From the sky in Center. This is Paul Murray Live.
Thank you, Sharry. Yeah, okay, we've got to talk about it, Trump dump and albow. Oh so much disappointment from the media, like the media reaction fed inkem oh. Yeah, we'll rub their nose at it tonight, making friends by the hour. Thank goodness you're watching. We're also going to talk obviously about the events that are taking place in Iran. In Israel right now, you've got that feeling knowne something massive
just around the corner. The sun's just come up in Washington, DC, where the President and his war cabinet are currently apparently behind closed doors. The Great Nigel Ferras joins us, the man who may well be the next Prime Minister of the UK, powering on in the polls, one of his stops on the way to the number ten every Tuesday night, Paul Murray Live.
Now.
I'll get to all of that in a moment or two time. But there is something that I want to put at the very start of the show, because this person deserves it. I want us all, the poor us for a second. I want us all to lean in and I want us all to understand the sacrifice of a single police officer in Tasmania that I mentioned last
night who was murdered, we now know his name. It has been released today that the name of the officer who was a twenty five year veteran of the Tasmanian Police Force the shooting that of course took place in the northern parts of the state yesterday is Constable Keith Anthony Smith. Let us take a moment when yes, there are other things happening in the world, to honor his service, to know his name, to see his face, because Constable Keith Anthony Smith is a man who, as I said,
twenty five years in the Tasmanian Police service. The Tasmanian Police Commissioner, upon the releasing of his name after the family gave mission, said that Keith was a respected and committed officer. His loss will be deeply felt across our policing family and the wider community.
Well said.
Further from a statement from Tasmania Police today, they've continued to say that the Commissioner says of this officer, of Keith Anthony Smith, that he was regarded and admired by his colleagues. She said that Constable Smith had a distinguished career and received the Commissioner's Medal in two thousand and eleven and a twenty year Clasp for service in the Tasmanian Police Service in twenty twenty one, as well as a National Police Service Medal for his fifteen years of
service in two thousand and sixteen. Constable Smith joined the police force in September two thousand and sadly, yesterday, while carrying out what is very familiar task, which is the serving of papers upon a person, he was shot at.
He was killed, his family forever.
Broken, the wider policing family that we support on this show, because every single day, that is what they are gambling with. Every single day they are gambling with their lives to protect us.
And I know there's a lot of other.
News around, a lot of other noise to talk about, and a lot of stuff that we will deal with shortly, but let us as a nation have as our lead story tonight the face and the name of a man who has been taken while serving his community. The Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rothcliffe spoke along with several other dignitaries today about this exceptional Tasmanian and very special Australian who is no longer with us.
Tasmania Police is just not a service, as the Commissioner said last night, it is indeed a family, and when.
One of their own.
Is injured or falls, there is a ripple.
Right throughout the entire Tasmania Police service, through every rank and every station. To every serving police man and woman who knew and served alongside your friend and colleague, the love and the support of our entire state of Tasmania is with you.
The twenty ninth of September each and every year is Police Remembrance Day. It is a day for those to be remembered who were killed doing their job protecting us. In the next couple of weeks there will be a Police Legacy Day as well, a reminder of what these people put on the line, what their families deal with as a constant worry. Strength and love to his family, the wider policing family, and of course the community of Tasmania. The rest of the country is well and truly with you.
All right to the other stuff that's around today that has dominated our news. And forgive me if I have a little bit of fun with this, As you know, Donald Trump, Anthony Abernezi will they won't they well, yeah, the plan was that they were going to meet. Why because Trump was at the G seven in Canada and now bus Albo was at the G seven in Canberra.
Sorry in Canada, and the.
Media have been absolutely salib salivating the capacity to look into the body language to judge whether this was a good or positive important meeting, whether they were going to get proof of Orange man Bad and the pump up. The pump up's been going for a while, including an editorial that Canada was a good middle ground for Alberanzi and Trump to meet, as if we were in a war with the United States. What an absurd thing for people to start building up the scales of this thing,
same paper, same people. We decided to send a flock of people to report on this one that this was the most important meeting of Alberanize's Korea and when they thought a meeting was going to be happening tomorrow. Listen to the questions that were being asked of our Prime minister as if literally he was meeting a country we've been at war with for twenty years.
Have a listened to how pumped up they are?
Is it unreasonable where you're going to conquered outcome to Morland, said that you would have extended an invite to mister Trump and to come to Australia. I was just wondering if you've unheard back from that.
Is that something you've found on raising.
Intact you because it is highly unlikely that Australia will be able to get the US to move on at least the ten percent taris.
The Trump meeting is one of the final things on President Trump's agenda of before the rush.
