Show this good evening.
Hope you've all had a lovely long weekend, but we've got a lot to cover.
Tonight.
Daniel Andrews he should be facing a royal commission into his handling of the pandemic, but instead Anthony Albanesi has protected him from scrutiny, and instead Andrews is being awarded King's birthday honors. The public anger today over this is palpable. Also tonight, Peter d'artanez catching up to Albanesi in the polls, but can he win the next election? He says, the
trend the momentum is in his favor. Political analysts would join Meat to discuss, plus Peter Costello gone and now Mike Sneezeby feels the heat as the Channel nine crisis continues. But first tonight to the joy of the surprise hostage rescue, Penny Wong's silence over the matter, and the Al Jazeera journalist who was holding Jews care active all while reporting on human rights abuses. On Saturday evening, we received the news that we thought it would be impossible not to
celebrate the rescue of Noah Agamani. Just twenty five almog Meyir twenty one years old, Andrew Koslov twenty seven, and Schlummy Ziv forty. Yet there has not been a word of joy or any welcoming the news from Penny Wong. For eight long months, there'd been no news of these hostages, and there were grave fears for their lives.
Who could ever.
Forget Noah Agamani's face and she was ripped away from her life as she knew it and forced onto the back of a motorbike while her boyfriend was held at gunpoint. The twenty five year old screamed and don't kill me as she was kidnapped. The scenes of Noah's devastated father crying went right around the royal right around the world, as he begged as he cried how he was devastated. He spoke about how he kept his daughter safe.
All of her life and now she was gone. Well, thanks to.
The bravery of Israeli forces, Noah, almug Andre, and Shalom were reunited with their families, and here are some of those emotional moments there. The trauma to these families has been indescribable. But where were three of these hostages hidden in the home of a Palestinian journalist who'd written for Al Jazeera and The Palestine Chronicle. Here was Abdullah al
Jamal's profile on Al Jazeera. In his articles, he regularly wrote about so called Israeli human rights abuses and war crimes, claims of starvation and genocide.
You wonder how the media get it so wrong.
Well, perhaps it's because they're relying on first hand accounts from hermask terrorists masquerading as journalists all the while holding Israeli's hostage. Al Jamal's home was in the Nuzarat refugee camp. That's where Harmas and Palestinian civilians were hiding these innocent hostages inside a refugee camp. And the refugee camp has been run by ANRA, the Unitedation's Relief and Works agency. So what responsibility does the AID agency have here?
And why is Australia.
Still sending millions of dollars to UNRA And why didn't the Red Cross, UNRA or any other agency visit Noah and the other hostages despite them being held captive inside a refugee camp. We've even seen in the past two days morally corrupt United Nations officials like the biased Francesca Albanizi claim that the hostages were released released, well, that's utter rubbish. Instead, it took a high risk operation by
heroic Israeli's special forces to free them. They were under constant gunfire as they went into civilian buildings to save the hostages, and under fire as they left. It was something like out of the Netflix television show. Media reports say that elite special forces blended easily with locals in Gaza, posing as displaced Gazans or Hamas fighters, entering the refugee
camp in disguise and speaking the language fluently. One report we can't verify it, but one report claimed they were driving a white car loaded with mattresses and the women
were dressed in clothes similar to Palestinians. The Times of Israel quoted as Saudi owned news channel and said that according to the report, the special forces introduced themselves to local residents as Palestinians escaping the Israeli Defense Forces operation in Rafa, and said they'd rented a place in the area around the market in Nuzarat, while pointing at the
building where hostage Noah Agamani was being held. The disguised forces reportedly got out of their car and split into two groups, each heading toward one of the two buildings in preparation for the operation. Ultimately, one father, a hero, arn On Zamora, lost his life and the operation to rescue the hostages has now been renamed Operation Arnan in his honor.
He leaves behind a wife and two children. At the news of.
The hostage rescue on Saturday evening, there were celebrations across Israel and even in Australia. I thought it was strange that there was no statement or tweet from Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong celebrating the release of the hostages. It's a point the Daily Telegraph made on the weekend. How could she not even welcome the news were two days on, Pennywong still hasn't welcomed the news that four hostages, including a twenty.
Five year old woman, were rescued.
Instead, we've only heard from her media advisor, her spokesperson saying and I quote, we want to see all hostages released, civilians protected, and parties agree to the ceasefire proposal presented by President Biden. And then today Pennywog released a statement saying she was sending Anne Ali, the first Muslim woman elected to Federal Parliament to attend a conference on the.
