Good evening will Australians see Peter Dutton as a more experienced, decisive and stronger leader than Anthony Albanesi, according to new polling out Today News poll, which is one of the country's most respected polling companies, also found that Dutton is just ahead of Albanesi when it comes to the question of which leader understands the major issues better and has
a vision for the country. The danger for Labor is that the perception is now cementing of Peter Dutton as a stronger and more decisive leader and increasingly Albanesi is looking weak as PM. A rollout of coalition MPs made the point today that the Prime Minister is ignoring the major issues affecting Australians and this is reflected in the polls.
Australians are saying no, we don't feel safer and we don't feel as though we're better off.
I don't think it's surprising that in an environment when people are feeling feeling cost of living pressures, that we're seeing poles tighten.
The reality is is that it's getting more and more difficult every single day for them.
Well, Labor always relied on the premise that Dutton was unpopular and unelectable, and this week's news poll came as quite a shock to them. It showed that Peter Dutton is catching up to Albanezi. It turns out his leadership style is suiting the times. His perceived flaws are morphing into attributes. We're living in an age of unrest, economic uncertainty,
eroding social cohesion, lawlessness and youth crime. The Prime Minister struggles to even acknowledge or vocalize the immense daily problems voters are facing, let alone sanctioned ministers whose policy failures exacerbate these major issues. In the past, Albanesi has crafted his image around being the likable bloke Ossie's would want to have a beer with, and Labour has celebrated that Peter Dutton is perceived by voters as less likable, more
of a tough, hard politician. Even liberal strategists initially try to soften the opposition leader's image. Now that's mostly unnecessary. Voters just may be looking for someone to be tough on detainees, to deport the child rapists and murderers, to arrest the pro Palestinian activists vandalizing our streets, to stop the hate speech and to tackle the cost of living crisis.
With Dutton's ascension in the polls comes concerns in labor ranks that Albanese doesn't recognize the task ahead of him before the next election, and there's a similarity here with the Voie. In the months leading up to the referendum, when the polls pointed to a sharp defeat, an upbeat and optimistic Albanesi remained convinced it would all come good
in the end. He was convinced he would prevail and the Voice would win, Convinced, as he said repeatedly, that Australians would eventually do the right thing.
I have faith in the Australian people and I have faith that we will put our case and I'll ask people to comment as well. But I've always had faith in the Australian people. Where's the downside here? What are purople risking here?
In fact, Albanezi was so confident that the Voice would win he didn't even bother to find a model that would have bipartisan support because he didn't want to share the glory. Because for Albanesi, the Voice wasn't just for Indigenous Australians, but it was meant to be the defining feature of his own legacy.
Well.
Peter Dutton, at a press conference today asked what vision for Australia Albanese now had apart from the Voice.
And this is a government that's two years old, frankly looks twenty two years old. He can talk big, but he never delivers. And apart from the Voice, what agenda does this government have?
And you can see that Dutton is sharpening up his pre election messages. But it strikes me that we're now in a similar situation to that of the Voice ahead of the next election.
The polls for weeks.
Now have shown that Albanesi is headed into minority government at best. Yet he's got the blinkers on, convinced everything will be fine all the while his government is lurching from scandal to scandal, and most scandals are defined by his own weakness. The Prime Minister failed to even make a phone call to any Chinese minister after an aggressive
near miss from a Chinese fighter jet. He's failed to sack his scoundal prone Immigration minister at the expense of community safety, as the Perth grandmother Ninette Simmons would attest, and during a cost of living crisis. There's been no apology from Albinizi or even an explanation for why his ten billion dollar housing fund has not delivered a.
Single new house.
The role of PM has shone a spotlight on Albanese's flaws, particularly his inability to crasp detail and his lack of authority over his ministry. You could say at heart he's actually ill suited to the role of Prime Minister and even inept at leading our country. There is now Syria anxiety within Labor about Albanese's chance of winning the next election, and the concern is that Albanzi doesn't recognize the extent
of the problem. Only one third of voters support Albanesi, as we spoke about last night, the party's primary vote is now the same as it was at the last election, and these are historic lows for Labor. The challenges facing our nation are immense and historically significant.
The very essence of what.
