June 23, 2025 • 50 mins
Donald Trump floats the idea of an Iranian regime change, and the PM faces criticism for his delayed response to the strikes on Iran. Plus, an expert breaks down America’s historic Operation Midnight Hammer.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Peter Kredland live on Sky News Australia.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
So true, Chris Kenny, I will be lining up outside
the MCG for ACDCA. Absolutely love it. Busy show tonight,
Let's get into it. He's what's coming up tonight On Credline,
new details emerge about just how Operation Midnight Hammer was
carried out, the Americans pulling up the stealth mission for
the ages.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
So how was it done?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I want all the mechanical detail here and will the
Iranians Iranians be ready next time. We've got an expert
to walk us through all the detail, as I said
in a moment, So how now will the regime respond?
Because they will, they will respond, and sure no one
wants a wider Middle Eastern conflict. But what happens next
and crucially what does success look like?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
When?
Speaker 2 (00:48):
And how will we know if Iran's nuclear ambitions have
been defeated. Plus already the Israelis are bearing the brunt
of all the missiles launched overnight in retaliation. They've done
a lot of the heavy lifting. This is extraordinary. We'll
go into some of the bankers and a unique story
of joy out of one of them on the weekend
and plenty of domestic fallout too, was the OLM and
(01:10):
Easy government appears to be on the back foot yet
again equivocating when it comes to supporting our allies.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
What did it take twenty.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Four hours for Australia express unequivocal support for this action
by its closest ally And what does this say about
our relationship with the US under your government?
Speaker 5 (01:29):
We issue a state me Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Plenty of experts tonight and as I said, we'll cross
into Tel Aviv. And I also have Tony Abbott, former
Prime Minister, coming up. But first, every week I have
a column in the news Corps Sunday papers that's published
across the country and I file my words the day before.
Usually it's around lunchtime on a Saturday. Now this week,
on Saturday, I confess as I sent the column off,
(01:54):
I was a little bit despondent that despite Israel's incredible
bombing rays earlier in the week, it had severe week
in the Iran. I was concerned that Donald Trump was
going to squib it. Remember he gave Iran fourteen days.
We were told on Friday to get to the negotiating table. Now,
I wrote for years the world's debated how to stop
(02:15):
Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. It's tried to negotiate with them,
I wrote, and stupidly pay them billions to stop, which
didn't and then it threatened them, which for a country
run by Islamic fundamentalists who cheer death or that hasn't
worked either. So now we are at the point, I said,
we're faced with a regime that literally wants to blow
them off.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
The face of the map.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
It is Israel who's taken them on and done more
in one week than the United Nations and Western Nations combined.
And yet for Israel, there's been as much criticism as gratitude.
Thank God for Israel, I wrote, But I said, the
big question.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Now will be what will Trump do.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Will the US President be seduced by the prospect of
an eleventh hour deal that Iran will just ignore, as
so many of his predecessors have done, or will he
finally finish off what Israel has bravely and with great
precision started that it is not just about protecting them
but the wider world. Well, by the time most of
(03:17):
my readers were working through the papers over breakfast on Sunday,
we found out the answer to that question as we
watched the US president do what so many had merely threatened, namely,
to show strength against a tyrannical regime that is intentti
not just blowing Israel off the map, but bringing death
and destruction to all the Sudi Muslim neighbors and Christians
(03:39):
the world over. This was not just a strike by
the US against Iran. This was a strike by good
against evil. It was a strike against an apocalyptic Islamist
regime that simply can't be allowed to gain in clear
weapons weapons it would most certainly use first to anilate
(04:00):
Israel and then to achieve its aim of a global caliphate.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Now, thank God for Israel.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Thank God too for the United States that did what
only the might of the United States could do when
it launched Operation Midnight Hammer and all of it wiped
out Iran's nuclear capability. Now, whatever people might think of
Donald Trump on this, he has acted while all of
his predecessors have simply talked. It was Bill Clinton back
(04:30):
in nineteen ninety five if first declared and I quote,
we are determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Then there was George W.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Bush in two thousand and six who said Iran must
not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, period. And here
in twenty fifteen was Barack Obama.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I have stated that Iran will never be allowed to
obtain a nuclear weapon.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Sure, but on the they went. And then in twenty
twenty two he was Joe Biden.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
The United States is clear, we will not allow Iran
to acquire a nuclear weapon. Talk, just more talk.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
And here is Donald Trump from the weekend, having done,
most likely what others merely promised they would do.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Iran's Ki nuclear and Richmond facilities have been completely and
totally obliterated.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
All right, let's be clear what has not happened and
what almost certainly won't happen. There are no American troops
on the ground. This is not a replay of the
two thousand and three attack on Iraq in search of
weapons of mass destruction. This is not a war against Iran.
It's a war against Iranian nuclear weapons. If nuclear energy
(05:52):
was all Iran wanted, why was it enriching uranium to
weapons grade to which international inspectors have attested. It's not
a war for regime change either, although as long as
the Aya Tollers are in charge, Iran will be a
menace to its own people and it's Sunni Muslim neighbors.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
But let's be clear what has been happening.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
The Mullas in Tehran have been in an informal alliance
with the communists in Beijing and the militarists in Moscow
in a war against the West that includes Australia. It
is no accident or coincidence that the Uranian Foreign minister
is reportedly going to Moscow to seek the Russian Tyrant's
advice and help in striking hard against the Iranian nuclear program.
(06:37):
America has undoubtedly strengthened global de terrence and reinforced President
Trump's message of peace through strength. And it's precisely because
this American action has been so right, so strong, so necessary,
that the Almenezi government's hesitations have been so telling. For
twenty four hours after the US action, all there was
(06:59):
from the austrail government was a written statement from a
spokesman demanding dialogue, diplomacy.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
And de escalation.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Not that we even heard a word of any of
this yesterday from the Prime Minister.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
I mean, just have a look at this.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Now he can post a photograph of his dog in
the Prime Minister or suite. That's the pem's private office there.
This is on Friday, to celebrate international Take your Dog
to Workday, and yet he put nothing up on Iran
until three hours ago, when it was just a clip
of a press conference he gave earlier today, twenty four
(07:38):
hours of radio silence from a man who wants to
call himself Australia's leader.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
What a joke.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
A surprise bombing raid from our closest ally against the
world's most volatile, nearly nuclear capable Islamists who hate us
in our way of life, and Anthony Albernezi couldn't get
himself fucking about on Sunday morning to explain to Usustralians
what the heck was going on and what our own
government knew of America's plan and if they were willing
(08:07):
to back it in.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
I mean this is extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
I mean yesterday, almost immediately after the US raid was
known publicly, we got moral clarity, absolute moral clarity from
former Special Forces captain, Liberal front bencher Andrew Hasty.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
We could never accept a nuclear Iran. Iran is a oppressive,
theocratic autocracy and it's a sponsor of terrorism, as we've
seen over the last few years. This is a regime
committed to the destruction of Israel and our allies like
the United States. That is why we support the actions today.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
He is in the opposition.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
And yet it wasn't until Monday morning that Foreign mins
depending On finally emerged briefly stepping into a corridor to
say she supported sort of the American actors.
Speaker 7 (09:01):
So Australia has been clear, along with the international community
that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a newclear weapon.
We support action to prevent that from occurring. And this
is what this is, she said.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Quote.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
We're not a central player.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I would say that again, even though Australia in the
past is swiftly rallied to support our friends and allies
in the cause of peace with freedom. A decade back,
Australia's command and control aircraft and our aerial refueling tankers
were supporting you as strikes on Islavic stayed as well
as our own strikes. The Prime Minister invisible since returning,
(09:38):
desperate and dateless from the G seven well. He told
Cinny Radio this morning that he would have something to
say after a national security briefing, as if he needed
a briefing to know what he thought about stopping Iran
going nuclear. Now, why wouldn't he have called an NSC
meeting yesterday? John Howard and Tony Abbott or they made
(09:59):
an s seized it on weekends and late into the
night if there was a security issue where our national
interest was at stake, Not so this blow. Who can
go to the footy on the weekend. We can't go
back into the office, it would seem. And when he
finally emerged yesterday today around lunchtime, sorry today, around lunchtime,
he said he backed the US strikes, that he's still equivocated.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
We don't want escalation and a full scale war. We
continue to call for dialogue and for diplomacy.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
And he was at pains too to stress that this
had nothing to do with Australia.
Speaker 8 (10:39):
Was a facility like pine Gap used in this attack.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
We don't talk about intelligence. We've made very clear this
was unilateral action taken by the United States.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
So was your government briefed prior to the attack?
Speaker 5 (10:53):
This was unilateral action taken by the United States.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
PM, You won't break that is that this.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
Was unilateral action taken by the United States.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
And there was absolutely no Australian involvement whatsoever, redeweling jazz,
and nothing, nothing was aw well.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
I can't be clearer than this was unilateral action taken
by the United States.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
An abbreviated press conference, a whole lot of rote lines,
and then he shut it down quickly. Now, if we're
serious about the US alliance, it was serious about getting
august submarines, we better get bloody serious about pulling our
military weight at a time like this. It really should
be the Prime Minister, not his weg deputy, who's heading
(11:37):
off to NATO this week in the Hague, because the
Prime Minister needs to hear directly that Australia is the
only Western country not substantially increasing our military spending. Sit
around the NATO table, Prime Minister, and that is what
you will hear. You also need to have your first
meeting with President Trump right now. IPM doesn't look like
(11:59):
you're scared of meeting the leader of the free world.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
It just looks scared.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
And if our Prime minister is scared, we are weak.
And look around the world tonight, Australia, this is not
a time to be weak or led by anyone who
is scared.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Is it all right?
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Let's got a Camber now for the headlines. Sky News
political reporter Riven Spargo.
Speaker 9 (12:26):
The Prime Minister is explicitly supporting the US strikes on
Iran's nuclear facilities, but he won't say when or how
Australia was notified about the attack. Anthony Abernezi was repeatedly pressed.
Speaker 5 (12:40):
It can't be clearer than this was unilateral action.
Speaker 6 (12:43):
Very few people in Washington, d c. Were briefed, let
alone allies. That was the reason behind the success of
the operation.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
I think so.
Speaker 6 (12:49):
I think we can just take it as it appears
on the face.
Speaker 9 (12:53):
The government declared its support for the US intervention a
day later.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
We aren't a central player in this contract conflict.
