July 14, 2025 • 48 mins
The PM spruiks so-called green metals with Twiggy Forrest in China, the US asks questions about Australia’s willingness to defend Taiwan. Plus, who is actually running the $48 billion NDIS scheme?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Peter Krandland live on Sky News Australia.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Good evening, welcome to the program. Great to have your
company as we kick off the big week here on Presalent.
He's what's coming up tonight at the same time as
the PM's on his charm offensive in China. Fresh concerns
today and of the United States about the state of
the Angas Alliance Washington, asking questions about our willingness to
defend Taiwan if it came to that. These are questions
the PM simply can't or perhaps won't answer well. The
(00:31):
green hydrogen boondoggle came and went, but now it's all
about green metals, including the nonsense of green steel and
right by Hi by the PM side as he spoke,
this latest boon doogl in China was of course, twig
your forest and if anyone really believed China will decarbonize
last the NDS, it cost US forty eight billion a year.
(00:52):
But who's running the show? Serious questions are being asked
about the CEO, who's on leave how long we don't know,
and the chair of the board is refusing to answer
questions about a damning audit and as anti Israel protests
become more hostile. A shocking video, currently under investigations, popped
up online promising attacks against workers at a Victorian owned
(01:14):
weapons manufacturer. Now warning these threats are pretty confronting.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Every worker in this supply chain is complicit. We will
decided your fate as you have decided the fate of millions.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Where else at Melbourne but first. Since arriving in China,
Prime Minister Anthony Albanezy it has been peppered with questions
about whether Australia would help defend Taiwan in the event
of a Chinese attack.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
I think it's important that we have a consistent position,
which Australia has had for a long period of time Taiwan.
We don't support any unilateral action there.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Would it be reasonable for the United States to demand
any sort of assurances from Australia on a Taiwan contingency
given the United States itself maintains a policy of strategic ambiguity,
at least in theory on Taiwan.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Well, you've just answered the question yourself. I think through
the comments that you've.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Made, in what sense, sorry promise that I.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Think you can get it private, Well, in private by definition,
that's in private so you don't take private comments at
a media conference.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
As difficult struggling at barbed wire fans, isn't it? I mean,
naturally there it was KG because no one wants to
preempt a decision to send troops into battle, and everyone
hopes it will never come to that. But on the
question of Taiwan, there's a couple of points that need
to be made here. The first is the obvious point
the ball is in China's court because they are the aggressor,
(02:51):
and particularly under President G they have increased the tempo
on the belligerents and the threats. The second that even
the US itself maintains this policy of strategic ambiguity over Taiwan,
meaning it hasn't made it clear what it would do
in the event that g either invades or blockades Taiwan. Now,
(03:13):
the third, but perhaps the most important point here isn't
whether or not Australia would defend Taiwan, but whether Australia
under an alban Esi government remains committed to the US alliance.
If Australia remains committed to its long standing US security
partnership and America does defend Taiwan, Australia will have to
(03:36):
be involved. Now I know ifs or butts here, remember
the terms of the ASAS Alliance. We're not talking about
UCAS here, We're talking about ANSAs that in the events
of an armed attack on any of the parties, they
will and I quote act together to meet the common danger.
That's what ASAS says in for Australia, that's always meant
(03:59):
to our support and participate patient and US led military campaigns.
When the Menzis government committed troops to the American defense
of South Vietnam, the whole government committed navy divers to
the liberation of Q eight, the Howard government committed special
forces in a Navy ship to the invasion of Iraq.
The Howard government and then of course the Right and
(04:19):
Guillard governments all committed special forces to the war against
the Taliban in Afghanistan. Remember it was famously why he
was in the US at the time of the nine
to eleven attacks, that John Howard invoked the terms of
the Answers Treaty. Every previous Australian government is recognized that
the alliance is a two way street and we can't
(04:40):
expect the Americans to support us in our military campaigns
if we're not prepared to support them in these And
this is where the traveling press pack with the Prime Minister,
I think misses the point. The question is not would
Australia help Taiwan, It would Australia help the United States?
And the answer has to be yes if the US
(05:03):
alliance is to endure. But that's the issue with his government,
Isn't it just how committed they are to the US Alliance?
Remember when the Albertiza government refused refused to send a
frigate to the Red Sea in December twenty twenty three.
This was the first time since AND's was finalized in
(05:24):
nineteen fifty one that we have officially declined into US
request for military assistance. Now couple that with the PM's
contrasting attitude to the American and the Chinese leaders. Albertz
is currently in China for six days now. That's a
remarkably long trip for any Prime minister. It's his fourth
(05:45):
face to face with Jijiping, and yet he still hasn't
had even one meeting with Donald Trump. What's more, despite
US pleased to do more and the rest of the
world lifting their effort in response, our PM refuses to
increase his defense spending. And this is not just Donald
Trump that's wanting this, but his own Defense review plus
(06:07):
his labor predecessor, Kim Beasley, all of whom have recommended
an increase of at least three percent of GDP. That's
why the Orcus submarine deal is now at risk, because
while would the US give us three of their submarines
unless they were confident that they'd be on America's side
in any fight on everything, on any fight, not just Taiwan.
(06:32):
Because if we want the Pax Americana to survive this
unprecedented era of global peace in general terms, then we
cannot expect the Americans to do all the heavy lifting
on their own. There's erecting on the way. I think
few Australians really appreciate just how grave things are. And look,
(06:56):
it's not just the optics of the PM being more
keen to meet the leader of communist China than the
leader of the free world. What's Anthony Owenezi doing leading
a business delegation to China to increase our economic exposure
to our great strategic competitor when what we actually need
is to diversify it to get some of our eggs
(07:16):
out of the China basket not add more to it
given Beijing's increasing aggression. It's partly why Tony Abbott was
so insistent during his China free trade negotiations that we
also include free trade deals with South Korea and Japan
and India too, all done at the same time to
spread the risk of exposure to one dominant market. Remember,
(07:40):
China has only just lifted the last of its trade
boycotts against Australia, all because we had the Tamiri to
ask for an independent investigation into the Wuhan virus. Now,
for China, trade is politics by other means. Trade something
they can turn on and off like attack to secure
(08:01):
strategic objectives. But it's not just the folly of making
Australia more economically vulnerable to China. It's the folly of
turning trade into a climate crusade that's got me worried tonight.
I mean, listening to the Prime Minister today, Trade is
just another element in Labour's climate policy.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
We know that still is the backbone of the modern economy,
but we also know that we need to decarbonize these
processes if we are going to successfully deal with the
challenge of climate change, but also the opportunity that it represents.
Australia and China each have major stakes in the decarbonization efforts.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
This is important not.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Just for our two countries, but because of the impact
of decarbonization that it will have as part of addressing
climate change.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
That meeting today, today's trade round table was all about
so called greenste even though all the Chinese are interested
in is cheap steel, and no one, literally no one's
come up with an economically viable way to decarbonize steelmaking,
not even Twiggy Forrets two, only a few months ago
was springing green hydrogen until they dropped that too as
(09:16):
a bit of a pipe dream. Now some of the
so called export experts pushing this rubbish, well they need
a wake up call. China doesn't buy our iron are
because they're interested in green steel. They buy it because
it's the best blend of price, quality and reliability. And
it's all very well to talk about the one hundred
billion dollars of iron ore that we currently export to China.
(09:39):
What about the fifty billion dollars worth of coal and gas,
Prime Minister, that we also export to China. I mean,
aren't they just as important to the China relationship, and
aren't continued exports of coal and gas also vital to
our prosperity. Moreover, aren't our coal and gas exports to
China going up while our iron or exports are going down?
(10:01):
It would know from listening to the Prime Minister today,
who seems to think that the Chinese leadership shares his
admission's obsession, even though China has never ever committed to
net zero by twenty fifty and is opening two new
qualified power stations every single week. Now, how about that
for the inconvenient truth. So not only is Anthony Aberesi
(10:22):
and missing the point of national security, is also missing
it on economics security as well. All right, let's get
the headlines now. Reuben Spargo is on standby in Canberra.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
The Prime Minister maintains the Port of Darwin will be
returned to Australian ownership, but won't confirm whether it will
be canvassed in a looming meeting with China's president. Tomorrow's
discussion in Beijing will be the most important on the
trip for Anthony Albanesi.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
I'll have a discussion with the President. I'll treat him
with the respect that I would any leader of another country?
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Business leaders today join The Prime Minister Anthony Albernzi was
drawing a direct link between the economic relationship between China
and Australia and the overall objective of securing peace in
the region. In the background, a key defense figure in
Donald Trump's circle is asking Australia and Japan to be
clearer what role would the nations play in a potential
(11:20):
conflict over Taiwan. It's clear Team Trump will be watching
tomorrow's leaders meeting closely. Leake's Independent Treasury Advice warns the
Alberzi government cannot fix the budget without raising taxes. The recommendation,
which has been seen by the ABC, also suggests cutting
spending on housing. Treasury says Labour's goal of creating one
(11:43):
point two million homes over five years will not be reached.
Speaker 6 (11:47):
We will need to do more to meet our housing targets.
We will do more to make our economy more productive
and more resilient.
Speaker 7 (11:56):
One thing I do know is that when labor runs
out of money coming.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
After yours, the Treasurer has not ruled out imposing new taxes.
His focus is turning to the upcoming economic roundtable in Canberra.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
All right lock to get across tonight, tant to me now,
journalist at the Daily Telegraph, James Willison, host of The
Power aurp Sky News Gap Power. Well, welcome to you both, James.
I want to start with this trip to China. I'll
talk to a defense expert in a moment about this
pretty hairy questions raised by the Pentagon overnight, but in
sheer political terms. I mean, I think this trip's becoming
(12:31):
really tricky for Anthony Albert easing Is, and they've given
the sentiment here and the sentiment in the United States.
Speaker 8 (12:38):
Well, a couple of points have to be raised on this, Peter,
and can I just echo what you set off the
top in regards to how this alliance works.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
It's two ways.