Crisis in Gaza.
Again in this press release today, no mention of the ongoing terrorism against Israel, and Pennywong said this war must end. The human suffering in Gaza is unacceptable. Australia has been part of the international push for a ceasefire, for humanitarian aid to reach Gazans in desperate need, and for hostages to be released.
And in the same.
Press release ann Ali a labor and p said the humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic. Over one million Palestinians are facing catastrophic levels of food and security, and around one point seven million people have been displaced many several times over. Humanitarian access remains grossly inadequate. No mention there of the need to destroy humas, the need to stop the terrorism against the Jews, or demand the immediate release.
Of the hostages.
I mean, when you look at it, it's actually quite shocking how we've ended up living under such an extreme anti Israel government. I mean, how did we end up with a foreign minister who can't express any joy at the extraordinary rescue under constant god fire of four hostages, including a woman whose image went viral for the way
that she was brutally captured on October seven. Well, it's worth reminding Pennywong that her Mus and the Palestinian civilians holding these hostages could have released them at any point over the past eight months, but they chose not to. If Harmas freed all of the remaining one hundred and twenty hostages right now and surrendered, the war would be over.
There would be no crisis in Gaza or in Israel.
It's curious there's so little pressure by the Albanese government on Hermus to release the hostages and end the war. Instead, the pressure is overwhelmingly on Israel for daring to bring their.
Innocent people home.
The world's youngest hostage, Baby Kafir, was taken when he was nine months old, along with his four year old brother Ariel. They vanished into the depths of Gaza. Yet given what we've just seen with the case of Noah Agamani and the others, there will be Palestinian families and possibly aid workers and possibly journalists who know where they and the other hostages are. We cannot rest, we cannot give up until baby Kafir and his beautiful family are
brought home. To give up on all of these innocent families would be like leaving one hundred and twenty people in a concentration camp. No one would dare suggest such a thing, and no one should dare suggest that we leave behind hostages.
Now.
Now, Pennywog, who has visited Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Israel, should think twice before the demanding of Israel an immediate ceasefire until all our hostages are home safe. All right, let's bring in tonight's panel, sky News contributor Joe Hildebrad and Sky News host Listora. Welcome to you both. Liz, what do you think about this? I mean, it's so hard to imagine. And I actually put questions to Pennywonk's
media advisor today saying is she happy? Is she joyful at the release of these hostages?
And nothing? She can't even say she is.
Well.
She's been very consistent for a long time now, and the urban Eezi government has been very clearly throwing their lot in with the UN, whether that's backing the calls for ceasefire months ago or most recently recognizing Palestinian Palestine. I should say not that it's a real place as a sovereign state. And what I found really interesting about this when we found three of those hostige is in.
One of the UN camps. It reminded me of all the stories we've.
Heard of how complicit the UN has been on Palestine side of things Throughout the IDF said that they found one of the terrorist tunnels underneath the UN headquarters in Gaza.
We know that twelve of unra's.
Employees were actively involved in the atrocities of October seven. IDF claims that there's actually more of them working there.
They say up to fifty percent of.
Unra's employees have close ties to either of the terrorist groups operating in the region. And now we're sending ann Ali, who remember, condemned Israel along.
With ed Husak. Why are you laughing, Joe, It's not.
It's funny that.
Of the government to go there. You should at least pretend you're not biased anyway.
Well, they in October, so this was right after the massacres. She and ed Husick condemned Israel and said that it had to be looked into for war crimes.
I mean, these are our representatives. This is what Australia is dealing with.
Now we have a government who is one hundred and ten percent on board with the UN agenda, which we have known for as long as it has existed.
Basically has hated Israel.
Since twenty fifteen, they have condemned Israel one hundred and forty times, every other member state combined sixty eight times. And Joe, what I think also was so shocking about this is the fact that three hostages were kept in a journalist's home.
Yeah, I find that sickening. I must have been.
I was talking to a friends of mine and the media and politics on Saturday before this story broke, saying there's no way the hostages are alive. Surely they're all dead. And you know this is why you know Hamas doesn't have any bargaining chips left.
To know that Hamas.
Actually had free hostages, had living hostage is I should say that it could have freed if it wanted to parlay with Israel and bargain to get aid through. I think speaks to just what an appalling I mean. This sounds like an understatement of centric and appalling bad faith actor harmss IS. It's a terrorist organization of course, the bad faith actor.
