From the skying in Center.
This is Paul Murray Live.
Well, welcome to Paul Murray Live.
James Macpherson here in Paul's man k for the first time, which I'm very excited to be keeping the seat warm for Paul who returns tomorrow.
Big show coming up.
Bronwin Bishop and Stephen Conroy join us as Albanezy fails to meet the moment yet again. A staff member for Marine Ferouki has been counseled for suggesting the fire bombing of the Melbourne Synagogue may have been a quote Zionist false flag in Labour's latest desperate cash splash to help their falling poll numbers. Now it's always a risk to
start off with a joke, but here we go. One day, the UN Secretary General proposed that, in the interest of global peace and harmony, the world's soccer players should all come together and form one United Nations global soccer team. Everyone loved the idea until someone asked the obvious question, A global soccer team. That's fantastic, but who are we going to play again?
Well, the UN.
Secretary General said, that's easy. We'll play against Israel. Of course, it's an old joke that contains a grain of truth, although it's starting to look more like the whole loaf, isn't it. Our government, motivated as always by political advantage rather than by principle, has played a dangerous game with anti Semitism in these past fourteen months.
They've reacted to every instance of.
Due hatred with one eye on how their response will play in the marginal seats of western Sydney where they're anxious not to lose Muslim votes, but.
In trying to walk both sides of the fence.
For more than a year, they've refused to condemn anti Semitism without also condemning Islamophobia, even when there's no instance of Islamophobia to point to. All they've done is fan the flames of anti Semitism, and now we've got spot fires, as in literal fires, pretty much everywhere. With the country still reeling from the fire bombing of a Melbourne synagogue in the early hours of Friday, we woke to yet
another anti Semitic attack this morning around one am. Two masked men drove a stolen car to Sydney's eastern suburbs, where they set it on fire and painted anti israel slogans across the walls of homes. I should point out how dumb these idiots are. They can't even spell Israel. What hope they understand the geopolitical situation in the Middle East. New South Wales Premier Chris Mins, I have to say, is proving himself to be a very unusual labor leader.
He canceled all other appointments this morning and went straight to the scene of the attack. Now, of course, if he'd been the Prime Minister, he would have played a round of Tennyson shown up next week.
What is obviously a shocking morning in Sydney's East as we respond to what we regard as a hate crime on the streets of Sydney, a violent act of destruction, clearly anti Semitic, designed to strike fear into the community that lives in this part of Sydney. I want to make it clear that this is antithetical and completely opposite to the kind of community and society that we one in Australia in twenty twenty four. This violent act will be met with the full response from New South Wales.
Please a full response from New South Wales police. I like Chris Mins, but I'll believe it when I see it. What chance police will deal with today's episode of anti Semitism when they haven't.
Yet dealt with Mondays.
I want to remind you, because things move so fast at the moment, that less than forty eight hours after the terror attack on the Rippon Lee Synagogue, dozens of men flooded onto the streets of Canterbury Bankstown, citing Mohammed's slaughter of Jews in the seventh century and chanting, O Jews, the army of Mohammad will return, and police.
Are still investigate.
I'm still waiting for police to do something about that sheik who gloated on the streets of Sydney that the Hamas slaughter of twelve hundred.
Israelis was a day of victory.
Remember that guy, How is celebrating the murder of civilians by terrorists, not showing support for a terrorist organization. How is not not incitement to even more violence. There's more chance of getting you two hundred and seventy five dollars power bill reduction than seeing anyone charged or deported for incitement right now, I know it, You know it. But here's the most telling thing. Pro Palestinian supporters. They know it as well. And if you want proof of how
little respect there is for the law right now. There was a small but very telling incident this morning. While New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb was in the middle of talking about the latest attack on Jews, a passerby interrupted with a shout of free Palestine.
High visible police presence were actually we're actually taking.
I can't believe that you've got the Commissioner of Police, you've got the New Southwales Premier standing right behind her, and a passer by feels at liberty while they're talking about attack on Jews. A passer by feels the liberty to yell out free Palestine. That's a pretty big middle finger to the police commissioner and the Premier. Pro Palestinian protesters don't respect the police clearly, but it's because the police don't do anything. And when police do something, well,
it's more likely that they're doing something to Jews. Just last week, pro Palestinian protesters rallied against Sydney's Great Synagogue, trapping worshipers inside for almost three hours. Police left the protesters in place, but do you know who they moved on? A Jew who dared to waive an Israeli flag.