Speaker 8 (12:46):
If we expect America to turn around and defend us
one day, if we're under threat, then we should be
helping America at any opportunity, and that includes and extends
to Taiwan. On this trip to China, I certainly hope,
based on what you said off the top, that the
Prime Minister will be expressing his concerns about China's emission levels.
They're at thirty percent of the world's emissions. We're about
(13:07):
one point two percent that never seems to be brought
up and never ever gets raised in any of the
climate outrage that we have in Australia. Just how big
China is in terms of emissions compared to here. But
the third point is in relation to the optics of
this and the idea that the Prime Minister has had
meetings before in China and yet at this point in
time there has not been a meeting with America and
(13:30):
the US President Donald Trump in particular. We know Kevin
rudds had a meeting, but I'm talking about the Prime
Minister and the President sitting down. I spoke to a
very senior political source today, Peter who said that it
is crazy to think that this has not been secured
by the Prime Minister getting on a plane, going over
to the White House and sitting down with Donald Trump,
when many.
Speaker 9 (13:51):
Other world leaders have done this.
Speaker 8 (13:53):
Already, including tiny countries in Africa and other parts of
the world. We haven't done it. We need to do it,
and by cut to China off the back of the
tariffs the US put in place. I think the optics
in terms of this relationship are terrible.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
I think by the end of the year by my calculation,
going into summit season, the PEOM will have been on
his plane about eight times, and one of those times
will it land in Washington unless he pulls a rabbit
out of the hat. But you're absolutely right, that's where
he needs to go. Let's go to that leaked document
today from Treasury. They meant to respond to an FOI GAB,
but they put out a document they didn't intend to release.
(14:31):
These was secret advice to the government. Basically, your budgets, crook.
You're going to have to raise taxes to get the
debt under some sort of control. And your task it
says to build one point two million homes terribly, terribly,
terribly behind the treasure. He was pretty dismissive of the league.
Have a listen.
Speaker 6 (14:52):
What's happened here is a Treasury official has sent those
documents in error. That sort of thing happens from time
to time. I'm pretty relaxed about it, to be honest.
The other reason I'm pretty relaxed about it is we've
already made it really clear that we will need to
do more to meet our housing targets. We've already made
it really clear that we will do more to make
(15:14):
our economy, more productive and more resilient.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
I tell you what, liarlight pains and fly is not relaxed.
I mean, this is terrible, terrible, terrible stuff. I mean
you can imagine what would have happened out of his
office when he learned this was in the papers. But
what's interesting in the document it says we as tax
players have spent ten billion dollars and all we've got
is seventeen new homes. Unbelievable. But just to pick up
(15:42):
on treasure.
Speaker 10 (15:42):
Jim Chalmers response, they're telling everyone that he feels relaxed.
I mean, relax is how he's supposed to feel when
you go on holiday. How are the millions of Australians
who are struggling to meet their mortgage repayments, their energy
bills are going up and up and up, and they're
suffering through a cost of living crisis supposed to feel
when the tread. He's on a comfy salary of more
than four hundred thousand dollars a year, and we're learning
(16:05):
this information that if you read between the line lines,
rather Labour's going to have to increase taxes. I mean,
how are Australians supposed to feel? I don't think they're
getting any comfort hearing that he supposedly feels relaxed. But
this Lake document, it is embarrassing for the Labor government
and it shows that officials suggested to the government that
(16:26):
it needs to find additional revenue to build on its
superannuation tax and raise indirect taxes, so that could be
such as alcohol and tobacco, and we know that Australia
already has some of the highest taxes on alcohol and
tobacco in the world.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
And as you point.
Speaker 10 (16:41):
Out, Peter, the document also shows that Labour's promised to
build one point two million homes over the next five
years is not going to be met, not at all.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
In terms of meeting that target.
Speaker 10 (16:54):
It needs to produce two hundred and forty thousand homes
each year, that's how many needs to be built, and
we're nowhere near that. Now we know that the Abdez
government will be holding this roundtable in August to brainstorm
Australia's path forward, and there are already concerns from economists
here that this is going to resolve in finding new
tax revenue as opposed to actual tax reform.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Let's go to Melbourne again, because it's fast becoming the
global capital for jew hatred. I have to say I
live in the inner City, James, and these protests are debilitating.
On the weekend, Death to the IDF. The signs were
prolific on the weekend at the latest round of rallies.
There was even a plus a placard with swastikas on
the street. I thought they were banned in Victoria, were
(17:41):
not so if you're a left wing protester, it would
seem the police are also investigating this video. It's pretty horrific.
It's about someone claiming ostensibly responsibility for the fire bombing
of a Victorian owned weapons manufacturer, also threatening further attacks.
Now warning, it's pretty fronting. Let's watch.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
This is an anonymous communicate by the cell that torched
three cars out of Loved Technologies on the morning of
July fifth, twenty twenty five. Let there be no allusions
as to what this was. This was not an accident,
in nor thought miss vandalism. This is a clear and
serious threat. Every worker in this supply chain is complicit.
(18:24):
You have had years to contemplate the consequences of your actions.
We will decided your fate as you have decided the
fate of millions.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Okay, this is not the usual renterer crowd rat bag
activists that bloke their calls it a cell. You've got
the palacity in the protest flag behind Let's not forget
HUMMUS is a declared terror organization. But you've also got
the linking there of the two indigenous flags of Australia
that the Prime Minister has behind him in China. I
(18:58):
might add, trying to represent if the flags of some
of us are the flags of all of us, or
they've been caught up in this video.
Speaker 8 (19:08):
Yeah, it's sad, but it's more importantly, Peter, it's just scary.
This is scary that we have allowed this or imported
this to fester in our communities in small but very
frightening pockets. And we have seen this repeatedly over every
weekend where there's another protest and then it just goes
a little bit further and then suddenly they're attacking cafes
(19:30):
or they're fire bombing where people are worshiping inside. And
it just is now at a point where the government
can come out and the Prime Minister has been far
too soft on this, although I have to say when
he did announce the findings of the anti Semitism envoy
last week. I thought he was the strongest on this
issue so far, or be it far too late, but
(19:50):
this is really the number one issue for our police
authorities now they would be tearing their hair outs. This
is an all government approach thing, and we just have
an enough people that are filled with hatred, filled with anger,
and are willing to break the law in a name
of cause that some of them might believe in, some
of them might not. But the irony is that some
(20:11):
of these scenes have seen Peter would normally be the
stuff that the left would call out any day of
the week, racism targeting certain individuals that would be the
left's bread and butter. But instead, sadly, it's members of
the left largely that have driven this kind of hate,
combined with people that share those views and are just
so anti Israel and anti Semitic at the same time.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Let's just point out something too that the left we're
carrying on today about the anti Semitism on voy Gillian Siegel,
the fact that her husband, not her her husband, had
made some donations to advance Australia. Now, I tell you what,
since when is a woman responsible for her husband's political views.
Who cares what he does with his own money? Who
(20:56):
cares who he votes for? I think it's completely sexist.
I don't care who she votes for either. I mean
she was appointed by Labor to do a job in
anti Semitism. That's exactly what she's doing. Her political views
and particularly those of her husband gab no one's business
not relevant. I think this is outrageous.
Speaker 10 (21:15):
I completely agree with you, Peter, and Dellian Siegel has
shut down any suggestion that she has anything to do
with her husband's donation to a lobby group.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
You make the point about it being.
Speaker 10 (21:26):
Sexist, and it just makes you wonder whether a male
special envoy would have to answer questions about his wife's
potential donations to.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
A lobby group.
Speaker 10 (21:34):
But it's really disappointing to see outlets like The Guardian
try and discredit this anti Semitism report and the work
that Dellian Siegel has put into it by focusing on
this on focusing on donations that her not her, but
her husband has made it to a lobby group. And James,
as you pointed out, this was finally some strong action
(21:55):
and some strong messaging from the Prime Minister, and the
question really needs to be on web. Anthony Alberanezi will
be implementing the recommendations from this report. This is a
really strong report that has some sound recommendations, such as
withholding fundings from universitys that failed to stamp out anti semitism,
withholding funding from arts organizations, tougher screening of visa applications
(22:19):
who may hold anti Semitic views, you know, cracking down
on social media and also monitoring media organizations that may
be quick to kind of repeat her master propaganda. But
as we have just illustrated, we're well and truly past
the point of this anti emotism reaching crisis point in
this country.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
We're finally at the.
Speaker 10 (22:39):
Point too late, as you said, James, where action is
about to be taken, and that should surely be the focus.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
If he had been a member of a union or
here donated to Greenpeace, no one would care one iota.
I'll leave it there, Thank you to you both. Let's
go now back to the pmstrip to China. Today was
all about that table with business leaders breaking our transition
to so called green metals. Plenty of the usual suspects there,
including Twiggy Forest keen to talk up today his latest.
Speaker 11 (23:11):
Foray both in China and Australia and generate a serious
jobs boom in both China for green steel and particularly
for Australia in green iron. We forecast hundreds of thousands
of new jobs plus multiplier effects.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Joining me out to discuss this, environment editor at The
Australian Graham Lloyd, Well, I'll tell you what you know.
We've I feel like it's back to the future. We've
heard this all before. We heard all the spin about
green jobs, and it was green hydrogen, and it was
green taxes and schemes, and now it's green metals and
green minerals and wait for it, green steel. Why is
(23:55):
it going to be any different this time? Graham?
Speaker 12 (23:59):
Well, good evening, Peter. I heard your your intro. They're
talking about boondoggles and the theories is it's just going
to be another one. But there's a really serious sort
of underpinning to all of this, and that is the
extent to which the Australian i or industry is really
facing some competition that's coming from minds that are owned
(24:23):
by China in Guinea. They're very high quality minds and
they are likely to displace Australian production, and they'll do
so because the Chinese still industry does want to increase
its efficiencies and this is how it will do it.