So are you concerned at all that you'll get your whole full time slot.
Within following tomorrow's meeting?
When do you foresee that you'll likely meet and at the.
Next This was dreams come true. There was fears that it would happen behind the scenes, so they were doing everything they possibly could to make sure that the cameras would be let in. No such tension around the president of China. No, no, no, no, Because Orange Man bad equals click click click click click click in a country where you are the majority people don't like Donald Trump. I'm completely aware of this, all right, But the stakes,
the stakes, the steaks. Well, as you know, Donald Trump has got bigger things to do than stick around the G seven.
Now before we start to.
Think that this means Australia has been insulted or flushed down the tourt, no reality is there'll be a meeting at some other point in time. But the very same people who were talking about the most important meeting of the prime minister's career, well they told finally the truth, as finally Australia was dealt with in a manner that you would think at a meeting of G seven where we are not part of the main seven nations and where they're to tag along its where part of the
global community. But we don't have any strong positions on anything bar mid zero actually happening in the global community, because you see, we're going to work both sides of the fence here, don't we. You know, we've got to have a go at Donald Trump. But of course America important for our defense. President g Oh, we couldn't possibly mention the wigas we couldn't do what the Americans have done, which is to say slave labor that is making solar panels in China should not be allowed and we will
not buy that product. Well no, but because that is with the other great goal, which of course the renewable energy sector. Shne, don't talk about it, don't talk about it, but we will hold people to account and we will talk about Australia's values. Well, yeah, Australia got a reality check because Australia has chosen to sit back, and particularly sit back during the Trump presidency. Whether you like the
presidency or not, four fifths are bugger all. And there was a time there was a window for Australia to get the beginnings of a relationship and it was when everyone from CEOs to world leaders were talking to Donald Trump. And it was the months between when he won the presidency in the first Tuesday in November, all of November, all of December and all the way into the twentieth of January, when they could have met with him in Mara Lago. It wasn't like he was allergic to Australian.
Scott Morrison literally spent New Year's Eve with him. But because of course there was an election coming an Orange Man bad and we've already set up that everything terrible in the economy is going to be Donald Trump's fault. Despite the fact that the Treasury itself has promised us or predicted nothing but budget deficits for the next forty four zero years, A trillion dollars of dead that becomes one point two one point five, one point seven.
And imagine, imagine when we start to push.
Towards two trillion dollars if we can't crack a budget's surplace between now and the twenty sixties. But I must say the one little detail. And again, if you're actually paying attention, you've heard what I've said. I hope they have a meeting. I hope there's an opportunity while he's in North America to somehow get his way towards the White House, have a chat in the next couple of days.
Presumably the President would be feeling bad about bailing on the conversation, so they're eventually going to have a meeting. And by the way, the only reason the reporters were hoping he'd be invited to Australia is because they want to cover the outrage that people would have if he came to Australia. Understandably, they salivate. Why because this is
the chance to pull on the big boy pants. This is when global affairs and you and I both know that Australian prime ministers once they become a little bit too fixated on global affairs. They're not focused on the home game. So again, if you're paying very close attention to what I'm actually saying, the Prime Minister, who I hope has a meeting, has a good relationship, hasn't fallen
completely in for the overseas stuff yet because he knows. Firstly, airbus elbow is going to come back and become a unique name for him, one that he will deserve because of the trotting all around the globe.
But right now, the air.
Bus side, it'll have a few deflated egos coming back, including the journos talking to the Prime minister, who's going to talk about You know, I would have said really mean things to him. Sources close to the Prime Minister say, but can we can we just drink in one little detail, one little detail for those of us that are not fans of Albo, who do not believe that he should and will rule.
For the rest of our natural lives.
From the Australian Financial Review and our good friend Phil Curry, Fox News reported that Trump dined with the G seven leaders in Canada and then immediately left for Washington, Australia, which is not a member of the G seven was not invited to attend the dinner. So sorry, mate's there's only seven. There's only seven seats we could possibly have around this table. I know there's a few extra prime ministers, and I know they have to sit at.
The kids table somewhere else.
Albanezi was instead invited to a function with the heads of other nations such as South Korea and Mexico.
You tell it, you're telling me.
In all the function centers where the G seven is playing out right now, they couldn't get a little extended table to get another three, four or five ten leaders in there, to get Zelenski into the room, or were they afraid that big bad Orange man was going to
yell at him again again? Straight I love I love the fact that on the brink of what feels at times like not quite World War three but on its way, that's playing out in other parts of the world, that we live in this wonderful island, and thankfully we are below the radar in terms of a lot of people's attention. I liked that there was a little reminder of that, and I take, frankly a little bit of strength from that.