So I think that bells the cat.
I think there is an argument for Israel not to be like to actually to rise above and to put more moral pressure on her mass by saying, all right, we'll, you know, have a temporary cease fire to let AID in and now there you go, We've done that.
Where are the hostage and letting it AID in constantly?
I mean the last thing is I looked out a fortnite ago with something like twenty thousand AID trucks.
No I no, I know, I know, but there are millions and millions of people, and so even even though twenty thousand eight.
Trucks the mass millions of millions, I'm.
Not no, no, I'm not. I'm not just like that.
I'm not saying that, but I'm saying better for it's better for Israel's reputation, it's better for Israel standing if they don't say, well, you know, har Maassa is just as bad or worse than us.
I think Israel should.
I don't think Israel saying that Israel is Israel's letting in so much AID. And part of the frustration by Benny Gantz is that Benjamin Netta, who has been procrastinating so hasn't been moving into Rappa fast enough and so there is that debate going on. We'll get to that later in the show with Dave Sharma. Let's turn now, though,
to the crisis engulfing nine Entertainment. As you'll know last night, chairman Peter Costello resigned effective immediately, just three days after that ugly physical altercation with journalist Liam Mendes at Canberra Airport. Just a reminder, here's how that unfolded.
Why don't you support mister sneezebe publicly?
Goodness, Well, you've got to answer the question, mister thank you. You've just assaulted You've just assaulted me.
Now, just this afternoon, the Sydney Morning Herald published its own editorial by its editor, Bevin Shields, and they said that Costello did have to go. The editorial references the moment when Costello was asked whether he should end his reigner's chair because of this incident, and he said, rubbish were Bevin Shield's rights and I quote what was rubbish was Costello's belief that he could hold onto his job.
It was simply untenable for the chair of a media company that employs hundreds of journalists to seemingly shove a reported to the ground, laugh, walk off and carry on in the boardroom as if nothing happened. Now Costello has been replaced by one of nine's board directors, Catherine West, now of Catherine West Bevin Shield's Rights.
She and other board members will remain under.
Pressure to explain whether they did enough to deal with Wick and the company's broader treatment of women. In addition to quelling the justified concerns of shareholders, she will also
have to regain the trust of staff, particularly women. And meanwhile, we saw that the editor in chief of The Australian, Michelle Gunn, wrote to Peter Costello and to Nine saying that they will need to pay for leam Mendi's camera equipment, which, as I told you on Thursday night, was broken when he was thrown to the ground.
Now Li's.
Initially, Costello tried to claim that he hadn't touched leam Mendes, even though you can see in the footage that he does shoulder barge him.
But Costello clearly.
Didn't think he should have to go that first statement he gave on Thursday night, when he fronted the media in defiance, he said no Liam fell over backwards into an advertising placard.
He shouldn't have to go.
Clearly over the weekend there has been pressure on him from the board and then finally that resignation last night.
Yeah, after he said it was rubbish that he should go home.
But obviously the axe fell and he wasn't left with any choice because a man like Costello does not leave if there's any other option. But the extent of his own delusion that he could just pass this off as being oh, the reporter tripped and fell, mate, there's footage. In fact, we still haven't seen any CCTV footage.
But who makes up a.
Story like that when they know full well enough footage.
There's enough footage you can see he comes at him with the shoulder.
Indeed, but there were witnesses which Liam then went and talked to. What kind of person bothers making up another story and tries shoving it under the carpet when you so clearly did what you're being accused of having done. So, as Sydney Morning Herald has written, he had to go. Indeed he did. Now he's gone, but nine still has a lot of other problems to be cleaning up.
Right now, and Joe.
As you can see from that editorial in the nine newspapers, there is still concern about the remaining board directors what they knew about Darren Wick's behavior, you know, whether they ignored it, and not just the board.
Members, but Mike Sneeze Bee.
So I think there is still a loss of confidence from inside nine in the chief executive.
Yeah, I think that's true. I think. I mean, it's interesting. Someone asked me if I.
Was surprised that Peter Costello resigned suddenly on Sunday night, so surprised it took him that long. I was surprised that he actually saw the end of Friday Night out as chairman of nine. And I think you asked the question, what sort of person sort of behaves like that and then thinks that they can just, through almost sheer force of will, explain it.
Away as though nothing had happened.
And the answer is the sort of person who is used to controlling the entire world around them, controlling the entire environment around them. And one of the very telling things that Peter Costello's time was rapidly coming to an end was things like that in the Sydney Worl Herald.
