May 15, 2025 • 48 mins
Andrew Hastie takes a swipe at Peter Dutton as the Liberal Party post-mortem continues, will much change for the Greens under the leadership of Larissa Waters? Plus, Nationals Deputy Leader Kevin Hogan on the future of the Coalition.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Peter Krandland live on Sky News Australia. Good evening and
welcome to the show. I'm Caleb Bond filling in for
Peter Credlin tonight. He's what's coming up on the program.
The new Little Greens team with Rissa Waters seemingly the
most sane of an insane lot, but not much has
changed with Marine.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Ferruki still Deputy. More on that in a moment.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Are we witnessing the end of the coalition with senior
figures saying it's not a foregone conclusion that they'll continue
as a union. Well, I'll speak to one of those
senior figures, the newly minted National's Deputy leader Kevin Hogan,
about where to for the NATS lives, plus the dire
state of the Victorian budget when over twenty billion dollars
in core government services could be facing the chop. The
(00:47):
Left love to brag about these things, but paying for
them is another thing, and Victoria's budget is cactus and
the knives are out as the Liberal Party post mortem
goes on with Andrew Haste to be lashing out at
Peter Dutton today.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
There are a number of issues in the campaign that
made it very difficult for us to.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Get out there well, while we know the Liberal Party
is trying to decide what it wants to be after
such a massive wallowing, walloping, sorry, we saw today just
how divided the Greens are too. They had to make
a decision today choosing their new leader, whether they wanted
to go even further down the rabbit hole of socialism
and division and anti Israel hate, or whether they keep,
(01:28):
for want of a better word, a more moderate face.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Now.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
In the end, they went with that more moderate face
in Larissa Waters. The other two options were Marine Faruki
and Sarah Hanson Young. Feruki will continue as deputy leader,
as she did under Adam Bant, but there was a
serious push to make Faruki leader. And keep in mind
this is the woman who a few years ago said Australia,
(01:52):
with its one point three percent of global emissions, should
pay reparations to her homeland of Pakistan for climate change.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
I've just returned from Pakistan after seeing Miami. Australia's criminal
inaction on climate is deeply felt there. Felt in the
extreme heat, felt in the melting glacials washing away entire villages,
and felt in the everyday life of children in Pakistan,
who are suffocating in an ever deadly mix of intense
(02:21):
heat and trapped pollution. So we must remember also to
lift our gaze. We must start a process of making
climate reparations to the global South countries who are most
harmed by Australia's contribution to the climate crisis.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I mean, is she is Senative for New South Wales
or Pakistan. That's the woman that a large chunk of
the Greens wanted to lead them today, the same woman
who carried on like a child and stage to senate
walk out over Palestine.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
A coalition is morally bankrupt when it comes to Palestine,
and Labor has shown itself to be heartless, gutless cowards.
Today we bring the people's protest into Parliament.
Speaker 5 (03:04):
Free, Free Palestine.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
You forget about morally bankrupt, would be fiscally bankrupt if
she was in charge of the joint And of course,
the same woman who stood in front of a sign
that said keep the world clean and showed the Israeli
flag being thrown in a bin, took a photo with
that sign and then posted it on social media.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
This is who.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Nearly became the Greens leader today and who is still
their deputy leader.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
This is what a.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Large rump of the Greens stand for now. The Greens
have always chosen their leader by consensus. They all agree
on the one person. They don't have a ballot, and
in the end that is what happened today, but it
very nearly didn't. For the first time in the history
of the party, they were considering holding a ballot for
the leadership, such as the division that now exists within
(03:52):
the Greens. The Australian reported today that supporters of Marine
Ferruki and Western Australian Senator to rinder Cox had been
lobbying MPs intensely for the past twenty four hours and
that a ballot may be needed to break the conflict.
And keep in mind, this is a party room of
twelve people. It shouldn't be that hard to come up
(04:12):
with a decision. But they were locked up for two
hours today trying to work it out. The Australian revealed
today that many within the Greens believe their former senator
and now of course an independent Lydia Thorpe, had been
involved in a concerted campaign to elect Feruki as leader.
A group called the Australian Greens First Nations Network otherwise
(04:33):
known as the Black Greens, endorsed Ferruki for lder over
an actual Aboriginal woman in Derinda Cox, by the Way,
and ran a mass email campaign to lobby for her,
and some within the Greens believe Thorpe was part of that.
One senior Green source told the ODS that Lydia Thorpe
wants back in the Greens. There's no secret in that.
(04:54):
The inaugural co chair of the First People's Assembly of Victoria,
Marcus Stewart, said it it was well known that Thorpe
still had significant influence over parts of the Greens.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Quote.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
If anyone think Senator Thorpe has no influence inside of
the Greens, they are kidding themselves. Thorpe, for her part,
denied that she was interested in rejoining the Greens, and
she said the same again.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Today to the ABC.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
But obviously many in the party still think she's meddling
in their affairs. There was a ballot, not a consensus
for deputy leader, and Feruki beat her into Cox nine
votes to three.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
She was also.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Endorsed for leadership by the New South Wales Young Greens.
And it's a strange day when Sarah Hansen Young is
made to look like the sensible one in the room.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
But the Black Greens.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Opposed her for leadership because she quote would not be
an effective leader in implementing Australian Greens policies relating to
First Nations issues racial justice, social justice and the liberation
of the Palestinian people. The National Arm of the Young
Greens also put up a motion on Tuesday opposing Hansome
(06:01):
Young and the reason for that is that she's still
vaguely interested in doing what the Greens say on that
in being Greenies, rather than pursuing every far left issue
of social and economic division. They are a party divided
over whether they should lean further into the faruki style
of politics or return to their bread and butter roots.
(06:22):
The Greens now have the absolute balance of power in
the Senate, even though they lost all but one of
their lower House seats. They now have the power to
rubber stamp or blow torch any bill they want in
the Senate. That is serious power, and that's why the
direction of the Greens matters. They've had a taste in
the lower House of what happens when they stray too
(06:44):
far from their Green remit. But if this is anything
to go by, today they haven't learned that lesson and
the next three years of the Greens controlling the Senate
could be disastrous, And of course the other more but
a crossroads over their direction. As I said earlier, the
Liberal Party, well the Nationals, are now saying that they
(07:06):
may well split from the Liberals and break up the
coalition if they can't agree on a vision for the future.
Whether or not they continue to support NED zero will
be a major part of the negotiations and according to
some sources its line ball as to whether or not
the coalition will continue. I'll talk to NAT's deputy leader
Kevin Hogan about that soon now. The Coalition has existed
(07:28):
in various forms since nineteen twenty three, with predecessor parties
to the Liberals and the Nationals. It has been a
union of those two parties since nineteen forty nine. Only
twice since nineteen forty nine has there been a break
in the coalition. It was one in nineteen seventy two
after Gough Whitlam beat Billy McMahon, but they came back
(07:48):
together before the seventy four election, and for four months
in nineteen eighty seven over the Joe for Canberra campaign.
You can just imagine what Sir Joe Bilki Peterson would
say about the state of things today. If the Coalition
were to break up, it would be the first time
in nearly forty years. That is the magnitude of how
badly they lost the election. And my advice to the
(08:11):
Liberals would be that they do well to take the
advice of the Nats, who, unlike them, didn't lose any
seats in the Lower House and only lost one Senate seat,
which is on a shared ticket with the Liberals.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Anyway.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
They also managed to turn Bendigo marginal, which has been
held by Labour since nineteen ninety eight, with a nine
point seven percent swing. That, by the way, is also
where Jacinta Allen's electorate is, so keep an eye on
Andrew Lethley next year would be my tip. But in
contrast to the Liberals which bled seats in the city,
the Nationals did the heavy lifting through the rest of
(08:43):
the country. The Liberals need the Nationals now more than ever.
Drop net zero, keep nuclear and build a genuine alternative
for government. Let's head to canber Now for tonight's political
headline with Scanne News political reporter Trudy Macintosh.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
A fresh face, promising a fresh start for the Greens.
We will be firm but constructive. Queensland Senator the Rissa
Waters replaces Adam band as Green's leader. Marine Ferruki will
remain as Deputy and I'm proud that we have such
strong women leading this party. The party was reduced to
just one seat in the lower House at the election,
(09:23):
but it still holds the sole balance of power in
the Senate. And it says Labor has a choice.
Speaker 6 (09:29):
They can work with us, they can work with us
and help people and protect nature, or they can choose
to work with the coalition.
Speaker 7 (09:36):
They're going to need to pick.
Speaker 5 (09:37):
Labour's election victory was soured in part by the outbreak
of factional in fighting.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Mister Lords, do you have ed hughes e S blood
on your hands? No.
Speaker 5 (09:47):
For the first time, the Deputy Prime Minister grilled on
his role in dumping cabinet colleagues Ed Husick and Mark Drafers.
Speaker 8 (09:54):
We have gone through, obviously, what is difficult processes in
term of choosing a ministry. It is a collective process.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
Richard Marles, deflecting blame and refusing to respond to this
assessment from mister Hugh sick.
Speaker 9 (10:10):
I think when people look at a deputy Prime minister,
they expect to see a statesman, not a factional assassin.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
If he's the easy right to call you a factional assassin.
Speaker 8 (10:19):
Look, I'm not going to go into that.
Speaker 5 (10:22):
Former Attorney General Mark Dreyfus may have kept quiet since
he was dumped, but he's now reportedly considering quitting Parliament.
Is a by election now likely?
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Would you begrudge mister Dreyfus if he made the oxygen
to walk now?
Speaker 8 (10:34):
Well, look, I mean I'm not about to speculate on
all of that art it. He has every reason to
feel very proud.
Speaker 5 (10:41):
On the Conservative side of politics. The coalition is trying
to chart its path out of the political wilderness. The
first step formal talks to see if it's possible to
renew the coalition agreement. National's leader David Little Proud met
the new Liberal leader Susan Lee and Aubrey on Thursday, first.
Speaker 6 (10:58):
Of many meetings that I'll have with David, and it
was productive, it was respectful, and our conversations will continue.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
The Nationals want more spots in the shadow ministry and
a pushing to dump net zero. Trudy McIntosh Sky News
canbra all right.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
It's been another busy day, so joining me to get
across at all media commentator Caroli kats and Barnas and
One Nation chief of staff James Ashby.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Welcome to you both.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Now, as we just heard there, Larissa Waters has been
elected as the new Greens leader, beating out Marine Ferruki.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
And Sarah Hanson Young.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
James, your take, I mean, you know, she's probably the
most sensible option of a bad lot, though Sarah Hanson.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Young would have been much of a muchness.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
But the reality is they had a serious wrestle today
over which direction they would take, and there are still
a lot of people in the Greens, particularly in the
rank and file, that would like to see a radical
like Marine Ferouki running the joint.