Go go, Wait, you're going way and you go away. I would I think pagan idea.
No I need to be here, The police officer tells the Jewish person, You've got no right to be here, while one hundred or so protesters are barricading everybody inside the synagogue. You just can't make this stuff up. Now pro Palestinian protesters they take note of these things, and they become even more emboldened. Still, at least Chris Mins is calling things out, even if not much is being done.
He was asked whether this morning's graffiti kill Israel was anti Semitic or fair commentary on the political situation in the Middle East.
I think that we would be unnecessarily splitting hairs now if we suggested this was not anti semitic, and I think doing a disservice to our other responsibility here and standing up unambiguously to these forms of racism and violence. If we start splitting hairs this morning and I fronted a press conference where I said, oh, look, I'm not sure whether this was anti semitic when blind Freddie can
see that it was. I think that would send the exact opposite message that this press conference is meant to gave.
A well if only blind Freddie worked for the ABC. Instead, they had comedian Chris Taylor hosting Sydney Radio this morning.
Just on your wording in your statements this morning, what's your reasoning for branding the attack anti Semitic and not anti Israel? How do you make a distinction.
I mean, I think we would have to be willful at this point to turn a blind eye to that sequence of event and suggested to anything other than an anti Semitic attack.
So if you're calling it anti Semitic rather than just a political anti Israel statement, what you've been in public life a long time, would you say anti Semitism is at an all time high in your experience?
Yes, I would.
Seriously, the big question for Federal Labor is whether or not they've been enabling anti Semitism with their anti Israel foreign policy and inflammatory rhetoric against the world's only Jewish state. I'm still shaking my head in amazement that while Anthony Albanezi was at the fire bomb synagogue desperately trying to assure Jewish Australians that the government has their back. That's Elbow's catchphrase for the upcoming election. We've got your back.
While he's saying that to Jewish people in Melbourne, his Foreign Minister Penny Wong is in South Australia, lumping the democratic State of Israel in the same basket of deplorables as communist China and authoritarian Russia.
We expect Russia to by international law and end it's illegal and full scale war on Ukraine. We expect China to buy by international legal decisions in the South China see we expect Israel by by international law.
Now Pennywong claims that's not anti Semitic, but to steal a line from the New South Wales premiere, Blind Freddie can see that it's pretty disingenuous to put Israel in a police line up with Russia and China and claim you can't tell the difference. The PM was asked today whether he supported Penny Wong's comments, and Albanezy said that Senator Wong quote knows about racism, and as someone who quote understands very firsthand the damage racism can cause, it's.
A curious thing to say.
Does he mean that because Senator Wong is Asian, it's impossible for her to be biased against Israel. It doesn't even make sense. Chris Mins isn't so stupid. When asked about Senator Wong's incendiary comments, he replied like this.
I'm not going to on your program this morning the democratic state of Israel with the actions of Russia. I'm not going to do that, and I don't believe that's the case.
It's a pity that Chris Mens can't be the Premier, the Prime Minister and the foreign minister. And while we're at it, let's give him Tony Burke's job as well.
We don't have a position as a nation that international law is a pick and choos thing.
It's something that should be abided by by every nation in the world.
Oh does Tony Burke think we're idiots? How many times have you heard the Albanesi government call out China.
I've said a number of times that will cooperate with China where we can, we'll disagree where we muster.
That's about as tough as our government gets on a communist.
Nation that hit us with twenty billion.
Dollars worth of trade sanctions for daring to question the origin of COVID, and that has regularly harassed our air
force and our navy while hugging China. Federal Labor demands Israel and negotiate a ceasefire with terrorists, as if the State of Israel and Hamas are equals, and our government supports an international court ruling which names the democratically elected leader of Israel, Benjamin Netanya, who as a war criminal, alongside the now de ceased leader of Hamas, as if they're peas in a pod.
It is not anti Semitic to expect that Israel should comply with international law that applies to all countries.
Give me a break.
Liberal Senator Dave Sharma stated the obvious about Labour's anti Israel foreign policy.
We've seen them continually use, including Penny Wong in recent days, inflammatory language about Israel and demonization of Israel, which is completely at odds with our foreign policy, completely disproportionate, but has the effect of basically green lighting some of the violence and hatred we're seeing on our streets.