Now I don't know how much to heart they take the tagline independent always, but it seems to me that a lot of their reporting going after people are Alan Jones quite rightly by the magnificent Kate McClement, Darren Wick himself, and of course Peter Costello came either after those people had left the building or as the cracks were clearly
starting to emerge. And I think when you were starting to look at the volume of reports in the nine press and then also the sort of harder edges that those reports were getting, you very much get the impression that this is not the sort of thing you say to a boss who has complete control. And these guys clearly were losing support from the nine executive and from
the board itself. In the case of Costello, I think anyone who had money on Peter Costello resigning at Mike sneezeby still being around at the end of this, would have done very very.
Well indeed at the TAB. But I think both both.
Men have been under significantly pressure because you know, these are serious allegations of sexual harassment affecting nine women, you know, nine Channel nine women at all levels, junior and senior.
They are serious issues.
They shouldn't have been happening, and there were various women who either raised complaints or various allegations at different levels. And so you know, it's quite right that there are questions about why this was allowed to go on for so long, and those questions still haven't.
Certainly I've been told about saying so I find it hard to believe that people in the organization have.
Yeah, all right, let's turn to Greece, where the hunt for missing TV doctor Michael Moseley came to a tragic end last night, his body found days after he went missing in a cruel tip twist. His body was found close to safety, next to a.
Low wall with a beach resort.
On the other side, Liz, we still don't know precisely what happened, what led to his death, but at least there is some closure for his wife and family.
Now. Yeah, to think his body was found by a photographer who was simply taking photos, it's great as in it that was how it was identified. He was taking photos, noticed something in the water, zoomed in on it on his camera and was like, I think that's I think that's a body there, And so they went down and found him just a tragic story. One of my friend's friends is in Greece at the moment. He was having lunch at the cafe that Moseley walked past that day.
About same island.
Yes, and they said at the time he walked past. I think several I've seen pictures of the CCTV footage. Just the last time that we did see him alive, it would have been forty five to forty seven degrees so it was a very very hot day. And just to think that he may have just gone for a walk, gotten lost and not had any water on him, it's just so devastating or a medical episode, we simply don't.
Yeah, well, I've been to Simmy.
I've been to that island in the middle of summer and it is scorchingly hot. It's very very rocky, there's very very little cover. I've also met Michael Mosley and who's a lovely, lovely man. He was a lovely man. Yeah, it's yeah. When you're on a morning show on television for seven years, you meet every single, every single diet expert in the world.
Well, I would ask if you've done the five to die, But knowing you for the past twenty years, Joe, you have never needed to die.
Never needed to But my very good friend Ned who might be your very good friend, fine and proud Jewish man did the five to two when we've worked together.
I don't know old Jews as it turned out.
Hello, one day you can introduce him to net All right, lista Joe hudibrand thank you guys so much. Now coming up, Anthney Alberanezi returns to the climate was once again as Dutton catches up to him in the polls, plus the US consulate in Sydney targeted pro Palestinian protest. I'll speak with Liberal Senator Dave Sharma next. Welcome back, We'll Voters are deserting the Albanezy government, with Peter Dutton closing in as preferred prime minister.
According to Newspoll. In the Odds.
Today, Labour's primary vote fell one point to thirty three percent, compared with the Coalition, which gained two points to thirty nine percent. To analyze this, let's bring in now Bill Shorten's former chief of staff now GXO Strategies director Cameron Milne.
Cameron, great to see you.
Look, it's really the coalition that's improved here because Labour's primary was thirty three percent at the last election, which is basically the same.
Result that it is now.
So what we're seeing is Peter Dutton really lifting the coalition's performance.
What do you think, Well, it's groundhole day for Labor because their primary hasn't shifted in two years, and little wonder because Albanese hasn't shifted in two years. But no, Peter Dutton's a winning out of today's News poll because he's consolidated the Liberal and Coalition primary vote and that's critical. It's critical not any Labor marginal seats, but also against
the Teals. So Peter Dutton and News poll very good news for him, not so good news for Albanese because it has gone nowhere in two years.
Look when I interviewed Peter Dutton a week ago on Sunday, he made the point to me that while there hasn't been a government who lost after one term since nineteen thirty one, he thinks it can be done.
He says.
The momentums in his direction. You know, the argument is that it's similar to the trends we saw before the voice.
Do you think this is possible?