Speaker 9 (13:01):
Anthony Abernezi is adamant Australia does not want a full
scale war. It's adding to global calls for de escalation
and dialogue in the Middle East. Australians in Iran are
making their way to the Azerbaijan border crossing Consulate staff
are deployed to support the government's response to the crisis.
Twenty nine hundred Australians in Iran and thirteen hundred Australians
(13:24):
in Israel have registered with the Foreign Affairs Department for
assistance evacuating.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
All right, As I said, coming up Tony Abbot military
experts will cross live into Israel, as well as a
few other issues making news here at home. But first
we'll look too at the Prime Minister who went missing
on the weekend. At the press conference today, all the
ins and outs to handle that.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Now.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
I'm joined by our political reporter out of camera, Cam Reddin,
and in sending the Daily Telly's James Willis.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Cam.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
You were there in Parliament House today in the Blue
room we finally heard from the Prime Minister and you
were straight out of the blocks at the press conference.
When they got to questions, you pressed him on why
on earth it took him so long to respond to
the US strike Home Listen.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Can you just explain why you've waited until now to
explicitly express your support for this action? And is it
because you want Australia to remain a non central player
in this conflict?
Speaker 5 (14:18):
Well, we aren't a central player in this contract conflict.
That's just a fact. And what we do is we
run an orderly stable government. But I made comments about
this in three countries over recent days, and my comments
today are perfectly consistent with that.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Now you have heard me before say we heard nothing
from the PMS today. Nothing from one something from a spokesman.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
That's about it.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
The rest of the world. They weren't asleep yesterday. Their
leaders were out there on Sunday right across the board.
And what staggers me the admission today from the Prime
Minister that he had NSC today. Now he wasn't warned
CAM And I was wargaming this this morning. If I
was back in the Prime Minister's office and something like
this happened with one of our allies and you did
(15:08):
not get a heads up, the first thing you'd want
to do weekend or not middle of the night or night.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
You'd want to get all the experts in.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
You'd get CDF, military strategists and others and say, okay,
what do we know who's reached out to the Pentagon,
where are things up to? Is there a domestic risk
for Australians? Do we need to alter the terror threat alert?
Are we worried about Jewish Australians and any reprisals around
synagogues and other areas. You do all of that wargaming,
(15:35):
you'd speak to premiers. You'd want to alert police forces
to be obviously on watch you do all of that
Sunday in the moment, but crickets from our prime minister.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
Yeah, we were on here for a couple of hours
yesterday as this was all unfolding. When Donald Trump spoke
at midday, there was a brief effectively a holding statement
really put out by a government spokesperson, not attributable.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
That was at quarter to one.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
The next we heard from the government, just in terms
of the timeline was when the Foreign Minister went on
breakfast television this morning just after seven o'clock and it
kind of went on from there. So certainly, in terms
of the Sunday afternoon period, Peter, I think it's better
say they would have been Australians wondering what the Prime
Minister and the government's position was. I think when we
go looking for the why that is, and we've heard
(16:22):
this phrase a couple of times already in the last
few minutes, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister saying we
are not a central player to this. I think that
really goes to the fundamental view. And it is a judgment,
called Peter, that the government appears to have made here
that on issues like this when it comes to big
foreign diplomacy conflict in the Middle East. The government seems
(16:42):
willing to not put our head above the parapet first,
to wait and see what some of the rest of
the world have to say, including the likes of the
UK and others who might have a bigger dog in
the fight when it comes to involvement and a presence
in the Middle East, and then move as a pack
afterwards to put out joint statements with the likes of
Canada and New Zealand for example. We've seen in the past.
That is a judgment call and others will debate whether
(17:05):
that is the right or wrong position to take, but
clearly there has been a decision taken by the government
that there is not much benefit in their view for
Australia to be leading the world in its response to this.
When it was the middle of the night, I've.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Got to get in there cave. I have to get
in there. I have to get in there. First of all,
we were in Afghanistan, so this is our theater. We
were in Iraq, that was our theater. We have been
in the Middle East.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
We have an.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Embassy in Tehran, where a lot of nations do not
have a diplomatic presence. This is as much our call
to be involved. I'm not saying the United States should
have given us a heads up. I think part of
the reason this bombing rad was so successful is it
was held incredibly tight. The UK were told because they
had assets in the region. Granted we do not, and
(17:52):
I think that was the right call. But by heck,
if your biggest ally does a bombing raid like this
against a nuclear power at ISLAMUS nation that wants death
and destruction, do everyone surely there is, Prime Minister, you
can get off your backside, get into the office on
the weekend, get all your generals in and find out
what the hell's going on, and give Australians as they
(18:13):
go to bed Sunday night, some comfort that this is strategic.
It will not end up in World War three. God
help us, and give them some comfort that you're across
your brief.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Yeah, Peter, I agree with that.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
We made this point yesterday to sorry James, you go that. Yeah,
we did make this point yesterday as well. That there
were comments remember made by Richard Miles eight o'clock on
Sky the holding statement just after one after the bombings.
A lot had changed and those words were basically the same,
and obviously now we've seen a few extra steps taken today.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Week week week, James, I'll go to you now because
I'm Cam. All credit to you. Yesterday I watched the
coverage all day. I flicked around the international stations as well.
Sky was outstanding. We jumped the whole day to cover this.
This this is world news and as I say, the
Prime Minister should have been back at his desk. And
I'm being too tough here, James Willis. I can't imagine
John Howard sitting at home on the couch as the
(19:06):
Middle East erupted.
Speaker 10 (19:07):
Can you no, or Scott Morrison or a number of
other Prime ministers from both sides of the chamber. Look, Peter,
as you say, this is the kind of thing that
the Prime Minister today should have had answers to and
should have been.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Able to reassure people.
Speaker 10 (19:22):
There was a question in that press conference that Cam
was at about the terror threat level, concerns about sleeper sells,
concerns about possible terrorism. The Prime Minister didn't have anything
to say.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
He couldn't even.
Speaker 10 (19:33):
Really reassure the public about what was going on. You're
exactly right, as soon as this happened yesterday. He should
have been calling people in to say what do we know?
And the other question that he should be asking himself
and his government is if we weren't given our heads
up like some of our other allies were. We believe
that Keir Starmer was in the UK, where are we
going wrong? Where are we not as strong with the
(19:55):
US as we may have been previously. Now there's been
a lot said about the Prime Minister's lack of relationship
with Donald Trump so far, I'm not saying that would
have made any difference, but certainly there's some ground to
be made up there. But I thought today today was
the opportunity, after going missing Mia yesterday, to front up,
to reassure Australia and to be completely clear on where
(20:16):
we stood.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
On this conflict.
Speaker 10 (20:18):
Instead, at every response, it felt like it was a
box ticking exercise. And Peter, I think the wider issue
for Labor is that it gives you an idea about
how many knots they've tied themselves in when it comes
to the Middle East. I mean every time that they've
backed in Palestine and Hamas and sort of condemned Israel
(20:38):
along the way when something like this happens, they've got
to come out. They've got to very quietly say, look,
we support what America is doing, but nothing really substantial.
And then you saw over the weekend protests in the
name of Iran and all that sort of thing. So look,
I think the whole thing was embarrassing. It was weak
leadership and once again a clet clear example Peter of
(20:59):
the PM just not being across his brief and having
no meat on the bone.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
I sort of feel that someone needs to pass in
a note, you know, a bit like you get in class,
to say, PM, just so you know, these guys are
Shia Muslims in Iran and they hate the Sudi Muslims,
which is just about everyone else.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
So the Saadis and the Egyptians and others are not.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Going to go on the record, but I'll tell you what, quietly,
they'd be pretty happy at what's happened in relation to
Iran and the risk of nuclear war. It feels to
me that he only has a rudimentary understanding of most
of these issues. That press conference today was abbreviated.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
He was just reading.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
From his notes, and that blocking response about unilateral.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Action, it couldn't get out of there fast enough.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
I mean, I'm sure the gallery you guys sat there
afterwards and thought what.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
The heck was that about.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
I had to nearly buster hamstring getting back on the telly,
so I didn't have much time to think. Peter, I
got to say, but on that point, you're right in
terms of Look, I think the judgment call. And I
do go back to this because I think this is
the critical cog in the thinking of the government, is
they want to keep their head down and stay out
of this. We've seen the United States in the last
(22:12):
few hours, even earlier this morning, issue a warning basically
to its citizens around the world saying be on a
higher level of alert because Iran or its proxies or
its sympathizers might try and target you. So the US
is on a significantly higher alert as a response to this.
And look, it is an unpredictable scenario. Could there be
under the Trump administration different expectations of its allies, including
(22:36):
Australia that we don't know, and we know that a
request hasn't come yet for Australian involvement. But I do
keep mentioning that idea of the government not thinking we're
a critical part of it, probably not wanting to be
a critical part of it. But the question, and I
think your question touches on the heart of this, Peter,
could the United States, under an unpredictable president, ask Australia
(22:58):
or other allies to play a bigger in this If
that question or request does come, we don't know it will,
it hasn't yet, but if it does, that would be
a very different kind of test for the alliance.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Okay, well, I'll just tell you Cam and I'm sure
Tony have it. We'll back it up with a lot
more detail than me because he was there at the.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Time when we all bombed. The West bombed the.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
But Jesus out of Islamic state, Australia was involved. We
were part of the targeting mission. We had planes in
the sky, we were refueling the JITs. We were there
in terms of assessing payload and targeting. We had special
forces in the region. I mean we have been involved before,
we are in this. I mean every time the UN
(23:38):
has a vote, we're on the wrong side of history
in relation to Israel. I mean this idea that Australia
just on the map is a long way away is wrong.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
We have as many interests in the Straits.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Of Horn moves as everybody else does about world trade.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
I mean, we are in the middle of this now.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
I'm not saying again we should have been warned, but
by God, we can't just put our head under the
bed and hide away on Sunday and think it all
just goes away. And I think this just goes to
the grave weakness of this Prime minister. And I know
Australians have just voted the bloke back in, but I
still maintain he is not up to the job. It
was the forty last night. If it was a concert,
(24:15):
if he was out there playing DJ, he'd happily do that.
But to turn up to NSC and sort this out
and give Australians confidence given all the ructions we've got,
I mean, James Willis, we've got an Islamist type of
Muslim hate.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Preacher, if I can call him that.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Reportedly in Australia he can get a visa, but an
Israeli speaker can't. We've got problems in mosques in Western Sydney.