But the people that have been obsessing and pumping up and carrying on about Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump in all of it, they will of course be very disappointed. But again I hope there's a meeting. He's in North America. Presumably there's an IAU. I hope it happens sooner rather than later. And guess what world under whoever broke is it? But the media will just not get what they really want, which is to talk about Trump.
All day, every day.
And a little later in the show, I'm going to show you some examples about how remember how you spun the ball for elbow through the election, I'll show how they spin the ball when it comes to Trump and not quite the reality of what's been happening in the United States. Like or dislike Donald Trump, and I know where the majority of Australia is. But at least we
can laugh at these people every now and then. Something, of course, much more serious is what is playing out right now as missral's have flown from Israel to Iran.
The damage in Iran.
Is difficult for people to see because of obviously it's not an open country when it comes to media. The missiles that are being fired back from Iran to Israel. The damage is more visible in Israel because there is a much more international media that is based there and can see what is taking place. Before we talk about who, what and where of global affairs, can we focus in on the Australians that are caught in the middle of all of this. There are hundreds of people who are stuck,
cannot leave Israel, cannot leave Iran. Now I have heard a few sort of whispers around why were they.
There, Well, I'll give you the tips.
Some were visiting their families. Okay, Now again, it is not a crime to go to either of these countries, and they have every right to be safe in those countries. But for obvious reasons, when the airspace is locked off, no one's moving anywhere, which means even more people are worried about Australians who are in those areas, as well as the people whom they were visiting in those areas, who we may know back here in Australia. Apparently it's
the best part of six hundred and fifty people. Three hundred Australians have advised the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of their desire to leave Israel. There are three hundred and fifty Australians who would like to do the same from Iran. Again together, six hundred and fifty Australians in a region and they want to get out and get out quick. One of those people actually spoke to our colleagues during the day here on Sky News and you can imagine if you were in his shoes, you
would want the fastest passage out. But for obvious reasons, if you can't get a plane out and the airport's are shut down, you are stuck in a war zone.
You have a lot of Australian citizens that came here and got stuck here. At the time Australia did an evacuation flights for Australian citizens. We hope that would be the case here as well. We're thinking about maybe taking a boat to Cyprus and maybe try to fly from there. None of those options are straightforward, they're all complex, and I would say that is where the main source of our concern, which is how we're going to be able to take to take off and actually reach Australia as we planned.
All Right, As I say, the sunny is starting to come up in Washington, d C. And apparently, according to the President Donald Trump's public comments is that he's on his way towards meetings in the situation room. Now, let's of course focus on what he has said publicly via truth social and in the same way that he had previously warned people in and around Iran to get themselves safe because the Israeli rockets were going to start taking
out those military targets. You know what he had to say today, basically put simply, if you're in ta Iran, get out of the way, get out of dodge. Now ten million people live in the capital city Tehran in Iran, which means it is virtually impossible for all of those people to get out before whatever is about to happen is about to happen. But the traffic jams, every single road, every single bridge, every single way out currently clogged even egalized.
As you can see, there're some peoples trying to drive on the other side of the road white because they think something big is on its way. If it is, we'll all find out together. Obviously, the hit hits that have been taken by the Iranian regime means that now they are trying to talk to American media to say, oh, now we're.
Willing to deal.
Sorry, you've had sixty days, you've had sixty months, You've had a long time to deal with this. But their own petulance, their own support when it comes to terrorism, their own proxy wars around the Middle East, means no more talking. So we will all learn together what happens. You have heard what America does is kind of going to matter here because, put simply, there's lots of things that are obvious from the sky that Israel is trying to hit to try to stop Iran's capacity for a
nuclear weapon or to keep firing missiles into Israel. But also there is a mountain. There is a mountain where much of the really serious stuff that around has been putting forward is being worked on, and it's about one hundred meters under ground inside this mountain. We understand there is nothing that the Israelis have that would be able to bust that bunker. But the United States has that technology.
Remember the Mother of All bombs, basically one degree below a nuke, but something with absolute devastating power, something that you could drop once, twice, three times and start to bore your way through a mountain. Obviously, Israel would like the United States to get involved. The United States is weighing up as we speak at this minute, whether they are going to give that bomb over, because then it's not handing and helping weapons for Israel, it is they
are in the fight. And after the twenty years of Iraq and the twenty years of Afghanistan, what happens after you drop the mother of all bombs is what they are debating. And in terms of the coalition of Donald Trump, and as I've mentioned to you before, so that the wars within wars in Republican politics, both old school and maga new school, there are two very different opinions about whether America.
Should take that step.
Old school Republicans who have always wanted to wipe out Iran's ability to attack Israel, like Senator Lindsay Graham, say yeah, let's do it now.