Do you think, like you know, most commentators do that will probably end up in a minority government or hung parliament situation.
Well, the best.
Labor can hope for with the way Albanese is traveling is minority government. It propped up by entitled Teals and anti Semitic Greens. I mean, that's the future for the Albanese government on these current poles. But no, I think the situation is in nineteen thirty one. It's twenty ten. I mean Gillard and Swann took Rudd's majority and smashed
it and became minority government in one term. Bill Shorten took Tony Abbott's majority in twenty thirteen and in twenty sixteen came within one seat in the first term Liberal government. So there's a lot more volatility than people expect, and commentators should look at the last ten years of elections, not the last hundred years, because Peter Dutton may very well make a majority government in as little time as May next year.
And of course when Bill Shoton took it to within one seat, that was blamed on Meddi scare campaign, or that's at least what Malcolm Turmill blamed it on Cameron.
Look, we are seeing good campaign.
Well might have been a good one, but it was a false one. Anthony Albanesi and Penny Woe combined. Do you think these are? This is potentially the worst Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in terms of a combination leading Australia that we've ever had.
Well, it's unfortunately a long list chari We had Sir Robert Menzi's selling iron to the Japanese in ninety thirty nine. We had Fraser with Andrew Peacock, who really was the Minister for Foreign Affairs as he chased Shirley maclain around the globe while on the taxpayer's dime. So we've had some pretty bad combinations. Look, what I will say is it's the weakest. It's the weakest combination I've ever seen. Week on China, week on anti Semitism, week on Islamic extremism,
we got hate preachers at home. I mean Alberti's and Wong keep making the same weak choices. Now they've got nine months to earn themselves the worst ever and let's hope they don't get there, because at the rate they're going they may well win that prize in the first term.
Yeah, well, I certainly agree with you. Definitely A week when it comes to foreign policy. The Prime Minister today tried to change the topic. We've saw the detainee debacle has really him over the past couple of weeks. In particular today he said that Peter Dutton was worse than Scott Morrison on climate change.
Let's have a look at that.
He is all negativity and no plan. And what we've seen now for two years under Peter Dutton as a reluctance to announce any policies. We've seen three now budget replies without a single costing.
And this is off the back of Peter Dutton saying once again that he would ditch Labour's twenty thirty net zero target and instead keep the twenty fifteen net zero target. Peter Dutton told the Weekend Australian that Labor has no hope.
Of achieving the targets.
He says, there's no sense in signing up to targets you don't have any prospect of achieving. What do you think about this, Cameron? You know we are in a cost of living crisis. That's the overarching issue affecting most Australians. So do you think Albanezi returning to the time was will work for him.
Politically, No, I.
Don't because cost of living is absolutely the number one issue, cost of living, cost living, cost living, and look tomorrow's state budget brought down by Cameron Dick is all about cost of living, so all the other state premiers.
So it was Jim Chalmer's.
Budget that got buried by Albanese's week leadership on immigration a range of other matters. So no, Look, I think Albanese is trying for the distraction, trying to set up some faux war that's ten years old. I don't think it'll work because people are really concerned about putting bread and butter on the table and making sure they can pay the energy bills that are crippling them at the moment, and.
Keeping a roof over their heads. You know, the housing crisis.
Whether absolutely people are renting or whether they're struggling with their mortgages, it is certainly tough. Camin Milner, thank you very much for your insights. Now let's bring in now Liberal Senator Dave Sharma. Dave also, of course Australia's former ambassador to Israel, welcome to the program. Look, we saw a pro Palestinian activists target and vandalize the US Consulate in Sydney today, a sledgehammer was used. There's graffiti across the front of the consulate. I mean, let's bring up
those pictures now. And this is just the latest incident. We also heard Ray Hadley on TGB this morning report that, Yeah, that red triangle that you can see there, that's apparently a symbol where something is a target of a mus Dave Sharma, what's your reaction to this really worrying attack.
Well, it's embarrassing, sharing because it's an attack on the diplomatic premises which are meant to be protected under international law of a close friend and ally. But it's also part of a climate of lawlessness and disorder. It's been allowed to develop because of weak leadership by the state of federal governments. I mean, how is it that outside of the US consulate, I expect there are closed circuit
television cameras, expect their security footage. When are the perpetrators of these crimes vandalism, property damage, incitement, harassment, racial valification. When is someone going to be arrested, When is someone going to be charged? When is someone going to be brought to justice for this? So we send a message
that this sort of conduct is not acceptable. But what we've seen is this growing climate of anarchy in our streets where people who ostensibly say they're propalaestineed more often than not their pro Hamas seem to think that the laws that apply to the rest of society do not apply to them. And we've allowed this to develop. Our Prime minister has allowed this to develop, Our premier has allowed this to develop in New South Wales, and our police leadership is taking the lead from them.