(24:44):
So the response from Andrew Farus and others is to say, well,
we need to jump onto the green agenda, which China's
happy to talk about whether it's doing anything or not.
But again, this requires downstream process thing of iron ore
in Australia before it's exported. There's a long history to
(25:06):
this and it's not a good history. It's never been
economic and there's big question marks over whether this will
be economic as well.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Yeah, but the point you're making there via their P
and G operations Chinese Zone, it's about vertical integration for
the Chinese of the supply chain more than it is
ever about green metals, green steel, green iron ore.
Speaker 12 (25:35):
Well, that's right, it's about getting an alternate supply from
Australia and that's Guinea in Africa. It's a huge projects.
It's about to come online at the end of this year. Yeah,
and what the threat that it poses here is that
it's a better quality more than we have, and this
(25:56):
whole hydrogen pushes away to try and compete with that.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
But if China was serious you and I both know
about reducing its emissions, it wouldn't be opening two Quali
five power stations every single week, and it wouldn't be
sending all the renewables infrastructure our way, the turbines and
the solar panels, but not using them at home to
power their heavy industry.
Speaker 12 (26:21):
No, that's right. They're happy to talk about it. They're
happy to supply the world, and they're happy to argue
on the part of developing countries to get subsidies and
in terms of improving their own industry and air quality
and things at home. That's all about particular emissions and
other things. It's not necessarily about CO two.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
And what about green hydrogen. I mean, the last time
you and I talked, it was almost a dead letter
for private sector investment. I know it's still in the
language the arsenal of the governor. I know Chris Bowen
sprooks it quite often. Where do you see that at
the moment?
Speaker 12 (27:02):
Well, I think in terms of it being a substantial
export industry as a replacement for natural gas, well, it's
completely a bust. It's too expensive and it's too difficult.
The argument now is well, look, it does make sense
if you have it as part of a linked process
if you like, so you're producing some hydrogen feedstock on
(27:26):
site and you're using it in an industrial facility there.
But again that comes down to cost. There's a lot
to be said that you can possibly do it, but
is it worthwhile?
Speaker 2 (27:42):
Well over there, Graham, thank you all right after the break.
Why the PM can't give a clear answer and defending
Taiwan and is this really a deal breaker for the
Trump administration? I mean, as I said, this is about
as as much as it is about Orcus. But a
lot in the media I'm picking up the distinction. Are
they plus selbn easy? Is it to be g tomorrow?
What can we expect? Will he raise the tough issues
(28:03):
like how Beijing treats our military personnel or will it
be just more panda diplomacy welcome back Still to come.
Shocking revelations and authorities ignored warnings when it came to
the alleged child rapers, the choking worker Joshua Dale Brown,
but vers the Prime Minister declined to reveal whether he
(28:25):
would help defend Taiwan in the event of a conflict
between the United States and China. It comes a bit
pressure from Pentagon Policy chief Elbridge Colby for Australia to
commit US supplied Orcas submarines to any potential conflict over Taiwan.
Join him now for some analysis strategic analysis Australia Director
Peter Jennings. Well, i'll tell you what give us your
(28:48):
sense of viz. The timing is interesting, Elbridge Colby. Was
he on a frolic here or is this part of
a deliberate play from the Trump administration?
Speaker 13 (29:00):
A deliberate play, pet no doubt about it. And we
know that because we've heard it also released into the
public realm. That the review that mister Colby is undertaking
is that the direction of hexset. I think the Trump
administration frankly has come to the end of its tether
with dealing with Prime Minister Albanesi. They are puzzled at
(29:21):
the string of insults that's been directed towards the President.
They're offended by the fact that Alberanzi can't get on
the phone or find a flight to where get to Washington,
d C. He seems to be able to travel every
place else. And so they're returning a bit of fire
with fire by playing this in the public realm. It
doesn't have to be this way. You know, the PM
(29:42):
would not be having to respond to leaks from the
Pentagon if he actually had a relationship with Trump where
he could pick up the phone and talk to him.
So there's some gamesmanship going on, but it's all in
response to the lack of contact that's come from alban EASi.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
I made the point of the other show. You know,
people confuse orcus with ass but this puts the whole
ANSAs Alliance, which has been our mainstay since fifty one,
under a real cloud. If we're leaving open this question
about what we would do if called upon it. It's
a big if because we know the strategic ambiguity aligned
(30:22):
there between the US and Taiwan. But I mean, if
we're going to get US subs and they're much needed
in the United States for their arsenal well, rightly Congress
is saying, what are you going to do with the
Australia if we need them in some sort of battle
with China? Will you deploy them as we hope you will.
In our blokes sitting on the fens fence and can't
even give an answer.
Speaker 13 (30:44):
Yes, it's a fair question to ask I think if
you're American, and really, I don't think they're so concerned about,
you know, making Iron Cloud commitment to a future conflict. No,
no government would ask for that. They're really just asking, hey, Australia,
are you still with us? You know, are you still
committed to the alliance relationship? Because you're behaving in a
strange way if you are. And I think it's perfectly
(31:06):
reasonable for the Americans to be asking those questions. Seeing
as it's their technology. They're proposing to sell this to us.
They'd like to have some sense about what role we
might play. And we can answer that question, I think
very eloquently by saying, hey, there's twenty five or thirty
thousand troops actually exercising across Australia's beaches even as we speak,
(31:27):
showing how we work together. You know, we're out to
deter war, and you know we've got our eyes on
you China. We know what's going on. Unfortunately, the PM
just seems to be incapable of saying that Petter and
Albinizi is now letting himself be played by the Pentagon.
He doesn't need to do that. He could just pick
up the phone and talk to the President direct.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Yeah, you're right to make the point. I mean, it's
like our Prime minister is on a completely different universe
compared to all of our defense players who are focused
to tell us me saber in our North and Australia's history.
And I think a lot of other people in the
Parliament are on a totally different train in relation to
China and our guys over there. And we'll see what
(32:10):
it looks like tomorrow when he meets President g whether
it's going to be the handsome boy rubbish all over
again where he's basically I mean, he thought it was
a joke and it was funny, but in fact, you know,
Chinese Australian said to me, if you look at the
Mandarin speak for what was said, it was a real
pat on the head.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
It was.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Certainly wasn't a positive. So when they meet tomorrow, you're
a China expert, what are you going to be looking for?
I mean, are we going to see something like the
Port of Daho and rays because he danced around that
one today? Is he going to take the Chinese to
task about how our military men and women have been
treated in recent months? They're going to take them to
task about incursions in our area or sphere of influence
(32:54):
down here, or is it going to be sweetness enlightened
and panda bears.
Speaker 13 (33:00):
Sweetness and lights and maybe a pandem bear or two Peter.
You know what the Chinese require above everything else here
is no surprises, and I think Albanesi will be quite
comfortable with that. So in what we see of it publicly,
it's going to be lots of friendly jokes and exchanges
of sporting shirts and that sort of thing, and no substance.
(33:22):
And then someone will say in the Prime Minister's traveling party,
while he raised these issues behind the closed doors, frankly,
he made it only in the most oblique way, because
I don't think Albanesi is having difficult conversations with Sejimpink.
I think both he and Premier She want to get
(33:43):
happy snaps out of it. And that's about the level
of substance that we're getting from our relationship with China.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Right now, Let's play some comments of Prime Minister made
when he was asked actually about the point of Darwin today.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
If it's raised our positions very and I'm sure that
the Presidence very clear and is knowledgeable of that I'll
have a discussion with the President. I'll treat him with
the respect that I would any leader of another country.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
I mean, the more I see about the Abunezi, and
I know he's been in parliament, we've both looked at
him for twenty five years plus, the more I feel
is he reckons a job of leadership is a pr job.
And I watch him and I just think, you know,
the Emperor's got no clothes. Is the rest of Australia
going to wake up to this because he's just been
voted in. He's unassailable in terms of where he is,
(34:34):
in terms of the parliamentary numbers he has. But I
think the world's never been more troubled in decades, and
I feel like we've got a bloke in charge. He's
a real lightweight.
Speaker 13 (34:45):
Yeah, I'm not going to disagree with you. I mean,
when you never get below the surface of the talking
points and no to in particular with China, it's the
same talking point all the time. I mean he's added
a new one with we grow our capability and we
build our relationships, which is this sort of way of
brushing off substantive discussion about defense. There is no substance there,
(35:09):
and you know, I fear that the Prime Minister's thinking,
Peter on China is locked in about the mid nineteen
nineties when China was just beginning to grow and America
was the unassailable world leader. But we're not in that
world anymore. China is now an equal military power with
the United States in many respects, wanting to control the region,
(35:33):
actually saying that that's what its intention is. And here
we are pretending that it's all happen to light and
we have a stabilized relationship. We need more from our
Prime minister. Whether Australians want this or not, I can't
tell anymore, because clearly they voted for him in large
numbers in the election camp. Maybe they just don't want
to hear the difficult messages. Peter, that's a rather concerning thought.
(35:57):
But we're not going to get substance in those scussions tomorrow.
I can assure you. It's all surface gloss.
Speaker 11 (36:05):
All right.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Well, we'll come back to it tomorrow night and see
where we go. But I suspect you're absolutely right, Peter Jennings.
Thank you. Just before we go, I want to say
a big congratulations to the Sky team and Network ten
because they've cut a deal which means we will be
free to wear from our regional viewers right across New
South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. And I know it means
a hell of a lot to country communities like my
(36:26):
friends and family in the Malleys. So I think it's fantastic.
We love talking about country issues, we love talking to
country people. I certainly do it here, but everyone does
on Sky News. So channel fifty six if you're in
regional Victoria, southern New South Wales and Queensland, and we're
on channel fifty three in the northern New South Wales
area and of course the Gold Coast watch us, tune in,
(36:47):
fire up and keep us grounded. That's what I love
about regional Australia. Right after the break, Victorian government ordered
a cost cutting review. So why won't they release it?
Why won't they take action? Because the state's debt it's soaring.
