Live on Sky News.
This is Shari.
Good evening and welcome to the show.
I'm Danikiti, Giorgio filling in this week for Shari Marksen coming up tonight. The nauseating charm offensive continues. Our Prime Minister cuddles up to China. But what did he actually raise with the Chinese President?
Today?
Unions push for a Gillard style carbon policy to lower the cost of net zero. Bartaba Joyce is standing by ready to fire up. Is this shaping up as the first broken promise of Labour's new term? First the Treasurer tells us he's relaxed about tax hikes and now it seems he's open to the idea. And Donald Trump issues Vladimir Putin with a fifty day ultimatum end the war in Ukraine or face one hundred percent tariffs. But first tonight, hard conversations needed to be had today when the Prime
Minister met with Chinese President Shijing Ping in Beijing. But judging by the Prime Minister's press conference after, Albo is just cuddling up to China.
And I'll show you that in a moment. But look it was all smiles.
Today and her boy was like watching two lifelong best friends fall and over each other.
With joint efforts from both states, the Channel Australia relationship has rouse from the setback and turned around, bringing tangible benefits to the Chinese and Australian peoples. The most important thing we can learn from this is that a commitment to equal treatment, to seeking common ground while sharing differences.
I note your comments in your opening remarks about seeking common ground while sharing differences. That approach has indeed produced very positive benefits for both Australia and for China.
Has it really all that common ground? Anthony Albanese even posting this picture of the two of them getting excited by that shared common ground, except, of course, this is China. We are dealing with our greatest strategic threat and there isn't a lot of common ground to work with. Remember the live fire drills off our coasts, the spy ships sent our way, the military near missus, the punative tariffs on Australian goods, and a lack of investigation into the.
Origins of coronavirus.
Even today, a group of Australian TV journalists, including from Sky News, were blocked from getting on their bus by local security officials before that meeting began and were told to hand over their footage for viewing by Chinese police, and luckily Australian embassy officials successfully intervened. What was that
again about common ground? In fact, I am willing to bet Anthony Arbanzi went into the meeting with President She with a shopping list of grievances between our two countries, barely said Boom, and judging by his press conference after the meeting, it doesn't really leave you with much hope as to how strongly he prosecuted the issue of live fire drills and spy ships.
Did you seek assurances that Australia would be better informed in future about the PLA's navy in Australian waters? And has China asserted its right to free navigation in those waters?
Yes to the former. And secondly, in response, of course it was president she said that China engaged in exercises just as Australia engages in exercises.
Well, look good to know what she said, So you know all must be okay? Then why is the Prime Minister acting as a mouthpiece for the president. So the journalist then sought classic for clarification.
So can I just clarify on that answer that you specifically thought that the notification was really issue that Australia had had earlier in the year.
I said what I said at the time, which was that it was within international law. There was no breach of international law by China, but that we were concerned about the notice and the way that it happened, including the live fire exercises.
Oh well, that settles it, then, doesn't it.
The live fire drills were all above board, and so the journalists sought clarification again.
And once again the answer was just as bad.
The military build up and what its purpose is, what china strategic and military aims.
Are, well, you would be surprised if that was brought forward. I'm not sure what you're getting out of what you're suggesting might be. So I'm not sure the context.
Well, your government's raised concerns about the military build up, the lack of clarity around what it might be used for. Do you feel confident that China is a force for peace in the region after this meeting or do you know.
What we did was we put forward Australia's position or I did, which is that we want peace and security in the region.
The Prime minister has given a stronger position on China's interests than the Australian and listening to that it makes you wonder how little was said by albo. The Prime Minister also confirmed the Port of Darwin was not raised despite promising to take it back from China.
I don't need to sorry to jump in none. It wasn't raised. I can't be clear.
As any were any issues raised by him.
I can't be clearer than to say the question I was asked was not raised.
Look, this is a prime minister who is so scared of offending the Australians. A foreign editor, Greg Sheridan actually summarized very well the Port of Darwin's situation today.
But because Canberra is so nervous, so fearful, so hesertat And if you want the company to sell the lease, tell them to sell the lease. If they won't sell it, then take it back as an active government.
Then the matter is done and.
Resolved at the moment. Because a coward dies a thousand deaths, and Australian governments are so cowardly we're just trembling and in terror time after time.
But this was, of course Albanesi's fourth meeting with China, and that roundtable, as you can see there on the bottom of your screens, is still going.
The meetings today are still happening.
And gee, it's such a strange situation because our Prime minister is out there looking like the best friend of Shijingping, while at the same time at odds and alienating our number one ally in the United States. And this visit comes as the US is demanding we lift defense spending and clarify our position on Taiwan should China go to war. Now, of course the US is watching this extended visit to China closely, and Shijingping has the handsome boy exactly where
he wants him. Even before today's meeting, The China Daily, Beijing's mouthpiece, praise their handsome boy in an editorial called common ground prevails over differences. It said Australian PM Anthony Albanesi's ongoing visit to China is not only of significance for the bilateral and trade relations between the two countries, it also sends a message amid the changing global trade landscape.