Yeah, and you know, they'd be forgiven for thinking that the laws don't apply to them, because, as you say, we see very few arrests despite the level of vandalism, the aggression, not to mention the hate speech, and there are laws for hate speech, it would be good to see them used in relation to these sort of racist attacks. Dave Sharma, let's return to this news that there were
four hostages rescued by Israel on Saturday night. What do you think about the fact that they were held, that three of them were held in the home of a Palestinian journalist who was reporting on human rights abuses, and do you think this is part of the reason why we're seeing such bias in media reporting?
Well, he's not only a journalist to share, he's also a spokesperson for one of the Hamas run ministries. So this is one of the quote unquote official sources of information that foreign journalists use for figures and facts, and it seems that this journalist and spokesperson.
For Hamas was holding the hostages.
I mean, this is just it shows you how deeply embedded Hamas is in society there, but also how you cannot trust a word that they're saying, whether it's about casualty figures or what was the cause of a particular incident or anything else. And look, first I want to say though importantly, I'm so relieved that these hostages behind. There's still one hundred and twenty being held there, and it's just a great joy to see them reunited with
their family. But let's remember these weren't freed or released by Hamas. They should have been they should have been over two hundred and forty days ago. They should never have been taken hostage. They were liberated by Israel's military action. And all those people who are saying, well, let's have a ceasefire without any conditionality attached to it, they're effectively saying let's leave the hostages there. This is the only thing that's liberating the hostages right.
Now, exactly exactly. And there's the point I keep making.
You can't have an immediate cease fire while we still have innocent families, even a baby held hostage. Now I've criticized tonight the fact that Penny Wang hasn't publicly welcomed the news. Well the Prime Minister did today finally welcome the news of the hostage.
Let's have a look.
Very much welcome hostages being reunited with their families. They should never have been hostages taken. The taking of these hostages and keeping them in captivity close to where there are so many Palestinian civilians is a atrocity and it is one of the things that leads us to call har maaster terrorist organization to actions of a terrorist organization.
Dave Sharma, are you surprised our Foreign minister couldn't say something similar that she welcomes the release of the hostages.
Well, firstly, I welcome the comments by the Prime Minister. I think they were right in substance out in town, but I am surprised. I mean, Patty Wong is very quick on her keyboard, to fire off a tweed or a post on x whenever anything happens in that region that concerns her on behalf of Israel, whether it's Israel's behavior or Israel's alleged conduct or an alleged civilian casualties from this conflict. But you would think this is one of the biggest breakthroughs in this conflict over the last
few months, and it's a time of great joy. I mean, Pennywoll when she was in Israel met some of the family members of the hostages who are being held. I would have thought the humane and decent thing to do, especially when we consider that Israel as one of our longest standing and firmest friends in the Middle East, would have been to at least welcome this news with a
short statement, with a tweet, with something like that. But instead it's been left to the Prime Minister because it's like Penny Wong has a hard time saying anything positive with Israel in the same sentence.
Yeah, yeah, and look at it did take the Prime Minister until today when it happens Saturday night. They could have instantly put out a statement immediately on social media, like you said, Dave Sharma, thank you very much for your strength in this area and for coming on the program. Now coming up the premiers that should be facing a Royal commission into their COVID lockdown laws instead given at King's Birthday honors today and of course the PM applauds
the decision. Plus Holly Hughes responds to being taken off the ticket by the Liberal Party for a below were taken off.
The top of the ticket for a man. All of that after the break welcome back will.
Former Premiers Daniel Andrews and Mark McGowan have been awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia. Daniel Andrews, who was responsible for one of the world's harshest and longest lockdowns, which sparked mental health problems in children and a hotel quarantine program which caused almost eight hundred deaths, and former WA Premier Mark McGowan, who's draconian border policies separated families and left businesses struggling well. The Prime Minister first protected
these premiers from the scrutiny of a Royal commission. A royal commission that we need, if for nothing else, to make sure that we know what to do if another pandemic happens, and then today he applauded their honors.
Both Daniel Andrews and Mark McGowan were very successful from the people who matter to their respective states in Victoria and Western Australia.