Speaker 10 (11:53):
Well, I am so disheartened and disappointed tongue in cheek
here that we ended up with a light, straight Cis
woman running the Greens party when we had what do
we have? We had an aboriginal woman, we had a
person who has advocated for disability in a wheelchair, and
we also had a very luscious, beautiful brown woman as
(12:13):
she likes to call herself on the floor of Parliament.
So there was that diversity choice and they chose another
white person. It was always going to be a woman.
The numbers in the Greens are seven women versus four men,
so they've got their women numbers up there, but you know,
to end up with a woman. I was just really
surprised by that. I wish it was Marine Ferruki because
(12:35):
the truth of the matter is the Australian public would
really see the true side of the Greens Party. As
you started with the show, Marine Ferruci doesn't stand for Australians.
She makes every effort when she's on the floor of
the Parliament to talk about everybody else across the globe
other than Australians. So she's, as you rightfully put, better
represent New South Wales and sadly she's just been reelected
(12:55):
for another six years.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Indeed, Carrely one of the first things that lar Waters
has talked about today is that they will continue to
talk about Palestine and advocate against what they say is
genocide et cetera. Sector So they've put this stuff straight
back on the table as the first order of business
under new leadership. I mean, you know they call themselves
(13:18):
the Greens. Are they ever going to go back to
just being a Green party.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
Well, no they're not. And as you said, Larta Waters,
that the best out of a bad lot. I mean,
they're an extremist political party. They're dangerous, they're anti Semitic,
and it doesn't really matter who the leader is elected.
They're on their trajectory to do what they think, you know,
Australians want, but Australians don't want. It was a resounding
(13:46):
rejection we saw with Adam Bant losing his seat. It
was a bridge too far. And as for Larissa water
Is saying that people can work with them and women
can identify with them, well, I'm sorry, people can't identify
with them.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
I think it's.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
Incredibly disappointing that they've even got one person in Parliament. Now,
yes they hold the balance of power in the Senate,
but it's an incredibly dangerous party. And as we've often
discussed on this program as well, and Michael Danby has
pointed out, but they're not the party that they were.
They're not about the environment. They're on very very extremist,
dangerous policies. Their energy policy would send the lights off
(14:23):
in Australia, their economic policies would send this country absolutely broke.
And you know they've got one thing. I do have
to say, they've got the audacity with Adam Band when
it came to negative gearing. There isn't one of them
in the Greens that lives in social housing or doesn't
have investment properties, and yet they've got the hide to
be dictating to the Australian public. What is meant to
(14:46):
happen if they've got any idea that the mums and
dads investors that hold investment properties are helping to put
a roof over people's heads. They live in an absolute
utopia and it's you know, do as I say, not
do as I do. And I just think there are
a dreadful, dreadful political party here in Australia and we'd
be better off without them well indeed.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
But they'll continue on that trajectory and we'll see whether
it makes a difference in another three years time. There's
growing concern of a branch stacking within the Young Liberals
in New South Wales. Now this case involves a staff
for New South Wales IMP Alex Hawk, dangling the prospect
of a new job in front of interns in the
Office of Liberally and p Melissa Macintosh if they could
(15:27):
recruit new members to the center right faction. Now, both
Alex Hawk and Melissa McIntosh have said they had no
idea that this was going on. But I'm often reminded
of this statement by Malcolm Turnbull.
Speaker 11 (15:40):
We're not run by factions, We're not run by Well.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
You may, you may, you may, you may.
Speaker 10 (15:50):
Dispute that, but I have to tell you from experience,
we are not run by factions, nor nor are we
run nor are we run by big business or by
deals in back rooms.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Famous words, and ten years later, James, it's not any better.
Speaker 10 (16:12):
How does he lines straight in bed with comments like that. Look,
I was with the Liberals or the Liberal National Party
here in Queensland back in twenty ten and I could
see that there was branch stacking going on back then.
It's been a long held tradition. It hasn't changed. It's
not as bad as what some would say it is,
but it is happening and I don't think they'll ever
cruel it. They may say they don't stand for it,
(16:35):
but it is happening. And this is further evidence. When
you get text messages which have been sent out to
a group chat and it's encouraging young people to bring
other young people on board as like a membership drive,
all in order to try and get another job within
an office.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (16:52):
Look, branch stacking has been going on forever and don't
be filled out there. It is happening. I'm sorry to
say it. The Liberals, if you want to clean it up,
I actually don't know how to clean it up, to
be quite honest, because the whole idea is it's, you know,
every one of those members after twelve months within the
Liberal Party all get a vote on who represents them,
so they're driving membership. But if you obviously you've got
(17:16):
some extraordinary talented people out there that like to go
and recruit, almost like they're getting commissioned for it. And
that's what this job offer was. It was almost payment
for building those numbers. Of course you're going to get
branches stacked.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Indeed, now the Liberal Party post mortem goes on. The
Shadow Defense Minister Andrew Hasty took a swipe at Peter
Dutton this morning.
Speaker 9 (17:38):
Did you have a good relationship with Peter Dutton.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I had a good professional relationship with Peter.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Dunton, Yes, professionally, not personally.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Well, you know, you don't go into Parliament looking to
be best friends with everyone, and he had a very
busy job. I did what I had to do. He
did his job, and there's a lot of things that
we can learn from this campaign.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Did you feel sidelined during the campaign, because, I mean
that was commented on.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Look, there are a number of issues in the campaign
that made it very difficult for us to get out there.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
He also slammed the delay in releasing their defense policy.
You know, he basically said carely will Look, I didn't
have a policy, just broke until ten days before the elections,
So what the hell was I going to come out
and talk about. I mean, you know, it's pretty clear
we can all see that it was a shambolic campaign.
But people who should have been front and center and
who are good performers were clearly put in the freezer.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
And they're not happy about it.
Speaker 6 (18:36):
No, they aren't. The one thing I will say is
that Andrew Hasty from Western Australia, he got a five
and a half percent swing towards him. He is in
the seat of Canning and the outskirts of Perth, and
I'm pleased to see that he has actually declared leadership
ambitions for the future, but is actually highlighted a really
important point. He's married and he's got three young children.
(18:59):
And we know that the Turan distance from Western Australia,
especially for six months of the year when there's a
three hour time difference, if you need to go somewhere,
you need to almost go the day before in order
to make sure in case there's a flight cancelation. But
I'm glad to see that, I have to say to you,
in Western Australia he is very very highly regarded. He's
highly regarded across the senior Liberal Party. I applaud him
(19:21):
for biting his tongue and being very very diplomatic. Blind
Freddie can read you know what he's really thinking, and
rightly so. And there was some serious mistakes made by
the campaign, but you know, going over the entrails, going
over the post mortem, having a you.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Know, a review of what went wrong.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Doesn't serve them any well. We all know where they
went wrong. But I'll also say to you with Andrew Hasty,
I do remember when he was first elected to parliament
and who can forget us political junkies when Tony Abbott
was that them was holding a press conference and he
very diplomatically said, oh, handle that, and we thought, wow,
he's a leader for the future. It shouldn't surprise anybody.
(20:00):
But you know, he's got ambition to lead. He's only
I think forty three or forty four, plenty of time
for that. But he's sitting back and let's see if
he's given an opportunity to serve in the opposition. And
the most important thing is they gould to remember they've
got to fight the enemy of labor, not within the
Liberal Party. Whatever divisions they are, whatever jetsam and flotsam
(20:20):
is around with commentary as well, they need to focus
on it. And you know what, ironically, maybe it did
him a favor by keeping him in Western Australia so
that he could actually secure his seat with a much
higher margin and majority, because you can't do anything unless
you're actually a member of parliament. So good on him today.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Well, he certainly deserves a senior spot because he is
a great performer. I'll just stick with you quickly carrillly.
Of course, the Victorian budgets coming down next week. Jacqueline
signs the woman who forced Treasury staff to stop using
economic terms because she didn't understand them. She's going to
hand down her first date budget on Tuesday, and I mean,
you know, to call it a mess, I think he's
putting it pretty much. You've got you analysis out of
(21:01):
the Parliamentary Budget Office, twenty one point three billion dollars
in funding for three hundred and sixty eight government programs
due to end unless they're extended on Tuesday. Because of
course they're in one hundred and eighty eight billion dollars
of debt by twenty twenty eight, so they need to
find saving somewhere. Meanwhile, it seems like we find out
today that this new emergency services levy is going to
(21:24):
go through. You've got land tax going through the roof.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
I mean, you're in Melbourne. The place is stuffed.
Speaker 6 (21:33):
And it really is. And the really sad thing is that,
you know, Victoria is falling apart. We've had a business
in dan Andong South, the sand blasting business, whose land
tax has gone from eighty seven hundred dollars ten years
ago to two hundred and three thousand dollars. And this
is a business that employs Victorians. It's applied to major
projects as well, and that the land tax is crippling
(21:54):
them as well. The land tax needs to come down.
The Victorian Chamber of Commas has said that because it's
showing that the Victoria is closed for business, no one
wants to actually invest. Your businesses are going to Queensland,
they're going to South Australia, they're going to Western Australia.
But the problem is there's always enough money for the CFMU.
There's always enough money for the big build projects and
(22:15):
for premierges Center Allan's pet project of the suburban rail loop,
which is a it's not even a loop. It goes
from box Hill to Cheltenham. We know that there's no
promise of any more money for it. It's billions of
dollars over. There's always enough money for that. She keeps
saying that that's what Victorians want. They don't. There are
potholes in the roads, there's money that's been hidden that
(22:36):
was meant for public schools. The hospitals are falling apart,
road signs are falling apart. Youth crime is out of control.
I mean, you know they've passed laws to bat outlaw
machetes and edged weapons, but surprise, surprise, it doesn't come
into effect until September the first meantime, there are more
and more people being knife I mean we've just been
(22:58):
you know, the new Victorian Police commit from New Zealand,
mister Bush. You know, people are hoping that he will
actually change it. But Victoria is a completely different place.
It is falling apart. We're massively in debt and you know,
the state opposition are doing a great job. And all
I can say is that Victorians are waiting for November
twenty six, waiting for it.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
I hope so.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
But you know, if I were just into our I
would hate Daniel Andrews with a passion because he handed
her or you know what, sandwich James. Quickly, before we
get to the break my home stay to South Australia.
They're bringing in a junk food ad ban on public
transport from July once. You can't put a chocolate or
a soft drink anything on the side of a bus.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Now, you know, I think.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
This is absurd to begin with, but it's been revealed
today that it will extend to processed meats, so you
couldn't even advertise, you know, for instance, a ham sandwich.
I mean, for goodness sake, can't we just be allowed
to decide for ourselves.
Speaker 10 (24:00):
Baloney, right, This is the problem where governments try to
interfere with decisions of everyday people. I got to be
honest with you, cal that sort of advertising doesn't work
on me anyway. But there's nothing that can be done
at the supermarket checkout when kids are more impressed by
what's on the shelf in front of them while they've
got a wait to be served, and those aisles are
(24:22):
just littered with chocolate arrays and cereals that are no
good for you. Look, I don't think this band's going
to work. It hasn't worked anywhere else in the world,
so why is it going to start working in South Australia.
