Why On Sky News, Vinus.
Is Sharry.
Good Evening Tonight. Los Angeles is in the middle of another night of chaos as riots engulf the city. We'll have the latest details as the city's left wing leaders spend more time fighting Trump than the rioters. Add It's so long farewell to Gretathunberg as she's deported from Israel this after she refused to watch the October seven footage showing just how morally bankruptcy is well. Paul Kelly saw that vision in Israel recently, and he'll join me on
the show tonight. Will the Coalition oppose net zero? Shadow Energy Minister Dantean will be here shortly. The Albanezy government bans an American Jewish tech entrepreneur from entering our country, yet turns a blind eye to hate preachers. Why has it been left to Jewish groups to take court action from Ambishop Calibond will be here to discuss. Plus controversy over China's plans to build a super embassy, and the breaking news tonight that the ABC is set to dump.
Q and A.
Will anyone miss it?
That's all coming up, but let's.
Start with Marines, who are right now moving into guard federal buildings in Los Angeles after four days of chaos and violence. These scenes have been despicable and embarrassing for this world famous city. American flag satellite cars torched and looting. Masked men were filmed throwing rocks and fireworks while activists occupied a freeway, lit fires and cause total disarray. This is the very picture of lawlessness and mass havoc.
Cars on fire and tensions inflamed, emotions stoked by the President's decision to deploy the military. Here the Mexican flag is flying and anger directed at ICE, the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Agency after a series of raids.
And the MAYHEMI wrapted on Friday in response, as you just heard, to a small ICE operation to deport I legal immigrants involved in money laundering and tax evasion along with other criminals, and it escalated from there. First two thousand National Guards took to the streets to help keep the peace. That number was then doubled, and now Trump has deployed seven hundred marines to help protect the city. But what's been so bizarre about this is the response
from Democrat politicians and much of the media. Instead of shutting down the crime and telling the protesters to get into line. The blame is squarely directed toward the president of the United States. Yep, the Democrats and the media are blaming the deployment of the National Guards for the escalation in violence. Here's Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass saying that the extra manpower isn't needed.
I was trying to make the case that the National Guard was not needed here. I was trying to make the case that the National Guard came here, it would be a provocative move and it would be like a deliberate attempt to create disorder and kios in our city.
So instead of shutting down the protests in her own city, the mayor is telling the LAPD and the National Guard that.
They're not needed.
It's a wild idea of restoring order by asking the police the law enforcement to stand down. Kamala Harris has also accused Trump of provoking chaos by deploying the National Guard. She said on social media, in addition to the recent ice raids in southern California and across our nation, it is part of the Trump administration's all calculated agenda to spread panic and division and then completely absurdly. She even
claimed the protests have been peaceful. She said protest is a powerful tool essential in the fight for justice, and as the LAPD mayor and governor have noted, demonstrations in defense of our immigrant neighbors have been overwhelmingly peaceful. I mean, just wow, that is a ludicrous claim that's easily fact checked as being one hundred percent wrong. Kamala Harris only needs to turn on the news to see just how
peaceful the protests have been. Bort Us tom Homan said it was wrong to suggest these protests were in any way peaceful, and he called out the Californian leadership for sitting on their hands.
I was there first two nights. It was out of control, the city was burning. Governor Newsom did nothing. The mayor did nothing. So President Trump, God bless him. He sent in the National Garden to save property and saved lives, and I assume for doing it.
But this is so highly political that California Governor Gavin Newsom even claims that Trump wants a civil war on the streets of America. And Trump then returned fire by saying the governor is not only grossly incompetent, but he even appeared to suggest that he could be arrested, and that was in response to questions from journalists.
That's not what.
Trump is after.
He's not for peacemaking.
He's here for war.
It's a civil war on the streets.
So because Trump is refusing to back down on his decision to deport illegal immigrants, and because he's standing firm on sending in law enforcement, he's now being blamed for inciting violence and abusing power. This is typical. It's not the fault of the rabid mob, but it's Trump's fault for calling in reinforcements to ensure security. Now, the President pledged over and over again to crack down on illegal immigrants. It was a major policy he campaigned on during the
presidential election. He couldn't have been clearer about this.
Now, I will stop the criminal invasion of our country, the biggest problem we have right now, and I will bring back the American dream.