I mean, we're a tinderbox in this country and our
Prime Minister should be there giving people assurance.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
But he's not is he James, He's just not no.
Speaker 10 (24:50):
And those examples that you've articulated and we've spoken about previously,
Peter on the money and what should concern a lot
of Australians about the growing fabric of this society and
every time that we've allowed more people to come to
this country, and you know, a growing number of people
from different religions that may have escaped war torn countries.
A lot of people can come here and forget the
(25:12):
horrors of the other side of the world. Sadly some
people can't. And that's where we see once again on
the weekend. You know, you had a pro Palestinian protests
in Sydney. There are a lot of people there in
support of Iran and it does rightly make people scared,
particularly when we've articulated before the link between radical religion
and terrorism in this country. And I think, to be honest,
(25:35):
this is going to be the greatest test so far
of the PM's leadership. I think the last term he
was able to just skirt around the edges Squibet sort
of go through these press conferences pointing at people and
getting through. This is a whole new game, and based
on today's example, I'm very, very concerned about the way
that he's going to handle this and on the alliance
over all, Peter, I think we're either all in this
(25:56):
or we're not.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
If we're signing up to orcus.
Speaker 10 (25:58):
If we've been close allies to the US and the
UK for decades now, in great battles over the years,
well then I'm sorry, but we can't put our heads
in the sand on this one even and waiting until
it's too late. We've got to be all in and
decide today what the way forward is and not just
simply say well, I hope this goes away in a heartbeat.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Good and said it better. Thank you gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Right coming up at the break, how exactly did the
US pull off what has been one of the most
significant military strikes in generations. Plus inevitably Iran will retaliate,
but what will that scale be like? And what does
this mean too for the Middle East and all out war.
(26:45):
Welcome back to the come Tony Abbott his taken America's
historic strikes against Iran.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
We'll also discuss his new book.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
He's got a new book about Australia's history without the
Black Armband view and a real surprise for Sky News viewers.
Stick with me, go into all the details of what's
been a momentous weekend, not just obviously for the Middle East,
but for the wider world and also interestingly today up
in the Northern Territory, Australia is involved in US joint
(27:13):
exercises Talisman Saber. It's called There was supposed to be
a press conference but it was abruptly canceled, picked up
of course by our bureau chief up there, Matt Cunningham,
and then of course we had the Prime Minister's press
conference and a whole lot of blocking. As we've talked
about a lot of answers. Someone who has some answers
for us, the Director of Strategic Analysis Australia, Michael Shubride,
(27:35):
who joins me. Now I want to get into the
nuts and bolts of operation in Dynhammer, because I find
it absolutely fascinating, Michael, But just for a moment, let's
talk about the Prime Minister's response today that press conference
and as I said, those blocking lines of just unilateral
action by the United States and absolutely no detail. He
called it over as quick as he could and just
(27:56):
scarp it out of the room.
Speaker 11 (27:59):
Yes, he really was like some mondy python parrot sketch
where he was just parroting what Penny Wong had said
earlier in the day and he had nothing else left.
But while he was desperate not to say anything about
national security and told us he couldn't what a contrast
with how much we heard from the Americans about a
(28:19):
far more sensitive operational activity. And he spoke about Pine
Gap like it wasn't a joint facility and he barely
knew what might be going on there. So unfortunately, even
after the National Security Committee meeting, he was.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Completely out of his depth.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Yeah, I thought exactly the same thing. And he's a
joint facility PM, not just a you know, a US
asset in our own country. So talk to me about
sort of the operational detail at Midnight Hammer, because clearly,
and I mentioned this at the top of the show,
those lines about that two week grace that Donald Trump
put on the table maybe feel very despondent.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
On the weekend, I thought, here we go again.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
They'll get close to wiping out in Iran's nuclear capability,
but they won't finish it off. But here he was
on Sunday and they went public with what seven B
two bombers, one hundred and twenty five warplanes, precision weaponry.
They were in and they were out before the world
woke up.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Extraordinary. I think I've got a bit of a grab
there to play.
Speaker 12 (29:22):
Let's listen, we devastated the Iranian nuclear program. The operation
did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people. Tran
is certainly calculating the reality that planes flew from the
middle of America and Missouri overnight completely undetected over three
of their most highly sensitive sits.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
And of course, remember they put out some messaging to
say that there were bombers going through Guam, so we
all looked towards Guam, but of course they were coming
around the other way as well and into this strike.
I mean, you tell me what you thought of it all,
but I think it's extraordinary.
Speaker 11 (29:58):
Well, Peter, it was an elaborate, the very successfully orchestrated
global mission. You're right, there was the deception effort to
have everyone watching b two bombers preposition in Guam. Meanwhile,
they flew the bombers that did the attack. As we
heard from Pete, Hexit flew directly from continental America to
the Middle East. They had to meet up with air
(30:19):
to we refuelers that came out of parts of Europe.
Short arranged fighters, things like F fifteen's and F thirty
fives flew into Iranian airspace. The fighters were in front,
suppressing any remaining Iranian air defense. The Iranians didn't see
them coming in. The B two pilots would have rehearsed
the kind of facility, the exact facility and its design
(30:39):
and layout that they bombed. They bombed with multiple of
those massive penetrator bombs. Seven aircraft let fourteen of them
loose over those sites, and then they left and the
Iranians didn't even know they'd turned up, but were coping
with the damage.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
So extraordinary sophistication here. How will we know? We know
it was a success in that they came in, they.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
Bombed, and they got out alive, But how do we
know how much we have have set back their nuclear ambitions?
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Where will we know that? Well?
Speaker 11 (31:18):
We know something now because there's been early satellite imagery
of these damage to the three sites s Fahan Natans
and that one buried so deep under the mountain at
fourdo it looks like there's extensive structural damage to all
three that means that a lot of the technical equipment
and facilities around needs to enrich uranium and then manufacture
(31:41):
it into the kind of uranium metal you stick on
the top of a warhead has been lost. But it's
quite likely that the Uranians have dispersed some of their
around four hundred kilograms of sixty percent enriched uranium before
the strikes.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
So that could be moved somewhere in country, you presume,
or potentially buried in other bunkers.
Speaker 11 (32:04):
I'd say they would disperse that because they're feeling extremely vulnerable.
They know Israeli's moss At intelligence agency has penetrated the
Iranian regime comprehensively. They know that they've lost control of
their airspace that's under Israeli control, so there's there are
very few places they can hide now.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
But this is small amount of stuff, Okay, So we
know that they're militias under pressure, the hoodies and others.
We know hes Blah, which is one of their agents.
So ren Levanon and inter Syria of courses is monumentally degraded.
So they're down to what they've got in their own country.
There's been hits to their scientists, there's been hits to
(32:47):
their guard leadership and their intelligence leadership. We know the
eyetoler is in hiding what happens now because Trump in
the last few hours is sort of amped up the
discussion of regime Chaine. That wasn't there yesterday, it appears
to be there now. Give us your best take here here.
Speaker 11 (33:05):
Michael, Well, Peter, I don't think we're going to see
regime change soon. I think they're the regimes in a
world of hurt over the medium term though, because they're
so they've looked so powerless, out of control and humiliated.
You're right, the Supreme leader is hiding away at a bunker.
He's using no electronics to communicate. That means he's on
(33:27):
the backfoot understanding what is going on. He's also on
the back foot in giving any orders in instructions. But
the Iranian military has a range of short range rockets
and missiles that can reach to US bases around the region.
They're much closer than Israel, and they could do nasty,
low tech things in the straits of Homer's, like float
(33:47):
sea mines there to disable the world's energy supply. There
are things they can do.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Right, Let's just step back and look at sort of
the UN as input in as it is, and this
discuss that was had, there was a convening of a
meeting of the Security Council over the weekend they can
need even if the Prime Minister can't get out of bed,
and there was talking that this was somehow a breach
of international law. China pushed this pretty hard.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
Have a listen.
Speaker 13 (34:14):
Australia condemns the US attacks. Aren't Iran for nuclear facilities
under the siffgues of the A. The actions of the
United States are seriously violent the purposes and principles of
the UN, tatar and the international law, as well as
in RAN's sovereignty, security and territory in Cheguty.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
So that comment there from China, we know obviously they've
been supportive today Iran. We know that the Ranian Foreign
ministers on his way to Russia. The Russian government condemned
the strikes as well, saying they will negotiate with Tehran.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
International law being breached.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Where I see things will go now with China and
Russia potentially.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Well.
Speaker 11 (35:00):
Isn't it interesting that the regimes who have a habit
of breaking international law repeatedly are the ones that seem
to hold it most dearly at this point, so the
supporters of Iran and Putin is dependent on Iran for
some of his drone supplies, and Beijing breaking every international
(35:20):
law whenever they feel like it. They both now have
an attack of principle. This action was to remove an
active threat to the region, but also to Israel, and
Israel's in direct conflict with Iran, so I think there's
a legitimacy there. At the same time, we shouldn't be
surprised that the rules based global order is extremely damaged
(35:42):
and probably over.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
Just quickly before we go.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
I mean, I'm really critical that the Prime Minister yesterday
admits he wasn't warned.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
I don't expect Australia would be.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
But having not been warned, does nothing about finding out
what on Earth's gone on with his most significant Australia's
most significant ally until convening an NSC this morning.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Why on earth wouldn't you have had.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
CDF and others in for briefing yesterday? Why would there
have been no NSC meeting until today.
Speaker 11 (36:12):
Mister Albanezi, through his whole term first term failed to
take national security seriously. He's doing the same in the
second term. So which he's not a national security leader
and in the dangerous world wherein that's a real indictment.
I agree, not getting briefed is bizarre. There are thousands
of Australians living in the region trying to get home.
(36:34):
He's just sent hundreds of ADF personnel into a very dangerous,
vulnerable situation at that big air base in our minhat.
He seems not to grasp the Australian interests at stake here.
Speaker 3 (36:48):
Not wrong, I'll over there, thank you, Michael Shabrich. How
to the break Tony Abbatt.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
We'll talk about this, of course, but his new book
to exploring Australia's history, A proud history, a good history,
history we should learn, not try and by, and a
very special surprise too for.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Sky News viewers.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Welcome about coming up of Australia's shocking place in the
tax rankings internationally. We'll get to those in a moment,
but first, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting
following the US strikes on Iran. The Secretary General of
the UN, Antonio Guteris quick to criticize the strikes, posting
on X on Sunday that he was gravely alarmed by
(37:28):
the use of force from the United States, it claimed
it posed a direct threat to international peace and security.