Well, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanezi toured Sydney's Holocaust Museum this afternoon, and I must say he was looking weary and exasperated. In other words, he looked like the rest of us feel. He was asked if the level of anti Semitism had reached crisis level.
Have A listened to his response, This is horrific. It is something that.
Is I think quite shocking. The fact that you've had two incidents.
Here, the fact that we've had two incidents Prime Minister, We've had fourteen months worth of incidents.
Holocaust survivors came to Australia because we are a tolerant country and we need a whole of government, a whole of society as well, effort to make sure this is stamped out.
We need a whole of government effort.
Well, mister Albanezi, you're the leader of the whole of the government, so you know anytime you like. Well, let's get into the debate now with former Speaker of the House Bromwin Bishop who joins me on set, and former Labor Senator Stephen Conroy.
Welcome to you both.
I don't think it's possible to overstate just how worried Jewish Australians are right now at the level of animosity being shown towards them on what seems like a daily basis. Have A listened to my Sky News colleague Kenny Heatley chatting with a Jewish Australian in Sydney's East this morning.
There's a very big difference between what's happening here now and what happened in the thirties nineteen thirties in Europe. But this is the start of what could end up in a crazy situation.
So obviously the pressure now, as I said, is on the Albanezy government to show some leadership, and bizarrely, at a press conference today he chose to wheel out this line.
On Saturday, I visited a synagogue, went to my first bar mitzvah there in Perth.
Brom Win Anthony Albaneze he went to his first bar mitzvah. Is this supposed to make Jewish people feel like he's got their back.
He's more likely to do them back. I mean, seriously, the man has no leadership at all. And when I saw the vision of him in Melbourne with those people at that synagogue, I looked at his face, a lesson to the tone of his voice, and I've never seen a man sending signals of I don't want to be here at all. I mean, he and his government, of which Penny Wong is taking a lead in this matter, are so have let by accident or design, and I suspect design have let the abomination, and that's what it is,
an abomination of anti Semitism almost be normalized. Yes, we have Chrismins coming up with wonderful words, but you pointed out quite brightly, as I have done, also that that police minister has no respect for what Mens is saying and there is no action accordingly from the police. So he has worked out, of course, that the election is
getting closer and closer. He's realized that he's under attack, but his disgraceful behavior with regard to the handling of the situation, and he feels, oh dear, I better try and ameliorate that. So he had to go at that, went to Melbourne, went to the Jewish Museum, had a press conference there, and then along the way.
He actually didn't have a press conference there. He made a very brief statement then then left without taking any questions.
Quite right, thank you for the correction. But also we've just put out an announcement that he's going to spend another four four, one hundred and fifty million dollars on childcare. As to trying to divert the attention, so let's try and make an appeasement with the Jewish community and let's changed the topic to get to childcare. It is so pathetic to watch a man who has no backbone at all.
Steven, you're you're a labor man.
Surely you're tearing your hair out albans is just I mean, it's misstep after misstep, isn't it.
Well, I think you've you've unfortunately just left out a few key elements of the Prime Minister's response. Over the last couple of weeks. In particular, there's been a substantial increase in funding for protections at Jewish schools, a substantial increase in funding now for protection of synagogues. We've seen the establishment of the police task Force into antisemitism. We've had a creation of a suggestion an advisor, an advisor
for anti Semitism and Jillian Siegel. So I think, unfortunately, the way you've the way you've described the circumstance is.
Not just a full set of facts.
I mean, yes, there are things that are disappointed I don't and never have supported. I'm going to argued against the recognition votes on the floor of the un are not positions I've advocated or supported in the past. And I don't fully support all of them at the moment, but I think it's just a little unfair to try and say, oh, here's this, is this is this without putting the other things on the table. When your view is to actually understand that ameliorate.
It, doesn't ameliorate it at all. I mean, look at this lovely photograph of Albanisi with his friend Corbyn, and it's not a Loane photograph. There are lots of photographs of them together. This moment called.
Photographs of you, Malcolm Turnbull, that there are photographs.
Leadership anti semitic. I don't think you are, are you? The point I'm making is that Corbyn is a disgraceful anti Semitic and here is Albanisi with him, and there are lots of photographs with him. The point I.
Malcolm or Turnbull, No, everyone's got embarrassing photos. I've probably even got one with you, brom when that people might want to make fun of. So I just don't think.