So, whether you like his policy or not agree with him or not, he does have a mandate to do this. Foreign editor in The Australian, Greg Sheridan pointed out today that Barack Obama deported more people than Trump did in his first term. He writes that Obama deported almost four hundred thousand people in twenty ten. He says half had no criminal convictions, and Sheridan writes the Obama administration also took tough action against businesses that knowingly employed illegal aliens.
So it's okay if Obama does it, but a crime against humanity, crying to Heaven for vengeance if Trump does it. And Sheridan also says that illegal immigration has run beyond the control of democratic politics in the West and it is a deep crisis in many countries. He writes, the conventional center left has essentially taken a lawless.
Approach to the issue, and I think that's.
The core of the problem. That's what's led.
Us to where we are now.
Not only is California a sanctuary state, but it's been let down by its own left leaning, soft on crime leadership over such a long period of time that the entire cities in disarray, and it's become in some cases in some areas, an unpalatable place to live. The wok
agenda has killed it. And it's these conditions that have meant that criminals and protesters don't think they have to obey the law, that it wouldn't be enforced anyway, and that they're within their rights to run riot and loot stores. But of course, the other issue is that while Trump does have a legitimate claim to deport to legal immigrants as he said he was going to do, we're just
seeing constant chaos during his presidency. These riots, the trade tariff uproar, the fight with Elon Musk, the oval office spectacle with President Zelenski. It's an administration that seems to thrive on drama. In a world teetering on uncertainty, more stability and calm authority would not just be welcome, but it'd be the smartest move from the president going forward. And it's so long, farewell, farewell, and goodbye to Gretathunberg as she's shown the door by Israel and officially deported
out of the country. As you may have heard, Greta Thunberg has refused to watch the forty five minutes of footage of hermas massacring innocent Israeli families on October seven, And that tells you everything you need to know about Greta and her group of self obsessed attention seekers, because that footage shows children being murdered in their cots, women being mutilated and parents being killed right in front of their loved ones. It's too graphic to broadcast on NAN
and I do think that's a shame. But one of my guests tonight, the Australians Editor at Large, Paul Kelly, watched it just over a week ago when he was in Israel, and I'm going to speak to him about
his trip shortly. But watching that footage would mean that Greta Thunberg would have to face the reality that Israel is trying to defeat her muss a terror group that committed an unfathomable genocide and barbaric atrocities on October seven, and that ever since then, Israel has been desperately trying to bring home the two hundred and fifty innocent people
taken hostage. Kidnapped, yes, actually kidnapped, not kidnapped like Greta claims she was kidnapped when she was given a sandwich and water and brought to safety, but kidnapped like Shiri Bibas was as she was dragged away from her home while desperately trying to keep her two beautiful babies, Kafir and Ariel safe. As you know, they were then murdered
by her mus the children killed by bare hands. Palestinian families had a fun day out, celebrating as the coffins were paraded on a her Musk stage in a murderous, grotesque spectacle. We all cried when their bodies were brought home to Israel. That is what it looks like to be actually kidnapped. Mia Chem knows something about kidnapping two, as does Elie Sharabi and Rachel and John Goldberg Pollen.
It's an insult that Greta claimed she'd been kidnapped, and now today it's emerged that one of the figures behind Greta's flotilla may have ties to her. Muss Zaharbarawi had been accused in the UK and in Israel of being a Hermas operative, and he's one of the organizers of that freedom flotilla coalition. Now Birawi denies this, but British Labor and p Christian Wakeford accused Burrawi in twenty twenty
three under parliamentary privilege of being a Hermas operative. He also claimed he'd hosted an event in London called Understanding Hermas, and as you can see, he's been photographed with Ismael Honeyer. That's Hermas's former political leader who was killed in that
famous attack by Israel in Tehran last year. Now this isn't surprising to learn of the likely or possible connections to hamas anyone campaigning so strongly for Israel's destruction is only doing so to the benefit of a terror group. And as for Greta and her crew, well, they've been sent home from Israel having achieved absolutely nothing except for
humiliating themselves on the world stage. Their self indulgent virtue signaling publicity trip is now over, and the tiny, inconsequential amount of aid they brought in will make no difference to the millions of meals Israel is handing out directly to Palestinians, free from the problematic intervention of the United Nations, which only served to prop up her muss. But as I said last night, hatred of Israel and by extension, Israeli's and Jews is becoming fashionable in left wing media
and political circles. The hatred driven by distorted narratives, propaganda and false claims. It would have been wise for Greta and her group to actually watch the footage of what unfolded on October seven, But that would have been confronting reality, which she and others on the left are loath to do.