It's overreached by the state government and just let parents
be parents. And look, we've got to deal with obesity.
But this isn't the right path.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
No, As I've written in my column in the Adelaide
Advertiser tomorrow. You know, if you follow this to its
logical conclusion, as you say, James, all the stuff in
the supermarket, they're going to have to put it behind,
you know, gray doors in cabinets, because it's just like crits. Yep,
for heaven's sake, James Carroly, thank you so much for
your time. After the break, the Deputy Nationals leader joins
me is the relationship between the Nationals and the Liberals?
(25:01):
Phrase could this be the end of the long standing
coalition agreement? Plus another blow to the green agenda is
so called green hydrogen projects go bust, don't go away. Well,
it's been a big week of jostling for positions in Canberra.
Albanezi of course appointed his ministry Ed Cusic and Mark
(25:22):
Dreyfus out Michelle Rowland the new Attorney General.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
God help us.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
The Libs have a new leadership team with Susan Lee
and Ted O'Brien, and of course Nationals leader David Litlproud
fought off a challenge from Queensland Senator Matt Canavan for
their leadership and that could will be in the box
seat to make some demands now, given that the Liberal
Party hemorrhage thirteen lower House seats and the Nationals didn't
lose any They only lost one Senate seat which was
(25:48):
third on the coalition ticket in New South Wales. So
now they'll have to negotiate a new coalition agreement and
there are potentially major disagreements between the Libs and the
Nats over things like net zero. A National Senate leader,
Bridget McKenzie has gone so far as to say that
a coalition agreement is not a foregone conclusion or joining
me now to discuss this and more. Is one of
(26:09):
the people who picked up a new job this week,
the National's newly appointed Deputy.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Leader, Kevin Hogan. Kevin welcome.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Could we be in a position now where the NATS
can't find enough common ground with the Liberal Party to
form another coalition?
Speaker 9 (26:26):
Look at certainly a scenario, Caleb. That being said, I
know that we I spoke to David this morning and
yesterday and Bridget McKenzie as far as leadership goes, and
indeed the will of the NATS party room is to
sign a coalition agreement. That being said, we won't sign
it just to sign it. I mean there's a lot
of different ars and requests that will have in that
besides obviously how many shadow cabinet positions and what they
(26:47):
may be a lot of perfunctionary and process things through
the Parliament as well that we'll want to have better
access to. So look, we go on with the intention,
but there's certainly scenario where it doesn't get signed.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Of course, if the Liberal Party wanted to form government again,
they would need the support of the Nats in order
to do it. They're never going to win enough seats
on their own because of course you have a stranglehold
mostly over the regions. So if you didn't sign a
coalition agreement while you're in opposition, if it came to
a position where you could form government as a coalition,
(27:20):
would it potentially put you in the box seat to
make more demands.
Speaker 9 (27:25):
Well, I would have thought so, and I say again too,
calib I think it's good if we do sign an agreement.
I think the opposition is stronger if we sign a
coalition agreement. I think when in government and the coalition
is strong, we have the best government we can for Australia.
So that's my starting point. But yes, look we'll have
We don't think we've got fairly modest requests in what
we're put into it. If they don't accept, if the
Liberal Party don't accept it and then need us to
(27:47):
form government later, then obviously I think the asking price
will go up. So I think it's in their interest
to sign it as well.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
What are you asking prices to sign? A coalition agreement
this time around. I mean, obviously there are discussions going
on with in your party room at the moment about
net zero and whether or not you continue with that.
The Libs will be having those discussions as well. And
Susan Lee lift that open the other day she said
nothing is on or off the table. What's the grab
(28:15):
bag that you will be taking to the Liberal Party
and saying these are the non negotiables.
Speaker 9 (28:20):
Well, Caleb, I'd love to tell you, but it's never
a good idea to show you poker hand to everyone
in the crowd watching the game. So look, I won't
go through all that, but look, you know, obviously some
of it would be obvious about what shadow cabinet ministries
we will get, how many out of ministries assistant ministers
as well. Again, even process things in the Parliament are
important question time MPIs, you know, staffing, all those type
(28:41):
of things are all part of it as well. And
on the policy front, there will be some regional things
that where already negotiated in the Regional Future Fund and
others like that that we will want to stay as well,
which has been negotiated over many different leaders in times.
So you know, it'll be a comp you know, there
will be a fluid document, but you know, we think
all the ask will be quite reasonable.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
I know that the Liberal Party room is bigger because
they have more senators, but it would not be unfair
to say that the Nationals are effectively the opposition after
the result we saw a couple of weeks ago. I mean,
you didn't lose any Lower House seats, they lost thirteen.
You nearly took Bendigo. So clearly the product that the
Nationals are putting out is far more saleable and successful
(29:23):
than the ones that the Libs have been selling.
Speaker 9 (29:27):
Well, Culub, I'd say this as humbly as I can.
I mean, we haven't lost a Lower House seat in
the House of Reps federally since two thousand and seven,
and we've lot one seats back from Independent since then.
We're one seats back from the Labor Party since then
and haven't lost them as we've been going drifting out
of government as part of the coalition. So look, but
we want Having said that, we want, I want the
(29:47):
Liberal Party to be successful. There's no point us hanging
on doing well in the regions if the Liberal Party
are disappearing on the other end of it, and we
never form governments, so we obviously share a lot of values,
we share a lot of ideals. Said, you know, the
Liberal parties are broad church when they bring us in
as even a broader church. So there's always contentious issues
that we need to resolve. But you know, this is
(30:09):
a defining moment too. You know, I think Susan would
look to be we're looking to sign a coalition agreement.
I think it's in her interest for her leadership, and
we want to but again, certainly not a dune deal.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Surely there are some lessons should you sign an agreement
that you would want the Liberals to learn from this
election and perhaps take from you.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (30:32):
Look, and again there's different perceptions on different issues. I mean,
you know, the nuclear one for example, COLORB has been
brought up a lot of interviews and people that have
been speaking to me since the election, and I've said
to people, look, we had as NAT's, we had three
electorates where there was a proposed nuclear POWERstation going to
be built in those three seats. Two of the MP's
had swings to them and one just stayed neutral. I
(30:54):
was on prepole for ten or hand in out. How
to votes for ten days prepole, including an election. No one,
virtually no one came up to me, and so I
brought up nuclear. Well, I didn't think it was that
hot an issue. People came up and brought up other things,
but nuclear certainly wasn't one of the regions at least
that was appeared to me to be a contentious issue.
Certainly Labor Party operators were trying to make it so,
(31:15):
but you know, your normal mum and dad voters certainly
didn't seem to think it was a big issue.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Well, and this is one of the things that I
think the lives will be wrestling with now is whether
or not they continue with the policy of nuclear and
there will be people within the Liberal Party pushing to
dump it. That would put you at great odds with them,
wouldn't it.
Speaker 9 (31:34):
Well yeah, again, I don't want to hypothesize too much
at Carla. We haven't signed any agreement yet, so I
don't want to almost sabotaget what by talking about contentious
issues that we're going to have to resolve. But you know,
and I think it's healthy and you know, the Liberal
Party will do this. We will do this as a coalition.
You know, we should go through all our policies and go, okay,
how do we think that rolled out with mum and
(31:54):
dad out there in voter Land And I think it's
healthy to do that. But certainly I'm just going on
the feedback I had had it out nuclear wasn't a
big one.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
Indeed, Kevin, thank you so much for your time.
Speaker 9 (32:06):
Thanks calein.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Well.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
This week the Andrew Forrest back Forteskew secked about ninety
of its staff on its green hydrogen projects spread across
its electoralizer facility in Queensland and a hydrogen lab in
Western Australia. It's funny because the Prime Minister said this
two months ago, almost to the day.
Speaker 11 (32:26):
Green hydrogen we believe has a role to play in
Australia's future and indeed that's recognized around the globe. When
the solar industry was starting off decades ago, there were
many who said, oh it doesn't stack up. We know
today that solar energy is the cheapest form of new
(32:48):
energy green hydrogen. Australia is in a unique position of
having the best solar resources in the world, amongst the
best wind resources in the world. Everything that can go
into the creation of green hydrogen to create green metals.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
And keep in mind that ninety nine percent of the
touted capacity of hydrogen projects in Australia have not moved
beyond the concept or approval stage. Joining us now to
discuss this more environment environment Sorry, editor at The Australian
and scar News contributed Graham Lloyd Graham welcome. I mean,
you know it looks good on paper, but there are
much larger issues at play here and a lesson to
(33:29):
be learned. These projects keep falling over. This isn't the
first time that Twiggy has scaled back his investment.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
When's anyone going to wake up and.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Actually say this is a seriously green dream?
Speaker 12 (33:44):
Well good Evan Cayld. Certainly the industry has reached that point,
and not surprisingly it's the government that's sort of late
to the party and realizing that it's throwing good money
after bad. Mister firest was heavily invested in Queensland. The
Queensland government had other priorities. He's a smart guy. He's
(34:07):
packed up his tent and he's gone back to Western
Australia to concentrate on trying to make green steel. And
that is really because they're quite concerned that China's going
to swap the Australian I or it's buying four higher
grade resources out of Africa. So that's where he's going
(34:29):
to output his attention. Because the green hydrogen boondoggle has busts.
There is no international market, it's higher cost to do
than anyone expected, and so it's time to look somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Well, there were sixty million dollars in taxpayer cash on
the table for this project, Gladston, what happens to that now?
Speaker 12 (34:50):
Well, I think you will have to look at what
the agreements were with the government in terms of putting
that money in for adri Forres and Fortescue. That's not
a great deal of money. He'll probably repay that if
that's the wise thing to do, because he'll pick it
up for his Green Medal's investments over in Western Australia.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Now, of course, Chris Bowen has been running around this week.
He's darning out on the election.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
He keeps saying.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
It's a vote for the renewables agenda. People have backed
it all in. I don't think that's exactly what people
voted for. I think they just didn't really want Peter
Dutton in the lodge. That's by the bye, but it
is clear that they are not going to change course
one bit on the agenda they had in the last term.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
When are we going to get that reduction in our
power bills?
Speaker 12 (35:42):
Well, this is still the big question, Caleb. I mean
winners a green as when it comes to elections, and
certainly Chris Bowen is out there saying, look, this is
fantastic and it's a great vote for him and his plans.
The difficult part, of course, is delivering it. And there's
a lot of evidence that this is a bit more
difficult and more expensive than people had hoped. And on
(36:04):
that score, green hydrogen was going to be a key
part of that, and we're seeing now the power Authority
is saying grid vulnerability is an issue and that requires
a much greater use of gas. So with hydrogen not
available to do that, gas is going to have to
These are the real issues that Chris Bowen is going
(36:28):
to have to grapple with. He's got clear air now
to pursue a renewables heavy approach, and now he just
has to finalize the plan of how it's going to
work and how they can get the costs back off
consolidated revenue where they belong, and that's people who are
using the power.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
Indeed, Graham Lloyd, great to see you again. And of
course don't forget during the campaign they put Chris Bowen
in the freezer and somehow he is back out again.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
Funny about that. Up of the break, lots of big talk.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Coming from the UK Labor government when it comes to immigration.