Be all in President Trump in helping Israel eliminate the nuclear threat. If we need to provide bombs to Israel, provide bombs, if we need to fly planes with Israel, do joint operations.
But then the newer forms of media, the more maggari bits, well, they don't want it at all because one of the reasons they jumped onto the Trump train was the No More Forever Wars. It's not just about dropping the mother of war bombs one, two three, it's about what happens after. Do you get drawn into regime change? Are you going to be there for a long period of time.
Two of them got.
Together today to send a pretty obvious public message, hoping that the President would hear them.
Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson, I'm.
Really afraid that my country's going to be further weakened by this. I think we're going to see the end of American empire. Obviously other nations would like to see that, and this is a perfect way to scuttle the USS America on the rules of Iran. But it's also going to end I believe, Trump's presidency and effectively under it. So there's a whole other question, which is how prepared is the US military for a real conflict? And the answer is totally unprepared, scary.
Unprepared now because people know that at certain points of time, Tucker Carson's been pretty close to Donald Trump. Remember he was literally sitting next to him, well certainly in the same diace in and around the Republican Convention. He apparently was one of the key figures that convinced him to go with JD. Vance as the vice presidential candidate and the eventual vice president. So we can't pretend he's so far out he's not part of the circle. He has
been part of the circle. But judging by Donald Trump's public comments in Canada before he bug it off today he's telling Tucker thanks, don't care. I don't know what Tucker Carlson is saying. Let him go get a television network and say it so that people listen. Thank you. All right, now, let's also deal with the matters to do with defense involving China and Australia. As you know, there have been plenty of warships that have been circling
our country. Some have been well known, but they don't tell us anything about others who have done live fire exercises. Are exposed by pilots, commercial pilots who are flying between Australia and New Zealand. Well, seemingly the government or the very least the Australian Defense Force wants to get out in front of this because according to the Daily Telegraph today,
there are more Chinese warships on the way to Australia. Now, obviously they'll play the game where they'll just be a couple of kilometers outside of technically Australia's waters, there'll be in international waters, which means we can't say or do anything, but we know that that is not a good sign.
Here is the ADF warning us about it today.
As an expanding bluewater navy, we should expect the Chinese Navy to undertake similar deployments more regularly to the Southwest Pacific and Indian Ocean.
And something not as significant is anything I've just mentioned, but something that every single Australian is going to be aware of. It's winter, but we are hearing that it is going to be particular kularly cold in the next twenty four hours. So yes, in certain cities it feels like you look at that jacket, No it's not cold enough blue of that jumper. No we don't need that. And then yes, you get blasted during the day. We'll here's the heads up. Massive parts of Australia are going
to go cop it tomorrow morning. All of the technical reasons. Well, that's why we've got sky News Weather.
Under the clear sky across New South Wales. It is going to be a very chilly Indeed, most areas in that Navy Blue dropping below five degrees, significant frost pushing very close to the coast, including around Sydney. The bitterly cold weather I'm giving way to widespread frost tanting the risk of severe frost over Victoria's northern country and northeast weather is a frost warning, so definitely rug up again. A difficult warning to get out of bed.
All right, quick break.
Plenty more to talk about, plenty more to debate. Nigel Farage on the show tonight, a future British Prime minister, that's what the Poles are telling us before that. Plenty to talk about, including You're going to see some fun which is an awesome grandpa doing awesome things. And a debate about Australia on the world stage and who lost the most out of no meeting between Trump and Elbow at the G seven where we had to sit at the kids tape war. It's one of the.
Joys of this time of year.
Of of course winter A little heads up if you have the opportunity to get anywhere near things like an observatory, one of the cool things that they put on in and around the Winter Solstice is stuff that's going to be happening this weekend. Of course, it is caused in and around the Earth's orbit. The winter solstice shortest day of the year, longest night of the year. I eat one of the great ones to look up on the
twenty first, that being on Saturday. So a little heads up if you planning to do something nice and fun look up on Saturday. Certainly you can look at your TV right now because the celestial figures that are the wonderful James Ashby and Linda Scotti here and they're going to agree on everything because ones labor to their birdstraps, and ones from one nation, ones in the man came nice and warm, and ones out in the stockyards.
Where are you, James my gingin tonight beyond the little town.
It's just to the south of me, so it is a bit cool. I'm looking out. There's clouds tonight, no stars.
All right, good stuff, all right.