Now.
We spoke last night about how the alban Eezy government has banned American tech entrepreneur Hillel Food from coming to Australia. They claim this is because of hate speech, despite the fact he told me last night he planned to speak about innovation.
The topic of my talk wasn't even politics or anything to do with gods or anything like that. I was there to talk about how Israel and Israeli innovation is changing the world and making the word a better place. What's inflammatory about that?
Exactly? So, Tony Burt cancels this highly respected businessman's visa, yet has not lifted a finger to deal with hate preachers, some of whom are in his own electorate. Instead, it's been left to Jewish groups to take civil action in court. Australia's racial vilification speech laws will now be put to the test. The Executive Council of Australian Jury's case against hate preacher with some Haddad began in court today.
The court heard the preacher delivered five speeches in November twenty twenty three, in which he's accused of preaching section eighteen c of the Racial Vilification Act because they were reasonably likely to offend, insult, to humiliate or intimidate Australian Jews. In one speech played to the court, Jews are described as mischievous, that they have their hands everywhere in business media, and he preached about Muslims killing Jews towards the.
End the times, when the Muslims will be fighting the Jews, the trees will speak, the soul will speak, and they'll say, oh, Muslim, O believer, there is a Yahudi behind me, Come and kill him.
I mean, surely it shouldn't be left to Jewish groups to take and fund action here. Yet this is how weak our leadership is in US Astralia. Now to further discuss this, let's bring in now the former Speaker of the House Brhman Bishop and Sky News host Caleb Bond.
Welcome to you both, Bron.
When this is so hypocritical from the Albanese government, isn't it to deny entry for three years to an American Israeli yet take no action against hate preachers?
Of course it is, but right from the first instance, when they took no action at all about what happened at the opera House. Right from that moment they signaled that we're just not going to have anything to do with it, that it's somehow okay for this to go on. And it's got worse and worse. The university's taking over
this mantra. And if you go back in history nineteen thirty three, himlu and Gurry knew they had to capture the youth, and they went first to the University of Frankfort because they knew that was a liberal one and if it fell over, the rest would fallover. It's exactly what happened. And so it became you use the word fashionable, it became okay, it became appreciate, years normalized, and that's
what's happening in this country. And unless the government takes a strong stand, then it will continue to be normalized and our country will be torn to shreds. It just is totally unacceptable to.
Have this sort of.
Build up of what is so ugly, which is so destructive within our own land. To see it allowed to happen here because government simply will not take a stand so hypocritical is an almost too kind a word. It is the personification of weakness of determination to try and compromise in a situation where compromise is not welcome.
I just feel like every day when it's another matter like this, I feel despair, Caleb. I mean, how can this be the case? How can this be the country we're living in? When hillel Ford is denied a visa well with.
No good reason, clearly, but social division seems to be a specialty of this federal government. As Bromwin said, you know, right from the steps of the Opera House, nothing has been done, and you get to the point where you have this case now being run in the courts, and I'll declare that I've never thought aighteen c should exist, but that is the only recourse that has now been
available to do anything about this. I mean, when you've got someone preaching about killing Jews, I mean, surely that is incitement to violence, and they've never taken the opportunity to go after that. So it now has to be run through the civil courts. Both the state and federal governments I think have been lax on this. They've done very little to actually stem this issue. There's been no appetite from law enforcement to charge someone and run one
of these cases. And I've always argued that you have to do it, even if the case fails in court, run the criminal case and see how it goes, because if it fails, there will then be a mandate to do something about it. But no one's had the guts to do it.
Absolutely.
Indeed, now we've been speaking about Trump's illegal immigration, which is in the spotlight, but this fascinating story in the Financial Review today reports at one hundred and eighty three people on ten boats have arrived since the start of the financial year. This is Home Affairs data, and they say it's on track to be the highest number of boats since twenty thirteen. I mean, Ronman, this is enormous. It should be a major issue, and it's not.