So Kis Starmer is saying stuff that everyone except Pauline
Hanson basically has been afraid to say here, So how
much of it can we believe?
Speaker 2 (37:11):
That more? After the break?
Speaker 1 (37:17):
Prime Minister Sir Kiss Starmer has been quite extraordinary on
immigration this week, saying that Margaret's ought to speak English
and the UK is risking becoming an island of strangers.
I mean, when did you last hear anyone other than
Pauline Hanson? They alone a Labor prime minister say anything
like that here. Well, he's doubling down on it. He's
posted on X I've already returned over twenty four thousand
(37:40):
people with no right to be here and I won't
stop there now. He's saying all the right things, but
it's a pretty fast turnaround. Joining me now to discuss
his News Corps Europe correspondent Sophie Ellsworth. Sophie, welcome. How
has the public received this in the UK? They buying
what the Prime minister is selling or do they think
(38:02):
it's a reaction to the polling that they've seen in
the last few days saying that the Reform Party now
has the largest vote in the country.
Speaker 7 (38:12):
Well, I think it's a combination of a few things, Kayleb.
This is a Prime minister who is very nervous. We've
just had the local council elections here in the UK
and Reform UK absolutely smashed it out of the park.
They are boosting their popularity week in week out, and
voters are really turning away in the polls and in
(38:33):
these council elections away from the Conservative Party and the
Labor government. And this some of the commentary has been
in their media here that this is a prime minister
reacting to the dribbing that they got in the council
elections and he's trying to win back voters. But Caleb,
let's be realistic here. There is not another general election
(38:55):
in the UK scheduled until twenty twenty nine, so there's
an awfully long way to go.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
So does he actually pull this off?
Speaker 1 (39:02):
I mean, the modeling is showing they could get a
migration down to three hundred thousand by twenty twenty nine.
It's currently nearly eight hundred thousand, so it's a pretty
serious task.
Speaker 2 (39:13):
Is he actually going to pull this off?
Speaker 7 (39:17):
Well, kayleb, there was over seven hundred thousand, close to
eight hundred thousand of net migration last year and this
is a problem for the government. They don't know how
to stop it, and there's argument is that they haven't
been strong enough, but there was also huge migration issues
when Conservatives were in power only a year ago. So
(39:38):
many people are pointing the fingers at both parties and
they're now looking to alternatives such as Reform UK. Richard Tice,
the Deputy Leader, he was just behind me moments ago
doing an interview with the UK outlet, the Reform UK.
They're getting all the momentum, Kayla, because Nigel Farage, the Leader,
has come out very strong and said if you're not
here legally, you're out of the cuntry And so I
(40:01):
think Kiyos Starma is panicking and I think he's now
trying to do something urgently on this because he knows
he's just going to continue to shed more votes well.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
And the analysis of those numbers out of the local
elections has found that if it was replicated at a
general election, all the same areas that went up reformed
win eighty one of the one hundred and forty five
seats that would be up for grabs, So it's pretty extraordinary.
Very quickly, before we go another issue, the Telegraph has
revealed that the NHS is treating children under seven who
(40:33):
believe their transgender and I should note they're not being
given drugs like puberty blockers, but according to new data,
as many as ten children of nursery age are receiving
counseling and therapy with their family, and as many as
one hundred and fifty seven aged nine or younger have
been referred to gender clinics.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
I thought the plan.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
After the cast review was that there would be a
minimum age of seven. That seems to have gone out
the window.
Speaker 7 (41:00):
Consultation at Caleb about this, and the claims in the
Telegraph today is that trans groups really put pressure on
the government and said that they should not have a
limit here of when young children can access counseling and assistance.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
But of course not drugs.
Speaker 7 (41:18):
So this has made headlines here today in the UK.
This is another hot issue at the moment because we
just saw that landmark case in the Supreme Court here
where they find what woman is in the UK and
that trans women will be banned from female only spaces.
But this is an issue that we have also seen
(41:38):
in Australia. But now it appears that the government has
got concerned about this and there will not be an
age limit for what children can access counseling. So I
think this will be another issue that will make headlines
for quite some time with people many concerned, many people
concerned about this.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
Caleb rightly, so, Sophie, great to see you again, Thank
you for your time. After the break, the PM highlights
the importance of our relationship with India in his first
state visit since winning the election, plus how significant was
Donald Trump's meeting with the new president of Syria.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
The panel joins me.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
Next, All right, let's bring in the panel Scar and
News contributed Kosher Gada and past Chair of Parliament's Foreign
Affairs and Defense Committee, Michael Danby.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
Welcome to you both.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Let's begin with the Prime Minister's visit to Indonesia. He
received a ceremonial welcome in Jakarta earlier today in what's
his first overseas trip since the election. Now no doubt
he'll be looking to strengthen ties with the Indonesian government
given growing concerns about Russia's influence in the region.
Speaker 13 (42:42):
Michael Well, I'm expecting nothing out of this is it
will no change, at least as long as the Russians.
The Indonesians don't allow the Russians to set up a
permanent airbase and Biak. I think that's unlikely. Indonesia's joined
the bricks and they're trying to still show that they're neutral.
But Pravo got on the as soon as he was
elected in November to Moscow to see Putin, so there's
(43:06):
an alignment there. He said that you can be friends
with Australia, but you can't choose by geography your neighbors,
so I think that was entirely friendly.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Now also interesting to note Kosher because he's going off
to the inauguration of the Pope, the first time an
Australian Prime minister's done that.
Speaker 14 (43:27):
And that's the thing with these issues that even if
there isn't going to be too much substantively that comes
out of it, as Michael said, and that may very
well be the case. There is an optical element to it,
and often that's stagecraft is a big part of why
leaders choose to make the trips they make and go
to the places they go. And surely that was in
his calculus about shoring up the Indo Pacific region and
(43:48):
trying to make a statement in some way to shore
them up with our side of town and away from
China and Russia.
Speaker 1 (43:55):
Someone else, who, of course, is traveling around the world
at the moment, is President Donald Trump touring the Middle East,
and he's met with Syria's interim president in Saudi Arabia
following the surprise declaration that he will lift sanctions on Syria,
and it's the first time that a US and Syrian
leader have met in twenty five years.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
This is how Trump described the meeting. How did you.
Speaker 5 (44:18):
Find the Syrian president.
Speaker 14 (44:22):
Young?
Speaker 2 (44:23):
Attractive?
Speaker 11 (44:23):
Yeah, he's going to really shout it living together.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Look, I'm not sure what being young and attractive really
has to do with the Kosher But what does all
of this mean?
Speaker 14 (44:36):
Big news is to say that's sister Trump's way, carrot
and stick diplomacy. He's offering a few carrots at this point.
It's a big deal because these sanctions have been around
for the better part of a decade. He's lifting them
in one fell swoop. It is controversial, as most things
in that region are and involving Trump are, because the
current president, the acting president of Syria, formerly was an
(44:57):
al Qaeda operative, so a lot of people are skeptical
about how much to trust him. Israel does not support
this move because of the obviously the role of Syria
and that conflict. However, it goes to Trump's worldview, which
he has really been clear about for decades, even before
he entered politics, and that is about trying to normalize
relationships with all actors in the world as much as possible,
(45:17):
imperfect as they may be. For America. First, this is
a nod to the Gulf States who want the sanctions
lifted because they want to do more investment in Syria.
There's a humanitarian angle to it because ninety percent of
their citizens have been below the poverty line. And I
think this was pre negotiated. And he likes to throw
these surprises out when he's on these trips because he
is a showman, and that's again back to that stagecraft
element of it as well.
Speaker 1 (45:38):
I don't think you can fold him on the point
that US and Western military intervention in the Middle East
has had much to show for it. So he's trying
something new, and I think it's well worth doing. But
another thing, of course, Michael, is that he's announced this
deal which would have him take a plane from Qatar.
They are now going to buy two hundred and ten
(46:00):
US made Boeing jets, but at the same time he
could take a jet from them that would serve as
Air Force one while they're waiting on planes to come
from Boeing to.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
Be the new air Force. I mean four hundred million dollars.
Speaker 1 (46:15):
This thing would be worth that the Qatari royals would
give to him.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
Surely he cannot take that.
Speaker 13 (46:22):
He's going to He says he's going to endow it
to his library. This all seems to be about commerce
and commercial advantage.
Speaker 2 (46:29):
Caleb.
Speaker 13 (46:30):
I don't believe in going from people's throats to their
feet in one go. It's not only esthetically unpleasing, it's
politically dangerous. And it's all very well to say we
should incorporate Syria in the new world order. That's probably
a good idea if we can, but give it a
bit more time. This bloke HTS has still banned the
Organization in America by the Congress, and he was murdering Christians,
(46:54):
Alawis and the Druze minority just last week. So I'm
not sure that Donald does all that well in formed
about these kind of modalities as an American schooler. But the
plane is a really bad idea. I mean, it just
makes him look like a crook and that people can
give him things and then he'll change his policy in
favor of those countries. It shouldn't be like that. Donald
(47:15):
Trump is a better president than that, and America is
a bigger country than that.
Speaker 2 (47:19):
Yeah, I really do not think it's a good look.
Speaker 1 (47:21):
Now. Now, the President Trump nor Vladimir Putin will be
attending peace talks with Lotimire Zelenski in Turkey, which were
planned for Thursday local time, and Zelenski's called on both
leaders to join him for direct talks in Turkey, but
Putin's decision to send a team of junior officials has
sort of made the possibility of negotiations happening a little uncertain.
Speaker 13 (47:40):
Michael, Well, this is Putin going a bridge too far
for his own interests because he challenged Lensky to turn
up and the President said that he go there on
Thursday if both of them were there. Putin is going
to start annoying Trump at some point. I mean, killing
thirty six Christians on Palm Sunday in Kharakiv while Steve
(48:01):
Witkoff is blabbing onto him in Moscow using all of
the Russian code words and pronunciations of Ukrainian places is
not a good idea, is not a good look. And
eventually Trump's going to realize that Putin is playing him
for a mug. He should have shown up there the
Americans ascending Secretary of Saint Rubio, but poor show by Putin.
Speaker 1 (48:25):
Again and again.
Speaker 13 (48:26):
Eventually, this guy is going to annoy Trump into adopting
support for Ukraine.
Speaker 2 (48:31):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (48:31):
And I wanted to talk about we don't have time,
but this business about Biden.
Speaker 2 (48:35):
Not recognizing George Clooney.
Speaker 1 (48:37):
I mean, if you wanted any more evidence of how
out of his brain the guy was. If you can't
recognize George Blooney, you are done. Kosher Michael, thank you
for your time and thank you for your company. Tonight
The Bolt Report is up next. You'll see me.