Hold, I don't, I don't before tactics are going to work getting away from the fact of the matter that the Prime Minister is a week leader who has has allowed anti Semitism to become normalized where people are no longer shocked by many of the things that are going on. And that's an appalling situation to get I think, and that's the why it was in Germany in the early nineteen thirties. That's exacutive.
Australian creeps, absolutely discremental, absolutely disgusted with what is going on at the moment.
And then why why.
Are we continuing to see people crying from the river to the sea if they're so disgusted, Because that means kill the Jews and give us.
The average Australia. I know, I know exactly Australian.
Don't count, which Australians don't count.
Sorry to unwind the bun, and wind the bun, it's it's starting to affect you. Just take the pressure off the bun because it's starting to affect you that you're actually, don't.
Try making sense, I make making sense.
I said, I'm trying to actually agree with you that the average I'm not defending the indefensible average Australian out there is disgusted, and I agree with them. I've said consistent. Have they permitted anyone who wants to march, anyone who wants to march in rallies where from the river to the sea is being chanted. Needs to understand front and center that is about the destruction of the state of Israel and cannot be tolerated and no absolutely consistent.
Let me let me jump in here, Stephen, because one of the things that I've noticed over the last couple of days, in fact for longer than that, is Chris Min's the new South Wales premieer. He does seem to provide be providing decent leadership. You mentioned some of the things that Anthony alban Eazy has and it's true he's done some things, but I mean he called it a terrorist attack after Peter Dutton had done so. He turned up at the Melbourne Synagogue after Peter Dutton had done so.
He announced a task force after Peter Dutton had done so. Chris Mins is making the Prime Minister look pretty average, isn't he.
Look?
I think Chris Mins is an outstanding premier and I congratulated him wholeheartedly in his responses. I think in that very first incident at the Sydney Opera House, the government was just caught you know, I won't say flat footed, but they were just caught by surprise. I think Mins since that day has made it his mission to send a very strong message across New South Wales that that sort of behavior is not acceptable and won't be accepted
by the government. There's been a raft of changes, it's a legislation, some at federal some at state level.
And I think the problem, Ice Stevens, we just haven't seen that sort of rolling intimidation. We haven't seen that sort of strength of leadership from Anthony Albanese and I think that's what everybody is reacting to.
I want to I want to be on to Penny Wong.
We played some of her comments earlier about you know, we expect China to obey international law, Russia to abe international law, and then she puts Israel in the same lineup. Do you think she should retract that comparison, Stephen.
I think if you and it was interesting. I hadn't seen the full clip before. I think it was interesting that she put context around those quotes, and in general the reporting has not given it the full context. Okay, so that's the first point. Secondly, the I think at this time it was an unfortunate bringing together of the
three countries. There is no question Israel is a democratic country, but as has been said consistently for fourteen months, it has to respect international law and how it conducts it's dealing with the trocity that was committed against it, and that is that is a not a remarkable statement. I think when you put it next to the Russian invasion, when you put it next to the Chinese flatting of international law, I think that's you know, just the timing
of that was not, you know, not ideal. But in terms of a statement that says we expect Israel to respect the international laws.
Stephen, about the see I take it, which we should never have.
I'm talking about how they conduct well, yes, well, what I'm talking about is how they conduct their legitimate retaliation against the Hamas Hezbala.
Stephen, You're right, right, just we expect it's legitimate.
You're right that we expect Israel to obey international law, as we expect every nation. But for her to say that in the context of Russia and China while Anthony Albanezi is responding to a terror attack against Jews in Melbourne, I mean, you're right, the timing was very unfortunate. Broman, Bishop, let me ask you this, do you think those comments are having an effect on what's happening domestically, the government's
comments about what's happening in the Middle East? Are they giving a green light, as Senator Sharma said to protesters here, to go hard against Australian.
Jess in a word, absolutely yes, and why would be? Why would be should we be surprised at her words? After all, in the vote in the United Nations, which totally supports Palestine and his auntie Israeli, she voted against ally the United States and voted with China and Russia. So why would we be surprised if she has them on her mind.
Well, if Labour's response to what's happening makes you shake your head, the Greens response will make your head come right off. A staff member for Marine Ferruki has been counseled for suggesting the fire bombing of the Melbourne Synagogue may have been a Zionist false flag and that Jews have quote done this before. Now, Stephen, this is Ferruki's
chief of staff who says now that the post you know. Rather, Ferruki says that her chief of staff post was inappropriate and ill advised, But I mean the Green's attitude towards Israel has been shocking all along, hasn't it.