We need Ray Hadley back wringing the bell every boat arrives because the Labor Party has tried to cloak itself in clothing that it doesn't belong to them. They're using language that doesn't belong to them. They said, oh, yes, we've agreed with the coalition's policy or coalition government's policy, turned back the boats. The whole process that was put in place that stopped the votes, but then they started
to dismantle it gently so the people didn't notice. So whenever there's an election and they know that this government is weak, the smugglers know this government is weak on the question of boat arrivals, they then start to push the envelope again. And that's exactly what's happening. So it does need to be highlighted because the more it's pushed under the carpet and not talked about every day, then it will increase.
And what I think so worrying about this story Caleb in the fin Review is that they went to Tony Burke for comment and he wouldn't comments. We actually don't know what precisely has happened to these votes.
Well, he's a legal voter rivals precisely. Why would they want to tell us because we might actually learn something in that and that would be bad. I mean, you have to wonder how much of this goes back to the n ZYQ case as well, because if the government looks weak, people will try it on. We've had cases where people have made land and the only way we've found out about it is because the local Aboriginal people have been flying drones about and gone Oh, hang on
a minute. Who were these people? Why are they there? And they've tipped off the authorities. I mean, who knows how many other people could have made land and we don't even know about them. They could be floating around somewhere in the country.
The message back exactly.
You send the message of weakness and people will give it a go. We'll talk about a story tonight on the Late Debate about the courts intervening in another one of these cases where the government tried to deport them, but they did it three years after the offense. So the court said, we'll get your act together time and again. The message is sent that we are weak when it comes to migration and law. So why wouldn't you have a go at getting exactly?
I spoke before about how this issue is playing out in the United States with the violent riots in Los Angeles bron When do you think Trump's actions in enforcing the law. I mean that it might be heavy handed. We don't know the actual tree by the ice officers. But do you think this is fair enough or do you think he's been too harsh here?
No, I don't think he's been too harsh because I can well remember the chaos that occurred in twenty twenty with the Black Lives Matter riots that just spread right across the country, very sick and nothing was done to stop them. And he's I think, taking to nip it in the bug and in Los Angeles, you've got to expect it's going to happen there. But by taking a strong stance and saying no, it's not going to happen again, We're not going to have this behavior again. I think that was sensible.
We just hope it doesn't escalate and that no one is actually killed. Just finally, reports tonight in the City Morning Herald that ABC is planning to acts Q and A, the political TV show on a Monday night. This comes a day after ten scrapped the project. Caleb, is anyone going to miss Q and A?
Probably not having look, you know again, it has to be said, as many said last night, that it's sad to see another current affairs programs disappear from television. But Q and A is just not fit for purpose anymore. I mean, there was a time when it first started under Tony Jones' hosting where it was pulling a million viewers every episode, and it was a place for public debate about serious issues facing the country with people from a broad political spectrum. It's just become these days a
love in for lefties. People are not watching it because it's not actually debating the issues that matter to everyday Australians, so there's no purpose for it.
No.
Indeed, I think a lot of those shows, well, most of the shows on the ABC are too biased, left leaning, no diversity of.
Views and it's a big problem.
Calebon from a bishop, so great to have you both, pleasure now. The coalition's position on net zero is emerging as a major point of contention since the election. The Liberal Party in particular is in disarray over what its policy should be. Moderate Liberals are adamant net zero should be maintained, but Conservatives say it needs.
To be dumped.
This is a feel that Energy Minister Energy Shadow Minister Dantean is going to have to deal with and he joins me live now, Dan, great to see you again. Well, what will the coalition's position be on net zero?
Well, Shahi, we're going to make sure that we do the work that the Labor government clearly didn't do. Before we set our energy and emissions reduction target. We found out during the last election campaign that the modeling, the reputech modeling that the government based all their work on is now worthless. It's not worth the paper that it was written on. And so what we're now seeing is electricity prices going up, We're seeing gas prices going up,
We're seeing emissions flat lining. We're seeing major industrial players in this country, like the Tomago aluminum smelter, under serious threat of closing. And it seems that the only way now that the government is going to achieve its target of net zero by twenty fifty is basically by threatening
the energy security of this nation. Now, that is not the approach that the coalition is going to take, and we're going to take the time, do proper modeling, understand the costs, the costs of what the government are doing.