Speaker 2 (48:50):
Here again next week. Good Night,
Peter Krandland live on Sky News Australia. Good evening and
welcome to the show. I'm Caleb Bond filling in for
Peter Credlin tonight. He's what's coming up on the program.
The new Little Greens team with Rissa Waters seemingly the
most sane of an insane lot, but not much has
changed with Marine.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Ferruki still Deputy. More on that in a moment.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Are we witnessing the end of the coalition with senior
figures saying it's not a foregone conclusion that they'll continue
as a union. Well, I'll speak to one of those
senior figures, the newly minted National's Deputy leader Kevin Hogan,
about where to for the NATS lives, plus the dire
state of the Victorian budget when over twenty billion dollars
in core government services could be facing the chop. The
(00:47):
Left love to brag about these things, but paying for
them is another thing, and Victoria's budget is cactus and
the knives are out as the Liberal Party post mortem
goes on with Andrew Haste to be lashing out at
Peter Dutton today.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
There are a number of issues in the campaign that
made it very difficult for us to.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Get out there well, while we know the Liberal Party
is trying to decide what it wants to be after
such a massive wallowing, walloping, sorry, we saw today just
how divided the Greens are too. They had to make
a decision today choosing their new leader, whether they wanted
to go even further down the rabbit hole of socialism
and division and anti Israel hate, or whether they keep,
(01:28):
for want of a better word, a more moderate face.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Now.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
In the end, they went with that more moderate face
in Larissa Waters. The other two options were Marine Faruki
and Sarah Hanson Young. Feruki will continue as deputy leader,
as she did under Adam Bant, but there was a
serious push to make Faruki leader. And keep in mind
this is the woman who a few years ago said Australia,
(01:52):
with its one point three percent of global emissions, should
pay reparations to her homeland of Pakistan for climate change.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
I've just returned from Pakistan after seeing Miami. Australia's criminal
inaction on climate is deeply felt there. Felt in the
extreme heat, felt in the melting glacials washing away entire villages,
and felt in the everyday life of children in Pakistan,
who are suffocating in an ever deadly mix of intense
(02:21):
heat and trapped pollution. So we must remember also to
lift our gaze. We must start a process of making
climate reparations to the global South countries who are most
harmed by Australia's contribution to the climate crisis.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I mean, is she is Senative for New South Wales
or Pakistan. That's the woman that a large chunk of
the Greens wanted to lead them today, the same woman
who carried on like a child and stage to senate
walk out over Palestine.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
A coalition is morally bankrupt when it comes to Palestine,
and Labor has shown itself to be heartless, gutless cowards.
Today we bring the people's protest into Parliament.
Speaker 5 (03:04):
Free, Free Palestine.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
You forget about morally bankrupt, would be fiscally bankrupt if
she was in charge of the joint And of course,
the same woman who stood in front of a sign
that said keep the world clean and showed the Israeli
flag being thrown in a bin, took a photo with
that sign and then posted it on social media.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
This is who.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Nearly became the Greens leader today and who is still
their deputy leader.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
This is what a.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Large rump of the Greens stand for now. The Greens
have always chosen their leader by consensus. They all agree
on the one person. They don't have a ballot, and
in the end that is what happened today, but it
very nearly didn't. For the first time in the history
of the party, they were considering holding a ballot for
the leadership, such as the division that now exists within
(03:52):
the Greens. The Australian reported today that supporters of Marine
Ferruki and Western Australian Senator to rinder Cox had been
lobbying MPs intensely for the past twenty four hours and
that a ballot may be needed to break the conflict.
And keep in mind, this is a party room of
twelve people. It shouldn't be that hard to come up
(04:12):
with a decision. But they were locked up for two
hours today trying to work it out. The Australian revealed
today that many within the Greens believe their former senator
and now of course an independent Lydia Thorpe, had been
involved in a concerted campaign to elect Feruki as leader.
A group called the Australian Greens First Nations Network otherwise
(04:33):
known as the Black Greens, endorsed Ferruki for lder over
an actual Aboriginal woman in Derinda Cox, by the Way,
and ran a mass email campaign to lobby for her,
and some within the Greens believe Thorpe was part of that.
One senior Green source told the ODS that Lydia Thorpe
wants back in the Greens. There's no secret in that.
(04:54):
The inaugural co chair of the First People's Assembly of Victoria,
Marcus Stewart, said it it was well known that Thorpe
still had significant influence over parts of the Greens.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Quote.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
If anyone think Senator Thorpe has no influence inside of
the Greens, they are kidding themselves. Thorpe, for her part,
denied that she was interested in rejoining the Greens, and
she said the same again.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Today to the ABC.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
But obviously many in the party still think she's meddling
in their affairs. There was a ballot, not a consensus
for deputy leader, and Feruki beat her into Cox nine
votes to three.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
She was also.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Endorsed for leadership by the New South Wales Young Greens.
And it's a strange day when Sarah Hansen Young is
made to look like the sensible one in the room.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
But the Black Greens.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Opposed her for leadership because she quote would not be
an effective leader in implementing Australian Greens policies relating to
First Nations issues racial justice, social justice and the liberation
of the Palestinian people. The National Arm of the Young
Greens also put up a motion on Tuesday opposing Hansome
(06:01):
Young and the reason for that is that she's still
vaguely interested in doing what the Greens say on that
in being Greenies, rather than pursuing every far left issue
of social and economic division. They are a party divided
over whether they should lean further into the faruki style
of politics or return to their bread and butter roots.
(06:22):
The Greens now have the absolute balance of power in
the Senate, even though they lost all but one of
their lower House seats. They now have the power to
rubber stamp or blow torch any bill they want in
the Senate. That is serious power, and that's why the
direction of the Greens matters. They've had a taste in
the lower House of what happens when they stray too
(06:44):
far from their Green remit. But if this is anything
to go by, today they haven't learned that lesson and
the next three years of the Greens controlling the Senate
could be disastrous, And of course the other more but
a crossroads over their direction. As I said earlier, the
Liberal Party, well the Nationals, are now saying that they
(07:06):
may well split from the Liberals and break up the
coalition if they can't agree on a vision for the future.
Whether or not they continue to support NED zero will
be a major part of the negotiations and according to
some sources its line ball as to whether or not
the coalition will continue. I'll talk to NAT's deputy leader
Kevin Hogan about that soon now. The Coalition has existed
(07:28):
in various forms since nineteen twenty three, with predecessor parties
to the Liberals and the Nationals. It has been a
union of those two parties since nineteen forty nine. Only
twice since nineteen forty nine has there been a break
in the coalition. It was one in nineteen seventy two
after Gough Whitlam beat Billy McMahon, but they came back
(07:48):
together before the seventy four election, and for four months
in nineteen eighty seven over the Joe for Canberra campaign.
You can just imagine what Sir Joe Bilki Peterson would
say about the state of things today. If the Coalition
were to break up, it would be the first time
in nearly forty years. That is the magnitude of how
badly they lost the election. And my advice to the
(08:11):
Liberals would be that they do well to take the
advice of the Nats, who, unlike them, didn't lose any
seats in the Lower House and only lost one Senate seat,
which is on a shared ticket with the Liberals.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Anyway.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
They also managed to turn Bendigo marginal, which has been
held by Labour since nineteen ninety eight, with a nine
point seven percent swing. That, by the way, is also
where Jacinta Allen's electorate is, so keep an eye on
Andrew Lethley next year would be my tip. But in
contrast to the Liberals which bled seats in the city,
the Nationals did the heavy lifting through the rest of
(08:43):
the country. The Liberals need the Nationals now more than ever.
Drop net zero, keep nuclear and build a genuine alternative
for government. Let's head to canber Now for tonight's political
headline with Scanne News political reporter Trudy Macintosh.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
A fresh face, promising a fresh start for the Greens.
We will be firm but constructive. Queensland Senator the Rissa
Waters replaces Adam band as Green's leader. Marine Ferruki will
remain as Deputy and I'm proud that we have such
strong women leading this party. The party was reduced to
just one seat in the lower House at the election,
(09:23):
but it still holds the sole balance of power in
the Senate. And it says Labor has a choice.
Speaker 6 (09:29):
They can work with us, they can work with us
and help people and protect nature, or they can choose
to work with the coalition.
Speaker 7 (09:36):
They're going to need to pick.
Speaker 5 (09:37):
Labour's election victory was soured in part by the outbreak
of factional in fighting.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Mister Lords, do you have ed hughes e S blood
on your hands? No.
Speaker 5 (09:47):
For the first time, the Deputy Prime Minister grilled on
his role in dumping cabinet colleagues Ed Husick and Mark Drafers.
Speaker 8 (09:54):
We have gone through, obviously, what is difficult processes in
term of choosing a ministry. It is a collective process.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
Richard Marles, deflecting blame and refusing to respond to this
assessment from mister Hugh sick.
Speaker 9 (10:10):
I think when people look at a deputy Prime minister,
they expect to see a statesman, not a factional assassin.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
If he's the easy right to call you a factional assassin.
Speaker 8 (10:19):
Look, I'm not going to go into that.
Speaker 5 (10:22):
Former Attorney General Mark Dreyfus may have kept quiet since
he was dumped, but he's now reportedly considering quitting Parliament.
Is a by election now likely?
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Would you begrudge mister Dreyfus if he made the oxygen
to walk now?
Speaker 8 (10:34):
Well, look, I mean I'm not about to speculate on
all of that art it. He has every reason to
feel very proud.
Speaker 5 (10:41):
On the Conservative side of politics. The coalition is trying
to chart its path out of the political wilderness. The
first step formal talks to see if it's possible to
renew the coalition agreement. National's leader David Little Proud met
the new Liberal leader Susan Lee and Aubrey on Thursday, first.
Speaker 6 (10:58):
Of many meetings that I'll have with David, and it
was productive, it was respectful, and our conversations will continue.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
The Nationals want more spots in the shadow ministry and
a pushing to dump net zero. Trudy McIntosh Sky News
canbra all right.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
It's been another busy day, so joining me to get
across at all media commentator Caroli kats and Barnas and
One Nation chief of staff James Ashby.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Welcome to you both.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Now, as we just heard there, Larissa Waters has been
elected as the new Greens leader, beating out Marine Ferruki.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
And Sarah Hanson Young.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
James, your take, I mean, you know, she's probably the
most sensible option of a bad lot, though Sarah Hanson.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Young would have been much of a muchness.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
But the reality is they had a serious wrestle today
over which direction they would take, and there are still
a lot of people in the Greens, particularly in the
rank and file, that would like to see a radical
like Marine Ferouki running the joint.
Speaker 10 (11:53):
Well, I am so disheartened and disappointed tongue in cheek
here that we ended up with a light, straight Cis
woman running the Greens party when we had what do
we have? We had an aboriginal woman, we had a
person who has advocated for disability in a wheelchair, and
we also had a very luscious, beautiful brown woman as
(12:13):
she likes to call herself on the floor of Parliament.