Well.
Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett said that the decision reeked of political interference and here he was speaking to James McPherson a bit earlier on Sky.
So we are now giving the highest civilian award to an individual who has failed. We are recognizing failure. I would like to know why it took so quickly and whether in fact there has been political interference in him being granted this award, and that wouldn't be surprising because the hallmark of Daniel's premiership.
Was just that.
Joining me to discuss Liberal Senator Holly Hughes and Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, Andrew Wallace, Welcome to you both. Holly, what do you think do you think the premiers should have been given these honors?
Absolutely not. It is absolutely disgraceful. I think it demeans the awards. I think these awards were really set up and established to recognize volunteers in our community. People that put themselves out to assist others in Australia not do their job, and I think a lot of us could argue that both McGowan and Andrews did their job poorly. I think it's an insult to Victorians and to West Australians that health was included as part of the reasons for
this recognition. When Andrews is left behind crippling debt, he's left behind significant mental health issues after the lockdowns that he put Victorias through. And McGowan, I mean, aside from cutting way off from the rest of Australia and separating families in the most obsane way, with the health system is crumbling over there and somehow or other that's granted him this award. It is just disgusting, I think on every level.
I mean, it should be the nurses, it should be the aged care workers who are recognized because they put their health.
On the line during the pandemic. Andrew Wallace.
There's also the fact that they're not going to face scrutiny at a Royal commission, the inquiry announced by Anthony ALBINIZI that doesn't compel the premiers, doesn't you know, force.
Them to give evidence under subpoenas.
And this is what is important because if another pandemic hits, we do need to know what the right things are. You know, do we need masks? Do we need vaccines? A lot of people would argue no, of course not, but you know, there does need to be a set of guidelines established and without a royal commission, we can't get the those proper recommendations.
That's right, Shari.
Look, please God, there'll never be another pandemic like what we saw. I'm sure that we well, one would like to think that as governments in this country and across the world, that we would have learnt our.
Lessons from the latest pandemic.
But unless we pull it apart, turn it upside down and give it a good shaking, we'll never really learn those lessons. And because of the federation, the way that we govern, the way that we are governed in this country, to really exclude the state governments, and let's bearing in mind it was the state governments.
That really ruled the roost in relation to health matters.
To exclude them from a royal commission really smacks of political interference and it was just absolutely a cover up from the Prime Minister.
But I see what's really interesting, Shari.
It's a protection racker. But I tell you what's really interesting. I'm sure Hollywood agree with me on this. Whenever I've put anybody up for an Australia Award or now a King's Birthday honors, it generally takes.
I've never had one dealt.
With in under eighteen months, usually two years somewhere around there.
Isn't it interesting? And bearing your mind?
Politicians and judges, whoever is in public life never get it gone whilst they are serving. But it's really interesting, very quick turn around. Then, Mark McGowan resigned almost twelve months ago to the day and Daniel Andrews resigned nine months ago. So could it be but these two premiers had their applications approved or whoever nominated them in less than twelve months.
I smell a rat.
No good point, now, Holly.
About two weeks ago you lost your spot on the Senate preselection ticket. You were the type of the ticket you're now number four. That's considered an unwinnable spot. It is an unwinnable spot. Instead, the number one on the ticket is one of your colleagues, Andrew brag.
How do you feel.
You know, there's been a lot of discussion within the Liberal Party about prioritizing women, and I think the Sky audience, the Sky viewers would know you as a very strong woman who campaigns for a lot of issues, not the least of which is anti Semitism. How do you feel about being moved down to number four and replaced by a man?
Look, Andrew was always going to get repre selected at the end of the day. He's backed by the Moderate faction within the Liberal Party and they have been the dominant faction in the New South Wales division for a while, so he was always going to get there. The other people that were running were running against me, and I find it a little bit insulting that for some people there's a bit of an attitude you can replace one woman with another and it doesn't matter. I think you
do need to look at merit. I think you need to look at experience, and I need to think, you know, what the contribution that's been made and could obviously continue to be being.
Made, would be considered.
Unfortunately, it came down to about one hundred and fifty pre selectors in New South Wales who decided that I was not that woman to continue serving the party. It has been met with shockun horror pretty much across the Parliament, all sides of the Parliament, so you know, it is what it is though, that's what the New South Wales Division has decided to do.
I understand that Peter Dutton didn't have anything to do with this, but the Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor did, is that right?