Shouldn't you have done for the last election. Should you have already done this modeling.
Well, look, obviously we did work in the lead up to the last election, and we took a comprehensive nuclear policy for instance, to the Australian people. But we have to understand the outcome of that election, and we've got to now look at what we will do going forward.
Because you have to remember there will be another three years down the track of Chris Bowen's ideologically driven renewables only approach, and where that leaves this country I think is in grave threat with regards to our energy security, grave threats with regards to increased electricity and gas courses.
For you to mount a coherent argument and attack the government and Chris Bowen as you need to do when you don't have your own position sided and we've heard articulated in the public domain very firmly held views from both miderate and conservative liberals. So how will you settle on a position that the party can unify behind.
Well, I'm going to put a process in place whereby we make sure that we're consulting out in the community, we're consulting with experts, and we're taking all the very best advice as to what our energy policy and what our emissions reduction policy should be. Now we have time to make sure we get that right, because I don't want to be in a position do you have wearing.
Golf when you are going to arrive at a position on that zero.
Look, when we've got it right, when we've got the policy in place that we can take to the Australian people with confidence that we will be able to guarantee their energy security, keep electricity prices down, keep gas prices down, and make sure that we've got a pathway to sustainably reduce emissions, and we will present to the Australian people in good time.
Do you personally support net zero?
I personally support net zero, but not at any cost, Sharhi and I want to make sure that the costs are clear and that we know that the best way that we should be reducing emissions, and I can tell you it won't be the way that Chris Bohne is doing it is doing it.
Our preference would be to maintain a commitment to it if the figures out up.
Well.
What I've said is if we can find a way which doesn't de industrialize this country, which enables us to keep downward pressure on electricity prices and on gas prices, and it means that we can continue to have aluminium smeltering, we can continue to have steel production, we can continue to have cement production, and we can make sure that competitively we can reduce our emissions along with the rest
of the world. Absolutely, that's what we should be seeking to do, but we've got to make sure that we have policies in place which enable us to do that. And this is not an area where you can use a model like the government used reputech modeling, which they
have now had to walk away from. So they're basically the whole basis of their energy policy is now based on nothing but a failed report that they did in opposition, which they said was the best modeling that had ever been done in opposition by anyone, and now they are left with a bit of paper that isn't worth the paper that it's written on.
All Right, Dantine, we look forward to having you on the show again as you continue to work through this process.
Thank you very much for your time.
Now still to Carme Alban Eazy Wan's journalists not to criticize China. I mean this is next level censorship. And one of Australia's most eminent journalists, Paul Kelly, joins me live after watching the Hamas footage that Greta Thunberg refused.
That's up next.
Some breaking news now, there's devastating news breaking from Austria tonight, with the BBC reporting that nine people have been murdered in a high school shooting in the city of Graz. It's thought seven of those were killed. Seven of those who were killed were school students, one an adult, and the maze saying that the gunman has also been killed. It's believed he was a fellow student. Will bring you
more news as it comes through. Terrible news there out of Austria, a school shooting right The Australians Editor at Large, Paul Kelly recently spent a week in Israel on a trip of editors and senior journalists. He was also accompanied by a former Treasurer, Josh Friedenberg, and they met with
senior officials, including Israeli President Isaac Hertzog. Now, Paul is one of Australia's pre eminent journalists and deep thinkers, and in the Weekend Australian he wrote a profoundly thought provoking article weighing up the contentious issues that Israel faces both internally and abroad. And I'm thrilled to say Paul joins me.
Now, Paul, thank you very much for your.
Time personally, What are your reflections on this trip, On this visit to Israel, You've of course been before, but in the wake of October seven and when Israel is in the midst of this existential war.
How did you find the trip?
I think two main impressions, Shari. First of all, Israel is a deeply divided polity. The politics are bad, they're embittered. A lot of this centers around the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netnier, who is a polarizing figure. So the country is extremely divided about that. And of course they're grieving for the hostages, so there's tremendous resentment towards Netnio who because of the hostages. So that's the sense of the politics, that's the sense
of division. But there's another impression as well, And that other impression is that this is a country at war. It's a country with a profound sense of purpose. It's a country where men and women, young men and women, do universal military service. They are committed to a sense of national destiny. I think this is really important. So these two elements go together, a divided politics, but still a profound sense of national mission, national commitment to Israel.