Joined me now to discuss this and more Former Prime
Minister Tony Abbott.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
Well, Tony will start there.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
With a broad question, if I can, why was this
US action necessary?
Speaker 1 (37:49):
Well, as usual, the UN has got it wrong. It
is Iranian nuclear weapons, potential Iranian nuclear weapons that are
the threat world peace. And thank God for Israel, thank
God for the United States. Donald Trump has done what
many of his predecessors have talked about but never acted upon.
(38:12):
He has taken decisive action to ensure that Iran never
ever gets a nuclear weapon. And frankly, the world will
be a much safer place without Iranian nuclear weapons.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Yeah. I think we spoke over the weekend.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
I feared that the President would go the way of
his predecessors and talk tough as they have going all
the way back to Clinton about the nuclear ambitions of
Iran and do nothing, and particularly when he gave them
that two week window. But that's not what's happened. And
I want to make particular mention. I think Israel really
forced the United States hand. I mean it went in
(38:50):
bravely for a week and took out a lot of
the air defense systems, and America went in and finished
the job. And the Israelis tonight in Tel Aviv, they're
in their shelters.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
They're bearing the brunt of this.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
Look, I was apprehensive, like you, Peter, But it seems
that President Trump apprehends that the Islamist, the apocalyptic Islamist
dictatorship in Tehran. Dealing with them is not like doing
a New York property deal. You cannot do deals with
(39:27):
apocalyptic dictators. You cannot do deals with people who are
hell bent on your destruction. I think the President has
appreciated that, and good on him and good on his
administration for doing what's necessary and acting so powerfully to
(39:48):
secure peace through strength and to support their brave ally Israel.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
I think what a lot of people won't realize too,
chiny is Shia Iran is not just out to have
a global caliphate and you know, send Christians to the
Lions and you know all the other references we've heard
for many, many years. But they also want to wipe
out the other Sunni Muslim nations in the region. And
(40:18):
of course they'd privately if not, they can't say it publicly.
They'd probably be pretty supportive of what's happened over the weekend,
wouldn't they.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Absolutely, Look, the Gulf States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt will all
be quietly cheered by this. If Iran ever did get
a nuclear weapon, and please God, this will now never
ever happen, and who knows down the track, we might
even get regime change, which would be wonderful. But if
(40:49):
Iran did get a nuclear weapon, almost immediately, Saudi would
go health for leather to get one, the Turks would
go health for leather to get one, and the whole
idea of nuclear non proliferation would be dead in the
most dangerous part of the world. So really, what happened
(41:12):
on the weekend is a big, big step towards a
much safer world. And it's a sign that America under
President Trump will not be trifled with. And this will
very much be noticed in the other rogue capitals, particularly
in Moscow and particularly in Beijing.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
I got to ask you, because I've been pretty critical
tonight of the Prime Minister who didn't call it NFC
yesterday when this all broke. He says he was not warned.
Australia didn't have a heads up. I mean, does that
surprise you because I know with you and we were
in the theater in the Middle East when we were
involved obouly in Islamic State, Australia was involved, assets were involved.
You had NSC meet day and night, on weekends whenever
(41:55):
it was required. I just think it's a shocking look
that we didn't hear from our Prime minister until today.
Speaker 1 (42:02):
Look what happened today was of a peace with what's
been happening ever since twenty twenty two. Under this government,
Australia has been in retreat from the wider world. And
the most obvious sign of that was about eighteen months
ago when the Albanese government refused to send a frigate
(42:24):
to the Red Sea. And this was the first time
since the Anzas Treaty in nineteen fifty one that Australia
had turned down a specific request from America for military help.
The other big problem is that under this government it's
almost as if there's this even handedness in Canberra between
(42:47):
the United States and China. And given that one is
a democracy and our greatest ally, the other is a
dictatorship which is bent on regional and ultimately global hegemony.
I just think this is both wrong and strange.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
All right, I'm going to play a bit of a
treat for my viewers at home, because I know you've
got a book, But what most people do not know
is you've also got a wonderful documentary being filmed at
the moment that will soon air on Sky News. Let's
have a little look here as an exclusive.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
I try to think of what it would have been
like for the fifteen hundred souls on board the first
fleet coming into this harbor all those years ago. Apprehension, anticipation, relief.
Speaker 3 (43:43):
I don't think.
Speaker 1 (43:44):
Anyone can ever get tired of the harbor like this.
I'm sure that being here would have excited even in
them a feeling of hope.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
Right, that's a sneak peak for the documentary. But let's
talk about the Let's talk about the book on which
it will be based. It's a history book about Australia.
This is a big endeavor, Tony Abbott. Why would you
write a book and why do you think it's so
important that it be a book about the history of
our nation?
Speaker 1 (44:17):
Well, Peter, all too often over the last few decades
we've had the black armband view of Australia's history. Now
it's not all good, but gee whiz, there is so
much more to be proud of than to be ashamed of.
And having, i guess, been at the apex of our government,
(44:40):
having seen so much of the Australian people up close
and personal over my life and particularly in my public life,
I just think it's time for a better story to
be told. And I certainly don't believe in standing by
and seeing our country run down people who should know better.
(45:01):
And that's why this proud history should be told, and
frankly it should be much better known and much more appreciated.
Speaker 2 (45:14):
Good on you, Tony, have it. The book will come
out obviously in a couple of months time. The documentary,
I think is by the end of the year. We'll
see it here on Sky News. But it's all out
there now in the public domain. I know you've been
working on it, slaving over it for many, many months,
so I'm delighted we could talk about it tonight.
Speaker 3 (45:29):
Thanks for your time, Tony.
Speaker 2 (45:31):
After the break, we'll have a quick break. I've got
a panel, lots of issues, well right out of time,
but we'll do our best.
Speaker 3 (45:37):
See then, welcome back.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
Let's bring in my panel, that says Lucy's Zelic broadcaster
of course, and James Ashby Pollenhansen's One Nation Chief of
Staff revelations today. James Ashby that adding all our federal
and state government post taxes and levies into the mix,
we are now the second high best country in the
whole of the OCD in terms of tax only beaten,
(46:05):
I'm afraid by Columbia.
Speaker 3 (46:07):
It's a shocking indictment of where we are.
Speaker 2 (46:09):
And if you listen to that speech from the Treasurer
last week, he's going to go back at it again.
We've got more taxes to come because labor can't manage money.
Speaker 14 (46:23):
It's a shocking indictment, isn't it when you think about it.
Governments should act more like farmers. In my opinion. Farmers
they get the conditions right, they can grow anything. And
unfortunately we haven't got the conditions right in this country
and that's why business is very sluggish. That's why people
are not getting employed, they're getting more likely laid off
under this government. And look, I just say this, One
(46:45):
Nation would strongly support the deregulation of business, regulation and
so many other red tape, green tape, blue tape, the
black tape that's imposed upon them by state and federal governments,
and of course, reduce the taxes on people, like payroll tax.
We've seen an increase to wages, but guess what, none
(47:05):
of the states lifted the threshold on payroll tax. All
these things are crippling business and for once, we just
want a government that will listen to small and medium
business to get it right, create the right environment and
you can grow this economy.
Speaker 3 (47:21):
Lucie.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
There's been a few stories around in the last couple
of months about IVF and some horrific examples that will
work their way through the courts of families getting the
wrong embryo and other things. But a story of the
weekend really struck me. A woman she was a woman
who was conceived via a dona has found out she's
got something like seventy seven other siblings. Now I've thought
(47:44):
we had regulation in this industry. Her biological fathers donated
more than three hundred times. I thought this wasn't allowed
in Australia. This really shocked me.
Speaker 8 (47:54):
Shock the but Jesus out of me too, Peter, because
the interesting thing about this story is that this is
not the first time that we're learning about this. So Lyndall,
who's the focal point of this particular story, her half sister,
Alexandra Eccles. She came out last year and actually shared
her story about how she discovered that Lindall was her
half sibling, and at the time that only had about,
(48:16):
at least that they knew of at the time, a
roughly thirty half siblings. Now this is skyrocketed to seventy
seven now. Three decades ago, there was no limit on
how many times a sperm donor could donate, and they
had a real emphasis on anononymity, which is really crazy
in and of itself when you consider that much of
the regulations were left to these particular clinics and services. Well,
(48:37):
only in November last year did they actually pass legislation
in Queensland to introduce an official register where we can
have some regulation. But it really begs the question why
we don't have an overall federal register for these people
who we're anticipating. Now this is just the tip of
the iceberg for how much grief I'll have to go
through in learning how many half siblings they have, and
(48:59):
also the risk to insist, Yeah, you're.
Speaker 2 (49:04):
Spot on let's go to growing concerns about foreign takeover
of our big energy giant, Santos. This is an ABU
Derby consortium involving obviously some state owned players there as well.
Speaker 3 (49:18):
James.
Speaker 2 (49:19):
The government of course has got to approve this deal,
but we're getting sort of mixed messages from the Treasurer
when he's asked some questions, where's one nation on this.
Speaker 14 (49:30):
Well, we don't support it, Peter. And the reason for
that is because we have to look at what's in
the best interest of Australia. And right now we're on
the very verge of importing gas rather than exporting, because
we export far too much of what we pull out
of the ground ourselves. So we have to take a
very very strong stance on protecting Australia's energy security moving forward.
(49:53):
And I think by selling this off it just weakens
this country, particularly as I say, when it's a fine
you're an investor, well, I know we've got forty percent
of people already, the investors from overseas, but the large
majority investors a mum and dads here at Australia. We
don't want to lose vital industry like our gas and
unfortunately one nation wouldn't support the sell off of Santos.
Speaker 3 (50:18):
Not wrong. I'll leave it there.
Speaker 2 (50:19):
Thank you both for the tonight and apologies for my
shortened period of time with the panel. I just want
to say tonight too. Last night I was an event
with the Jewish Melbourne and your bravery is incredible given
all you've gone through in the last couple of years,
but also your wonderful welcome to me last night was
on such a momentous day in history in the Middle East.
Speaker 3 (50:40):
Was just lovely. Thank you for your time. Then that's
it for me.