Makes up our successful multicultural society is fracturing. We see it on a daily basis, and parts of our suburbs are gripped by extreme poverty, a cost of living crisis
doubling up with an antisemitism crisis. Australians have no confidence that Albanzi has what it takes to lead and govern our kind during these fra times, and as if proving this very point, over the past two days, the Prime Minister has tried to shift the dial by using climate change as a distraction from the central issues gripping our nation.
Just like with the Voice to Parliament.
Voters marvel at how out of touch the boy who made it out of Housing Commission has now become. Also coming up on the show tonight, the climate was heat up with Albinizi launching an attack on Peter Dutton, claiming he's failed despite the fact the government is not on track to meet its own twenty thirty targets. Also tonight, the Albaneze government makes a point of saying that it won't supply Israel with any defense capabilities, and it hasn't
done since October seven. Well, there's no more obvious sign that this government has abandoned Israel.
In its hour of need.
I'll discuss this with Bronin Bishop and Kayler Bond in a moment. Plus, a new scandal emerges at PwC, with a key figure casting doubt that women were raped on October seven. Caroline Marcus, who broke the story, would join me a bit later and Unrest at nine with Chief executive Mike Sneezeby under continued pressure. This is now mounting the Australians Media writers Sophie Ellsworth will be on the
show with the latest developments. But first, now let's go to tonight's panel, former Speaker of the House Bronwin Bishop and Sky News host kayleb Bond.
Welcome to you both, Bronwin.
Let's start with the editorial the news poll figures that I just spoke about. It's now showing that Peter Dutton is catching up to Albanezi and the key MiG figures that we saw in Today's Australian in newspoll that Dutton is emerging as a more decisive, as stronger and a half a leader.
Of course he is.
I kept saying that more than twenty years I sat in that chamber with Albanezy and nobody ever said he was a leadership material and he's not. And I think the words that Peter Dutton used today that he is weak and rattled. He is starting to come through. He is searching to try and be liked, to try and be listened to. But every time he opens his mouth and wants to criticize the opposition, people remember that he's lied to us so often. Two hundred and seventy five
dollars off your electricity bill. We won't change anything about the tax three Stage three tax cuts. If you go into every aspect of what policies they took. There was no mention ever of the industrial relations reforms that they brought in under the cover of the voice. So he is in a serious quandary, and Peter Dutton has gone
back to the sort of things that people want to hear. Yes, climate change we've locked into twenty and fifty, but no, he won't sacrifice the economy or the people of Australia on the altar of climate change.
I think the point you make, and I talk about it on this show often because it is just so astonishing that everyone, all the commentators wrote about how Albin Ezi was taking this small target agenda to the election, and in fact we have seen radical nation changing reform in almost every area, industrial relations one of them, and none of this was put to the voters. High immigration
again another thing. But Caleb, I want to ask you about this point that I just spoke about at the start of the show about the idea, and Simon Benson first wrote about this the Political Editor that Peter Dutton's leadership style suits our times, and it was no secret of the fact that liberal strategists were trying to get
him to soften his image. Now there's no need for that because voters in a cost of living crisis, when there's laws whilessness on our streets, whether it's youth crime or the pro Palestinian activists, they want a tough leader.
His toughness is suiting the times correct.
And when you talk about softening the image, fundamentally, what you're talking about his likability exactly. And Albaneze has had a certain level of likability because I don't know, they see the like modern sort of music and he downs a beer at the Marrickville Theater or whatever. Right, So he's tried to build an image that says I'm younger
than what my years are. People have liked that. He's still marginally ahead of Dutton in terms of preferred PM, but when it comes down to brass tacks in times of crisis, people will look for a leader, and Darton, I think for a long time has looked like a leader. But it's now that it's really coming into the form because, as you say, you got cost of living and plenty
of other things to worry about. And it's why, and I hate admitting this, but I've admitted it many times that Daniel Andrews is one of the best politicians this country has ever seen. And that is because at a time of crisis, everything that came out of his mouth was nonsense, but he looked like a strong leader, and people believe in a strong leader. And the great quality that Dutton has.
I'm not just agreeing with you, but Daniel Andrews has not had any competition.
The great position has a week for such a long time, and it still is correct.