So let's talk about Australia on the world stage now again for those that are half listening, here's the deal, right, Australia, the Australian media got a reality check right. The meeting is of the G seven and they are so addicted to the club of the G seven that all of the other world leaders, who you know represent significant countries around the world, they were all at the kid's table, right, They weren't allowed to have dinner with you know, the
mummies and daddy's running the big countries. And of course we know that because of yes, a global event which looks like we'll know a lot more about in the next twenty four hours, there is not this meeting that's going to take place between Albinizi and Trump. And again, if you're half listening, I say this to the people that spend all their time looking for a reason to build the caricature of me in sky News and all the rest of it. Right again, I want there to
be a meeting. I hope that you can get one on the way down you're in North America. They can work out something into the future, right fine, I want great relationships, right because I think America should be at the head of the table, not China. Just a crazy, crazy ideas, right, I can tell the difference. But James, what does it say about Australia on the world stage that firstly we're at the kids table with not insignificant countries. But the media, the media just it was their chance
to get close to Orange Man. Now I saw this with my own eyes when I was lucky enough to go see it all. And they just clamor and because he lives in their head and they write him into an Australian election and all the rest of it. It's the media that are more disappointed than the Prime minister.
Oh yeah, but don't play this down.
I think it is a kick in the guts to Albin Easy and I think that Labor are trying to downplay this. Let's not forget Zelenski, who was supposed to meet with him on the sidelines of this G seven meeting. He's already met with him several times. Modi's met with him several times face to face. Who hasn't met with him, Anthony Albnezi. But you can't go around slagging off the leader of the free world, the president of the United States, both in an election cycle and then on the other
side of it. Just at the press club last week, what was he doing again slagging off the president saying that you know they won the ninety four seats at this most recent election because of the fact that they didn't import different tactics from other countries.
Well, we know what that meant.
You called Peter Dutton the TIMU Trump throughout the election campaign. Sorry, but you can't slag off the president and expect a sideline meeting. I never expected this to happen. We're a guest at the G seven. We're not part of it. We're part of the G twenty. So look, it was inevitable that, you know, if anything went down, Trump was going to bail.
He's done exactly that.
It is egg on the face of this Prime minister, who really doesn't have a great relationship. America does have a good relationship with Australia. The difference is Trump doesn't have a good relationship with Albanezy.
Fair point Jim Chalmers for his point, understandably because she doesn't want to upset the Apple card because those numbers that might eventually come his way in sixty five years when the chairman decides to one day step down, well, he of course is running cover for the Prime minister today.
This was always a chance of happening. Given what's happening around the world and particularly in the Middle East. Prime Minister Albanze has had three conversations with President Trump in recent months, will continue to engage in the usual way. But I don't think it's especially surprising. I do think it's understandable.
So Linda, I'm looking, I've been waiting for this all day. How is this technically a win for Albany?
Is he?
Well?
I think it's really sad that James is playing pretty loose with the truth tonight. As the Treasurer has said, three conversations with the US President. Already as the chair of an Australian industry superannuation fund, I went to the US and met with a Secretary Best and Secretary Latnik, with the Australian Ambassador to the US, Kevin rad I was over there. We needs there's been extensive meetings between the current US administration and Australian business figures and the
Australian government. Other than that.
Is not true.
Well, you know, I don't know if you know, James, but government works not just surrounded by one person, but actually there's representatives and that that really.
A different.
To you and me wanting to meet with you as well.
And on multiple occasions, as the Treasurer spelt out really clearly today, what's going to be important for Australians is that we have a good open conversation about the bill before the US Parliament. And that's about tariffs. It's about taxes, and these are really important conversations. But it's not going
to hinge on one conversation. It's going to hinge on the opposition, on the minor parties step up and speaking out in Australia's interests too, not criticizing the Prime Minister and undermining the national effort to get the best I love the Australians and Australian companies. So what I don't want to hear people bigger, nonfan Ausralian I mean so than I am right.
I couldn't whack him harder and longer and all the rest of it. Right, And as I just said, I hope there's a meaning. I hope it happens because interpersonal relationships clearly are on matters right, Prime Minister.
Leader, size Foreign affairs right, let's not undermine the Australian government's efforts.
Whoever that, I'll be honest, I'm more obsessed with the media. Who built this thing, the most important meeting of his.
Career, of his entire life.
No that's rubbish, right, And I love the same people that were pumpty pump, pump, pump pump. Those tiets are the ones that had to turn around and say we've been reminded of our place in the world today. Yeah, so has the media. But does that surprise anyway? No, wonder. I do get many Christmas cards from my colleagues in and around the business.
All right, well, I mean for you, not for them.
Right, Let's talk about your previous long standing love local government, Linda. You're ongoing James. That is councils and tone deaf councils. Northern Beaches Council are in Sydney, right, they whack up twenty five.
Percent increase in their rates.