Speaker 2 (50:44):
James mcfirst and filling in for Andrew Bolt up next
Peter Kredland live on Sky News Australia.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
So true, Chris Kenny, I will be lining up outside
the MCG for ACDCA. Absolutely love it. Busy show tonight,
Let's get into it. He's what's coming up tonight On Credline,
new details emerge about just how Operation Midnight Hammer was
carried out, the Americans pulling up the stealth mission for
the ages.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
So how was it done?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I want all the mechanical detail here and will the
Iranians Iranians be ready next time. We've got an expert
to walk us through all the detail, as I said
in a moment, So how now will the regime respond?
Because they will, they will respond, and sure no one
wants a wider Middle Eastern conflict. But what happens next
and crucially what does success look like?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
When?
Speaker 2 (00:48):
And how will we know if Iran's nuclear ambitions have
been defeated. Plus already the Israelis are bearing the brunt
of all the missiles launched overnight in retaliation. They've done
a lot of the heavy lifting. This is extraordinary. We'll
go into some of the bankers and a unique story
of joy out of one of them on the weekend
and plenty of domestic fallout too, was the OLM and
(01:10):
Easy government appears to be on the back foot yet
again equivocating when it comes to supporting our allies.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
What did it take twenty.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Four hours for Australia express unequivocal support for this action
by its closest ally And what does this say about
our relationship with the US under your government?
Speaker 5 (01:29):
We issue a state me Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Plenty of experts tonight and as I said, we'll cross
into Tel Aviv. And I also have Tony Abbott, former
Prime Minister, coming up. But first, every week I have
a column in the news Corps Sunday papers that's published
across the country and I file my words the day before.
Usually it's around lunchtime on a Saturday. Now this week,
on Saturday, I confess as I sent the column off,
(01:54):
I was a little bit despondent that despite Israel's incredible
bombing rays earlier in the week, it had severe week
in the Iran. I was concerned that Donald Trump was
going to squib it. Remember he gave Iran fourteen days.
We were told on Friday to get to the negotiating table. Now,
I wrote for years the world's debated how to stop
(02:15):
Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. It's tried to negotiate with them,
I wrote, and stupidly pay them billions to stop, which
didn't and then it threatened them, which for a country
run by Islamic fundamentalists who cheer death or that hasn't
worked either. So now we are at the point, I said,
we're faced with a regime that literally wants to blow
them off.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
The face of the map.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
It is Israel who's taken them on and done more
in one week than the United Nations and Western Nations combined.
And yet for Israel, there's been as much criticism as gratitude.
Thank God for Israel, I wrote, But I said, the
big question.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Now will be what will Trump do.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Will the US President be seduced by the prospect of
an eleventh hour deal that Iran will just ignore, as
so many of his predecessors have done, or will he
finally finish off what Israel has bravely and with great
precision started that it is not just about protecting them
but the wider world. Well, by the time most of
(03:17):
my readers were working through the papers over breakfast on Sunday,
we found out the answer to that question as we
watched the US president do what so many had merely threatened, namely,
to show strength against a tyrannical regime that is intentti
not just blowing Israel off the map, but bringing death
and destruction to all the Sudi Muslim neighbors and Christians
(03:39):
the world over. This was not just a strike by
the US against Iran. This was a strike by good
against evil. It was a strike against an apocalyptic Islamist
regime that simply can't be allowed to gain in clear
weapons weapons it would most certainly use first to anilate
(04:00):
Israel and then to achieve its aim of a global caliphate.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Now, thank God for Israel.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Thank God too for the United States that did what
only the might of the United States could do when
it launched Operation Midnight Hammer and all of it wiped
out Iran's nuclear capability. Now, whatever people might think of
Donald Trump on this, he has acted while all of
his predecessors have simply talked. It was Bill Clinton back
(04:30):
in nineteen ninety five if first declared and I quote,
we are determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Then there was George W.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Bush in two thousand and six who said Iran must
not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, period. And here
in twenty fifteen was Barack Obama.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I have stated that Iran will never be allowed to
obtain a nuclear weapon.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Sure, but on the they went. And then in twenty
twenty two he was Joe Biden.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
The United States is clear, we will not allow Iran
to acquire a nuclear weapon. Talk, just more talk.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
And here is Donald Trump from the weekend, having done,
most likely what others merely promised they would do.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Iran's Ki nuclear and Richmond facilities have been completely and
totally obliterated.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
All right, let's be clear what has not happened and
what almost certainly won't happen. There are no American troops
on the ground. This is not a replay of the
two thousand and three attack on Iraq in search of
weapons of mass destruction. This is not a war against Iran.
It's a war against Iranian nuclear weapons. If nuclear energy
(05:52):
was all Iran wanted, why was it enriching uranium to
weapons grade to which international inspectors have attested. It's not
a war for regime change either, although as long as
the Aya Tollers are in charge, Iran will be a
menace to its own people and it's Sunni Muslim neighbors.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
But let's be clear what has been happening.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
The Mullas in Tehran have been in an informal alliance
with the communists in Beijing and the militarists in Moscow
in a war against the West that includes Australia. It
is no accident or coincidence that the Uranian Foreign minister
is reportedly going to Moscow to seek the Russian Tyrant's
advice and help in striking hard against the Iranian nuclear program.
(06:37):
America has undoubtedly strengthened global de terrence and reinforced President
Trump's message of peace through strength. And it's precisely because
this American action has been so right, so strong, so necessary,
that the Almenezi government's hesitations have been so telling. For
twenty four hours after the US action, all there was
(06:59):
from the austrail government was a written statement from a
spokesman demanding dialogue, diplomacy.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
And de escalation.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Not that we even heard a word of any of
this yesterday from the Prime Minister.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
I mean, just have a look at this.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Now he can post a photograph of his dog in
the Prime Minister or suite. That's the pem's private office there.
This is on Friday, to celebrate international Take your Dog
to Workday, and yet he put nothing up on Iran
until three hours ago, when it was just a clip
of a press conference he gave earlier today, twenty four
(07:38):
hours of radio silence from a man who wants to
call himself Australia's leader.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
What a joke.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
A surprise bombing raid from our closest ally against the
world's most volatile, nearly nuclear capable Islamists who hate us
in our way of life, and Anthony Albernezi couldn't get
himself fucking about on Sunday morning to explain to Usustralians
what the heck was going on and what our own
government knew of America's plan and if they were willing
(08:07):
to back it in.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
I mean this is extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
I mean yesterday, almost immediately after the US raid was
known publicly, we got moral clarity, absolute moral clarity from
former Special Forces captain, Liberal front bencher Andrew Hasty.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
We could never accept a nuclear Iran. Iran is a oppressive,
theocratic autocracy and it's a sponsor of terrorism, as we've
seen over the last few years. This is a regime
committed to the destruction of Israel and our allies like
the United States. That is why we support the actions today.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
He is in the opposition.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
And yet it wasn't until Monday morning that Foreign mins
depending On finally emerged briefly stepping into a corridor to
say she supported sort of the American actors.
Speaker 7 (09:01):
So Australia has been clear, along with the international community
that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a newclear weapon.
We support action to prevent that from occurring. And this
is what this is, she said.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Quote.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
We're not a central player.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
I would say that again, even though Australia in the
past is swiftly rallied to support our friends and allies
in the cause of peace with freedom. A decade back,
Australia's command and control aircraft and our aerial refueling tankers
were supporting you as strikes on Islavic stayed as well
as our own strikes. The Prime Minister invisible since returning,
(09:38):
desperate and dateless from the G seven well. He told
Cinny Radio this morning that he would have something to
say after a national security briefing, as if he needed
a briefing to know what he thought about stopping Iran
going nuclear. Now, why wouldn't he have called an NSC
meeting yesterday? John Howard and Tony Abbott or they made
(09:59):
an s seized it on weekends and late into the
night if there was a security issue where our national
interest was at stake, Not so this blow. Who can
go to the footy on the weekend. We can't go
back into the office, it would seem. And when he
finally emerged yesterday today around lunchtime, sorry today, around lunchtime,
he said he backed the US strikes, that he's still equivocated.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
We don't want escalation and a full scale war. We
continue to call for dialogue and for diplomacy.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
And he was at pains too to stress that this
had nothing to do with Australia.
Speaker 8 (10:39):
Was a facility like pine Gap used in this attack.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
We don't talk about intelligence. We've made very clear this
was unilateral action taken by the United States.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
So was your government briefed prior to the attack?
Speaker 5 (10:53):
This was unilateral action taken by the United States.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
PM, You won't break that is that this.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
Was unilateral action taken by the United States.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
And there was absolutely no Australian involvement whatsoever, redeweling jazz,
and nothing, nothing was aw well.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
I can't be clearer than this was unilateral action taken
by the United States.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
An abbreviated press conference, a whole lot of rote lines,
and then he shut it down quickly. Now, if we're
serious about the US alliance, it was serious about getting
august submarines, we better get bloody serious about pulling our
military weight at a time like this. It really should
be the Prime Minister, not his weg deputy, who's heading
(11:37):
off to NATO this week in the Hague, because the
Prime Minister needs to hear directly that Australia is the
only Western country not substantially increasing our military spending. Sit
around the NATO table, Prime Minister, and that is what
you will hear. You also need to have your first
meeting with President Trump right now. IPM doesn't look like
(11:59):
you're scared of meeting the leader of the free world.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
It just looks scared.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
And if our Prime minister is scared, we are weak.
And look around the world tonight, Australia, this is not
a time to be weak or led by anyone who
is scared.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Is it all right?
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Let's got a Camber now for the headlines. Sky News
political reporter Riven Spargo.
Speaker 9 (12:26):
The Prime Minister is explicitly supporting the US strikes on
Iran's nuclear facilities, but he won't say when or how
Australia was notified about the attack. Anthony Abernezi was repeatedly pressed.
Speaker 5 (12:40):
It can't be clearer than this was unilateral action.
Speaker 6 (12:43):
Very few people in Washington, d c. Were briefed, let
alone allies. That was the reason behind the success of
the operation.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
I think so.
Speaker 6 (12:49):
I think we can just take it as it appears
on the face.
Speaker 9 (12:53):
The government declared its support for the US intervention a
day later.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
We aren't a central player in this contract conflict.