Absolutely the Greens have become a deeply anti Semitic party. They should be called out for it every single day. Their positions that they've been advocating are just vile and it's no shock to see that this sort of language has been emanating from the Green's political party. They are vile. They should be you know, people should vote against them en masks. Their support is falling. They've taken a bath in Brisbane, They've taken a bath in the Act, they've
taken a bath in Victoria. So I think their electoral come up and is coming their way. Average Australians reject this sort of behavior by the Greens, and anybody else on the left of politics who wants to try and think that this is okay, they're going to suffer the same fate.
Then you and I are on the same same message absolutely with regard to the Greens. So why will the leb trying to expl so why will the Labor Party.
Anyone in the left of politics, why will you.
Accept their preference anti about this?
It's a secret ballot, as you have you kept informing me, it's a secret ballot.
No one really knows, Steve, And.
I want to ask you about this because Anthony Abbaneze was asked about it today at the press conference. Will Labor swat preferences with the Greens? And he said, well, that's not my decision, that's a party decision.
If the Greens are so bad.
Why wouldn't the Prime Minister just come out and say we will never deal with them. They are beyond reprehensible, as you've just said, So why wouln't the Prime Minister say no preferences for the Greens at all?
I think it's increasingly a difficult decision for Labor about whether it can preference the Greens when you see the sort of language, the sort.
Of wouldn't it be any decision.
And inciting and I think there is a challenge. And let's not forget Adam Bantt is only in Parliament because Victorian Liberal Party gave him preferences head of Labor. And you've seen other Greens candidates being elected on Labor on Green sorry on Liberal Party vote, so nobody is pure in this particular argument. I myself think it's getting increasingly hard to advocate inside the party that we should be
preferencing the grands. I think there'll be a very very significant debate inside the Labor Party about that.
Let's move on in the time we've got it.
I want to get to interest rates because I know a lot of people watching will be sweating on the RBA cutting rates at some point. Now they've kept interest rates on hold, but Michelle Bullock's presser did provide just enough encouragement for people to imagine that a rate cut might not be that far away. The board will meet again in February, so Anthony Albanzi might get one before
the election. But from when I wanted to ask you, one rate cut, do you think that will be enough to change people's minds on how they will vote, or does Anthony Albenze need a lot more than that to not be a one term wonder Well, I.
Think there are two points to make.
One.
I don't think there will be a cut before the election. It could be one if he continues to push it out. May maybe during an election.
The markets are saying it's a fifty to fifty chance now of a cut between the mark now and mate.
Mark's been the markets or commentators who operate in the baking field and be saying that for a long time and it hasn't happened. So I think it's unlikely it'll happen in February. And I think that one cut isn't going to make all that much difference. People are hurting and hurting badly. They're on the tipping point with mortgages. They can't afford the groceries. They can't afford their electricity bill, which is the main thing that is forcing everything up.
I went into the supermarket today and I noticed the rise in prices in just a week.
And trust me, I've noticed it too.
I've got two teenage boys I'm feeding, and I wish they'd eat a bit.
Less at the moment, so I can't afford to feed them.
Before we go to a break, I want to ask you, Steven and bromwin your winners and losers.
Of the week.
I'll start with you, Steven, who's your winner and loser of the year.
Rather, look, I think James Patterson has done exceptionally well over the last twelve months. I think he's lifted his profile. I think he's calm, he's consistent, and he pounds the government. So I'm I don't know James that, well, this is not like as a maine of mine, but I think he has been a start for the Liberal Party this year. I think the Victorian government continues to battle hard, and you know, I wish Tim Palace well in trying to
pull the Victorian budget into line. I think some of the projects that the Victorian government are currently committed to just need to be slowed down a little bit. So I would say that we need to work on here in Victoria, wanting to see some of those projects rephaced so that Tim Palace can continue to bring the budget back into a more sustainable position.
It was very generous of you, Steven, nominating a coalition member as the winner of the year when we've got to go to a break. But quickly before we do, who's your winner and loser of twenty twenty four.
Trump is the winner and Alban Easy is.
The Well we'll see next to you, won't we.