Plus the latest on the shocking child abuse case out
of Melbourne reports that the alleged views that was reported
twice to police but nothing done about it. That's next
(37:14):
welcome back coming out. One rule for us, one rule
for them. Why the National Anti Corruption Commissions trying to
protect the identity of a senior bureaucrag guilty of corruption.
But first to the ongoing investigation to the renders sexual
abuse allegations against a Melbourne childcare worker, Joshua Dale Brown. Well,
we've now learned the brand was reported not once, but twice,
(37:36):
and yet police, the Department of Education and the Commissioner
for Children did nothing.
Speaker 14 (37:43):
The first investigation in twenty twenty three was after allegations
mister Brown aggressively picked up and put down a child
in his care by not supporting that child while they
were upset. The incident was reported by three colleagues. The
claim was proven and the edge ducator was given a
formal written warning and took three months leave. A second
(38:04):
investigation was sparked in January twenty twenty four after a
parent and staff complained Joshua Brown allegedly forcibly grabbed the
arm of one child, the leg of another and forcibly
pulled off their shoe. He was immediately suspended and eventually
resigned before the claims were substantiated.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
R So how does this happen? Victoria's a shadow witchcachy
Minister Jess Wilson joins me. Now well, just I spoke
to you about this all last week. It was bad
last week. It's getting worse by the day. And those
revelations say that this just isn't one part of the
government that's rotten. It got oversight right across, fundamental failure
(38:46):
across the board. It's still talk though, we're still talking
about a review. You haven't been able to get the
Premier to recall the parliament and fix the problems. Where
are we up to tonight?
Speaker 7 (38:57):
Well, that's right, Peter. What we're seeing now is complete
systemic failure when it comes to safety in childcare centers
here in Victoria. The revelations over the weekend that the
alleged offender was known to the Commission for Children and
Young People just demonstrates how our system is failing. The
(39:18):
allegations were substantiated, and yet no recommendations were made to
the Department of Government Services to review or suspend his
working with Children's check. How does this continue to happen
when we have seen again and again systemic failures when
it comes to our working with children's checking here in Victoria.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
And we have the other case of a man in Horsham,
an Indigenous man attending a childcare center. Now that went
on and on and on, and he's still access the
childcare center even though he was under investigation for having
possession of child abuse material. He's since been convicted of that,
but again, how does that happen? And still so the
Premier will not bring back the parliament and fix these loopholes.
Speaker 7 (40:05):
That's right, and the Premier was worn. The government was
warned about these loopholes in twenty twenty two by the
Ombardsman that made a recommendation to the government to change
the Working with Children's check system so that these sort
of risks could be taken into account and working with
children's checks could be rejected or they could be rescinded.
Yet the Premier has decided once again that we're going
(40:26):
to have another review rather than taking the immediate action
that is actually needed and making sure that when kids
are dropped off at childcare centers today, their appropriate safety
is in place, and that is simply not the case.
We also saw over the weekend revelations that the regulator
in this space, a tiny unit within the Department of
Education that reports to a Deputy secretary, has seen complaints
(40:50):
rise by forty five percent over recent years, yet action
on those complaints has reduced by sixty seven percent. So
clear the regular doesn't have the resources or it's not
capable of doing its job either. Yet the review that
the Premier stood up explicitly cuts out the performance of
the regulator as part of one of the considerations.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Well, part of the reason is why there is not
enough money to do their jobs some of these regulators
is that the state's virtually belly up bankrupt. I know
it's such your portfolio. But the Treasurer today says that
there is a review, an independent review in how to
cut the costs of government in Victoria, but they're going
to sit on it. It will not be released. And
this is yet the number one issue for taxpayers and business.
(41:36):
I mean, there's tax after tax in Victoria. As I say,
the government is debt ridden. Surely we've got to move
on these cost cutting measures and re reorientate the money
Jess into areas like childcare regulation where it's desperately needed.
That's right.
Speaker 7 (41:54):
This is a government that has its priority So wrong, Peter.
We're heading towards one hundred and ninety four billion dollars
worth of debt in this state.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
That will mean.
Speaker 7 (42:02):
Interest repayments of over one million dollars an hour in
the coming years. And Victorians are already paying the highest
taxes in the country. And we've seen when we saw
the Treasurer of Palace put in place the COVID debt levee,
we're seeing that tax take increase more than what they expected.
Yet the government has failed to actually do what it
said it would do and cut the number of the
(42:23):
public service. See over the past ten years, we've seen
the public service in Victoria grow by over sixty percent,
but we've only seen population growth grow by around twenty percent,
So it's growing by three times the rate under the
labor government.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
And what does that mean.
Speaker 7 (42:39):
It doesn't mean we're getting better services here in Victoria.
In fact, when we look at our frontline services, ambulances,
we've got a crime crisis for our police, not enough
police on the beat, we don't have enough teachers, and
of course our childcare system is in desperate need of reform.
We're hemorrhaging in terms of our frontline services. But this
government can't take the action it needs to actually make
(42:59):
sure we're spending when we need it.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Yeah, and it's clearly not pay on performance. Because the
premier is the highest grossing premiere in the country. I'll
leave it there, Jess, thanks very much. We'll come back
up with the break when I talk about the ends
forty eight billion a year. Yet apparently the CEO is
on long term leave and no one is responding to
questions about an audit. Monday Night panel, let's bring them
(43:30):
in one nation, Chief and Stuff, James Ashby and the
chief executive of the Page Research Center, Jared Holland. Gentlemen,
let's go to the NDS. I'll start with you, James,
over the weekends. Pretty serious questions. I mean I read
this stuff with interest. Forty eight point five billion a year,
we spend the chief executive on long term sort of sickly.
(43:50):
We don't know for how long or why. The Chairman
of the board Kurt Fernley, well hease refuse you to
comment on a damning audit. We find the board has
frow in some cases even cut the payer providers. This
for the sixth year in a row. I mean, what
knows happening here? I know a dozen front estimates. There's
not enough scrutiny. I think people are starting to lose
(44:12):
faith in indis.
Speaker 15 (44:16):
Well, particularly when it continues to blow out by eight
percent every single year, year upon year upon year, we
just can't seem to rain this in. Look, I might
just say, Peter, there may be a real need to
call this NDIA CEO before the Parliament for estimates. I
know you say they don't turn up, but they have
to turn up. If the Senate asks them to turn up,
(44:38):
they must turn up. So there's a lot of questions
that needs to be asked of this government, but more
importantly the ANDDIA they're talking about a lot of these cuts.
Look to be realistic about this. If we don't rain
this in now, the service that provides dignity to those
who have genuine disabilities will be gone. It was designed
to bring about care and a service to those people
(44:59):
with abilities, not make multimillionaires out of providers, and that's
precisely what's gone on here. So some of those cuts
have been to travel for a lot of these providers.
We're talking about a physiotherapist who's having a winch here,
but they're charging up to five hundred dollars an hour
for travel to far and remote parts of this country,
and two hundred dollars an hour for metro travel, and
(45:22):
yet we're also on top of that providing eighty million
dollars in travel to those people with disabilities. So it's
almost as though the system has been double dipped at
every single which way you look at it, and we've
got to rein it in to preserve it for the
future of those with disabilities.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
Well, all strength, Tom, if you can get them in
front of the Senate and some tough questions asked, or
probably cross that into that live if you could do
it here on kredline, let's go to the National Anti
Corruption Commission. This is a knack. It's shielded the identity
of a corrupt Home Affairs official. This is senior bureaucrat
and a whole lot of legal figures, including former judges
(46:02):
and commissioners. Well, they've criticized this lack of transparency, Joe,
what concerns me here? If you're accused of a crime
or I am, other than perhaps a suppression order, at
some stage our names would be out there, would have
to defend our good name and go through a legal process. Well,
this person's gone through a process that've been found to
(46:24):
be corrupt, but we're not allowed to know who they are.
Speaker 9 (46:28):
That's exactly right, Peter, not allowed to know who they are.
And as far as I can tell from looking into this,
because a lot has been released, there's been no real consequences.
They resigned from their positions, so we're unable to be sacked.
I believe they haven't chosen to prosecute any charges and
so it's really nothing to see here. Move along, but
it really makes you wonder. This commission was set up
a couple of years ago. Of course, it was one
(46:49):
of the big campaigns of the Teals back in twenty
twenty two, a budget of over one hundred million dollars
over two hundred and sixty staff, and the only original
cases that they pulled out is this one, which seems
to have gone nowhere and no one's being told anything,
and a bribery case with Western Sydney Airport for about
two hundred thousand dollars over a five million dollar deal.
So that doesn't seem like a good bang for your buck,
(47:10):
and no one wants corruption. But really, we can't just
keep hosing up taxpayers money against the wall for the
fantasies of Teals and for alban easy to get out
there looking like he's being this transparent Prime Minister, when
really it's just wasting money, wasting people's time and resources,
and hasn't achieved any results whatsoever.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
And of course James, they said, there's nothing to see
here with that multimillion dollar payment to Britain. Higgins goodness
may Hey. The Grands warned Alban easy to use his
numbers of the Parliament for a federal human Rights Act.
I mean, I'll be like the good old Bill of Rights.
They'll try and ram that through now that they've got
the numbers. I mean, I think this is just crazy,
but this is the stuff we've got to watch for.
Speaker 15 (47:51):
Yeah, this will stifle any legislation and any approvals basically
in this country. I don't know whether you realize, Peter,
or certainly you probably do, but viewers at home may
not realize that every bill that comes before the Parliament
actually on the first few pages says this bill has
been through the Human Rights Act and it passes with
(48:12):
flying colors. So no legislation has passed in this country
doesn't get reviewed for its human rights. So we don't
need this.
Speaker 1 (48:21):
It's a duplication.
Speaker 15 (48:22):
We're already subjected to it internationally through the UN. We
don't need a second duplication, which the Greens are very
good at, by the way, they love duplication, red tape
and just slowing the process up in this country.
Speaker 2 (48:36):
We got to watch all of these very carefully. Thank you, gentlemen.