Speaker 9 (13:01):
Anthony Abernezi is adamant Australia does not want a full
scale war. It's adding to global calls for de escalation
and dialogue in the Middle East. Australians in Iran are
making their way to the Azerbaijan border crossing Consulate staff
are deployed to support the government's response to the crisis.
Twenty nine hundred Australians in Iran and thirteen hundred Australians
(13:24):
in Israel have registered with the Foreign Affairs Department for
assistance evacuating.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
All right, As I said, coming up Tony Abbot military
experts will cross live into Israel, as well as a
few other issues making news here at home. But first
we'll look too at the Prime Minister who went missing
on the weekend. At the press conference today, all the
ins and outs to handle that.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Now.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
I'm joined by our political reporter out of camera, Cam Reddin,
and in sending the Daily Telly's James Willis.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Cam.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
You were there in Parliament House today in the Blue
room we finally heard from the Prime Minister and you
were straight out of the blocks at the press conference.
When they got to questions, you pressed him on why
on earth it took him so long to respond to
the US strike Home Listen.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Can you just explain why you've waited until now to
explicitly express your support for this action? And is it
because you want Australia to remain a non central player
in this conflict?
Speaker 5 (14:18):
Well, we aren't a central player in this contract conflict.
That's just a fact. And what we do is we
run an orderly stable government. But I made comments about
this in three countries over recent days, and my comments
today are perfectly consistent with that.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Now you have heard me before say we heard nothing
from the PMS today. Nothing from one something from a spokesman.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
That's about it.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
The rest of the world. They weren't asleep yesterday. Their
leaders were out there on Sunday right across the board.
And what staggers me the admission today from the Prime
Minister that he had NSC today. Now he wasn't warned
CAM And I was wargaming this this morning. If I
was back in the Prime Minister's office and something like
this happened with one of our allies and you did
(15:08):
not get a heads up, the first thing you'd want
to do weekend or not middle of the night or night.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
You'd want to get all the experts in.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
You'd get CDF, military strategists and others and say, okay,
what do we know who's reached out to the Pentagon,
where are things up to? Is there a domestic risk
for Australians? Do we need to alter the terror threat alert?
Are we worried about Jewish Australians and any reprisals around
synagogues and other areas. You do all of that wargaming,
(15:35):
you'd speak to premiers. You'd want to alert police forces
to be obviously on watch you do all of that
Sunday in the moment, but crickets from our prime minister.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
Yeah, we were on here for a couple of hours
yesterday as this was all unfolding. When Donald Trump spoke
at midday, there was a brief effectively a holding statement
really put out by a government spokesperson, not attributable.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
That was at quarter to one.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
The next we heard from the government, just in terms
of the timeline was when the Foreign Minister went on
breakfast television this morning just after seven o'clock and it
kind of went on from there. So certainly, in terms
of the Sunday afternoon period, Peter, I think it's better
say they would have been Australians wondering what the Prime
Minister and the government's position was. I think when we
go looking for the why that is, and we've heard
(16:22):
this phrase a couple of times already in the last
few minutes, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister saying we
are not a central player to this. I think that
really goes to the fundamental view. And it is a judgment,
called Peter, that the government appears to have made here
that on issues like this when it comes to big
foreign diplomacy conflict in the Middle East. The government seems
(16:42):
willing to not put our head above the parapet first,
to wait and see what some of the rest of
the world have to say, including the likes of the
UK and others who might have a bigger dog in
the fight when it comes to involvement and a presence
in the Middle East, and then move as a pack
afterwards to put out joint statements with the likes of
Canada and New Zealand for example. We've seen in the past.
That is a judgment call and others will debate whether
(17:05):
that is the right or wrong position to take, but
clearly there has been a decision taken by the government
that there is not much benefit in their view for
Australia to be leading the world in its response to this.
When it was the middle of the night, I've.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Got to get in there cave. I have to get
in there. I have to get in there. First of all,
we were in Afghanistan, so this is our theater. We
were in Iraq, that was our theater. We have been
in the Middle East.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
We have an.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Embassy in Tehran, where a lot of nations do not
have a diplomatic presence. This is as much our call
to be involved. I'm not saying the United States should
have given us a heads up. I think part of
the reason this bombing rad was so successful is it
was held incredibly tight. The UK were told because they
had assets in the region. Granted we do not, and
(17:52):
I think that was the right call. But by heck,
if your biggest ally does a bombing raid like this
against a nuclear power at ISLAMUS nation that wants death
and destruction, do everyone surely there is, Prime Minister, you
can get off your backside, get into the office on
the weekend, get all your generals in and find out
what the hell's going on, and give Australians as they
(18:13):
go to bed Sunday night, some comfort that this is strategic.
It will not end up in World War three. God
help us, and give them some comfort that you're across
your brief.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Yeah, Peter, I agree with that.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
We made this point yesterday to sorry James, you go that. Yeah,
we did make this point yesterday as well. That there
were comments remember made by Richard Miles eight o'clock on
Sky the holding statement just after one after the bombings.
A lot had changed and those words were basically the same,
and obviously now we've seen a few extra steps taken today.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Week week week, James, I'll go to you now because
I'm Cam. All credit to you. Yesterday I watched the
coverage all day. I flicked around the international stations as well.
Sky was outstanding. We jumped the whole day to cover this.
This this is world news and as I say, the
Prime Minister should have been back at his desk. And
I'm being too tough here, James Willis. I can't imagine
John Howard sitting at home on the couch as the
(19:06):
Middle East erupted.
Speaker 10 (19:07):
Can you no, or Scott Morrison or a number of
other Prime ministers from both sides of the chamber. Look, Peter,
as you say, this is the kind of thing that
the Prime Minister today should have had answers to and
should have been.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Able to reassure people.
Speaker 10 (19:22):
There was a question in that press conference that Cam
was at about the terror threat level, concerns about sleeper sells,
concerns about possible terrorism. The Prime Minister didn't have anything
to say.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
He couldn't even.
Speaker 10 (19:33):
Really reassure the public about what was going on. You're
exactly right, as soon as this happened yesterday. He should
have been calling people in to say what do we know?
And the other question that he should be asking himself
and his government is if we weren't given our heads
up like some of our other allies were. We believe
that Keir Starmer was in the UK, where are we
going wrong? Where are we not as strong with the
(19:55):
US as we may have been previously. Now there's been
a lot said about the Prime Minister's lack of relationship
with Donald Trump so far, I'm not saying that would
have made any difference, but certainly there's some ground to
be made up there. But I thought today today was
the opportunity, after going missing Mia yesterday, to front up,
to reassure Australia and to be completely clear on where
(20:16):
we stood.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
On this conflict.
Speaker 10 (20:18):
Instead, at every response, it felt like it was a
box ticking exercise. And Peter, I think the wider issue
for Labor is that it gives you an idea about
how many knots they've tied themselves in when it comes
to the Middle East. I mean every time that they've
backed in Palestine and Hamas and sort of condemned Israel
(20:38):
along the way when something like this happens, they've got
to come out. They've got to very quietly say, look,
we support what America is doing, but nothing really substantial.
And then you saw over the weekend protests in the
name of Iran and all that sort of thing. So look,
I think the whole thing was embarrassing. It was weak
leadership and once again a clet clear example Peter of
(20:59):
the PM just not being across his brief and having
no meat on the bone.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
I sort of feel that someone needs to pass in
a note, you know, a bit like you get in class,
to say, PM, just so you know, these guys are
Shia Muslims in Iran and they hate the Sudi Muslims,
which is just about everyone else.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
So the Saadis and the Egyptians and others are not.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Going to go on the record, but I'll tell you what, quietly,
they'd be pretty happy at what's happened in relation to
Iran and the risk of nuclear war. It feels to
me that he only has a rudimentary understanding of most
of these issues. That press conference today was abbreviated.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
He was just reading.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
From his notes, and that blocking response about unilateral.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Action, it couldn't get out of there fast enough.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
I mean, I'm sure the gallery you guys sat there
afterwards and thought what.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
The heck was that about.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
I had to nearly buster hamstring getting back on the telly,
so I didn't have much time to think. Peter, I
got to say, but on that point, you're right in
terms of Look, I think the judgment call. And I
do go back to this because I think this is
the critical cog in the thinking of the government, is
they want to keep their head down and stay out
of this. We've seen the United States in the last
(22:12):
few hours, even earlier this morning, issue a warning basically
to its citizens around the world saying be on a
higher level of alert because Iran or its proxies or
its sympathizers might try and target you. So the US
is on a significantly higher alert as a response to this.
And look, it is an unpredictable scenario. Could there be
under the Trump administration different expectations of its allies, including
(22:36):
Australia that we don't know, and we know that a
request hasn't come yet for Australian involvement. But I do
keep mentioning that idea of the government not thinking we're
a critical part of it, probably not wanting to be
a critical part of it. But the question, and I
think your question touches on the heart of this, Peter,
could the United States, under an unpredictable president, ask Australia
(22:58):
or other allies to play a bigger in this If
that question or request does come, we don't know it will,
it hasn't yet, but if it does, that would be
a very different kind of test for the alliance.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Okay, well, I'll just tell you Cam and I'm sure
Tony have it. We'll back it up with a lot
more detail than me because he was there at the.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Time when we all bombed. The West bombed the.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
But Jesus out of Islamic state, Australia was involved. We
were part of the targeting mission. We had planes in
the sky, we were refueling the JITs. We were there
in terms of assessing payload and targeting. We had special
forces in the region. I mean we have been involved before,
we are in this. I mean every time the UN
(23:38):
has a vote, we're on the wrong side of history
in relation to Israel. I mean this idea that Australia
just on the map is a long way away is wrong.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
We have as many interests in the Straits.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Of Horn moves as everybody else does about world trade.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
I mean, we are in the middle of this now.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
I'm not saying again we should have been warned, but
by God, we can't just put our head under the
bed and hide away on Sunday and think it all
just goes away. And I think this just goes to
the grave weakness of this Prime minister. And I know
Australians have just voted the bloke back in, but I
still maintain he is not up to the job. It
was the forty last night. If it was a concert,
(24:15):
if he was out there playing DJ, he'd happily do that.
But to turn up to NSC and sort this out
and give Australians confidence given all the ructions we've got,
I mean, James Willis, we've got an Islamist type of
Muslim hate.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Preacher, if I can call him that.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Reportedly in Australia he can get a visa, but an
Israeli speaker can't. We've got problems in mosques in Western Sydney.