Thank you Bromwin, Bishop, thank you Steven Conroy, appreciate you joining me. Well, stick around because we've got much more after the break, including Labour's latest major cash splash on childcare. But is it enough to swing an election? We'll talk about that in just a moment. Welcome back to Paul Murray Live. I'm James macpherson filling in for Paul Murray. He'll be back tomorrow night. I want to get to our panel in just a moment and start with Labour's
long term universal childcare plan. They're really ramping up their efforts to starve off becoming a one term government at the next election. Now, the plan would mean every family earning less than five hundred and thirty thousand dollars a year, oh to be that family will be guaranteed access to at least three days of subsidized childcare a week. Take a look at the Prime Minister's cringe worthy attempt to sell Labour's childcare plan.
This is amazing, amazing, amazing.
Is very happy with our policies.
All right?
Joining me is Christy McSweeney and I've got David Limbrick as well. Great to have you guys. This childcare plan of the governments. I mean, you're going to get subsidized childcare if you're earning under five hundred and thirty thousand dollars a year as a family. Christie, it's pretty generous, isn't it.
It's extraordinarily generous, isn't it? And so what this actually does it abolishes Coalition Policy, which was what we call childcare activity test, which means to get the subsidies you have to be working, studying and training of volunteering. That's going to go now, and so essentially everybody is eligible up to over half a million. Now, let's just contrast this, will we When Tony Abbotts paid parental Policy, which was to salaries of one hundred and fifty thousand for people
to be paid six months. It was a national outrage.
It was too high, it was.
A disgraceful use of budget. Chris Bowen ranged against it at the time. Now, I don't think Australians are going to people earning a household income of five hundred and thirty thousand having access to tax payers salaries. The other thing the government's done, they're not calling it childcare, they're calling it early learning. And baked into this one billion dollar fund is a fifteen percent pay rise for childcare workers. More government spending, propping up the economy as they.
Like to do it.
Well, David, I heard somebody say, you know middle class welfare, this is upper class welfare.
Well, this is exactly middle and upper class welfare. I mean, there's a general principle here that if you're paying tax, it sort of doesn't really make sense that you're also receiving welfare. And I think that's the prime problem here. What we really need to do is get rid of these subsidies altogether and lower tax rates so that people can afford childcare and deregulate it so you don't have this crazy expenses involved in obtaining childcare.
Christy, I don't know if this will be a controversial thing to say, but if you're earning half a million bucks a year as a family, shouldn't you be encouraged to stay home and enjoy your kids rather than have the government pay for you to outsource them to someone else?
Well, James, families make decisions that make sense for them as an economic family unit. Childcare is really important policy. It's really important workforce participation policy. It's really important for women to continue working. But half a million as a household income is extraordinary. Currently it's about eighty thousand the people that get the all ninety percent subsidies. Sure, these subsidies are going to be progressively reduced. A high your
income is. But the fact that that's a marker for people to achieve taxpayer subsidies for childcare is a lot.
It is a lot.
Anthony Albanezi needs a lot. At the moment, I would say to change his electoral fortunes.
I want to move on.
To the US, where twenty six year old Luigi Maggioni has been arrested in relation to the alleged murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Now, if the shooting of Thompson in broad daylight wasn't shocking enough, reaction to the
murder has been quite unbelievable. Social media has been swamped with people cheering for Thompson's murder and lionizing the alleged killer for taking out a supposed billionaire, and the Pennsylvania McDonald's where the alleged killer was arrested, has been bombarded with negative reviews Online. People have called the staff who reported the shooter to police rats and snitches, and to no one Surprised. Students at Sydney's top universities have now
decided to politicize the assassination. One student wrote, and this has gone viral. All billionaires of parasites and we need to get rid of them, David, does this not just show exactly what's wrong with the world at the moment? I mean, this response just flaws me.
Socialists don't take their masks off very often, but when they do, you get to see that they're basically following an inherent inherently violent ideology. Unlike libertarian ideas, socialism is inherently violent. And this is why these people always need to tell everyone about what good people they are. They wear their badges and pins and constantly virtue signaling. They need to tell people that they're good, because normal people that are good you don't need to tell other people
that you're a good person. They're inherently violent, and we need to call this out more often, because that's not just this. There's many other things where they sort of feel more empowered and more emboldened to acting ways that are really violent and destructive, and we need to call it out and put us up to it.
Yeah, exactly, these same people saying, you know, we need to get rid of all billionaires, kill them, or the same people who also preach tolerance and love and coming together. Christy, if the CEO of the Health Fund was a black woman, do you think they'd be as excited about the murder.
Hmmm, that's a very interesting point, James.