So there was that diversity choice and they chose another
white person. It was always going to be a woman.
The numbers in the Greens are seven women versus four men,
so they've got their women numbers up there, but you know,
to end up with a woman. I was just really
surprised by that. I wish it was Marine Ferruki because
(12:35):
the truth of the matter is the Australian public would
really see the true side of the Greens Party. As
you started with the show, Marine Ferruci doesn't stand for Australians.
She makes every effort when she's on the floor of
the Parliament to talk about everybody else across the globe
other than Australians. So she's, as you rightfully put, better
represent New South Wales and sadly she's just been reelected
(12:55):
for another six years.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Indeed, Carrely one of the first things that lar Waters
has talked about today is that they will continue to
talk about Palestine and advocate against what they say is
genocide et cetera. Sector So they've put this stuff straight
back on the table as the first order of business
under new leadership. I mean, you know they call themselves
(13:18):
the Greens. Are they ever going to go back to
just being a Green party.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
Well, no they're not. And as you said, Larta Waters,
that the best out of a bad lot. I mean,
they're an extremist political party. They're dangerous, they're anti Semitic,
and it doesn't really matter who the leader is elected.
They're on their trajectory to do what they think, you know,
Australians want, but Australians don't want. It was a resounding
(13:46):
rejection we saw with Adam Bant losing his seat. It
was a bridge too far. And as for Larissa water
Is saying that people can work with them and women
can identify with them, well, I'm sorry, people can't identify
with them.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
I think it's.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
Incredibly disappointing that they've even got one person in Parliament. Now,
yes they hold the balance of power in the Senate,
but it's an incredibly dangerous party. And as we've often
discussed on this program as well, and Michael Danby has
pointed out, but they're not the party that they were.
They're not about the environment. They're on very very extremist,
dangerous policies. Their energy policy would send the lights off
(14:23):
in Australia, their economic policies would send this country absolutely broke.
And you know they've got one thing. I do have
to say, they've got the audacity with Adam Band when
it came to negative gearing. There isn't one of them
in the Greens that lives in social housing or doesn't
have investment properties, and yet they've got the hide to
be dictating to the Australian public. What is meant to
(14:46):
happen if they've got any idea that the mums and
dads investors that hold investment properties are helping to put
a roof over people's heads. They live in an absolute
utopia and it's you know, do as I say, not
do as I do. And I just think there are
a dreadful, dreadful political party here in Australia and we'd
be better off without them well indeed.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
But they'll continue on that trajectory and we'll see whether
it makes a difference in another three years time. There's
growing concern of a branch stacking within the Young Liberals
in New South Wales. Now this case involves a staff
for New South Wales IMP Alex Hawk, dangling the prospect
of a new job in front of interns in the
Office of Liberally and p Melissa Macintosh if they could
(15:27):
recruit new members to the center right faction. Now, both
Alex Hawk and Melissa McIntosh have said they had no
idea that this was going on. But I'm often reminded
of this statement by Malcolm Turnbull.
Speaker 11 (15:40):
We're not run by factions, We're not run by Well.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
You may, you may, you may, you may.
Speaker 10 (15:50):
Dispute that, but I have to tell you from experience,
we are not run by factions, nor nor are we
run nor are we run by big business or by
deals in back rooms.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Famous words, and ten years later, James, it's not any better.
Speaker 10 (16:12):
How does he lines straight in bed with comments like that. Look,
I was with the Liberals or the Liberal National Party
here in Queensland back in twenty ten and I could
see that there was branch stacking going on back then.
It's been a long held tradition. It hasn't changed. It's
not as bad as what some would say it is,
but it is happening and I don't think they'll ever
cruel it. They may say they don't stand for it,
(16:35):
but it is happening. And this is further evidence. When
you get text messages which have been sent out to
a group chat and it's encouraging young people to bring
other young people on board as like a membership drive,
all in order to try and get another job within
an office.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (16:52):
Look, branch stacking has been going on forever and don't
be filled out there. It is happening. I'm sorry to
say it. The Liberals, if you want to clean it up,
I actually don't know how to clean it up, to
be quite honest, because the whole idea is it's, you know,
every one of those members after twelve months within the
Liberal Party all get a vote on who represents them,
so they're driving membership. But if you obviously you've got
(17:16):
some extraordinary talented people out there that like to go
and recruit, almost like they're getting commissioned for it. And
that's what this job offer was. It was almost payment
for building those numbers. Of course you're going to get
branches stacked.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Indeed, now the Liberal Party post mortem goes on. The
Shadow Defense Minister Andrew Hasty took a swipe at Peter
Dutton this morning.
Speaker 9 (17:38):
Did you have a good relationship with Peter Dutton.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I had a good professional relationship with Peter.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Dunton, Yes, professionally, not personally.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Well, you know, you don't go into Parliament looking to
be best friends with everyone, and he had a very
busy job. I did what I had to do. He
did his job, and there's a lot of things that
we can learn from this campaign.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Did you feel sidelined during the campaign, because, I mean
that was commented on.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Look, there are a number of issues in the campaign
that made it very difficult for us to get out there.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
He also slammed the delay in releasing their defense policy.
You know, he basically said carely will Look, I didn't
have a policy, just broke until ten days before the elections,
So what the hell was I going to come out
and talk about. I mean, you know, it's pretty clear
we can all see that it was a shambolic campaign.
But people who should have been front and center and
who are good performers were clearly put in the freezer.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
And they're not happy about it.
Speaker 6 (18:36):
No, they aren't. The one thing I will say is
that Andrew Hasty from Western Australia, he got a five
and a half percent swing towards him. He is in
the seat of Canning and the outskirts of Perth, and
I'm pleased to see that he has actually declared leadership
ambitions for the future, but is actually highlighted a really
important point. He's married and he's got three young children.
(18:59):
And we know that the Turan distance from Western Australia,
especially for six months of the year when there's a
three hour time difference, if you need to go somewhere,
you need to almost go the day before in order
to make sure in case there's a flight cancelation. But
I'm glad to see that, I have to say to you,
in Western Australia he is very very highly regarded. He's
highly regarded across the senior Liberal Party. I applaud him
(19:21):
for biting his tongue and being very very diplomatic. Blind
Freddie can read you know what he's really thinking, and
rightly so. And there was some serious mistakes made by
the campaign, but you know, going over the entrails, going
over the post mortem, having a you.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Know, a review of what went wrong.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Doesn't serve them any well. We all know where they
went wrong. But I'll also say to you with Andrew Hasty,
I do remember when he was first elected to parliament
and who can forget us political junkies when Tony Abbott
was that them was holding a press conference and he
very diplomatically said, oh, handle that, and we thought, wow,
he's a leader for the future. It shouldn't surprise anybody.
(20:00):
But you know, he's got ambition to lead. He's only
I think forty three or forty four, plenty of time
for that. But he's sitting back and let's see if
he's given an opportunity to serve in the opposition. And
the most important thing is they gould to remember they've
got to fight the enemy of labor, not within the
Liberal Party. Whatever divisions they are, whatever jetsam and flotsam
(20:20):
is around with commentary as well, they need to focus
on it. And you know what, ironically, maybe it did
him a favor by keeping him in Western Australia so
that he could actually secure his seat with a much
higher margin and majority, because you can't do anything unless
you're actually a member of parliament. So good on him today.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Well, he certainly deserves a senior spot because he is
a great performer. I'll just stick with you quickly carrillly.
Of course, the Victorian budgets coming down next week. Jacqueline
signs the woman who forced Treasury staff to stop using
economic terms because she didn't understand them. She's going to
hand down her first date budget on Tuesday, and I mean,
you know, to call it a mess, I think he's
putting it pretty much. You've got you analysis out of
(21:01):
the Parliamentary Budget Office, twenty one point three billion dollars
in funding for three hundred and sixty eight government programs
due to end unless they're extended on Tuesday. Because of
course they're in one hundred and eighty eight billion dollars
of debt by twenty twenty eight, so they need to
find saving somewhere. Meanwhile, it seems like we find out
today that this new emergency services levy is going to
(21:24):
go through. You've got land tax going through the roof.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
I mean, you're in Melbourne. The place is stuffed.
Speaker 6 (21:33):
And it really is. And the really sad thing is that,
you know, Victoria is falling apart. We've had a business
in dan Andong South, the sand blasting business, whose land
tax has gone from eighty seven hundred dollars ten years
ago to two hundred and three thousand dollars. And this
is a business that employs Victorians. It's applied to major
projects as well, and that the land tax is crippling
(21:54):
them as well. The land tax needs to come down.
The Victorian Chamber of Commas has said that because it's
showing that the Victoria is closed for business, no one
wants to actually invest. Your businesses are going to Queensland,
they're going to South Australia, they're going to Western Australia.
But the problem is there's always enough money for the CFMU.
There's always enough money for the big build projects and
(22:15):
for premierges Center Allan's pet project of the suburban rail loop,
which is a it's not even a loop. It goes
from box Hill to Cheltenham. We know that there's no
promise of any more money for it. It's billions of
dollars over. There's always enough money for that. She keeps
saying that that's what Victorians want. They don't. There are
potholes in the roads, there's money that's been hidden that
(22:36):
was meant for public schools. The hospitals are falling apart,
road signs are falling apart. Youth crime is out of control.
I mean, you know they've passed laws to bat outlaw
machetes and edged weapons, but surprise, surprise, it doesn't come
into effect until September the first meantime, there are more
and more people being knife I mean we've just been
(22:58):
you know, the new Victorian Police commit from New Zealand,
mister Bush. You know, people are hoping that he will
actually change it. But Victoria is a completely different place.
It is falling apart. We're massively in debt and you know,
the state opposition are doing a great job. And all
I can say is that Victorians are waiting for November
twenty six, waiting for it.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
I hope so.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
But you know, if I were just into our I
would hate Daniel Andrews with a passion because he handed
her or you know what, sandwich James. Quickly, before we
get to the break my home stay to South Australia.
They're bringing in a junk food ad ban on public
transport from July once. You can't put a chocolate or
a soft drink anything on the side of a bus.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Now, you know, I think.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
This is absurd to begin with, but it's been revealed
today that it will extend to processed meats, so you
couldn't even advertise, you know, for instance, a ham sandwich.
I mean, for goodness sake, can't we just be allowed
to decide for ourselves.
Speaker 10 (24:00):
Baloney, right, This is the problem where governments try to
interfere with decisions of everyday people. I got to be
honest with you, cal that sort of advertising doesn't work
on me anyway. But there's nothing that can be done
at the supermarket checkout when kids are more impressed by
what's on the shelf in front of them while they've
got a wait to be served, and those aisles are
(24:22):
just littered with chocolate arrays and cereals that are no
good for you. Look, I don't think this band's going
to work. It hasn't worked anywhere else in the world,
so why is it going to start working in South Australia.
It's overreached by the state government and just let parents
be parents. And look, we've got to deal with obesity.