Paul, in your article, you quote tal Becker who says that Zionism is a product of people who felt abandoned by the world. October seven has in some way Becker says, put this sense of an aloneness on steroids. Nobody understands the Jews, the media's against us, there's disinformation. It reinstates the sense of being on our own with our trouma. I think this is such a profound point. Was this a sense that was reinforced by your visit to Israel that it's a misunderstood nation.
I think it is a misunderstood nation. I think this is a tragedy. This sense of loneliness is palpable, and when you talk to people, they might look at Australia's criticism of Israel and say, why are you doing this in Australia, And then in the next breath they'll be criticizing their own government. And I think the point to make about this is that Israel was created with this sense that it couldn't rely on the rest of the world. After it was created and had to look after itself,
it was under attack right from the start. It's fought a number of wars throughout its history because most of its neighbors have never accepted its legitimacy. So it's not surprising there is this sense of embattlement. But I think this is one of the really bad features about Israel today, this sense of isolation, this sense that the world world is moving away from us, the world has turned its back on us. Now, this is a bad thing. It's
the product of two factors. Of course, One is the nature of the war, the nature of the war in Gaza. But a second mine, of course, is that there's a lot of anti Israeli sentiment in much of the Western world, and the war has been the excuse for a lot of people, particular people on the left of fan that sentiment.
It has, indeed, and it extends to the not just to israelis I think, but that sense of abandonment extends to the Jewish community around the world.
It does. It does.
Look you right of Israeli Prime Minister Benjaminette and Yahoo that he has three goals. To win the war against Humus, to eliminate around nuclear program, to normalize ties with Saudi Arabia. And I know that because he told me himself when I met with him. I'd add there's another goal he has, which is to bring home the hostages. How do you assess that he going in his bid to achieve these goals.
He's not going well. Now, I appreciate the goals, but the goals are goals of enormous ambition, and I think the problem is that, I'd say there are two There are two fundamental defects here. One is that net Yale has got a military strategy and it's been very successful. He doesn't have a political strategy. And we know from wars throughout history that you can't succeed unless you've got
both together. So a military strategy is not going to be enough even if the military strategy prevails in Gaza, and there are major question marks about that. I think the other difficulty that netne who faces is that he can't talk to the world. He can't speak to the world. He can't speak to the world in moral terms. He can't explain to the world what Israel's actually doing. He
has trouble persuading his own people, can't persuade the world. Now, if we look at the goals, the goals to win the war in Gaza, well, there's a military question mark about whether or not that's possible. But he has no political strategy for Gaza. After the military victory. The objective is to, of course, to.
Establish and that he said publicly anyway, well.
Well, well, I've probed a lot of people. What is the strategy? If it exists, I certainly couldn't find it. His objective, of course, is to is to establish diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia. That would be a world transforming event. He's got to give the Saudi something to do that, and I can't see what that is. And finally, the Iranians and the Iranians are a fundamental problem, and that's where you deal with Nettniahu and Donald Trump.
And just finally, I'm being told we're out of time. But just finally, I do want to ask you about Trump and Iran, because you know clearly Israel does want to destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities. I mean, this needs to happen one way or another. Trump has taken this pacifist approach. He once it done through dialogue. That seems unrealistic at this point, doesn't it.
Trump supports Israel, but I think there are a lot of differences between Trump and net NYAHUO. Now, the view of Israeli is Iran is historically weak. This is a particularly important moment. This is the moment when the nuclear program, when the enrichment program must be terminated. It can be terminated either by negotiations or by a military strike. Enter Trump.
So the Trump.
Administration is doing all the negotiations and so far the offer is pretty weak. The Iranians have said no, They're calling Trump's bluff. So what will Trump do? Will Trump knuckle down and get a decent negotiated settlement out of the Iranians? I don't think so. In that case, the only option left for Israel is that is the military strike. But they can't strike against Iran unless they've got the green light from America, and probably unless they've got some
military support from America. So on both fronts, Trump is a problem in terms of Israelis and in terms of Israel's ambition dealing with Iran.