We'll leave it there. That's it for me tonight. Up next,
James Ecpherson with the bulk Ford
Peter Krandland live on Sky News Australia.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Good evening, welcome to the program. Great to have your
company as we kick off the big week here on Presalent.
He's what's coming up tonight at the same time as
the PM's on his charm offensive in China. Fresh concerns
today and of the United States about the state of
the Angas Alliance Washington, asking questions about our willingness to
defend Taiwan if it came to that. These are questions
the PM simply can't or perhaps won't answer well. The
(00:31):
green hydrogen boondoggle came and went, but now it's all
about green metals, including the nonsense of green steel and
right by Hi by the PM side as he spoke,
this latest boon doogl in China was of course, twig
your forest and if anyone really believed China will decarbonize
last the NDS, it cost US forty eight billion a year.
(00:52):
But who's running the show? Serious questions are being asked
about the CEO, who's on leave how long we don't know,
and the chair of the board is refusing to answer
questions about a damning audit and as anti Israel protests
become more hostile. A shocking video, currently under investigations, popped
up online promising attacks against workers at a Victorian owned
(01:14):
weapons manufacturer. Now warning these threats are pretty confronting.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Every worker in this supply chain is complicit. We will
decided your fate as you have decided the fate of millions.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Where else at Melbourne but first. Since arriving in China,
Prime Minister Anthony Albanezy it has been peppered with questions
about whether Australia would help defend Taiwan in the event
of a Chinese attack.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
I think it's important that we have a consistent position,
which Australia has had for a long period of time Taiwan.
We don't support any unilateral action there.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Would it be reasonable for the United States to demand
any sort of assurances from Australia on a Taiwan contingency
given the United States itself maintains a policy of strategic ambiguity,
at least in theory on Taiwan.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Well, you've just answered the question yourself. I think through
the comments that you've.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Made, in what sense, sorry promise that I.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Think you can get it private, Well, in private by definition,
that's in private so you don't take private comments at
a media conference.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
As difficult struggling at barbed wire fans, isn't it? I mean,
naturally there it was KG because no one wants to
preempt a decision to send troops into battle, and everyone
hopes it will never come to that. But on the
question of Taiwan, there's a couple of points that need
to be made here. The first is the obvious point
the ball is in China's court because they are the aggressor,
(02:51):
and particularly under President G they have increased the tempo
on the belligerents and the threats. The second that even
the US itself maintains this policy of strategic ambiguity over Taiwan,
meaning it hasn't made it clear what it would do
in the event that g either invades or blockades Taiwan. Now,
(03:13):
the third, but perhaps the most important point here isn't
whether or not Australia would defend Taiwan, but whether Australia
under an alban Esi government remains committed to the US alliance.
If Australia remains committed to its long standing US security
partnership and America does defend Taiwan, Australia will have to
(03:36):
be involved. Now I know ifs or butts here, remember
the terms of the ASAS Alliance. We're not talking about
UCAS here, We're talking about ANSAs that in the events
of an armed attack on any of the parties, they
will and I quote act together to meet the common danger.
That's what ASAS says in for Australia, that's always meant
(03:59):
to our support and participate patient and US led military campaigns.
When the Menzis government committed troops to the American defense
of South Vietnam, the whole government committed navy divers to
the liberation of Q eight, the Howard government committed special
forces in a Navy ship to the invasion of Iraq.
The Howard government and then of course the Right and
(04:19):
Guillard governments all committed special forces to the war against
the Taliban in Afghanistan. Remember it was famously why he
was in the US at the time of the nine
to eleven attacks, that John Howard invoked the terms of
the Answers Treaty. Every previous Australian government is recognized that
the alliance is a two way street and we can't
(04:40):
expect the Americans to support us in our military campaigns
if we're not prepared to support them in these And
this is where the traveling press pack with the Prime Minister,
I think misses the point. The question is not would
Australia help Taiwan, It would Australia help the United States?
And the answer has to be yes if the US
(05:03):
alliance is to endure. But that's the issue with his government,
Isn't it just how committed they are to the US Alliance?
Remember when the Albertiza government refused refused to send a
frigate to the Red Sea in December twenty twenty three.
This was the first time since AND's was finalized in
(05:24):
nineteen fifty one that we have officially declined into US
request for military assistance. Now couple that with the PM's
contrasting attitude to the American and the Chinese leaders. Albertz
is currently in China for six days now. That's a
remarkably long trip for any Prime minister. It's his fourth
(05:45):
face to face with Jijiping, and yet he still hasn't
had even one meeting with Donald Trump. What's more, despite
US pleased to do more and the rest of the
world lifting their effort in response, our PM refuses to
increase his defense spending. And this is not just Donald
Trump that's wanting this, but his own Defense review plus
(06:07):
his labor predecessor, Kim Beasley, all of whom have recommended
an increase of at least three percent of GDP. That's
why the Orcus submarine deal is now at risk, because
while would the US give us three of their submarines
unless they were confident that they'd be on America's side
in any fight on everything, on any fight, not just Taiwan.
(06:32):
Because if we want the Pax Americana to survive this
unprecedented era of global peace in general terms, then we
cannot expect the Americans to do all the heavy lifting
on their own. There's erecting on the way. I think
few Australians really appreciate just how grave things are. And look,
(06:56):
it's not just the optics of the PM being more
keen to meet the leader of communist China than the
leader of the free world. What's Anthony Owenezi doing leading
a business delegation to China to increase our economic exposure
to our great strategic competitor when what we actually need
is to diversify it to get some of our eggs
(07:16):
out of the China basket not add more to it
given Beijing's increasing aggression. It's partly why Tony Abbott was
so insistent during his China free trade negotiations that we
also include free trade deals with South Korea and Japan
and India too, all done at the same time to
spread the risk of exposure to one dominant market. Remember,
(07:40):
China has only just lifted the last of its trade
boycotts against Australia, all because we had the Tamiri to
ask for an independent investigation into the Wuhan virus. Now,
for China, trade is politics by other means. Trade something
they can turn on and off like attack to secure
(08:01):
strategic objectives. But it's not just the folly of making
Australia more economically vulnerable to China. It's the folly of
turning trade into a climate crusade that's got me worried tonight.
I mean, listening to the Prime Minister today, Trade is
just another element in Labour's climate policy.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
We know that still is the backbone of the modern economy,
but we also know that we need to decarbonize these
processes if we are going to successfully deal with the
challenge of climate change, but also the opportunity that it represents.
Australia and China each have major stakes in the decarbonization efforts.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
This is important not.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Just for our two countries, but because of the impact
of decarbonization that it will have as part of addressing
climate change.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
That meeting today, today's trade round table was all about
so called greenste even though all the Chinese are interested
in is cheap steel, and no one, literally no one's
come up with an economically viable way to decarbonize steelmaking,
not even Twiggy Forrets two, only a few months ago
was springing green hydrogen until they dropped that too as
(09:16):
a bit of a pipe dream. Now some of the
so called export experts pushing this rubbish, well they need
a wake up call. China doesn't buy our iron are
because they're interested in green steel. They buy it because
it's the best blend of price, quality and reliability. And
it's all very well to talk about the one hundred
billion dollars of iron ore that we currently export to China.
(09:39):
What about the fifty billion dollars worth of coal and gas,
Prime Minister, that we also export to China. I mean,
aren't they just as important to the China relationship, and
aren't continued exports of coal and gas also vital to
our prosperity. Moreover, aren't our coal and gas exports to
China going up while our iron or exports are going down?
(10:01):
It would know from listening to the Prime Minister today,
who seems to think that the Chinese leadership shares his
admission's obsession, even though China has never ever committed to
net zero by twenty fifty and is opening two new
qualified power stations every single week. Now, how about that
for the inconvenient truth. So not only is Anthony Aberesi
(10:22):
and missing the point of national security, is also missing
it on economics security as well. All right, let's get
the headlines now. Reuben Spargo is on standby in Canberra.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
The Prime Minister maintains the Port of Darwin will be
returned to Australian ownership, but won't confirm whether it will
be canvassed in a looming meeting with China's president. Tomorrow's
discussion in Beijing will be the most important on the
trip for Anthony Albanesi.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
I'll have a discussion with the President. I'll treat him
with the respect that I would any leader of another country?
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Business leaders today join The Prime Minister Anthony Albernzi was
drawing a direct link between the economic relationship between China
and Australia and the overall objective of securing peace in
the region. In the background, a key defense figure in
Donald Trump's circle is asking Australia and Japan to be
clearer what role would the nations play in a potential
(11:20):
conflict over Taiwan. It's clear Team Trump will be watching
tomorrow's leaders meeting closely. Leake's Independent Treasury Advice warns the
Alberzi government cannot fix the budget without raising taxes. The recommendation,
which has been seen by the ABC, also suggests cutting
spending on housing. Treasury says Labour's goal of creating one
(11:43):
point two million homes over five years will not be reached.
Speaker 6 (11:47):
We will need to do more to meet our housing targets.
We will do more to make our economy more productive
and more resilient.
Speaker 7 (11:56):
One thing I do know is that when labor runs
out of money coming.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
After yours, the Treasurer has not ruled out imposing new taxes.
His focus is turning to the upcoming economic roundtable in Canberra.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
All right lock to get across tonight, tant to me now,
journalist at the Daily Telegraph, James Willison, host of The
Power aurp Sky News Gap Power. Well, welcome to you both, James.
I want to start with this trip to China. I'll
talk to a defense expert in a moment about this
pretty hairy questions raised by the Pentagon overnight, but in
sheer political terms. I mean, I think this trip's becoming
(12:31):
really tricky for Anthony Albert easing Is, and they've given
the sentiment here and the sentiment in the United States.
Speaker 8 (12:38):
Well, a couple of points have to be raised on this, Peter,
and can I just echo what you set off the
top in regards to how this alliance works.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
It's two ways.