No.
I think they would probably find way to celebrate that
in a different way. But this is a disgraceful indictment of what society has become, what young people have become, in terms of what's driving the clickbase to continually show these comments that they're making, and to give them airtime and to give them a present so they can grow their move The police will tell you that that leads to sparking copycat incidents, and I'm sure there's a lot of CEOs out there running equivalent companies that'll been pretty
scared around this sort of momentum of that messaging.
I want to ask you, Christy, because you've spoken a lot about the problems we've got with our universities. There's the socialist alternative at Sydney University, I think it is, and they've got posters around Newtown at the moment showing the face of the CEO who was murdered in cold blood with the caption abolish the billionaires. I might point out by the way that the man who was murdered
was not anywhere near a billionaire. But I mean, what do universities do about students who are propagating this sort of stuff? I mean, first it was the pro Palestinian stuff. Now we're on to get rid of billionaires and we're cheering for the murder of a father of kids.
He was wealthy, but I mean, that's not a crime.
And I note that the students who are raging against the billionaires are using devices that were created by billionaires. What do universities do about students who are saying these sorts of things or is this just one of the things that universities.
Have to accept.
Well, universities don't have to accept it, James, because encampments and the blurring of the line in terms of what's appropriate behavior and what's appropriate public commentary on campus doesn't happen outside GA universities. Now, to my knowledge, there aren't these issues at James Cook University in Townsville, at Victoria University in Ballarat, at Edith Cowen University in Bunbury. It really is concentrated at our top tier, most expensive, most
prestigious universities, particularly Melbourne and Sydney. And what does that say about the standard of what those chancellors were too slow in setting what they would say right from October seventh to this. It's an accumulative effect.
Yeah, great point. Great point.
I want to move on to events in the Queensland Parliament where there were pretty emotional scenes as Premier David CHRISP Fooley moved a motion to prevent any changes to the state's Termination of Pregnancy Act. Now that was a pre election promise, but his motion bans any debate on abortion.
For at least the next four years.
Chris fully also accused the opposition of a US style scare campaign during the election. But take a look at what the Premier said yesterday in parliament.
This motion today ends the disgraceful campaign. Queenslanders said no to a US style scare campaign, Queenslanders said no to politicizing a sensitive issue, and Queensland has said no to the reelection of a very bad labor government.
David, I want to get your thoughts on this.
What do you think The Premier vowed not to change abortion laws fair enough, but in order to make sure that they can't be changed, he won't even allow the subject to be discussed.
It's pretty anti democratic, is it not.
It is very anti democratic and This is what happens when you have a parliament in Australia that doesn't have an upper House of review. This wouldn't fly in other states that have an upper house. If you tried to do this in Victoria, it wouldn't be It wouldn't be possible because the government doesn't control the upper house in most parliaments. But in Queensland they only have a lower House. Once the government controls it, they can do it they want and they can shut down debate on issues.
Christy. People are saying online. I've been reading the comments.
They said, well, he promised not to change anything, so nothing will change, so everything's good. But there's a bigger principle here, isn't there. And that is that if I'm a local member and a constituent says, look, I'm really concerned about this, would you raise it? And I have to say, well, I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to talk.
About that situation. We should tolerate surely.
Well, look, James says, principle. And then there's what's smart politics. And David christ to Fooley has engaged in really really smart politics on this. Yes, he voted against the Criminalization of Abortion bill in twenty eighteen. He had to wear that around his neck during the election campaign with Labor targeting him. He's also got fringe MPs in his own party who saw fit to drive this to the four of the election campaign agenda. He said repeatedly there will
be no change to abortion laws. And guess what Labor did target the LMPA they did lose what was anticipated to be a whopping majority. We were looking at seventeen seats, then twelve, and then they won with three. They didn't need. Robbie catter Catter party has three MPs. That was his issue. He drove it and co opted fringe Christian MPs in the LMP and it hurt the party absolutely, no question. It needs to be put back in its box. And
Labor has voted against this motion. Christoph Foley has wedged them good and proper and sometimes for the greater good.
Yeah, I hear what you're saying. I'm just not sure if smart politicians I understand.
But it's clever.
Do you understand, Christian.
It's a smart move. If he didn't do it, it would have hurt Don't considerably in the federal campaign.
We both know that, all right.