Yeah, so he certainly wrote a reference for another woman who was running in the race that she would make a great contribution. So the question was raised at the time not only by Andrew and myself who are current shadow ministerial colleagues of Angus Taylor's, but also you know which one of us and a lot of our other colleagues raise the point which one of us should be being replaced? So now we know what the intention was behind that. This is unprecedented in Angus Taylor for doing that.
It's unprecedented for a colleague to actively campaign against other particularly shadow ministerial colleagues.
Peter Dutton and Susan.
Lee run a very very or on United team. I think this has probably exhibited more personal ambition than ambition for the team, which is something that, you.
Know, I wish days.
Yeah, I think that his personal ambition has got in the way of keeping the unity in the team.
Well, he's gone against Peter Dutton here.
Peter Dutton had given a reference to Andrew Bragg and myself that he wanted to keep his shadow ministerial team together and I think you know, really Dennis Shanahan probably summed it up in The Australian Best earlier when he said that Angus Taylor has to get serious about detail and present a more mature alternative in Parliament. And I don't think anyone could say it better than Dennis there. It's interesting that he's spending more time on factional politics
in New South Wales. I think that perhaps his portfolio.
Yeah, very very strong remarks are accusing the Shadow Treasurer of spending more time.
Well, I don't know whether he spent more time, but he certainly shows and the history you know, he has always been even if you don't like a colleague, you don't actively campaign against them.
No, indeed, Andrew, Well, let's just to get your reaction to Peter Dutton's comments on the zero target. He's now saying, or he has been saying for a while that it doesn't look like the twenty thirty targets are going to be met, so we should push it back to twenty fifty.
What's your reaction to that.
I think there's probably only one person in the world who thinks that labor will get us to forty three percent reduction by twenty thirty, and that's Chris Bowen.
Nobody believes that that's going to happen.
Particularly with the framework that they've laid out, the amount of solar panels that need to be laid on the daily basis, the amount of wind turbines that need to be constructed on a daily basis, it's just not going to happen. So we're committed to ensuring that we get to net zero by twenty fifty, absolutely, but we want to ensure that we effectively hold the government to its commitments that it has made, and the reality is it's most impossible for.
It to achieve it. But I think.
The comments that Cameron Milner made earlier were really appropriate. Very few people are now talking about this. What people are absolutely focused on is cost of living.
Yeah, indeed, apologies, Andrew, but we are out of time right now. I've got to get to Kosher Garden next to Andrew Wallis, Hollyho's great.
To see you.
Sorry now after the break, the latest on Hunter Biden's gun trial and the stark difference between how the media has portrayed Hunter Biden's case compared to Donald Trump's. Stay tuned, welcome back. Well, let's bring in now Sky News contributor Kosher Garter Kosher, great to see you. Look, we've just seen that the second week of Hunter Biden's gun trial,
prosecution has rested its case. Where do you think they're up to in terms of proving whether or not he was actually using drugs in the days before he bought a gun.
You know, I think this case, Shari, much like the Trump case, is going to come down to less so about the proof and how compelling the prosecution is going to be or not going to be in what they're proving, but ultimately the jury and how favorable is the jury going to be or not? You know, because this case, the whole premise of it is, as you point out, was he addicted which is where the felony charge comes in. Was he addicted to substances at the time of procuring
a gun? They're going to argue, well, you know, in the day before it or the day after it, the defense will argue he wasn't, and that's kind of a hard thing to prove one way or the other. They do have some corroborating evidence from his own accounts that he's published, et cetera, so that will all air out. I think ultimately it comes down to the Delaware jury.
The Bidens are very well known in Delaware, and ultimately, regardless of the facts and law, what is the jury likely to do, I think is what this is where this is going to wind up.
What about the media treatment of the two cases, the Donald Trump case and the Hunter Biden one. Do you know, do you notice the difference in the tone?
One hundred percent?
I think there's a reason why media approval sits somewhere between Congress and various terrorist groups. To be honest, it's like very low in the teens. I think are low teens the approval rating for this because people know and
they see right through it. There's an agenda for sure with most of the media, and I think that's why you don't see that much polling has changed in the aftermath of either the Trump case or even this current ongoing case because most of the electorate is baking it into the case and they really see through the media as being not so much reporting the facts, but more so just influencing opinion.
Yeah, indeed, all right, Kosha Goata, thank you very much for joining us tonight, and to everyone at home, have a great rest of your lovely long weekend.
I'll see you tomorrow at eight. And here's Paul Mari