Speaker 8 (12:46):
If we expect America to turn around and defend us
one day, if we're under threat, then we should be
helping America at any opportunity, and that includes and extends
to Taiwan. On this trip to China, I certainly hope,
based on what you said off the top, that the
Prime Minister will be expressing his concerns about China's emission levels.
They're at thirty percent of the world's emissions. We're about
(13:07):
one point two percent that never seems to be brought
up and never ever gets raised in any of the
climate outrage that we have in Australia. Just how big
China is in terms of emissions compared to here. But
the third point is in relation to the optics of
this and the idea that the Prime Minister has had
meetings before in China and yet at this point in
time there has not been a meeting with America and
(13:30):
the US President Donald Trump in particular. We know Kevin
rudds had a meeting, but I'm talking about the Prime
Minister and the President sitting down. I spoke to a
very senior political source today, Peter who said that it
is crazy to think that this has not been secured
by the Prime Minister getting on a plane, going over
to the White House and sitting down with Donald Trump,
when many.
Speaker 9 (13:51):
Other world leaders have done this.
Speaker 8 (13:53):
Already, including tiny countries in Africa and other parts of
the world. We haven't done it. We need to do it,
and by cut to China off the back of the
tariffs the US put in place. I think the optics
in terms of this relationship are terrible.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
I think by the end of the year by my calculation,
going into summit season, the PEOM will have been on
his plane about eight times, and one of those times
will it land in Washington unless he pulls a rabbit
out of the hat. But you're absolutely right, that's where
he needs to go. Let's go to that leaked document
today from Treasury. They meant to respond to an FOI GAB,
but they put out a document they didn't intend to release.
(14:31):
These was secret advice to the government. Basically, your budgets, crook.
You're going to have to raise taxes to get the
debt under some sort of control. And your task it
says to build one point two million homes terribly, terribly,
terribly behind the treasure. He was pretty dismissive of the league.
Have a listen.
Speaker 6 (14:52):
What's happened here is a Treasury official has sent those
documents in error. That sort of thing happens from time
to time. I'm pretty relaxed about it, to be honest.
The other reason I'm pretty relaxed about it is we've
already made it really clear that we will need to
do more to meet our housing targets. We've already made
it really clear that we will do more to make
(15:14):
our economy, more productive and more resilient.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
I tell you what, liarlight pains and fly is not relaxed.
I mean, this is terrible, terrible, terrible stuff. I mean
you can imagine what would have happened out of his
office when he learned this was in the papers. But
what's interesting in the document it says we as tax
players have spent ten billion dollars and all we've got
is seventeen new homes. Unbelievable. But just to pick up
(15:42):
on treasure.
Speaker 10 (15:42):
Jim Chalmers response, they're telling everyone that he feels relaxed.
I mean, relax is how he's supposed to feel when
you go on holiday. How are the millions of Australians
who are struggling to meet their mortgage repayments, their energy
bills are going up and up and up, and they're
suffering through a cost of living crisis supposed to feel
when the tread. He's on a comfy salary of more
than four hundred thousand dollars a year, and we're learning
(16:05):
this information that if you read between the line lines,
rather Labour's going to have to increase taxes. I mean,
how are Australians supposed to feel? I don't think they're
getting any comfort hearing that he supposedly feels relaxed. But
this Lake document, it is embarrassing for the Labor government
and it shows that officials suggested to the government that
(16:26):
it needs to find additional revenue to build on its
superannuation tax and raise indirect taxes, so that could be
such as alcohol and tobacco, and we know that Australia
already has some of the highest taxes on alcohol and
tobacco in the world.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
And as you point.
Speaker 10 (16:41):
Out, Peter, the document also shows that Labour's promised to
build one point two million homes over the next five
years is not going to be met, not at all.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
In terms of meeting that target.
Speaker 10 (16:54):
It needs to produce two hundred and forty thousand homes
each year, that's how many needs to be built, and
we're nowhere near that. Now we know that the Abdez
government will be holding this roundtable in August to brainstorm
Australia's path forward, and there are already concerns from economists
here that this is going to resolve in finding new
tax revenue as opposed to actual tax reform.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Let's go to Melbourne again, because it's fast becoming the
global capital for jew hatred. I have to say I
live in the inner City, James, and these protests are debilitating.
On the weekend, Death to the IDF. The signs were
prolific on the weekend at the latest round of rallies.
There was even a plus a placard with swastikas on
the street. I thought they were banned in Victoria, were
(17:41):
not so if you're a left wing protester, it would
seem the police are also investigating this video. It's pretty horrific.
It's about someone claiming ostensibly responsibility for the fire bombing
of a Victorian owned weapons manufacturer, also threatening further attacks.
Now warning, it's pretty fronting. Let's watch.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
This is an anonymous communicate by the cell that torched
three cars out of Loved Technologies on the morning of
July fifth, twenty twenty five. Let there be no allusions
as to what this was. This was not an accident,
in nor thought miss vandalism. This is a clear and
serious threat. Every worker in this supply chain is complicit.
(18:24):
You have had years to contemplate the consequences of your actions.
We will decided your fate as you have decided the
fate of millions.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Okay, this is not the usual renterer crowd rat bag
activists that bloke their calls it a cell. You've got
the palacity in the protest flag behind Let's not forget
HUMMUS is a declared terror organization. But you've also got
the linking there of the two indigenous flags of Australia
that the Prime Minister has behind him in China. I
(18:58):
might add, trying to represent if the flags of some
of us are the flags of all of us, or
they've been caught up in this video.
Speaker 8 (19:08):
Yeah, it's sad, but it's more importantly, Peter, it's just scary.
This is scary that we have allowed this or imported
this to fester in our communities in small but very
frightening pockets. And we have seen this repeatedly over every
weekend where there's another protest and then it just goes
a little bit further and then suddenly they're attacking cafes
(19:30):
or they're fire bombing where people are worshiping inside. And
it just is now at a point where the government
can come out and the Prime Minister has been far
too soft on this, although I have to say when
he did announce the findings of the anti Semitism envoy
last week. I thought he was the strongest on this
issue so far, or be it far too late, but
(19:50):
this is really the number one issue for our police
authorities now they would be tearing their hair outs. This
is an all government approach thing, and we just have
an enough people that are filled with hatred, filled with anger,
and are willing to break the law in a name
of cause that some of them might believe in, some
of them might not. But the irony is that some
(20:11):
of these scenes have seen Peter would normally be the
stuff that the left would call out any day of
the week, racism targeting certain individuals that would be the
left's bread and butter. But instead, sadly, it's members of
the left largely that have driven this kind of hate,
combined with people that share those views and are just
so anti Israel and anti Semitic at the same time.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Let's just point out something too that the left we're
carrying on today about the anti Semitism on voy Gillian Siegel,
the fact that her husband, not her her husband, had
made some donations to advance Australia. Now, I tell you what,
since when is a woman responsible for her husband's political views.
Who cares what he does with his own money? Who
(20:56):
cares who he votes for? I think it's completely sexist.
I don't care who she votes for either. I mean
she was appointed by Labor to do a job in
anti Semitism. That's exactly what she's doing. Her political views
and particularly those of her husband gab no one's business
not relevant. I think this is outrageous.
Speaker 10 (21:15):
I completely agree with you, Peter, and Dellian Siegel has
shut down any suggestion that she has anything to do
with her husband's donation to a lobby group.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
You make the point about it being.
Speaker 10 (21:26):
Sexist, and it just makes you wonder whether a male
special envoy would have to answer questions about his wife's
potential donations to.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
A lobby group.
Speaker 10 (21:34):
But it's really disappointing to see outlets like The Guardian
try and discredit this anti Semitism report and the work
that Dellian Siegel has put into it by focusing on
this on focusing on donations that her not her, but
her husband has made it to a lobby group. And James,
as you pointed out, this was finally some strong action
(21:55):
and some strong messaging from the Prime Minister, and the
question really needs to be on web. Anthony Alberanezi will
be implementing the recommendations from this report. This is a
really strong report that has some sound recommendations, such as
withholding fundings from universitys that failed to stamp out anti semitism,
withholding funding from arts organizations, tougher screening of visa applications
(22:19):
who may hold anti Semitic views, you know, cracking down
on social media and also monitoring media organizations that may
be quick to kind of repeat her master propaganda. But
as we have just illustrated, we're well and truly past
the point of this anti emotism reaching crisis point in
this country.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
We're finally at the.
Speaker 10 (22:39):
Point too late, as you said, James, where action is
about to be taken, and that should surely be the focus.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
If he had been a member of a union or
here donated to Greenpeace, no one would care one iota.
I'll leave it there, Thank you to you both. Let's
go now back to the pmstrip to China. Today was
all about that table with business leaders breaking our transition
to so called green metals. Plenty of the usual suspects there,
including Twiggy Forest keen to talk up today his latest.
Speaker 11 (23:11):
Foray both in China and Australia and generate a serious
jobs boom in both China for green steel and particularly
for Australia in green iron. We forecast hundreds of thousands
of new jobs plus multiplier effects.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Joining me out to discuss this, environment editor at The
Australian Graham Lloyd, Well, I'll tell you what you know.
We've I feel like it's back to the future. We've
heard this all before. We heard all the spin about
green jobs, and it was green hydrogen, and it was
green taxes and schemes, and now it's green metals and
green minerals and wait for it, green steel. Why is
(23:55):
it going to be any different this time? Graham?
Speaker 12 (23:59):
Well, good evening, Peter. I heard your your intro. They're
talking about boondoggles and the theories is it's just going
to be another one. But there's a really serious sort
of underpinning to all of this, and that is the
extent to which the Australian i or industry is really
facing some competition that's coming from minds that are owned
(24:23):
by China in Guinea. They're very high quality minds and
they are likely to displace Australian production, and they'll do
so because the Chinese still industry does want to increase
its efficiencies and this is how it will do it.
(24:44):
So the response from Andrew Farus and others is to say, well,
we need to jump onto the green agenda, which China's
happy to talk about whether it's doing anything or not.