I mean, we're a tinderbox in this country and our
Prime Minister should be there giving people assurance.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
But he's not is he James, He's just not no.
Speaker 10 (24:50):
And those examples that you've articulated and we've spoken about previously,
Peter on the money and what should concern a lot
of Australians about the growing fabric of this society and
every time that we've allowed more people to come to
this country, and you know, a growing number of people
from different religions that may have escaped war torn countries.
A lot of people can come here and forget the
(25:12):
horrors of the other side of the world. Sadly some
people can't. And that's where we see once again on
the weekend. You know, you had a pro Palestinian protests
in Sydney. There are a lot of people there in
support of Iran and it does rightly make people scared,
particularly when we've articulated before the link between radical religion
and terrorism in this country. And I think, to be honest,
(25:35):
this is going to be the greatest test so far
of the PM's leadership. I think the last term he
was able to just skirt around the edges Squibet sort
of go through these press conferences pointing at people and
getting through. This is a whole new game, and based
on today's example, I'm very, very concerned about the way
that he's going to handle this and on the alliance
over all, Peter, I think we're either all in this
(25:56):
or we're not.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
If we're signing up to orcus.
Speaker 10 (25:58):
If we've been close allies to the US and the
UK for decades now, in great battles over the years,
well then I'm sorry, but we can't put our heads
in the sand on this one even and waiting until
it's too late. We've got to be all in and
decide today what the way forward is and not just
simply say well, I hope this goes away in a heartbeat.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Good and said it better. Thank you gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Right coming up at the break, how exactly did the
US pull off what has been one of the most
significant military strikes in generations. Plus inevitably Iran will retaliate,
but what will that scale be like? And what does
this mean too for the Middle East and all out war.
(26:45):
Welcome back to the come Tony Abbott his taken America's
historic strikes against Iran.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
We'll also discuss his new book.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
He's got a new book about Australia's history without the
Black Armband view and a real surprise for Sky News viewers.
Stick with me, go into all the details of what's
been a momentous weekend, not just obviously for the Middle East,
but for the wider world and also interestingly today up
in the Northern Territory, Australia is involved in US joint
(27:13):
exercises Talisman Saber. It's called There was supposed to be
a press conference but it was abruptly canceled, picked up
of course by our bureau chief up there, Matt Cunningham,
and then of course we had the Prime Minister's press
conference and a whole lot of blocking. As we've talked
about a lot of answers. Someone who has some answers
for us, the Director of Strategic Analysis Australia, Michael Shubride,
(27:35):
who joins me. Now I want to get into the
nuts and bolts of operation in Dynhammer, because I find
it absolutely fascinating, Michael, But just for a moment, let's
talk about the Prime Minister's response today that press conference
and as I said, those blocking lines of just unilateral
action by the United States and absolutely no detail. He
called it over as quick as he could and just
(27:56):
scarp it out of the room.
Speaker 11 (27:59):
Yes, he really was like some mondy python parrot sketch
where he was just parroting what Penny Wong had said
earlier in the day and he had nothing else left.
But while he was desperate not to say anything about
national security and told us he couldn't what a contrast
with how much we heard from the Americans about a
(28:19):
far more sensitive operational activity. And he spoke about Pine
Gap like it wasn't a joint facility and he barely
knew what might be going on there. So unfortunately, even
after the National Security Committee meeting, he was.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Completely out of his depth.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Yeah, I thought exactly the same thing. And he's a
joint facility PM, not just a you know, a US
asset in our own country. So talk to me about
sort of the operational detail at Midnight Hammer, because clearly,
and I mentioned this at the top of the show,
those lines about that two week grace that Donald Trump
put on the table maybe feel very despondent.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
On the weekend, I thought, here we go again.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
They'll get close to wiping out in Iran's nuclear capability,
but they won't finish it off. But here he was
on Sunday and they went public with what seven B
two bombers, one hundred and twenty five warplanes, precision weaponry.
They were in and they were out before the world
woke up.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Extraordinary. I think I've got a bit of a grab
there to play.
Speaker 12 (29:22):
Let's listen, we devastated the Iranian nuclear program. The operation
did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people. Tran
is certainly calculating the reality that planes flew from the
middle of America and Missouri overnight completely undetected over three
of their most highly sensitive sits.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
And of course, remember they put out some messaging to
say that there were bombers going through Guam, so we
all looked towards Guam, but of course they were coming
around the other way as well and into this strike.
I mean, you tell me what you thought of it all,
but I think it's extraordinary.
Speaker 11 (29:58):
Well, Peter, it was an elaborate, the very successfully orchestrated
global mission. You're right, there was the deception effort to
have everyone watching b two bombers preposition in Guam. Meanwhile,
they flew the bombers that did the attack. As we
heard from Pete, Hexit flew directly from continental America to
the Middle East. They had to meet up with air
(30:19):
to we refuelers that came out of parts of Europe.
Short arranged fighters, things like F fifteen's and F thirty
fives flew into Iranian airspace. The fighters were in front,
suppressing any remaining Iranian air defense. The Iranians didn't see
them coming in. The B two pilots would have rehearsed
the kind of facility, the exact facility and its design
(30:39):
and layout that they bombed. They bombed with multiple of
those massive penetrator bombs. Seven aircraft let fourteen of them
loose over those sites, and then they left and the
Iranians didn't even know they'd turned up, but were coping
with the damage.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
So extraordinary sophistication here. How will we know? We know
it was a success in that they came in, they.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
Bombed, and they got out alive, But how do we
know how much we have have set back their nuclear ambitions?
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Where will we know that? Well?
Speaker 11 (31:18):
We know something now because there's been early satellite imagery
of these damage to the three sites s Fahan Natans
and that one buried so deep under the mountain at
fourdo it looks like there's extensive structural damage to all
three that means that a lot of the technical equipment
and facilities around needs to enrich uranium and then manufacture
(31:41):
it into the kind of uranium metal you stick on
the top of a warhead has been lost. But it's
quite likely that the Uranians have dispersed some of their
around four hundred kilograms of sixty percent enriched uranium before
the strikes.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
So that could be moved somewhere in country, you presume,
or potentially buried in other bunkers.
Speaker 11 (32:04):
I'd say they would disperse that because they're feeling extremely vulnerable.
They know Israeli's moss At intelligence agency has penetrated the
Iranian regime comprehensively. They know that they've lost control of
their airspace that's under Israeli control, so there's there are
very few places they can hide now.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
But this is small amount of stuff, Okay, So we
know that they're militias under pressure, the hoodies and others.
We know hes Blah, which is one of their agents.
So ren Levanon and inter Syria of courses is monumentally degraded.
So they're down to what they've got in their own country.
There's been hits to their scientists, there's been hits to
(32:47):
their guard leadership and their intelligence leadership. We know the
eyetoler is in hiding what happens now because Trump in
the last few hours is sort of amped up the
discussion of regime Chaine. That wasn't there yesterday, it appears
to be there now. Give us your best take here here.
Speaker 11 (33:05):
Michael, Well, Peter, I don't think we're going to see
regime change soon. I think they're the regimes in a
world of hurt over the medium term though, because they're
so they've looked so powerless, out of control and humiliated.
You're right, the Supreme leader is hiding away at a bunker.
He's using no electronics to communicate. That means he's on
(33:27):
the backfoot understanding what is going on. He's also on
the back foot in giving any orders in instructions. But
the Iranian military has a range of short range rockets
and missiles that can reach to US bases around the region.
They're much closer than Israel, and they could do nasty,
low tech things in the straits of Homer's, like float
(33:47):
sea mines there to disable the world's energy supply. There
are things they can do.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Right, Let's just step back and look at sort of
the UN as input in as it is, and this
discuss that was had, there was a convening of a
meeting of the Security Council over the weekend they can
need even if the Prime Minister can't get out of bed,
and there was talking that this was somehow a breach
of international law. China pushed this pretty hard.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
Have a listen.
Speaker 13 (34:14):
Australia condemns the US attacks. Aren't Iran for nuclear facilities
under the siffgues of the A. The actions of the
United States are seriously violent the purposes and principles of
the UN, tatar and the international law, as well as
in RAN's sovereignty, security and territory in Cheguty.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
So that comment there from China, we know obviously they've
been supportive today Iran. We know that the Ranian Foreign
ministers on his way to Russia. The Russian government condemned
the strikes as well, saying they will negotiate with Tehran.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
International law being breached.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Where I see things will go now with China and
Russia potentially.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Well.
Speaker 11 (35:00):
Isn't it interesting that the regimes who have a habit
of breaking international law repeatedly are the ones that seem
to hold it most dearly at this point, so the
supporters of Iran and Putin is dependent on Iran for
some of his drone supplies, and Beijing breaking every international
(35:20):
law whenever they feel like it. They both now have
an attack of principle. This action was to remove an
active threat to the region, but also to Israel, and
Israel's in direct conflict with Iran, so I think there's
a legitimacy there. At the same time, we shouldn't be
surprised that the rules based global order is extremely damaged
(35:42):
and probably over.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
Just quickly before we go.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
I mean, I'm really critical that the Prime Minister yesterday
admits he wasn't warned.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
I don't expect Australia would be.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
But having not been warned, does nothing about finding out
what on Earth's gone on with his most significant Australia's
most significant ally until convening an NSC this morning.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Why on earth wouldn't you have had.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
CDF and others in for briefing yesterday? Why would there
have been no NSC meeting until today.
Speaker 11 (36:12):
Mister Albanezi, through his whole term first term failed to
take national security seriously. He's doing the same in the
second term. So which he's not a national security leader
and in the dangerous world wherein that's a real indictment.
I agree, not getting briefed is bizarre. There are thousands
of Australians living in the region trying to get home.
(36:34):
He's just sent hundreds of ADF personnel into a very dangerous,
vulnerable situation at that big air base in our minhat.
He seems not to grasp the Australian interests at stake here.
Speaker 3 (36:48):
Not wrong, I'll over there, thank you, Michael Shabrich. How
to the break Tony Abbatt.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
We'll talk about this, of course, but his new book
to exploring Australia's history, A proud history, a good history,
history we should learn, not try and by, and a
very special surprise too for.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Sky News viewers.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Welcome about coming up of Australia's shocking place in the
tax rankings internationally. We'll get to those in a moment,
but first, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting
following the US strikes on Iran. The Secretary General of
the UN, Antonio Guteris quick to criticize the strikes, posting
on X on Sunday that he was gravely alarmed by
(37:28):
the use of force from the United States, it claimed
it posed a direct threat to international peace and security.