Locals are a furious, right, protests carrying on agro understandably right because like every other council, what about the pothole? What about this? Why are you're paying this person all of that stuff?
Right?
That said, again, if you're paying attention to the detail, and Linda has taught us the lesson over many many years that yeah, there's probably not as much money directly from government. The trickles to local government, but the same council decides I know, you know, we've got to talk about at a meeting here, we've got to have a chat about gaza.
It's the northern Beaches of Sydney. Okay, again perfect example where Linda again eyes on the prize right, the idea that just because I've got a microphone I must speak into it about this issue that clearly does not affect the Northern Beaches of Sydney.
Thoughts, look, a couple of issues. The meeting is still happening tonight in the Northern Beaches, so we don't know which of these resolutions have passed. There is one before the council on gaza, and there is another one on raids. The council has several new counselors because of course the Liberal Party forgot to lodge their nominations, and some of them tonight are in tears as they're speaking about the difficulty and the aggression that they've received in the lobbying
around these issues. They have had people like ricesters out the front, and for particularly new counselors who are new to politics, often they're getting paid very little money. This is a really tricky issue. So I just do say, with understanding and respect for whatever political group he comes from. You know, be nice to your local councilors. It's a tough gig.
I did it one hundred percent. But actions reactions right, You don't get to have it both ways, which is to jack up rates and then expect no one to blow up about the council.
The council has applied for an increase in their rates and the new South Wales Government structure I part did not grant them permission for the full increase. So what they've been granted is permission for a twenty five percent over four years. And James, just to give you the context and the truth about this, that will cover the maintenance backlog. It will not cover new projects. It will not cover major projects. So for example, it won't cover things.
Like mark you got to run a line through so many rainbow.
It won't an upgrade to the lower Ringer Center, beloved Pool. It won't cover things that really matter to the Northern Beaches communities. Now these are tricky decisions, but the council has not been given permission to increase rates to a level that they have modeled and budgeted transparently before their community to cover some of these major projects. It will only cover renewal and maintenance of their existing asset base.
This is not an unfamiliar position for Australia's five hundred and thirty seven they.
Pay a landscape for seventy three thousand dollars.
Councils in the country here, and we've said this many times before. Paul councils get half a percent of Commonwealth taxation revenue and they're expected to run libraries, pools, community centers, roads in the regions, no one's utilities, almost all the additional emergency services. So this is scifice, significant and tough disease and you.
Know, particularly country means I get it at But but right, okay, James, I know you sort of are you sitting down and you're just crouching right, Because how's this Northern Beaches Council that's going to increase its rates on its ratepays of twenty five percent is currently advertising for a tree assessment officer. They will be paid as much as one hundred and four thousand dollars to be a tree assessment officer.
That's my point.
This is where this is where you should be able to have arborists in a professional setting that have got the approval from counsel to say, oh listen, that tree's got to come out. It's got white ants in it, or it's a risk to houses, or it's a risk.
To a school.
Why put somebody on in the council when somebody else can be doing it in the private sector.
It's unnecessary. We see this all the time though.
And to be quite honest, I would love to get rid of counselors all together. All they are is an extension of state government. They are not constitutionally recognized. At the end of the day, the CEOs get paid the big bucks. Why is that because most of the time the councilors are guided from those behind them, the bureaucrats, so just the tick and flick people. Ultimately, they're costing us here in Queensland a stack of money, way more than any other state. Some work hard for their money,
but the majority of them don't. I know in Livingston they've only got to turn up to two days a month.
With over never running the local government. That's a position that your party goals. I hope you just absolutely rule out ever running representatives for local government because you do at the moment.
That you have to.
Run elected representatives. What level of government you think you should be abolished. That's just so devastating to hear.
But what will show me where the benefits most? Trust the level of.
Research after repet slowly in regional Australia, absolutely depend on their council services and support, James. They can't do without it.
What would you.
Supporting the libraries, the pools, the roads. I want you to pick up the beans, all those things. I love all that stuff.
Right, you just said that level of government should be abolished, James, So just commit.
To running counselors. Scrap the counselors, get rid of the councilors. They're not necessary.
So you think democratic, James? Do you think you should be run by bureaucrats? Is that what you're I think.
The communities are not listened to because the community is saying, don't increase our rates by twenty five percent. That council was aiming for forty percent by the way, it was knocked back and now they're going for twenty five And the.
Community is saying, don't raise our rates.
What is the counselors doing ignoring them because they're going to pass it anyway. So what's the point of having counselors when they don't listen to people.
All right, now, just quickly here about other people's money again, reporting around about top public servants.
Now, by the way they get away.