But the great thing that Darton has is that he has that appearance. He stands up. You believe what he says, you know, he says it with conviction. And he's now up against a man who looks increasingly more weak, and so people start to go, well, my power bill is going up, everything is going up. I need someone who can fix it, and Dalton has the conviction and seems convincing enough to be able to do it. That's where
he pulls ahead. And there was another newspole I think it was just before Christmas that said a similar thing as well.
Well, the climate was are now heating up again and Australians are rolling their eyes because there are so many pressing issues. Anthony Albanezi broke the public holiday yesterday to call a snap press conference to put climate change on the agenda, no doubt as a distraction away from the immigration scandal. Well, here was Peter Dutton today on whether he plans to commit to a new twenty thirty emissions reduction target.
Will you adopt a.
Lower climate target for twenty thirty then Labor?
Well, as we've said, Labour has no chance of meeting their target by twenty thirty, and I'm going to have a responsible approach, but I'm not going to adopt an approach that sees power prices skyrocketing like they will under Labor.
Does that mean you'll have a lower target.
Later, Well, it means that we're committed to net zero by twenty fifty.
And here was Anthony Alberanezi attacking Dutton over those comments.
Peter Dutton is divisive. The coalition are divided, and there's no detail about what they would pursue. They are the three d's of the coalition device ship divided detail, which gives them a big f full fail when it climes to climate policy.
I remember bron when, just like with the voice, you know, the cost of living crisis is what most Australians are really battling with, the interest rate rises, the extremely high cost of groceries.
You know, do they want another election on climate.
Well, it will be on cost of living. And that's why I've said all along it'll be an early election because those tax cuts won't last till next May. But if you look at the climate change question, the cost of energy, the cost of electricity feeds into the cost of everything else. It feeds into the cost of the vegemite in the supermarket. It feeds into the cost of shifting cattle from the pasture to the advertise. It feeds into the cost of bringing imports from the wharf to
be dealt with. It feeds in at every point both to inflation and to the cost of life. And so it is part and parcel of that issue. But Peter Dutton has made a very sensible point that there's no way in the world that the target of the Labor party is going to be met. It's just another broken promise. Every time he opens his mouth, he breaks a promise. Mister Alban easy, Albert the trot and mister Duttner said very properly that after the election we'll talk about twenty thirty.
We're locked into twenty fifty. That'll do. Let's get on with it.
And no doubt Labor will come under pressure from the Teals and the Greens for failing for being on track, for failing to meet the twenty thirty targets.
I think they're melding into the same lot.
Teals, Greens, Labor all the same to us over here, I joke, but they're not far off. Defense Minister Richard Miles is scrutinizing any potential defense shipment to Israel. This story in the City Morning Herald today. He's apparently reportedly trying to make sure that own military equipment is being sent to Israel, and Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy confirmed that contracts with Israeli companies are for Australian defense equipment.
Have a look.
Well, what I can say to you is, since the conflict has begun, we've been only approving export permits to Israel for equipment that is returning to Australia for the ADF.
Now I find this absolutely extraordinary. You have to ask why would the government have any problem with supplying the democracy of Israel with the ability to defend itself after a terrorist attack. This Caleb is so clearly, this is the most blatant sign we've seen yet that Labor is anti Israel.
It doesn't believe Australia should support Israel's efforts to defend itself.
Because what they've done is changed the rules. Previously, you could have low level deals, they're not worth a huge amount of money that could be done at a bureaucratic level. Now the minister, mister Marles has decided that all those deals have to go directly to his desk.
So he has the.
Power of veto. And the only reason you ask for that power of veto is because you might want to exercise it. I mean, this government has had more flip flops on the issue of Israel and Palestine than Bondai Beach. To be perfectly frank, the last week you actually felt like, oh, maybe we're getting somewhere. They're taking on the Greens about what's been going on in front of officers, then we get this this week. It changes all the time because we know what they actually think. We know what the
Prime Minister thinks. You've shown the clips many times going back into his history. We know what Penny Wong thinks. We know what many members of the labor left think. But they have to keep up something of a front to look like they actually care about the issue. They don't. If you scratch a little below the surface, as the Sydney Morning Herald did in this case, every turn they do not want to provide support to Israel. All talk, no action.
What do you think about this?