I don't know I'm just after over smart politicians. A conviction politician will be a wonderful thing. Christy McSweeney, David Linbrick, appreciate your time tonight. Thank you so much. Well stick around because thanks Christy. After the break, I want to speak to the newly announced inaugural CEO of Cole Australia, Stuart Bocking. He'll play an interesting role as we come up to a federal election. We'll talk about that in just a moment. Well, welcome back to Port Murray Live.
I'm James macpherson filling in for Paul. We all know Labour's renewable fixation is sending us into energy oblivion. Some has barely started, but people in New South Wales have already been told to avoid using dishwashers in order to prevent blackouts, and last week there were serious suggestions that governments may need the power to be able to automatically
turn off people's home appliances to conserve power on hot days. Now, one of the problems is the lack of people outside of my colleagues here on Sky and a few sensible MPs in Parliament pushing back against labor, the Greens and the renewable energy industry that is sending.
Us all to the wall.
Coal, which has powered our prosperity, is routinely demonized without anyone to defend it, but that might be about to change.
Joining me is the inaugural.
CEO of Coal Australia, former lawyer and senior advisor to the New South Wales government, Stuart Bocking. Stuart, thanks for joining me tonight. Thanks j Just just tell me briefly what is Coal Australia and what are you hoping to achieve over the next number of months.
Well, this is really a grassroots campaign designed to say to mining workers, mining communities, be proud of what you're doing, be proud of the prosperity you're driving. And some of the key objectives of our member companies within Coal Australia is very much about driving down energy prices, ensuring energy security and most importantly, driving prosperity for regional communities, for
states and the nation. More broadly, and aside from the domestic element around all of those things, including downward pressure on prices and energy security, there's a huge export market for coal. We're not about to wish that away tomorrow. Countries like Japan South Korea, China, Vietnam, all demanding clean Australian coal that if they're not getting it from us, they'll get it somewhere else. And so you've got companies
who are providing that product. There's a service that they want, there's a product they demand, and we're seeking to service that demand.
So energy is certainly going to be a big discussion in the lead up to the election, as well as the message you've just described in terms of you know, there's a massive export market. Are you going to be talking about the role of coal domestically at all?
Absolutely, And that's why I talk about energy prices and most importantly energy security. I mean, one of the problems we have is as you were talking about with their conditioners and other things. We need energy security, that's first and foremost. But we need energy security at a price that the average person can afford. Otherwise, if you're thinking twice about turning on the air conditioner or turning on some other appliance at home when temperatures are soaring, then
that's a big problem. In a country like ours. We shouldn't be at that point. So one of the key initiatives for Cole Australia is about saying, well, Cole does have an important role to play. If cost of living is going to loom large at the next election, which I'm sure it is, well, energy security and downward pressure on energy prices and cost of living factors there. They are going to be absolutely critical and Carle Australia wants to be at the forefront of that debate.
Do you remember when Scott Morrison walked into Parliament he held a piece of coal in his hands.
You remember that I haven't got one with it. I haven't got it was a brilliant speech.
It's like, it's coal, it's not going to hurt you, it's not going to That seems like a lifetime ago.
And here the sector is thriving, you know, several years beyond that, and you look at a number of these operations with forward approvals and they're forecast to run for any number of years as well. So yes, it does
seem a long time ago since that happened. But importantly, the importance of coal hasn't altered In some respects, it's become even more critical because we see the impact it has so readily now on state budgets in terms of royalties and certainly in terms of federal budgets, in terms of company acts being paid by coal mining companies.
Just real quickly, if you had a message for Chris Bowen, what would you say to him?
Energy security and downward pressure on energy prices. Coal Australia is with you all the way.
I love how Chris Bowen he you know, he says coal is you know, it's evil and it's the primary cause of emissions that are destroying the planet.
But then when we don't.
Have power, well it's the coal fired power stations have let us down. So I mean you can't win either way. So good on you first standing up for coal and defending what's really made Australia so prosperous.
And importantly we're about empowering a workforce that can be very proud of the work they're doing, the prosperity that's being driven, and most importantly that the generation of incomes, the knock on effects of that, the other businesses who are supplying to coal mines in those regional communities and the many other businesses that thrive off all of that. So that's what col Australia is about.
Well, Stuart, I wish you all the best in your dat As we approach the election is going to be a very important topic. Well that's it from me tonight. Paul Murray will be back tomorrow. Stay tuned now for the Late Debate. Now I won't be on it, but it might still be worth watching.
Good Night,