With this, right, Firstly, a lot of these top public servants pay more than the ministers of the who's in charge technically of their departments. Right, but every time so there's sort of the MP pay rises. Top public servants get it as well. All of the flights, all of the travels, and we hear about some pretty luxury stuff
that's happening at the front end of the corners planes. Linda, again, I understand busy people and busy people with lots of meetings and all the rest of it, and air traveling different than going on I get, I get right, But at what point should the public servant who's already being paid more than the politician not get the politician perk when it comes to travel.
Well, look, I'm not a member of the Quantus chairman's land. Let me disclose that. And I do fly a little bit for work for the boards that I'm on, and I do it with many airlines, and you know, all of my organizations have great policies about this to make sure we're going with the best price and the best you know, and some of these companies and some of
them are government boards. But look, I do think people are right to ask questions about this and shine a bit of a light on it, because I too do feel pretty uncomfortable where you don't have kind of publicly disclosed gift registers. I didn't know that these public servants were eligible, you know, or being invited to join the Quantus Club. That's a matter for the Quantus Club themselves. But I do think probity and integrity and government and
transparencies is really critical. I mean, I still think it's the case that federal parliamentarians of all different persuasions continue to accept their invitation to the Quantus glob So I'll add that on top. I'm not sure there should be a different rule for people who work and people who are elected. But you know, this is a scheme that' said, the invitation of Quantus, and it's caused much controversy over many years.
All right, thank you guys, still appreciate it, Love you both. Nija Farras standing by, But I just want to take a moment because I was at a funeral today for the father of one of my best mates and favorite people in the world, My beautiful friend Penny.
Her father Joe, passed away just a few days ago. What a cad this bloke.
Look at this bloke all right now, Joe Gossen, beautiful man right, and he loved watching sky News. He loved watching sky News. He was all in on politics. He was so proud that he was part of the debate. He came to Australia from Lebanon in nineteen seventy, following his brother George. He eventually met Violet, his queen. He had three beautiful children in Fred, Penny and Monique. He loved the Cronella Sharks, he loved V eight supercars, Fords, and as I said, he loved sky News. And he
was relentlessly kind to me. His service was beautiful. His family is a testament to his awesomeness. And he is the exact type of Australian who we are poor and not to have. Joe.
We love you, We miss you, violent hugs and love forever.
You've got an incredible family and it was an honor to farewell a very loyal part of the Sky News family.
Today, not.
In time for the man who's never boring, the leader of the Reform Party in the UK, and if the polls are right, the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Nigel Ferraj Love it is, see you mate, how you.
Been good to see you, very well, thank you. Politics very real here, grooming gangs dominating everything.
Which of course, this is a story way back when about when local councils wouldn't go there, wouldn't touch it, wouldn't talk about it for fear of offending the parts of the Muslim community. Ki Starmer was back there as the Chief Prosecutor and sort of involved in some of the light touch responses. You single handedly were able to bring it back to national attention. Force force force this to become an issue, so much so that there's going
to be the proper inquiry. Now there's basically no limits, no stone unturned, and we're going to know who looked the other way.
Well, that's the plan, absolutely, And Keir Starmer having initially said that anybody that wanted a full judicial inquiry with powers was giving a dog whissel to the far right. I mean, gosh, they are so repositive these people now forced into the term we're told the inquiry could take up to three years, which I think is rather longer that any of us would want, and we've yet to know who the judge or the head of the inquiry is. So it's a step in the right direction. We must
not let them riggle out of doing this properly. Social Services turned a blind day. Please turn the blind day. Politicians turned the blind day, and frankly, it's a scandal that I think is looked upon with the rest of the world as a real badge of shame for the UK.
Now let's turn our attention to the dominant news around the world right now is that we do not know what is just around the corner when it comes to will the United States give the technology that means we can go to the whole next level here when it comes to trying to make sure that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon, we know that this has been something discussed, feared. What are the consequences? How hard metaphorically can Iran be punched before there is this sort of
point of no return? Personally, I think that it's been proven a few times here that maybe there was great a fear about Iran rather than the reality of the ability to respond. But there is a bunker that needs to be busted, and the only people who can do it it's going to be the Americans.
What do you think.
Well, look, I mean one of the things that Donald Trump and I first bonded over was Iran policy, the idiocy of Obama, the European Union, the British Foreign Office and government all doing this deal, this jcpoa deal with Iran just over a decade ago.
And what it did.
It freed up tens of billions of dollars, much of which they used to fund Hamas the whot is his Bulla and every terrorist group in the region. So I think what is read of doing. I'm generally anti warpole. I think going to war really is a last resort. But I don't think Israel frankly, had much choice.
We do not know.