Bronwin spot on, And every time I look at mister Miles, having been myself Minister for Defense, Industry, Science and Personnel, I just absolutely cringe at the leadership or lack of leadership that's being given. Because just as he buried the helicopters that the Ukraine asked for or the coal we have refused to send them, here he is, as Caleb adequately and beautifully described, usurping a power so that he can deny Israel and his support. So all our ally
is our ally, and we always support our allies. So mister Miles to me is an absolute pretender. He's the man who sent his speeches off to China to get them checked. He's the man who pretends to spend a lot of money on defense, but that's in ten years time. No money really flows until the end of the ford inestaments. He pretends to be concerned, but he isn't. And this is just another example of how he is not living
up to our obligations for an ally the Parliament. The Parliament passed the motion that said Israel had the right to defend itself. That's what the Parliament said, Well, actually is not doing it, no.
And by their actions they don't support that very statement. Because if Israel did want any defense equipment or supplies from US, we wouldn't be supplying it. And partly because of a political issue with the Greens and you know you raise China. Well, today the Prime Minister confirm that we would be having Australia would be having a visit from the Chinese premiere. We're going to come back to that later in the show, because he was asked about TikTok.
You know, other countries around the world, based on intelligence, are taking action on TikTok well not alb and easy. He tried to criticize the journalists for even asking the question. Caylebon and Bishop, thank you both so much for joining me.
Now coming up.
With nine Chair Peter Costello gone, all eyes or on. Chief executive Mike Sneezeby. Media writer Sophie Ellsworth joins me. Next, plus Queensland Treasurer hands down its budget, blowing.
Out the state's debt, all the while.
Urging voters to forget the past decade. Well, the Queensland Shadow Treasurer David Jenetski would join me after the break.
Welcome back.
Well, let's now turn to the reaction we've seen to nine chair Peter Costello's a former chair, his resignation on Sunday night. With Costello gone, the heat is now on nine Chief Executive Mike Sneezeby. Sneezebe and the Nine board are still under pressure to explain what they knew about the numerous sexual harassment allegations and serious in nature that have been made against former newsboss Darren Wick, and why they didn't take any action until formal legal action commenced
against the network earlier this year. Even the Cydney Morning Herald has called the allegations an open secret with the Australians media writers. Sophie Ellsworth joins me. Now, Sophie, thank you so much for your time. Look, how much pressure do you think, and you've been reporting on this extensively, how much pressure is Mike Sneezebee under right now.
Shary, great to be with you. Look, he's under immense pressure. There is absolutely no doubt about that. The fact that Peter Costello has left nine does not mean that this saga is over.
It's anything but over.
And now the responsibility for the moment is firmly with Mike Sneezebe to try and turn this ship around.
He has an.
Awful challenge ahead, awfully tough challenge ahead, Chari because as we know, there's been many women who have come out and spoken of their alleged mistreatment sexual harassment at the network. This has been very damaging four to nine, particularly as they go into the Olympics next month. So they have a big challenge on their hands to try and totally you know, re you know, get their brand back as a good brand, because it's been very seriously damaged.
Yeah, it has.
Indeed, Look, it was just about a week ago that Peter Costello tried to shift the focus onto Mike Sneezebe by, you know, giving him up as the person who personally signed off on the one million dollar or near one million dollar reported payout to Darren Wick. When that happened, many expected Mike sneezebe would be the first to go, although both men have been under sustained pressure. But since then, of course, the events unfolded with Leam Mendes at the airport.
You contacted nine senior managers that work un'der Sneezebee to see if any of them would publicly support him.
What was the response, Well, yes, I had a report in the Australian Today, Sharry on this.
I contacted all of the.
Ten executives that sit directly under Mike Sneezeby and ask them do they support him? And will they say so publicly?
Now?
I gave them hours to respond yesterday and not one of them responded. It was absolute radio silence, Sharry, which says a lot that the managers at nine are not saying a single word about Mike Steesby because I think they know he is in trouble. Nine is in trouble. And if they do come out and support him. They're effectively putting themselves on the line too, because he may be the next one.
To go, Sophie.
In terms of Costello's resignation, we saw that director Catherine West will replace him. Most of the nine board was loyal to Costello and there weren't actually many options on the board to replace him.
Well, that's right, Sharry.