Joined me now to discuss this and more Former Prime
Minister Tony Abbott.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
Well, Tony will start there.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
With a broad question, if I can, why was this
US action necessary?
Speaker 1 (37:49):
Well, as usual, the UN has got it wrong. It
is Iranian nuclear weapons, potential Iranian nuclear weapons that are
the threat world peace. And thank God for Israel, thank
God for the United States. Donald Trump has done what
many of his predecessors have talked about but never acted upon.
(38:12):
He has taken decisive action to ensure that Iran never
ever gets a nuclear weapon. And frankly, the world will
be a much safer place without Iranian nuclear weapons.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Yeah. I think we spoke over the weekend.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
I feared that the President would go the way of
his predecessors and talk tough as they have going all
the way back to Clinton about the nuclear ambitions of
Iran and do nothing, and particularly when he gave them
that two week window. But that's not what's happened. And
I want to make particular mention. I think Israel really
forced the United States hand. I mean it went in
(38:50):
bravely for a week and took out a lot of
the air defense systems, and America went in and finished
the job. And the Israelis tonight in Tel Aviv, they're
in their shelters.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
They're bearing the brunt of this.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
Look, I was apprehensive, like you, Peter, But it seems
that President Trump apprehends that the Islamist, the apocalyptic Islamist
dictatorship in Tehran. Dealing with them is not like doing
a New York property deal. You cannot do deals with
(39:27):
apocalyptic dictators. You cannot do deals with people who are
hell bent on your destruction. I think the President has
appreciated that, and good on him and good on his
administration for doing what's necessary and acting so powerfully to
(39:48):
secure peace through strength and to support their brave ally Israel.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
I think what a lot of people won't realize too,
chiny is Shia Iran is not just out to have
a global caliphate and you know, send Christians to the
Lions and you know all the other references we've heard
for many, many years. But they also want to wipe
out the other Sunni Muslim nations in the region. And
(40:18):
of course they'd privately if not, they can't say it publicly.
They'd probably be pretty supportive of what's happened over the weekend,
wouldn't they.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Absolutely, Look, the Gulf States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt will all
be quietly cheered by this. If Iran ever did get
a nuclear weapon, and please God, this will now never
ever happen, and who knows down the track, we might
even get regime change, which would be wonderful. But if
(40:49):
Iran did get a nuclear weapon, almost immediately, Saudi would
go health for leather to get one, the Turks would
go health for leather to get one, and the whole
idea of nuclear non proliferation would be dead in the
most dangerous part of the world. So really, what happened
(41:12):
on the weekend is a big, big step towards a
much safer world. And it's a sign that America under
President Trump will not be trifled with. And this will
very much be noticed in the other rogue capitals, particularly
in Moscow and particularly in Beijing.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
I got to ask you, because I've been pretty critical
tonight of the Prime Minister who didn't call it NFC
yesterday when this all broke. He says he was not warned.
Australia didn't have a heads up. I mean, does that
surprise you because I know with you and we were
in the theater in the Middle East when we were
involved obouly in Islamic State, Australia was involved, assets were involved.
You had NSC meet day and night, on weekends whenever
(41:55):
it was required. I just think it's a shocking look
that we didn't hear from our Prime minister until today.
Speaker 1 (42:02):
Look what happened today was of a peace with what's
been happening ever since twenty twenty two. Under this government,
Australia has been in retreat from the wider world. And
the most obvious sign of that was about eighteen months
ago when the Albanese government refused to send a frigate
(42:24):
to the Red Sea. And this was the first time
since the Anzas Treaty in nineteen fifty one that Australia
had turned down a specific request from America for military help.
The other big problem is that under this government it's
almost as if there's this even handedness in Canberra between
(42:47):
the United States and China. And given that one is
a democracy and our greatest ally, the other is a
dictatorship which is bent on regional and ultimately global hegemony.
I just think this is both wrong and strange.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
All right, I'm going to play a bit of a
treat for my viewers at home, because I know you've
got a book, But what most people do not know
is you've also got a wonderful documentary being filmed at
the moment that will soon air on Sky News. Let's
have a little look here as an exclusive.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
I try to think of what it would have been
like for the fifteen hundred souls on board the first
fleet coming into this harbor all those years ago. Apprehension, anticipation, relief.
Speaker 3 (43:43):
I don't think.
Speaker 1 (43:44):
Anyone can ever get tired of the harbor like this.
I'm sure that being here would have excited even in
them a feeling of hope.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
Right, that's a sneak peak for the documentary. But let's
talk about the Let's talk about the book on which
it will be based. It's a history book about Australia.
This is a big endeavor, Tony Abbott. Why would you
write a book and why do you think it's so
important that it be a book about the history of
our nation?
Speaker 1 (44:17):
Well, Peter, all too often over the last few decades
we've had the black armband view of Australia's history. Now
it's not all good, but gee whiz, there is so
much more to be proud of than to be ashamed of.
And having, i guess, been at the apex of our government,
(44:40):
having seen so much of the Australian people up close
and personal over my life and particularly in my public life,
I just think it's time for a better story to
be told. And I certainly don't believe in standing by
and seeing our country run down people who should know better.
(45:01):
And that's why this proud history should be told, and
frankly it should be much better known and much more appreciated.
Speaker 2 (45:14):
Good on you, Tony, have it. The book will come
out obviously in a couple of months time. The documentary,
I think is by the end of the year. We'll
see it here on Sky News. But it's all out
there now in the public domain. I know you've been
working on it, slaving over it for many, many months,
so I'm delighted we could talk about it tonight.
Speaker 3 (45:29):
Thanks for your time, Tony.
Speaker 2 (45:31):
After the break, we'll have a quick break. I've got
a panel, lots of issues, well right out of time,
but we'll do our best.
Speaker 3 (45:37):
See then, welcome back.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
Let's bring in my panel, that says Lucy's Zelic broadcaster
of course, and James Ashby Pollenhansen's One Nation Chief of
Staff revelations today. James Ashby that adding all our federal
and state government post taxes and levies into the mix,
we are now the second high best country in the
whole of the OCD in terms of tax only beaten,
(46:05):
I'm afraid by Columbia.
Speaker 3 (46:07):
It's a shocking indictment of where we are.
Speaker 2 (46:09):
And if you listen to that speech from the Treasurer
last week, he's going to go back at it again.
We've got more taxes to come because labor can't manage money.
Speaker 14 (46:23):
It's a shocking indictment, isn't it when you think about it.
Governments should act more like farmers. In my opinion. Farmers
they get the conditions right, they can grow anything. And
unfortunately we haven't got the conditions right in this country
and that's why business is very sluggish. That's why people
are not getting employed, they're getting more likely laid off
under this government. And look, I just say this, One
(46:45):
Nation would strongly support the deregulation of business, regulation and
so many other red tape, green tape, blue tape, the
black tape that's imposed upon them by state and federal governments,
and of course, reduce the taxes on people, like payroll tax.
We've seen an increase to wages, but guess what, none
(47:05):
of the states lifted the threshold on payroll tax. All
these things are crippling business and for once, we just
want a government that will listen to small and medium
business to get it right, create the right environment and
you can grow this economy.
Speaker 3 (47:21):
Lucie.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
There's been a few stories around in the last couple
of months about IVF and some horrific examples that will
work their way through the courts of families getting the
wrong embryo and other things. But a story of the
weekend really struck me. A woman she was a woman
who was conceived via a dona has found out she's
got something like seventy seven other siblings. Now I've thought
(47:44):
we had regulation in this industry. Her biological fathers donated
more than three hundred times. I thought this wasn't allowed
in Australia. This really shocked me.
Speaker 8 (47:54):
Shock the but Jesus out of me too, Peter, because
the interesting thing about this story is that this is
not the first time that we're learning about this. So Lyndall,
who's the focal point of this particular story, her half sister,
Alexandra Eccles. She came out last year and actually shared
her story about how she discovered that Lindall was her
half sibling, and at the time that only had about,
(48:16):
at least that they knew of at the time, a
roughly thirty half siblings. Now this is skyrocketed to seventy
seven now. Three decades ago, there was no limit on
how many times a sperm donor could donate, and they
had a real emphasis on anononymity, which is really crazy
in and of itself when you consider that much of
the regulations were left to these particular clinics and services. Well,
(48:37):
only in November last year did they actually pass legislation
in Queensland to introduce an official register where we can
have some regulation. But it really begs the question why
we don't have an overall federal register for these people
who we're anticipating. Now this is just the tip of
the iceberg for how much grief I'll have to go
through in learning how many half siblings they have, and
(48:59):
also the risk to insist, Yeah, you're.
Speaker 2 (49:04):
Spot on let's go to growing concerns about foreign takeover
of our big energy giant, Santos. This is an ABU
Derby consortium involving obviously some state owned players there as well.
Speaker 3 (49:18):
James.
Speaker 2 (49:19):
The government of course has got to approve this deal,
but we're getting sort of mixed messages from the Treasurer
when he's asked some questions, where's one nation on this.
Speaker 14 (49:30):
Well, we don't support it, Peter. And the reason for
that is because we have to look at what's in
the best interest of Australia. And right now we're on
the very verge of importing gas rather than exporting, because
we export far too much of what we pull out
of the ground ourselves. So we have to take a
very very strong stance on protecting Australia's energy security moving forward.
(49:53):
And I think by selling this off it just weakens
this country, particularly as I say, when it's a fine
you're an investor, well, I know we've got forty percent
of people already, the investors from overseas, but the large
majority investors a mum and dads here at Australia. We
don't want to lose vital industry like our gas and
unfortunately one nation wouldn't support the sell off of Santos.
Speaker 3 (50:18):
Not wrong. I'll leave it there.
Speaker 2 (50:19):
Thank you both for the tonight and apologies for my
shortened period of time with the panel. I just want
to say tonight too. Last night I was an event
with the Jewish Melbourne and your bravery is incredible given
all you've gone through in the last couple of years,
but also your wonderful welcome to me last night was
on such a momentous day in history in the Middle East.
Speaker 3 (50:40):
Was just lovely. Thank you for your time. Then that's
it for me.
Speaker 2 (50:44):
James mcfirst and filling in for Andrew Bolt up next
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