But again, this requires downstream process thing of iron ore
in Australia before it's exported. There's a long history to
(25:06):
this and it's not a good history. It's never been
economic and there's big question marks over whether this will
be economic as well.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Yeah, but the point you're making there via their P
and G operations Chinese Zone, it's about vertical integration for
the Chinese of the supply chain more than it is
ever about green metals, green steel, green iron ore.
Speaker 12 (25:35):
Well, that's right, it's about getting an alternate supply from
Australia and that's Guinea in Africa. It's a huge projects.
It's about to come online at the end of this year. Yeah,
and what the threat that it poses here is that
it's a better quality more than we have, and this
(25:56):
whole hydrogen pushes away to try and compete with that.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
But if China was serious you and I both know
about reducing its emissions, it wouldn't be opening two Quali
five power stations every single week, and it wouldn't be
sending all the renewables infrastructure our way, the turbines and
the solar panels, but not using them at home to
power their heavy industry.
Speaker 12 (26:21):
No, that's right. They're happy to talk about it. They're
happy to supply the world, and they're happy to argue
on the part of developing countries to get subsidies and
in terms of improving their own industry and air quality
and things at home. That's all about particular emissions and
other things. It's not necessarily about CO two.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
And what about green hydrogen. I mean, the last time
you and I talked, it was almost a dead letter
for private sector investment. I know it's still in the
language the arsenal of the governor. I know Chris Bowen
sprooks it quite often. Where do you see that at
the moment?
Speaker 12 (27:02):
Well, I think in terms of it being a substantial
export industry as a replacement for natural gas, well, it's
completely a bust. It's too expensive and it's too difficult.
The argument now is well, look, it does make sense
if you have it as part of a linked process
if you like, so you're producing some hydrogen feedstock on
(27:26):
site and you're using it in an industrial facility there.
But again that comes down to cost. There's a lot
to be said that you can possibly do it, but
is it worthwhile?
Speaker 2 (27:42):
Well over there, Graham, thank you all right after the break.
Why the PM can't give a clear answer and defending
Taiwan and is this really a deal breaker for the
Trump administration? I mean, as I said, this is about
as as much as it is about Orcus. But a
lot in the media I'm picking up the distinction. Are
they plus selbn easy? Is it to be g tomorrow?
What can we expect? Will he raise the tough issues
(28:03):
like how Beijing treats our military personnel or will it
be just more panda diplomacy welcome back Still to come.
Shocking revelations and authorities ignored warnings when it came to
the alleged child rapers, the choking worker Joshua Dale Brown,
but vers the Prime Minister declined to reveal whether he
(28:25):
would help defend Taiwan in the event of a conflict
between the United States and China. It comes a bit
pressure from Pentagon Policy chief Elbridge Colby for Australia to
commit US supplied Orcas submarines to any potential conflict over Taiwan.
Join him now for some analysis strategic analysis Australia Director
Peter Jennings. Well, i'll tell you what give us your
(28:48):
sense of viz. The timing is interesting, Elbridge Colby. Was
he on a frolic here or is this part of
a deliberate play from the Trump administration?
Speaker 13 (29:00):
A deliberate play, pet no doubt about it. And we
know that because we've heard it also released into the
public realm. That the review that mister Colby is undertaking
is that the direction of hexset. I think the Trump
administration frankly has come to the end of its tether
with dealing with Prime Minister Albanesi. They are puzzled at
(29:21):
the string of insults that's been directed towards the President.
They're offended by the fact that Alberanzi can't get on
the phone or find a flight to where get to Washington,
d C. He seems to be able to travel every
place else. And so they're returning a bit of fire
with fire by playing this in the public realm. It
doesn't have to be this way. You know, the PM
(29:42):
would not be having to respond to leaks from the
Pentagon if he actually had a relationship with Trump where
he could pick up the phone and talk to him.
So there's some gamesmanship going on, but it's all in
response to the lack of contact that's come from alban EASi.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
I made the point of the other show. You know,
people confuse orcus with ass but this puts the whole
ANSAs Alliance, which has been our mainstay since fifty one,
under a real cloud. If we're leaving open this question
about what we would do if called upon it. It's
a big if because we know the strategic ambiguity aligned
(30:22):
there between the US and Taiwan. But I mean, if
we're going to get US subs and they're much needed
in the United States for their arsenal well, rightly Congress
is saying, what are you going to do with the
Australia if we need them in some sort of battle
with China? Will you deploy them as we hope you will.
In our blokes sitting on the fens fence and can't
even give an answer.
Speaker 13 (30:44):
Yes, it's a fair question to ask I think if
you're American, and really, I don't think they're so concerned about,
you know, making Iron Cloud commitment to a future conflict. No,
no government would ask for that. They're really just asking, hey, Australia,
are you still with us? You know, are you still
committed to the alliance relationship? Because you're behaving in a
strange way if you are. And I think it's perfectly
(31:06):
reasonable for the Americans to be asking those questions. Seeing
as it's their technology. They're proposing to sell this to us.
They'd like to have some sense about what role we
might play. And we can answer that question, I think
very eloquently by saying, hey, there's twenty five or thirty
thousand troops actually exercising across Australia's beaches even as we speak,
(31:27):
showing how we work together. You know, we're out to
deter war, and you know we've got our eyes on
you China. We know what's going on. Unfortunately, the PM
just seems to be incapable of saying that Petter and
Albinizi is now letting himself be played by the Pentagon.
He doesn't need to do that. He could just pick
up the phone and talk to the President direct.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Yeah, you're right to make the point. I mean, it's
like our Prime minister is on a completely different universe
compared to all of our defense players who are focused
to tell us me saber in our North and Australia's history.
And I think a lot of other people in the
Parliament are on a totally different train in relation to
China and our guys over there. And we'll see what
(32:10):
it looks like tomorrow when he meets President g whether
it's going to be the handsome boy rubbish all over
again where he's basically I mean, he thought it was
a joke and it was funny, but in fact, you know,
Chinese Australian said to me, if you look at the
Mandarin speak for what was said, it was a real
pat on the head.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
It was.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Certainly wasn't a positive. So when they meet tomorrow, you're
a China expert, what are you going to be looking for?
I mean, are we going to see something like the
Port of Daho and rays because he danced around that
one today? Is he going to take the Chinese to
task about how our military men and women have been
treated in recent months? They're going to take them to
task about incursions in our area or sphere of influence
(32:54):
down here, or is it going to be sweetness enlightened
and panda bears.
Speaker 13 (33:00):
Sweetness and lights and maybe a pandem bear or two Peter.
You know what the Chinese require above everything else here
is no surprises, and I think Albanesi will be quite
comfortable with that. So in what we see of it publicly,
it's going to be lots of friendly jokes and exchanges
of sporting shirts and that sort of thing, and no substance.
(33:22):
And then someone will say in the Prime Minister's traveling party,
while he raised these issues behind the closed doors, frankly,
he made it only in the most oblique way, because
I don't think Albanesi is having difficult conversations with Sejimpink.
I think both he and Premier She want to get
(33:43):
happy snaps out of it. And that's about the level
of substance that we're getting from our relationship with China.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Right now, Let's play some comments of Prime Minister made
when he was asked actually about the point of Darwin today.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
If it's raised our positions very and I'm sure that
the Presidence very clear and is knowledgeable of that I'll
have a discussion with the President. I'll treat him with
the respect that I would any leader of another country.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
I mean, the more I see about the Abunezi, and
I know he's been in parliament, we've both looked at
him for twenty five years plus, the more I feel
is he reckons a job of leadership is a pr job.
And I watch him and I just think, you know,
the Emperor's got no clothes. Is the rest of Australia
going to wake up to this because he's just been
voted in. He's unassailable in terms of where he is,
(34:34):
in terms of the parliamentary numbers he has. But I
think the world's never been more troubled in decades, and
I feel like we've got a bloke in charge. He's
a real lightweight.
Speaker 13 (34:45):
Yeah, I'm not going to disagree with you. I mean,
when you never get below the surface of the talking
points and no to in particular with China, it's the
same talking point all the time. I mean he's added
a new one with we grow our capability and we
build our relationships, which is this sort of way of
brushing off substantive discussion about defense. There is no substance there,
(35:09):
and you know, I fear that the Prime Minister's thinking,
Peter on China is locked in about the mid nineteen
nineties when China was just beginning to grow and America
was the unassailable world leader. But we're not in that
world anymore. China is now an equal military power with
the United States in many respects, wanting to control the region,
(35:33):
actually saying that that's what its intention is. And here
we are pretending that it's all happen to light and
we have a stabilized relationship. We need more from our
Prime minister. Whether Australians want this or not, I can't
tell anymore, because clearly they voted for him in large
numbers in the election camp. Maybe they just don't want
to hear the difficult messages. Peter, that's a rather concerning thought.
(35:57):
But we're not going to get substance in those scussions tomorrow.
I can assure you. It's all surface gloss.
Speaker 11 (36:05):
All right.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Well, we'll come back to it tomorrow night and see
where we go. But I suspect you're absolutely right, Peter Jennings.
Thank you. Just before we go, I want to say
a big congratulations to the Sky team and Network ten
because they've cut a deal which means we will be
free to wear from our regional viewers right across New
South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. And I know it means
a hell of a lot to country communities like my
(36:26):
friends and family in the Malleys. So I think it's fantastic.
We love talking about country issues, we love talking to
country people. I certainly do it here, but everyone does
on Sky News. So channel fifty six if you're in
regional Victoria, southern New South Wales and Queensland, and we're
on channel fifty three in the northern New South Wales
area and of course the Gold Coast watch us, tune in,
(36:47):
fire up and keep us grounded. That's what I love
about regional Australia. Right after the break, Victorian government ordered
a cost cutting review. So why won't they release it?
Why won't they take action? Because the state's debt it's soaring.
Plus the latest on the shocking child abuse case out
of Melbourne reports that the alleged views that was reported
twice to police but nothing done about it. That's next
(37:14):
welcome back coming out. One rule for us, one rule
for them. Why the National Anti Corruption Commissions trying to
protect the identity of a senior bureaucrag guilty of corruption.