There was mister Costello and six other directors. Catherine West was his deputy on the board, so she's moved up to chair. And then there were five other directors, including Mike sneezeby Andrew Lancaster who represents the biggest shareholder in nine, Bruce Gordon and he is the manager of win TV. There's Samantha Lewis Mickey Rosen who's based in la and there's also Mandy Patterson who is new to the board,
relatively new, so there wasn't a lot of choice. Catherine West was the obvious choice, very close to mister Costello. And now it is obviously a woman leading the charge here at nine. And you all so have a woman, Fiona Dia who replaced Darren Wick. So they are putting females in these very important roles and perhaps that is quite an important thing to note, Shary, given the circumstances.
Yeah, although I do note that, and I quoted it just last night on the show that the Citney Morning Herald's editorial last night from the editor Bevnshields did say that there are questions that the nine Bold still has to answer about what complaints got to their level and what they knew, so there might still be pressure on
the board to come. Even the City Morning Herald reporting on that, Sophie, just before you go, can you tell us where the nine share price was today and the state of the company at a corporate level, Yeah.
Of course, Sharry.
So today it closed at a dollar thirty eight. It's at its lowest point under Mike Sneezeby's tenure since he took over the company's CEO in two thousand and one.
This is not a good result.
Was obviously the first day the share market was open following Peter Costello's exit on Sunday, and we had the public holiday yesterday, and Bruce Gordon's also purchased more of a steak.
In the company.
He is the largest shareholder by far and has about a quarter of a steak there, so very interesting to see how that's playing out. But their share price is not looking good for shareholders, Shari. They must be incredibly concerned, particularly as they come up to their annual results in reporting season in August.
And even before this scandal, of course, there were concerns about the nine share price, Sophie Elsworth, You're reporting on this matter has been excellent. We will keep reading your work in the Australian. Thanks for joining us this evening now. The Queensland Labor government gave out a record eleven billion dollars in cost of living relief measures and concessions in the budget handed down today. This ahead of a state
election in October. The pre election cash splash will blow out the state's debts to two point six billion dollars. We here was Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick making the announcement today.
We make no apology for going into deficit so we can ensure Queensland families their family budget stays in balance.
He also said his government shouldn't be judged on the last nine years in power.
Queenslanders will be asked to make a choice about their future, not to express an opinion about the past.
We're joining me now Queensland Shadow Treasurer David Jenetski, Welcome to the program. Look first up, what's your response to the budget and the cash splash handed down today?
Well, sure, today's budget was a budget all about getting Stephen Miles to the election in four months and not about the future of Queenslanders for the four years ahead. We have seen an extraordinary spending of taxpayer money today without starting to address the longer term solutions that are required to get on top of this cost of living crisis. Never before have we seen a Queensland government spend more, tax more and borrow more and yet leave Queenslanders with less to show for it.
So you've just said that never before have we seen a spending spree like this, But are you going to match the success of spending spree?
So we've said quite clearly that the structural, long term cost of living relief has to be the focus. We're not going to stand in the way of short term measures because Queenslanders are struggling. We are ground zero for the cost of living crisis in Queensland and we've seen that right across a range of measures where anything.
In the budget today we've seen eleven billion dollars in cost of living relief. Is there anything out of that eleven billion dollars that you won't be giving to voters.
Well, we've been very clear about a particular project in North Queensland, Pioneer Burdican project, that is the foundational cornerstone of so much of this government's approach.
I'm talking about that we sit a lot long. I'm talking about the cost of living relief.
So this cash splash, you're saying you're going to give voters everything that Labour has promised today. How can you, on the one hand argue that we've never before seen a spending spree like this, but now say you're going to match it.
Well, Harry, it's all about delivering long term structural relief. Queenslanders are struggling because this government has not attended to the crime crisis, which is driving up insurance premiums, has not built the flood mitigation which is driving up insurance premiums, hasn't released.
In about the cost of relief their cash splash. How can you, on the one hand argue that this is an irresponsible cash splash and complain about the state's two point six billion dollars in debt and then say you'll match.
It, Charry.
The plan for Queensland must be about putting down long term down wood pressure on the cost of living here. We cannot allow Queenslanders who are struggling under the cost of living not to get the support that they need right now. And the truth about the Queensland debt, this debt bond that has landed today has been a long.