But this isn't the right path.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
No, As I've written in my column in the Adelaide
Advertiser tomorrow. You know, if you follow this to its
logical conclusion, as you say, James, all the stuff in
the supermarket, they're going to have to put it behind,
you know, gray doors in cabinets, because it's just like crits. Yep,
for heaven's sake, James Carroly, thank you so much for
your time. After the break, the Deputy Nationals leader joins
me is the relationship between the Nationals and the Liberals?
(25:01):
Phrase could this be the end of the long standing
coalition agreement? Plus another blow to the green agenda is
so called green hydrogen projects go bust, don't go away. Well,
it's been a big week of jostling for positions in Canberra.
Albanezi of course appointed his ministry Ed Cusic and Mark
(25:22):
Dreyfus out Michelle Rowland the new Attorney General.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
God help us.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
The Libs have a new leadership team with Susan Lee
and Ted O'Brien, and of course Nationals leader David Litlproud
fought off a challenge from Queensland Senator Matt Canavan for
their leadership and that could will be in the box
seat to make some demands now, given that the Liberal
Party hemorrhage thirteen lower House seats and the Nationals didn't
lose any They only lost one Senate seat which was
(25:48):
third on the coalition ticket in New South Wales. So
now they'll have to negotiate a new coalition agreement and
there are potentially major disagreements between the Libs and the
Nats over things like net zero. A National Senate leader,
Bridget McKenzie has gone so far as to say that
a coalition agreement is not a foregone conclusion or joining
me now to discuss this and more. Is one of
(26:09):
the people who picked up a new job this week,
the National's newly appointed Deputy.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Leader, Kevin Hogan. Kevin welcome.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Could we be in a position now where the NATS
can't find enough common ground with the Liberal Party to
form another coalition?
Speaker 9 (26:26):
Look at certainly a scenario, Caleb. That being said, I
know that we I spoke to David this morning and
yesterday and Bridget McKenzie as far as leadership goes, and
indeed the will of the NATS party room is to
sign a coalition agreement. That being said, we won't sign
it just to sign it. I mean there's a lot
of different ars and requests that will have in that
besides obviously how many shadow cabinet positions and what they
(26:47):
may be a lot of perfunctionary and process things through
the Parliament as well that we'll want to have better
access to. So look, we go on with the intention,
but there's certainly scenario where it doesn't get signed.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Of course, if the Liberal Party wanted to form government again,
they would need the support of the Nats in order
to do it. They're never going to win enough seats
on their own because of course you have a stranglehold
mostly over the regions. So if you didn't sign a
coalition agreement while you're in opposition, if it came to
a position where you could form government as a coalition,
(27:20):
would it potentially put you in the box seat to
make more demands.
Speaker 9 (27:25):
Well, I would have thought so, and I say again too,
calib I think it's good if we do sign an agreement.
I think the opposition is stronger if we sign a
coalition agreement. I think when in government and the coalition
is strong, we have the best government we can for Australia.
So that's my starting point. But yes, look we'll have
We don't think we've got fairly modest requests in what
we're put into it. If they don't accept, if the
Liberal Party don't accept it and then need us to
(27:47):
form government later, then obviously I think the asking price
will go up. So I think it's in their interest
to sign it as well.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
What are you asking prices to sign? A coalition agreement
this time around. I mean, obviously there are discussions going
on with in your party room at the moment about
net zero and whether or not you continue with that.
The Libs will be having those discussions as well. And
Susan Lee lift that open the other day she said
nothing is on or off the table. What's the grab
(28:15):
bag that you will be taking to the Liberal Party
and saying these are the non negotiables.
Speaker 9 (28:20):
Well, Caleb, I'd love to tell you, but it's never
a good idea to show you poker hand to everyone
in the crowd watching the game. So look, I won't
go through all that, but look, you know, obviously some
of it would be obvious about what shadow cabinet ministries
we will get, how many out of ministries assistant ministers
as well. Again, even process things in the Parliament are
important question time MPIs, you know, staffing, all those type
(28:41):
of things are all part of it as well. And
on the policy front, there will be some regional things
that where already negotiated in the Regional Future Fund and
others like that that we will want to stay as well,
which has been negotiated over many different leaders in times.
So you know, it'll be a comp you know, there
will be a fluid document, but you know, we think
all the ask will be quite reasonable.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
I know that the Liberal Party room is bigger because
they have more senators, but it would not be unfair
to say that the Nationals are effectively the opposition after
the result we saw a couple of weeks ago. I mean,
you didn't lose any Lower House seats, they lost thirteen.
You nearly took Bendigo. So clearly the product that the
Nationals are putting out is far more saleable and successful
(29:23):
than the ones that the Libs have been selling.
Speaker 9 (29:27):
Well, Culub, I'd say this as humbly as I can.
I mean, we haven't lost a Lower House seat in
the House of Reps federally since two thousand and seven,
and we've lot one seats back from Independent since then.
We're one seats back from the Labor Party since then
and haven't lost them as we've been going drifting out
of government as part of the coalition. So look, but
we want Having said that, we want, I want the
(29:47):
Liberal Party to be successful. There's no point us hanging
on doing well in the regions if the Liberal Party
are disappearing on the other end of it, and we
never form governments, so we obviously share a lot of values,
we share a lot of ideals. Said, you know, the
Liberal parties are broad church when they bring us in
as even a broader church. So there's always contentious issues
that we need to resolve. But you know, this is
(30:09):
a defining moment too. You know, I think Susan would
look to be we're looking to sign a coalition agreement.
I think it's in her interest for her leadership, and
we want to but again, certainly not a dune deal.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Surely there are some lessons should you sign an agreement
that you would want the Liberals to learn from this
election and perhaps take from you.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (30:32):
Look, and again there's different perceptions on different issues. I mean,
you know, the nuclear one for example, COLORB has been
brought up a lot of interviews and people that have
been speaking to me since the election, and I've said
to people, look, we had as NAT's, we had three
electorates where there was a proposed nuclear POWERstation going to
be built in those three seats. Two of the MP's
had swings to them and one just stayed neutral. I
(30:54):
was on prepole for ten or hand in out. How
to votes for ten days prepole, including an election. No one,
virtually no one came up to me, and so I
brought up nuclear. Well, I didn't think it was that
hot an issue. People came up and brought up other things,
but nuclear certainly wasn't one of the regions at least
that was appeared to me to be a contentious issue.
Certainly Labor Party operators were trying to make it so,
(31:15):
but you know, your normal mum and dad voters certainly
didn't seem to think it was a big issue.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Well, and this is one of the things that I
think the lives will be wrestling with now is whether
or not they continue with the policy of nuclear and
there will be people within the Liberal Party pushing to
dump it. That would put you at great odds with them,
wouldn't it.
Speaker 9 (31:34):
Well yeah, again, I don't want to hypothesize too much
at Carla. We haven't signed any agreement yet, so I
don't want to almost sabotaget what by talking about contentious
issues that we're going to have to resolve. But you know,
and I think it's healthy and you know, the Liberal
Party will do this. We will do this as a coalition.
You know, we should go through all our policies and go, okay,
how do we think that rolled out with mum and
(31:54):
dad out there in voter Land And I think it's
healthy to do that. But certainly I'm just going on
the feedback I had had it out nuclear wasn't a
big one.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
Indeed, Kevin, thank you so much for your time.
Speaker 9 (32:06):
Thanks calein.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Well.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
This week the Andrew Forrest back Forteskew secked about ninety
of its staff on its green hydrogen projects spread across
its electoralizer facility in Queensland and a hydrogen lab in
Western Australia. It's funny because the Prime Minister said this
two months ago, almost to the day.
Speaker 11 (32:26):
Green hydrogen we believe has a role to play in
Australia's future and indeed that's recognized around the globe. When
the solar industry was starting off decades ago, there were
many who said, oh it doesn't stack up. We know
today that solar energy is the cheapest form of new
(32:48):
energy green hydrogen. Australia is in a unique position of
having the best solar resources in the world, amongst the
best wind resources in the world. Everything that can go
into the creation of green hydrogen to create green metals.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
And keep in mind that ninety nine percent of the
touted capacity of hydrogen projects in Australia have not moved
beyond the concept or approval stage. Joining us now to
discuss this more environment environment Sorry, editor at The Australian
and scar News contributed Graham Lloyd Graham welcome. I mean,
you know it looks good on paper, but there are
much larger issues at play here and a lesson to
(33:29):
be learned. These projects keep falling over. This isn't the
first time that Twiggy has scaled back his investment.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
When's anyone going to wake up and.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Actually say this is a seriously green dream?
Speaker 12 (33:44):
Well good Evan Cayld. Certainly the industry has reached that point,
and not surprisingly it's the government that's sort of late
to the party and realizing that it's throwing good money
after bad. Mister firest was heavily invested in Queensland. The
Queensland government had other priorities. He's a smart guy. He's
(34:07):
packed up his tent and he's gone back to Western
Australia to concentrate on trying to make green steel. And
that is really because they're quite concerned that China's going
to swap the Australian I or it's buying four higher
grade resources out of Africa. So that's where he's going
(34:29):
to output his attention. Because the green hydrogen boondoggle has busts.
There is no international market, it's higher cost to do
than anyone expected, and so it's time to look somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Well, there were sixty million dollars in taxpayer cash on
the table for this project, Gladston, what happens to that now?
Speaker 12 (34:50):
Well, I think you will have to look at what
the agreements were with the government in terms of putting
that money in for adri Forres and Fortescue. That's not
a great deal of money. He'll probably repay that if
that's the wise thing to do, because he'll pick it
up for his Green Medal's investments over in Western Australia.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Now, of course, Chris Bowen has been running around this week.
He's darning out on the election.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
He keeps saying.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
It's a vote for the renewables agenda. People have backed
it all in. I don't think that's exactly what people
voted for. I think they just didn't really want Peter
Dutton in the lodge. That's by the bye, but it
is clear that they are not going to change course
one bit on the agenda they had in the last term.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
When are we going to get that reduction in our
power bills?
Speaker 12 (35:42):
Well, this is still the big question, Caleb. I mean
winners a green as when it comes to elections, and
certainly Chris Bowen is out there saying, look, this is
fantastic and it's a great vote for him and his plans.
The difficult part, of course, is delivering it. And there's
a lot of evidence that this is a bit more
difficult and more expensive than people had hoped. And on
(36:04):
that score, green hydrogen was going to be a key
part of that, and we're seeing now the power Authority
is saying grid vulnerability is an issue and that requires
a much greater use of gas. So with hydrogen not
available to do that, gas is going to have to
These are the real issues that Chris Bowen is going
(36:28):
to have to grapple with. He's got clear air now
to pursue a renewables heavy approach, and now he just
has to finalize the plan of how it's going to
work and how they can get the costs back off
consolidated revenue where they belong, and that's people who are
using the power.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
Indeed, Graham Lloyd, great to see you again. And of
course don't forget during the campaign they put Chris Bowen
in the freezer and somehow he is back out again.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
Funny about that. Up of the break, lots of big talk.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Coming from the UK Labor government when it comes to immigration.