Exactly the level to which the Tance facility they've managed to enrich uranium, but it's a pretty long way.
But what you say is right.
Whilst the above the ground facilities have been damaged, the real work that goes on below ground has not been touched. Over the last couple of days. Yeah, you can take out the TV stage and all the rest of it. My sense of this is that Trump has always thought that Iran were potentially the really bad guys, and I personally believe no inside info, but I personally believe he will give Israel the ability to finish this job.
Yeah, I get that sense, especially obviously stepping out of the G seven basically as soon as he hit hopped off Air Force one into the situation room. And we know that it's a daylight right now in not just America but the Middle East as well. And whether that's part of the equation, we'll all find out together. By the way, when I talk about Iran and what was feared versus what has happened, I'm not at all downplaying their funding of terrorism. I'm not downplaying the brutal regime,
none of that whatsoever. What I'm talking about is that obviously, anyone having even a mild foreign poalsy conversation sees that there's one of these red lines, right and if Israel and Iran, and Iran and Israel, then are we at some beginning of a point of no return. But I think that Iran has been proven its capacity to hurt Israel has been diminished. Remember a few months ago, when it was a swarm of drones. Then even when they decided to start throwing things into Tel Aviv. Yes, twenty
four people at least have died, no question. It's the iron Dome, not the lack of missiles that was the result. That's what I'm talking about about. This the reality of Iran's ability. But just because it can't wipe out parts of Israel and nobody would want that doesn't mean they don't have a network of people and organizations who can do real harm.
Well, yes they can, of course, but also take this argument on. You know, Iran has had the most brutal and I use that word advisedly, the most brutal regime now in place for over forty years. The Persian people have been usly suppressed and many of their best people, of course, have left the country. I think this regime is really, really vulnerable. I think whatever happens in the next couple of weeks could see the overthrow of this regime.
I noticed that Elon Musk has turned starlink on in Iran, so the opposition groups now can quite comfortably talk to each other. I would love to see the end of this Iranian regime and something better come in its place, and I think if that happened within a few years, Persians from all over the world would go back to make it around the great country that it was.
It's all will and good for people rhetorically at a barbeque or even on TV shows at times, to have sort of these imaginary red lines, right. And I've got to say, one of the things that I liked about the Trump movement, and certainly sort of the twenty four version, was the Forever Wars conversation, right because of the blood and treasure around Iraq and Afghanistan. And obviously nobody wants
Iran to become the next version of those things. But the reality is that if America has the tools and they're at the precipice of being able to break, to break the bad regime, well maybe those are the moments to act. But you will have no doubt noticed some of the fracturing that has happened in that coalition. Look, Trump's always the center of it, and he'll survive whatever happens.
But what are your thoughts about that group that are seemingly annoyed at any upscaling of what's happening in Iran?
Well, I mean, Steve Balen's a very good friend of mine, but I think he's sort of almost sometimes one that has sort of shield America from the rest of the world in every way, which of course doesn't actually work anyway because of the interconnections that we have globally. So yeah, you're going to get a lot about strong Magaweg say we shouldn't be involved in any way at all.
And look, you know, I mean, I have.
To say that Afghanistan going on for twenty years, it was never winnable, even at the height of the British Empire. Twice the British loss was in Afghanistan and we'd learned nothing from it. This is different. This is different. This is not about putting in American troops. It's not about a massive commitment for us. This is an opportunity, a real opportunity, to overthrow a truly brutal and evil regime and it could happen more quickly than you think.
That's not of you.
Yeah, Nigel, you're an incredible thought leader. Thank you so much for your time. I love these chats set and getting to know you even more along with everyone in this part of the world.
Thank you mate.
Nigel for us, of course, the leader of the Reform Party in the UK Quick break back with more here on Paul Murray Live. Remember the only place you see him as he Telly J. Say Knight's Yeah, Paul Murray Live. It seems like if you want to get a tension these days, obviously you take your clothes off on Instagram.
Not what I'm going to do, but this term is used.
A lot artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence okay, and lots of cool things images all the rest of it. The University of Technology in Sydney is using it to read your thoughts. Seriously, you could put on a cap and electrodes and all the rest of it. I'm not going to pronounce for one second what this is all called, but previously this sort of technology has been used for brain conditions. The UTS team
is using it to read thoughts. Now they know that no one's going to walk around with a cap on with wires coming out of it. One of the professors says that the technology would interact with devices in the organmented reality, like say glasses or Big tech is already working on things like earbuds that not only will be able to play your favorite playlist, but be able to
know what you were thinking about the playlist. I hope no teenage boys can this, because they're thinking about something that no one wants to hear about all day.
Every day. When it comes to the internet, say tomorrow,