Time before I'm matching the spending.
Living crisis has been a long time.
I'm matching the spending. Then you're going to contribute to the debt.
Crisis, Charry.
We've said very clearly for us that the way we put downward pressure on debt here in Queensland is to end the waste, to stop the wasteful spending, and to grow the economy. We have got projects here in Queensland that have blown out across the board. We've got.
I'm just struggling to see that.
I'm just struggling to see what your different what the difference will be in your approach to the economy. So Labor has done this as a vote grab because the polls show that they're going to lose the election in October.
So what's your excuse for this economic irresponsibility.
Chery.
We're all focused about the long term solutions on cost of living. We will continue to go through and scrutinize the budget. We've been very clear about Pioneer Berdican as a project. We've talked about cutting spending on consultants and putting more money into a public service that needs to deliver the services that we need into the future. But more than anything, we need to end the wasteful spending we need to cut.
But you're not.
You say you're going to match it.
You've said you're going to match the eleven billion dollars in spending that will put the debt at two point six billion dollars.
So you're not you're matching it, Sharon. And the other question is inflation over time.
The other question is inflation, your shadow treasurer, aren't you contributing to inflation here by putting all this cash back in people's pockets. Inflation isn't only a problem for the federal government. It's a problem for state governments too.
Well.
Chari.
The discussion about inflation experts vary on what it means in terms of the spending that is on the table. But we will not back away from the needs of Queensland as to get long term cost of living relief. To make sure we put in the crime crisis. We've got seventeen percent more victims here in Queensland and those all those fifteen point nine percent increase in stolen cars is pushing up insurance premiums. A failure to invest in
flood mitigation is pushing up insurance premiums. We need to release the lot of approvals and building approvals into the Queensland property market to put downward pressure on rents. We've had eight point four percent increase here in rents in Queensland. We need to be focusing on the long term cost of living solutions that will deliver long term cost of
living relief. And it's only then, It's only then, after ten years where the debt has blown out from seventy two billion to one hundred and seventy two billion here in Queensland, interest payments are going to be twenty one million dollars a day here in Queensland by the end of.
The FORTSKI looks like it looks like your team is going to win the election in October, and at some point you're going to have to start providing answers for Queenslanders, because at this point, despite you saying that this is unprecedented, you said never before seen spending spree, at this point you're matching every dollar of that. David Ganetski, thank you very much for your time this evening. Now coming up, PwC under fire after backing in an executive who peddled
hamas propaganda. Caroline Marcus broke the story and she'll join me next.
Welcome back. Well.
Consulting firm PwC has been hit with another controversy.
It's been revealed one of.
Their senior leaders posted online terrorist propaganda and pedaled anti Israel conspiracies. PWC's banking and Capital Market Solutions and Capability leader allegedly tweeted and retweeted posts that suggests the reports of the mass rapes of Israeli women by hamas were invented by israel I'm joined now by Sky News senior reporter Caroline Marcus and The Daily Telegraph State political reporter James O. Doherty. Great to see you both. Caroline, you
broke this big story today. Can you tell us about some of the more offensive tweets and also p wc's response to.
This, I mean, where to start, Shari. It literally would take hours to go through this senior leader at PWC's Twitter feed and just read through the hundreds of tweets that he's posted about this conflict since October seven. I think it's fair to say posted obsessively about the conflict. You have to question how much time he's actually spending on his job rather than posting conspiracy theories and anti
Israel propaganda. But some of the more offensive ones that I found on Jim Krista Dullis's Twitter account, which then was public he's now changed it to protected were posts that said told his followers to f yourself with your fake outrage over the International Criminal Courts chief prosecutor seeking arrest warrants for Benjamin Nettanna Who and other Israeli officials, as well as tweeting out videos propaganda videos that were
made by the Al Kudz Brigade. Now, as many of your viewers would know, they are the military wing of
a terror group Palisin in Islamic g Had. He's actually tweeted out their videos purporting to show Israeli soldiers being killed, as well as that he's posted, as you mentioned in your introduction, and reposted messages that suggest Israel had invented these claims of mass rape of women and girls in October seven, which we know that the United Nations has now said there's credible evidence for, as well as plenty of others in so many witnessing independence. Yes, so, I
mean that was highly disturbing. But what a one Jewish rights group highlighted as the most disturbing factor, and I think his right is PWC's response to this. I mean, they are a big four accounting firm. They're already under so much scrutiny over the tax scandal, which the reporters do to come down tomorrow. I mean, this is a
stressful time for them already. But their response to this was to come back and say through a spokesperson that they respect their individual's right to express themselves, but have reminded him of his responsibilities to do so in a respectful manner. And I understand that they accepted his explanation that he didn't find the tweets offensive and that he
would take a little break from Twitter. So that was remarkable in itself, the fact that they could tolerate this level of I think it's fair to say I agree with the Jewish Rights group anti Semitism and James.