But first to the ongoing investigation to the renders sexual
abuse allegations against a Melbourne childcare worker, Joshua Dale Brown. Well,
we've now learned the brand was reported not once, but twice,
(37:36):
and yet police, the Department of Education and the Commissioner
for Children did nothing.
Speaker 14 (37:43):
The first investigation in twenty twenty three was after allegations
mister Brown aggressively picked up and put down a child
in his care by not supporting that child while they
were upset. The incident was reported by three colleagues. The
claim was proven and the edge ducator was given a
formal written warning and took three months leave. A second
(38:04):
investigation was sparked in January twenty twenty four after a
parent and staff complained Joshua Brown allegedly forcibly grabbed the
arm of one child, the leg of another and forcibly
pulled off their shoe. He was immediately suspended and eventually
resigned before the claims were substantiated.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
R So how does this happen? Victoria's a shadow witchcachy
Minister Jess Wilson joins me. Now well, just I spoke
to you about this all last week. It was bad
last week. It's getting worse by the day. And those
revelations say that this just isn't one part of the
government that's rotten. It got oversight right across, fundamental failure
(38:46):
across the board. It's still talk though, we're still talking
about a review. You haven't been able to get the
Premier to recall the parliament and fix the problems. Where
are we up to tonight?
Speaker 7 (38:57):
Well, that's right, Peter. What we're seeing now is complete
systemic failure when it comes to safety in childcare centers
here in Victoria. The revelations over the weekend that the
alleged offender was known to the Commission for Children and
Young People just demonstrates how our system is failing. The
(39:18):
allegations were substantiated, and yet no recommendations were made to
the Department of Government Services to review or suspend his
working with Children's check. How does this continue to happen
when we have seen again and again systemic failures when
it comes to our working with children's checking here in Victoria.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
And we have the other case of a man in Horsham,
an Indigenous man attending a childcare center. Now that went
on and on and on, and he's still access the
childcare center even though he was under investigation for having
possession of child abuse material. He's since been convicted of that,
but again, how does that happen? And still so the
Premier will not bring back the parliament and fix these loopholes.
Speaker 7 (40:05):
That's right, and the Premier was worn. The government was
warned about these loopholes in twenty twenty two by the
Ombardsman that made a recommendation to the government to change
the Working with Children's check system so that these sort
of risks could be taken into account and working with
children's checks could be rejected or they could be rescinded.
Yet the Premier has decided once again that we're going
(40:26):
to have another review rather than taking the immediate action
that is actually needed and making sure that when kids
are dropped off at childcare centers today, their appropriate safety
is in place, and that is simply not the case.
We also saw over the weekend revelations that the regulator
in this space, a tiny unit within the Department of
Education that reports to a Deputy secretary, has seen complaints
(40:50):
rise by forty five percent over recent years, yet action
on those complaints has reduced by sixty seven percent. So
clear the regular doesn't have the resources or it's not
capable of doing its job either. Yet the review that
the Premier stood up explicitly cuts out the performance of
the regulator as part of one of the considerations.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Well, part of the reason is why there is not
enough money to do their jobs some of these regulators
is that the state's virtually belly up bankrupt. I know
it's such your portfolio. But the Treasurer today says that
there is a review, an independent review in how to
cut the costs of government in Victoria, but they're going
to sit on it. It will not be released. And
this is yet the number one issue for taxpayers and business.
(41:36):
I mean, there's tax after tax in Victoria. As I say,
the government is debt ridden. Surely we've got to move
on these cost cutting measures and re reorientate the money
Jess into areas like childcare regulation where it's desperately needed.
That's right.
Speaker 7 (41:54):
This is a government that has its priority So wrong, Peter.
We're heading towards one hundred and ninety four billion dollars
worth of debt in this state.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
That will mean.
Speaker 7 (42:02):
Interest repayments of over one million dollars an hour in
the coming years. And Victorians are already paying the highest
taxes in the country. And we've seen when we saw
the Treasurer of Palace put in place the COVID debt levee,
we're seeing that tax take increase more than what they expected.
Yet the government has failed to actually do what it
said it would do and cut the number of the
(42:23):
public service. See over the past ten years, we've seen
the public service in Victoria grow by over sixty percent,
but we've only seen population growth grow by around twenty percent,
So it's growing by three times the rate under the
labor government.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
And what does that mean.
Speaker 7 (42:39):
It doesn't mean we're getting better services here in Victoria.
In fact, when we look at our frontline services, ambulances,
we've got a crime crisis for our police, not enough
police on the beat, we don't have enough teachers, and
of course our childcare system is in desperate need of reform.
We're hemorrhaging in terms of our frontline services. But this
government can't take the action it needs to actually make
(42:59):
sure we're spending when we need it.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Yeah, and it's clearly not pay on performance. Because the
premier is the highest grossing premiere in the country. I'll
leave it there, Jess, thanks very much. We'll come back
up with the break when I talk about the ends
forty eight billion a year. Yet apparently the CEO is
on long term leave and no one is responding to
questions about an audit. Monday Night panel, let's bring them
(43:30):
in one nation, Chief and Stuff, James Ashby and the
chief executive of the Page Research Center, Jared Holland. Gentlemen,
let's go to the NDS. I'll start with you, James,
over the weekends. Pretty serious questions. I mean I read
this stuff with interest. Forty eight point five billion a year,
we spend the chief executive on long term sort of sickly.
(43:50):
We don't know for how long or why. The Chairman
of the board Kurt Fernley, well hease refuse you to
comment on a damning audit. We find the board has
frow in some cases even cut the payer providers. This
for the sixth year in a row. I mean, what
knows happening here? I know a dozen front estimates. There's
not enough scrutiny. I think people are starting to lose
(44:12):
faith in indis.
Speaker 15 (44:16):
Well, particularly when it continues to blow out by eight
percent every single year, year upon year upon year, we
just can't seem to rain this in. Look, I might
just say, Peter, there may be a real need to
call this NDIA CEO before the Parliament for estimates. I
know you say they don't turn up, but they have
to turn up. If the Senate asks them to turn up,
(44:38):
they must turn up. So there's a lot of questions
that needs to be asked of this government, but more
importantly the ANDDIA they're talking about a lot of these cuts.
Look to be realistic about this. If we don't rain
this in now, the service that provides dignity to those
who have genuine disabilities will be gone. It was designed
to bring about care and a service to those people
(44:59):
with abilities, not make multimillionaires out of providers, and that's
precisely what's gone on here. So some of those cuts
have been to travel for a lot of these providers.
We're talking about a physiotherapist who's having a winch here,
but they're charging up to five hundred dollars an hour
for travel to far and remote parts of this country,
and two hundred dollars an hour for metro travel, and
(45:22):
yet we're also on top of that providing eighty million
dollars in travel to those people with disabilities. So it's
almost as though the system has been double dipped at
every single which way you look at it, and we've
got to rein it in to preserve it for the
future of those with disabilities.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
Well, all strength, Tom, if you can get them in
front of the Senate and some tough questions asked, or
probably cross that into that live if you could do
it here on kredline, let's go to the National Anti
Corruption Commission. This is a knack. It's shielded the identity
of a corrupt Home Affairs official. This is senior bureaucrat
and a whole lot of legal figures, including former judges
(46:02):
and commissioners. Well, they've criticized this lack of transparency, Joe,
what concerns me here? If you're accused of a crime
or I am, other than perhaps a suppression order, at
some stage our names would be out there, would have
to defend our good name and go through a legal process. Well,
this person's gone through a process that've been found to
(46:24):
be corrupt, but we're not allowed to know who they are.
Speaker 9 (46:28):
That's exactly right, Peter, not allowed to know who they are.
And as far as I can tell from looking into this,
because a lot has been released, there's been no real consequences.
They resigned from their positions, so we're unable to be sacked.
I believe they haven't chosen to prosecute any charges and
so it's really nothing to see here. Move along, but
it really makes you wonder. This commission was set up
a couple of years ago. Of course, it was one
(46:49):
of the big campaigns of the Teals back in twenty
twenty two, a budget of over one hundred million dollars
over two hundred and sixty staff, and the only original
cases that they pulled out is this one, which seems
to have gone nowhere and no one's being told anything,
and a bribery case with Western Sydney Airport for about
two hundred thousand dollars over a five million dollar deal.
So that doesn't seem like a good bang for your buck,
(47:10):
and no one wants corruption. But really, we can't just
keep hosing up taxpayers money against the wall for the
fantasies of Teals and for alban easy to get out
there looking like he's being this transparent Prime Minister, when
really it's just wasting money, wasting people's time and resources,
and hasn't achieved any results whatsoever.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
And of course James, they said, there's nothing to see
here with that multimillion dollar payment to Britain. Higgins goodness
may Hey. The Grands warned Alban easy to use his
numbers of the Parliament for a federal human Rights Act.
I mean, I'll be like the good old Bill of Rights.
They'll try and ram that through now that they've got
the numbers. I mean, I think this is just crazy,
but this is the stuff we've got to watch for.
Speaker 15 (47:51):
Yeah, this will stifle any legislation and any approvals basically
in this country. I don't know whether you realize, Peter,
or certainly you probably do, but viewers at home may
not realize that every bill that comes before the Parliament
actually on the first few pages says this bill has
been through the Human Rights Act and it passes with
(48:12):
flying colors. So no legislation has passed in this country
doesn't get reviewed for its human rights. So we don't
need this.
Speaker 1 (48:21):
It's a duplication.
Speaker 15 (48:22):
We're already subjected to it internationally through the UN. We
don't need a second duplication, which the Greens are very
good at, by the way, they love duplication, red tape
and just slowing the process up in this country.
Speaker 2 (48:36):
We got to watch all of these very carefully. Thank you, gentlemen.
We'll leave it there. That's it for me tonight. Up next,
James Ecpherson with the bulk Ford
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.