And did Paul. I could talk to you for an hour, but we're out of time. Such an honor to have you on as always. I admire you more than I can say.
Thank you so much.
Thanks Sary.
Now still to calm Albanizi Wann's journalist not to criticize China in bizarre comments and the idea Albanezi copied without credit from my next guest, Camer Milner.
That's next, Well.
Anthony, Albanezi today basically admitted he didn't know how to lift productivity and so was organized a roundtable of business, unions and civil society to come up with a plan. Now this is funny because just two weeks ago forma chief of staff to Bill Shorten, Camra Milner suggested this very idea, writing in The Nightly that Labour should hold a tax and productivity summit just like Keating dead in eighty four and have an open conversation with unions and business.
About tax reform.
And Cameron Milner and former Press secretary for Scott Morrison Andrew Casle join me. Now welcome to both. Look, Cameron, we know Albin Easy reads your column and complains about it to anyone who'll listen, but it seems he has actually picked up an idea from you.
Yeah, there've been a few complaints the way it has over the last three years, but no, Look, the idea of a summit is one that's needed. I mean, our growth numbers are terrible. We're in a per capita of session for the last two and a half years, and our productivity is a nation is nowhere to be seen.
That's why Jim Chalmers is the Treasure has already put productivity on the gender and I think a summit to bring business and unions together and indeed the Liberal Party as well and the parliamentarians to actually solve this problem as a nation is absolutely necessary. But no, today National Press Club moment for Albo was the PHONEO Freendom moment.
Free moment.
Because he's run out of ideas out we need to ask other people to form.
Out what he is to do.
I mean, that's exactly right, Andrew. This isn't admission. Isn't it that the Albanezi government has no idea how to improve productivity?
Well, it's not so much that they don't have any idea, that's the most schooling part. It's it's the fact that they've spent the last three years smashing productivity in this country with the imposition of two reckless tranches of industrial relations changes. They've driven a nail through productivity in this country. It's gone backwards at a greater rate than it was before. So it's almost like they're trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube without even talking about changing those
changes to industrial relations. So but I agree with Cameron too though, having this on the agenda is important and having this as a central theme of the next the current term of this government is crucial because lagging productivity is a major in his to economic growth in this country. It's a major block on foreign investment coming into this country, which we so desperately need. You know, there are a mountain of companies, multinational companies, investors that want to invest
in Australia. Now they're not because of lacking productivity. They're not because of our competitive our uncompetitive tax raging. They're not because of the regulations and the red tape that sit there as an impost on business. So if they want their combin our moment in canberrall with the business community and others, then I welcome that, as long as they go in knowing that they've got two ears and one mouth.
And I'd also just add to that list they're not investing because of uncertainty, because decisions in the past have been ripped up on ideological grounds. Now, the Prime Minister was also pressed today on his stubbornness around defense spending. Now, Cameron, this is clearly going to be a feature of the upcoming G seven talks with the Trump administration. So why is he refusing to even say that he'll consider increasing defense spend.
It's crazy, isn't it. I Mean, every night we see the world getting more uncertain and more dangerous and military presences on our very doorstep, Sharie. And yet why wouldn't we as a nation want to build up our military and build up our defense capability. Look, I think Albot's pretty uncomfortable around servicemen and women. You see him on Anzac Day, but you don't seem any other day of the year really being with our serving soldiers and Navy.
And Air Force.
Look, I mean, I think at the end of the day, those lefty views, those inner city views, being pretty pacivist, don't make them comfortable being around defense. But we as a nation need to put more money in and we need to do it sooner. And Orcas is not just the only answer. We need immediate capability with the threats we've currently got.
I mean, this is right, isn't it, Andrew. It's just almost the childish insistence that ALBINIZI won't consider lifting even as an aspiration. The percentage of GDP that we spent on.
Defense, Well, it's a stubbornness, I think.
And yes, there's some budget, budgetary constraints, but the rest of the world is moving in step with higher percentage of GDP on defense spending, and we're sitting at two point zero three. It's pitiful. So this to me is a tool to negotiate with Donald Trump. I mean, there are many non negotiables that should define this moment for Anthony Abernezi, and it is a sink or swim moment
for him. And there are some non negotiables to not go anywhere near and that's bisecurity on cattle, it's social media laws that we have in place here, and he has outlined these things.