That's the thing I mean.
P WC is one of those corporate companies that is happy to get involved in promoting The Voice and other causes, but when it comes down to racism against Jews, well where are they?
Well just goes to show when a company like PwC takes a stand on something like the Voice, it really brings their stance on all of these other social issues into question. And as Caroline points out, p WC is having a terrible time at the moment. Perhaps they should
focus more on their core business. But I think one of the most important points that Caroline raised in her story was PWC's response when they were linked with the Adelaide Writers Festival and there were revelations of anti Semitism from some people linked with the Adelaide Writers Festival, and they said we condem in the strongest terms any anti Semitic comments and sought to remove themselves from that event.
When it comes down to in one of their own senior staff, they have not shown the same response.
Ship And this isn't a case of shutting down freedom of speech. Everyone can have their own opinion, but the denial of the fact that women were raped is something else. Now, Liberal front benure Liberal Senator Holly Hughes came on this program last night and she launched a scathing attack on Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor.
Here's what she had to say.
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.
More time on factional politics in New South Wales than his portfolio. That's Liberal Senator Holly Hughes about the Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor. Then she then gave a similar interview today that was last night on My show. She's then spoken tonight to the Cidney Morning Herald and made similar comments Caroline, This is because Angus Taylor was, according to Holly, behind the push to ousked her from a winnable position on the Liberal Party Senate ticket.
Look, I mean, from just a late person's point of view, it seems remarkable that instead of having a sitting senator being backed by members of your own party, you have this person, Jessica Collins, who many people haven't heard before.
She's from the Low.
Institute, suddenly parachuted in on a winnable spot ahead of someone like Holly Hughes, who's so well known, who's done a lot for the community and really passionate about a lot of her care issues, ino her shadow assistant portfolios. But I think what Holly's suggesting is that Angus Taylor is obviously more interested in shoring up his own numbers
for any sort of future leadership tilt. That was among the claims that she's made today following on from your interview with her, And I mean, I think she's obviously been blindsided by this and deeply upset, so she's now lashing back. I guess at the forces within the party are more interested in factional politics than keeping good people James.
Many people who follow politics closely have observed that Peter Darton is doing remarkably well in terms of holding alban easy to account, but they comment that Angus Taylor is the weak link, that the shadow treasurer hasn't taken the fight up to Jim Chalmers.
Yeah, that's right, and Holly Hughes points out that this is not the first time Angus Taylor has been accused of this. Denis Shanahan, she references, has made this criticism before, and she's right. Everyone in Peter Duttan's team should focus more on their day job, particularly Angus Taylor, instead of focusing on factional issues. The insiders that I've spoken to in the party about this Holy Hughes issue say that it is all about factions. Holy Hughes from the center
right and Angus Taylor is from the right. The right now have more control in the party room and the broader party base than the center right, and this was the right wing of the party trying to flex its muscles and boot out someone from an opposing faction. So at the end of the day, it's all factional. But it does seem to be a messy look when you have a sitting senator who is quite high profile booted for someone that not many of the voters would know.
Indeed, and Holly Hughes is a regular fixture on Sky News here at nighttime at least, and has been very strong in her support for the Jewish community, and she is, as you say, a well known face. Just before you go, very quickly, Caroline, because we're just about out of time. Green's leader Adam Bout today demanded that Israel release all hostages and political prisoners. Somehow comparing the hostages taken by Hermas with the criminals and terrorists that Israel holds in its jails.
