speers: “And the commentators at The Australian want to make it more interesting – and dangerous! Paul Kelly is again on his moral high-horse telling us that we must bring in conscription of 18-year olds to promote pride in the country.”

Sheridan: “I heard that! It’s a good idea if it means working on some national projects as well as military service.”

Gratton: “You mean banish them to the countryside to live in a cave and do hard labour – like the young Xi Jinping?”

Sheridan: “Australia does not have enough mountains for caves, but they could do some community – or religious –work.”

Stewart: “In any case, Dutton will sort things out.”

Gratton: “There will be High Court challenges to suspension of elections.”

Scene 57: Office of Prime Minister

Dutton: “I want to know where you stand.”

Burgess: “What do you mean?”

Minns: “We are now in control of the information and investigations regarding the last three prime ministers. Davis liked making notes. He deleted much of what he did not want us to see, but IT specialists have been able to retrieve most or all of it.”

Dutton: “You are now working for us.”

Burgess: “Legally, I report to the Attorney-General.”

Dutton: “And Michaella Cash reports to me. You will now be able to avoid her foul mouth by dealing only with me.”

Burgess: “What do you want?”

Minns: “Wong! We want anything a everything you can get on her. Even be innovative as you were with Sam Mostyn.”

Scene 58: Office of Foreign Minister

Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham: “The PM says we should let Rudd keep his ambassador job. He loves being the center of attention so will always do as we say so that he can stay in Washington. No other city is big enough for him.”

Defence Minister Andrew Hastie: “That makes sense. And he will reliably continue to push AUKUS.”

Birmingham: “I was going to ask you about that. What is the latest?”

Hastie: “Nothing new. Except we keep paying money to the Americans and the Brits for something we will never get. As an ex-army man, it angers me.”

Birmingham: “Joe Hockey continues to beat the drum.”

Hastie: “This the difference with Rudd who needs attention. Hockey just wants money.”

Birmingham: “Dutton wants to appoint Dave Sharma is to new ministry for Citizenship. A sort of propaganda position – become a real Australian etc, bash Chinese and Muslims!”

Hastie: “Sharma would be good at this. Very intelligent and organized. A Goebbels!”

Birmingham laughs and then says: “But Dan Tehan is very opposed. Says that Citizenship belongs with Migration where it is now.”

Scene 59: Office of Prime Minister

Shadow A-G Michaella Cash: “There are now almost dozens of court challenges to the suspension of elections.”

Dutton: “Can’t we just ignore them. Cite national security concerns and the agreement of national cabinet.”

Minns: “Peter! We need at a least pretend that we believe in and are complying with the constitutional structures at state and national levels. Most of the population are stupid or occupied with their daily lives, but they still like to feel that things are been done in the proper way.”

Dutton: “But what if we start losing these cases?”

Cash: “Let’s cross that road when we come to it. In the meantime there are some good lawyers who will help drag these cases out for months.”

Minns: “And in the final analysis there are at least a couple of High Court judges who are sympathetic to us.”

Dutton: “You mean Jagot for one?”