So Kis Starmer is saying stuff that everyone except Pauline
Hanson basically has been afraid to say here, So how
much of it can we believe?
Speaker 2 (37:11):
That more? After the break?
Speaker 1 (37:17):
Prime Minister Sir Kiss Starmer has been quite extraordinary on
immigration this week, saying that Margaret's ought to speak English
and the UK is risking becoming an island of strangers.
I mean, when did you last hear anyone other than
Pauline Hanson? They alone a Labor prime minister say anything
like that here. Well, he's doubling down on it. He's
posted on X I've already returned over twenty four thousand
(37:40):
people with no right to be here and I won't
stop there now. He's saying all the right things, but
it's a pretty fast turnaround. Joining me now to discuss
his News Corps Europe correspondent Sophie Ellsworth. Sophie, welcome. How
has the public received this in the UK? They buying
what the Prime minister is selling or do they think
(38:02):
it's a reaction to the polling that they've seen in
the last few days saying that the Reform Party now
has the largest vote in the country.
Speaker 7 (38:12):
Well, I think it's a combination of a few things, Kayleb.
This is a Prime minister who is very nervous. We've
just had the local council elections here in the UK
and Reform UK absolutely smashed it out of the park.
They are boosting their popularity week in week out, and
voters are really turning away in the polls and in
(38:33):
these council elections away from the Conservative Party and the
Labor government. And this some of the commentary has been
in their media here that this is a prime minister
reacting to the dribbing that they got in the council
elections and he's trying to win back voters. But Caleb,
let's be realistic here. There is not another general election
(38:55):
in the UK scheduled until twenty twenty nine, so there's
an awfully long way to go.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
So does he actually pull this off?
Speaker 1 (39:02):
I mean, the modeling is showing they could get a
migration down to three hundred thousand by twenty twenty nine.
It's currently nearly eight hundred thousand, so it's a pretty
serious task.
Speaker 2 (39:13):
Is he actually going to pull this off?
Speaker 7 (39:17):
Well, kayleb, there was over seven hundred thousand, close to
eight hundred thousand of net migration last year and this
is a problem for the government. They don't know how
to stop it, and there's argument is that they haven't
been strong enough, but there was also huge migration issues
when Conservatives were in power only a year ago. So
(39:38):
many people are pointing the fingers at both parties and
they're now looking to alternatives such as Reform UK. Richard Tice,
the Deputy Leader, he was just behind me moments ago
doing an interview with the UK outlet, the Reform UK.
They're getting all the momentum, Kayla, because Nigel Farage, the Leader,
has come out very strong and said if you're not
here legally, you're out of the cuntry And so I
(40:01):
think Kiyos Starma is panicking and I think he's now
trying to do something urgently on this because he knows
he's just going to continue to shed more votes well.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
And the analysis of those numbers out of the local
elections has found that if it was replicated at a
general election, all the same areas that went up reformed
win eighty one of the one hundred and forty five
seats that would be up for grabs, So it's pretty extraordinary.
Very quickly, before we go another issue, the Telegraph has
revealed that the NHS is treating children under seven who
(40:33):
believe their transgender and I should note they're not being
given drugs like puberty blockers, but according to new data,
as many as ten children of nursery age are receiving
counseling and therapy with their family, and as many as
one hundred and fifty seven aged nine or younger have
been referred to gender clinics.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
I thought the plan.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
After the cast review was that there would be a
minimum age of seven. That seems to have gone out
the window.
Speaker 7 (41:00):
Consultation at Caleb about this, and the claims in the
Telegraph today is that trans groups really put pressure on
the government and said that they should not have a
limit here of when young children can access counseling and assistance.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
But of course not drugs.
Speaker 7 (41:18):
So this has made headlines here today in the UK.
This is another hot issue at the moment because we
just saw that landmark case in the Supreme Court here
where they find what woman is in the UK and
that trans women will be banned from female only spaces.
But this is an issue that we have also seen
(41:38):
in Australia. But now it appears that the government has
got concerned about this and there will not be an
age limit for what children can access counseling. So I
think this will be another issue that will make headlines
for quite some time with people many concerned, many people
concerned about this.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
Caleb rightly, so, Sophie, great to see you again, Thank
you for your time. After the break, the PM highlights
the importance of our relationship with India in his first
state visit since winning the election, plus how significant was
Donald Trump's meeting with the new president of Syria.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
The panel joins me.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
Next, All right, let's bring in the panel Scar and
News contributed Kosher Gada and past Chair of Parliament's Foreign
Affairs and Defense Committee, Michael Danby.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
Welcome to you both.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Let's begin with the Prime Minister's visit to Indonesia. He
received a ceremonial welcome in Jakarta earlier today in what's
his first overseas trip since the election. Now no doubt
he'll be looking to strengthen ties with the Indonesian government
given growing concerns about Russia's influence in the region.
Speaker 13 (42:42):
Michael Well, I'm expecting nothing out of this is it
will no change, at least as long as the Russians.
The Indonesians don't allow the Russians to set up a
permanent airbase and Biak. I think that's unlikely. Indonesia's joined
the bricks and they're trying to still show that they're neutral.
But Pravo got on the as soon as he was
elected in November to Moscow to see Putin, so there's
(43:06):
an alignment there. He said that you can be friends
with Australia, but you can't choose by geography your neighbors,
so I think that was entirely friendly.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Now also interesting to note Kosher because he's going off
to the inauguration of the Pope, the first time an
Australian Prime minister's done that.
Speaker 14 (43:27):
And that's the thing with these issues that even if
there isn't going to be too much substantively that comes
out of it, as Michael said, and that may very
well be the case. There is an optical element to it,
and often that's stagecraft is a big part of why
leaders choose to make the trips they make and go
to the places they go. And surely that was in
his calculus about shoring up the Indo Pacific region and
(43:48):
trying to make a statement in some way to shore
them up with our side of town and away from
China and Russia.
Speaker 1 (43:55):
Someone else, who, of course, is traveling around the world
at the moment, is President Donald Trump touring the Middle East,
and he's met with Syria's interim president in Saudi Arabia
following the surprise declaration that he will lift sanctions on Syria,
and it's the first time that a US and Syrian
leader have met in twenty five years.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
This is how Trump described the meeting. How did you.
Speaker 5 (44:18):
Find the Syrian president.
Speaker 14 (44:22):
Young?
Speaker 2 (44:23):
Attractive?
Speaker 11 (44:23):
Yeah, he's going to really shout it living together.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Look, I'm not sure what being young and attractive really
has to do with the Kosher But what does all
of this mean?
Speaker 14 (44:36):
Big news is to say that's sister Trump's way, carrot
and stick diplomacy. He's offering a few carrots at this point.
It's a big deal because these sanctions have been around
for the better part of a decade. He's lifting them
in one fell swoop. It is controversial, as most things
in that region are and involving Trump are, because the
current president, the acting president of Syria, formerly was an
(44:57):
al Qaeda operative, so a lot of people are skeptical
about how much to trust him. Israel does not support
this move because of the obviously the role of Syria
and that conflict. However, it goes to Trump's worldview, which
he has really been clear about for decades, even before
he entered politics, and that is about trying to normalize
relationships with all actors in the world as much as possible,
(45:17):
imperfect as they may be. For America. First, this is
a nod to the Gulf States who want the sanctions
lifted because they want to do more investment in Syria.
There's a humanitarian angle to it because ninety percent of
their citizens have been below the poverty line. And I
think this was pre negotiated. And he likes to throw
these surprises out when he's on these trips because he
is a showman, and that's again back to that stagecraft
element of it as well.
Speaker 1 (45:38):
I don't think you can fold him on the point
that US and Western military intervention in the Middle East
has had much to show for it. So he's trying
something new, and I think it's well worth doing. But
another thing, of course, Michael, is that he's announced this
deal which would have him take a plane from Qatar.
They are now going to buy two hundred and ten
(46:00):
US made Boeing jets, but at the same time he
could take a jet from them that would serve as
Air Force one while they're waiting on planes to come
from Boeing to.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
Be the new air Force. I mean four hundred million dollars.
Speaker 1 (46:15):
This thing would be worth that the Qatari royals would
give to him.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
Surely he cannot take that.
Speaker 13 (46:22):
He's going to He says he's going to endow it
to his library. This all seems to be about commerce
and commercial advantage.
Speaker 2 (46:29):
Caleb.
Speaker 13 (46:30):
I don't believe in going from people's throats to their
feet in one go. It's not only esthetically unpleasing, it's
politically dangerous. And it's all very well to say we
should incorporate Syria in the new world order. That's probably
a good idea if we can, but give it a
bit more time. This bloke HTS has still banned the
Organization in America by the Congress, and he was murdering Christians,
(46:54):
Alawis and the Druze minority just last week. So I'm
not sure that Donald does all that well in formed
about these kind of modalities as an American schooler. But the
plane is a really bad idea. I mean, it just
makes him look like a crook and that people can
give him things and then he'll change his policy in
favor of those countries. It shouldn't be like that. Donald
(47:15):
Trump is a better president than that, and America is
a bigger country than that.
Speaker 2 (47:19):
Yeah, I really do not think it's a good look.
Speaker 1 (47:21):
Now. Now, the President Trump nor Vladimir Putin will be
attending peace talks with Lotimire Zelenski in Turkey, which were
planned for Thursday local time, and Zelenski's called on both
leaders to join him for direct talks in Turkey, but
Putin's decision to send a team of junior officials has
sort of made the possibility of negotiations happening a little uncertain.
Speaker 13 (47:40):
Michael, Well, this is Putin going a bridge too far
for his own interests because he challenged Lensky to turn
up and the President said that he go there on
Thursday if both of them were there. Putin is going
to start annoying Trump at some point. I mean, killing
thirty six Christians on Palm Sunday in Kharakiv while Steve
(48:01):
Witkoff is blabbing onto him in Moscow using all of
the Russian code words and pronunciations of Ukrainian places is
not a good idea, is not a good look. And
eventually Trump's going to realize that Putin is playing him
for a mug. He should have shown up there the
Americans ascending Secretary of Saint Rubio, but poor show by Putin.
Speaker 1 (48:25):
Again and again.
Speaker 13 (48:26):
Eventually, this guy is going to annoy Trump into adopting
support for Ukraine.
Speaker 2 (48:31):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (48:31):
And I wanted to talk about we don't have time,
but this business about Biden.
Speaker 2 (48:35):
Not recognizing George Clooney.
Speaker 1 (48:37):
I mean, if you wanted any more evidence of how
out of his brain the guy was. If you can't
recognize George Blooney, you are done. Kosher Michael, thank you
for your time and thank you for your company. Tonight
The Bolt Report is up next. You'll see me.
Speaker 2 (48:50):
Here again next week. Good Night,
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