Disgusting, not surprising at all, and why I have absolutely no hesitation to call this party that he leads an anti symbitic cult. The Greens are comparing a one year old baby Kafir, who was taken youngest hostage in the world, with prisoners in Israeli jails who have been convicted of blowing up or trying to blow up buses, of stabbing Israeli's those levels of crimes, and he's trying to draw an equivalence between the two. That is shameful and Antisthmitic.
Absolutely, Caroline Marcus, well done again on your story today, James Adahity great to have you with us now after the break, we're here from Israeli MP Sharon Haskell and her reaction to the wonderful news of four hostages returning home. Welcome back. Well, let's bring in now, Israeli MP Sharon Haskell. Sharon,
thank you very much for your time. Once again. Look, we saw the heartwarming news on Saturday night, our time that four hostages had been amazingly, extraordinarily almost miraculously rescued. Not everyone, though, has celebrated that decision. There are those saying that too many civilians were killed. But it wasn't civilians who were holding three of these hostages captive, was it?
So a few things. First of all, you know, the release of the four hostages ought such a great joy to Israeli people, knowing that Noah's mother will be able to see her before she passed. She has level four brain cancer and she was holding just to see Noah for the last time, and knowing that they are reunited and she's capable of seeing her. You know, there were teases of joys from in every Israeli house here they were held Actually, Noah Alkamani was held by a former
Al Jazeera journalist. Okay, his dad is a doctor. So you might say there are civilians, but they're actually fully compromised. They are part of Hamas. They've been holding hostages in her house. Some of the hostages have been circulating in between a few families. And you know what Hamas is doing that on purpose. It plays them in a home so that they can bring out propaganda as if Israel is harming innocent civilians, but there's no innocence and it's
not civilians. More so, Sharry, this operation, this is like taken out of a Hollywood movie, very accurate, very direct, going in, going in, there wasn't much of the fighting or battling. But the problem was on their way out. And when Ramas is placing hostages in busy markets and then open fire in highly populated area when they are trying to escape, what hostages back to Israel?
What would you do?
I mean, you have no other choice but to defend them and to defend yourself. So regardless of the point that probably many of those people who died are probably directly being shot by Ramas, this is the entire situation is on their heads. Don't hold hostages in busy areas, don't open fire after they've been taken also to be taken back into Israel. You don't shoot in a highly populated area because you know well, Sharon.
Not to mention that actually where they were held was even in a refugee camp as well, supposedly run by ANRA just appalling. Now I want to ask you about the political situation in Israel. We've seen Benny Gantz effectively resign from the war cabinet. Where does this leave Netan Yahoo? Do you think there will be elections anytime soon?
So it doesn't look like there's going to be elections soon, and now still hold a coalition of sixty four And to be honest me, as part of the opposition, our party as well, we know that if we go into elections, it means that the war is stopping, which means that we cannot defend our people. Okay, that we haven't achieved our calalls, that our family members who are being held in the dungeons of Hamas are going to be kept there for quite a lot more months, if not a
few years later. And so it's not in our interest to go straight into elections. If NATANIAO start creating the right moves in this war towards a real victory over Hamas, towards bringing back our family members us from the opposition, will support him and we'll give him a safety net to make sure that we do whin this war.
Do you think there is hope that many of the other one hundred and twenty hostages will be brought home?
Well, Schary, To be honest, we have no other choice. I mean, think about it, and I hope your viewers maybe can imagine that as well. Try and imagine your child, your baby, or your father, or your brother or your grandfather being held in a dungeon, being beaten every day, being abused, being sexually abused, psychologically abused, being start have no medication. What would you do? You would do probably
everything in your capability to bring them back home. And this is our mission, this is what we will do. We will not rest until all of them are back home, the babies and the grandparents, and the brothers and the sister. It is our greatest mission. Afterwards, we will have to see how we build Israel's de terrence and security so that we make sure that we can live here safely in the middle.
Of the East.
Absolutely, Sharon Haskell, really appreciate your time once again.
And you know, Sharon is right.
If anyone's family members were being held by terrorists, there are no lengths we wouldn't go to to bring them home. And like I said last night, we wouldn't leave anyone in concentration camps. So we can't give up on these hostages.
Now.
That's all we've got time for tonight. I'll see you tomorrow at eight. And here's Paul Murray.