It's PBS.
So they're the lines that you don't cross. But there are some things that you give away as well, and one of those things is defense spending. Is it is nothing for us to increase our commitment not only to our partners and our alliances, but to give ourselves the capability that.
We sorely need.
Indeed, all right, Andrew Carsil camer Mila, thank you both very much for your time. Now, coming up next to China's plans for a super embassy in the heart of one of the most important is in the world and what it'll mean.
For Australia, that's next.
Welcome back. China is planning to build what's dubbed a super embassy in the heart of London. Their significant national security concern about what the Chinese Communist Party could do with an embassy in the middle of one of the world's most powerful nations. America is reportedly concerned, and it's said that it even has the potential to derail trade talks. The Interparliamentary Alliance and China's executive director Luke de Pulford joins me. Now, Luke, thank you very much for your time.
So what exactly is China planning here and what are the concerns around it.
So China is planning to develop the largest embassy in Europe in London in a very prestigious site directly opposite the Tower of London. Just to give you an indication of size. This is planned to have over one hundred and thirty additional flats for PRC state employees in addition to an already very large site. And the concerns are broadly threefold. First of all, we suspect that this is going to become a base for all of China's European
interference operations which are already very considerable. We also know that the site is very inappropriate because there's no space for protest outside of it. In fact, we organized two very large protests of four and five thousand people each which blocked all of the very busy adjacent road network. So it's an inappropriate site anyway because people won't be
able to express speech freely. But the critical point is this, it has been exposed that the site, which is Royal Mint Court, so initially where we had our mint to create all of our currency, is directly over sensitive cabling which feeds UK financial services, so the very backbone of
the United Kingdom economy. And the background to that is that it was reported that previously the Chinese of allied once before there was an objection from our intelligence services on the basis that this could imperil UK financial infrastructure.
So if those are the concerns that it has the potential to imperil UK financial infrastructure, could that then have an impact on countries that do have close ties to the UK, particularly a five Eyes partner like Australia.
Absolutely so, these are fiber optic cables which feed UK financial services, but not just the UK, so anz Combank, westpank Westpac and National Australia Bank all have a very significant presence in London. They're all using these cables. The cables feed UK financial infrastructure, but not just UK financial infrastructure, and this was the reason that the United States government on Sunday expressed their concerns, saying to the UK, we hope you're not going to take a decision here which
is going to put our financial services at risk. My strong view is that the Australian governments and Australian politicians should be aware of this risk and should do the same. This is going to create real vulnerabilities for Australian financial services.
Has Kiir Stama been open to listening to the concerns that you and security experts and intelligence services have.
Well at the moment, the government is keeping its powder dry and saying well, it's all in the planning process and will make a decision in due course. What I would say is that there's tremendous diplomatic pressure so highly unusually she's inpeing and is meeting with Kir Starmer on the sidelines of the G twenty last year raised the location of their embassy in London. As the number one thing which needed to be sorted out to normalize diplomatic
relations with the UK. So you can see this very heavy pressure and they've already been sold the building by the last government. So now our government is facing the very difficult decision whether or not to say that they can develop it into this massive embassy, the largest embassy in Europe. Our argument is that this presents to totally unacceptable national security risks, not just for US but to our allies as well.
Look, our Prime minister today said that Australia shouldn't view China as a national security threat but rather a strategic competition any bizarrely encourage journalists to do the same. I don't have time to play you the clip now, but is this an out of place, bizarre warning to journalists that almost amounts to censorship.
What do you think about this?
Well, I put it this way, China is very clearly an adversary. We need to move on from this language of strategic competition. It's no longer appropriate. The CCP under cGMP is more oppressive at home, much more aggressive abroad. We're seeing interference, United frontwork, the inculcation, the deliberate inculcation of dependencies, undermining international institutions, massive human rights abuses, South China, sea aggression. They want to remake the global order in
their own image. So this isn't about being a strategic competitor. This is about being clear about the threat and as to what journalists might think. I mean, Australia is a country which respects free speech indeed press.
And perhaps the Prime Minister should as well. Look to Pulford. We're out of time, Thank you so much and thanks for your company tonight. I'll see you tomorrow at eight.
And here's Paul