Nothing like the kiss on the forehead from communist China, And why wouldn't there be I mean, remember when the Chinese conducted those live fire drills off our coast, and the Prime Minister went into nothing to see here mode?
Is this time just to take us down to against China publicly against about their actions.
Well, it's important as well, and Defense have confirmed that China did comply with the international law. This is activity that has occurred in m waters consistent with international law. Australian Defense were certainly.
Aware.
Or how about when a Chinese ship was gathering intelligence off the coast.
We won't, for obvious reasons, broadcast everything that we're doing, but we're keeping an eye on this as we do. Of course, I would prefer that it wasn't.
There, and obviously it's gotten worse since our ADF is preparing for the arrival of Chinese spy vessels monitoring Operation Talisman Saber.
But the Prime Minister again isn't fast.
That would be nothing unusual that has happened in the past, and I'll continue to assert Australia's national interest as I do so.
It's no wonder Beijing's mouthpiece was all praise for our PM, even noting his extended stay in China is notably long for a state leader. It went on to say, Albanesi's visit shows that the Australian side has a clearer judgment and understanding of China than it had under previous Scott Morrison government. Well, of course, China is all praise for labor,
not Scott Morrison. I mean, how dare the former Prime Minister asked the hard hitting questions on the origins of COVID, what happened in the Wuhan lab, China's ambitions in the South China Sea, and on the punitive tariffs imposed on Australian goods like lobster, barley and wine.
Everything Albo wouldn't dare touch.
Scott Morrison has responded, telling The Australian having a character reference from the China Daily was never one of my foreign policy aspirations.
Well, I say wear it as a badge of honor now.
The difference between Anthony Albernesi and Scott Morrison, of course, is that Albo is an.
Apologist for China.
China has eagerly responded to his weakness, throwing its support publicly behind Anthony Albanesi while trying to drive a wedge between Australia and the United States, and experts agree.
It seemed to me that the most important the goal of a chigin King ridin in this visit, it's to divide the United States of the deliot.
Which of course works very well for Beijing.
And it seems as though this Prime Minister is all caught up in the hype and spin. Anthony Arbernezi has always been weak when it comes to foreign policy. That is why he can't stand up for our values on the world stage. That is why the PM cannot get a meeting with Donald Trump. That is why Australia is drifting away from the US from a long standing alliance and straight into the arms of China, blinded by the Beijing pomp and ceremony with promises of free trade and.
Seeking common ground.
And let's be real, China couldn't give a toss about seeking common ground. China does what China wants. It's just a shame the handsome man from Australia is so dizzied by the red lights. Joining us now to unpack this is former Liberal Senator Holly Hughes and former Speaker of the House Bromwin, Bishop heart of both of you, thank you very much for joining.
Me on the show.
Look let's obviously start bromwin with this meeting today between Shijingping and Anthony alban Easy.
Based on the.
Comments that we just heard from Anthony alb and Easy at that press conference, how satisfied are you that these issues were prosecuted by the Prime Minister.
Quite frankly, he sounded more like the governor of a vassal state paying homage to the dominant state rather than the Prime minister of a sovereign state of Australia. And I found the whole episode very concerning. Indeed, I noticed that mister Forrest popped up and said, oh, we must have an agreement on AI and the Communist Party of China giving them access to all of our information. I don't think so. We didn't see him stand up for Australia once. We didn't see him stand.
Up for the.
Diver who was damaged by the sonars from Communist Party ships. We didn't see him stand up for the pilot who was threatened when they were doing.
A surveillance flying.
And we certainly didn't hear anything about the live fire around our coastline, mapping out no doubt all the cables that link us up and then saying twenty five percent of our trade is tied up in China, and he wants more.
I want less.
I don't want to be dependent.
I want to see our trade diversify, absolutely. And if we don't start to do that and don't backtrack, And you know, Richo has a good statement about socialist culture. If you're rat once, you're rat twice. And the fact of the matter is that when it was Maurice Paine who said, led to us where COVID came from, wham, we copped all those tariffs. There was a discussion here today by bloggers in China about the port of Darwin coming back to us. What did they say, Well, we
might buy your iron ore. It's the same thing. So never mind about what Donald Trump's doing. What is China going to do to us? The more we become dependent upon them, we can be destroyed by means other than a live fire That can come later. But in the first instance, the Communist Party of China is just that, the Communist Party dictatorship, no human rights, no individuality, none
of the things that we cherish in this nation. And that Prime Minister sounded like the governor of a vassal state wanting to suck up.
I think you're spot on.
This is why here, Bronnie, I think perfectly perfectly summarized. But Holly, this is why China could not give a toss about this common ground that both she and Albineazi spoke about.
Today they do whatever they want to do, and that is the dangerous part.
Look, Rovin's one hundred percent right when she talks about trade, and we saw how we were impacted when there were particularly wine lobsters were so reliant on China that as soon as their trade was stopped, these producers had nowhere to go. We do need to diversify those producers, need to not get comfortable in the China basket and start to open up their markets so they're not impacted by the whims of a communist regime.
But we need to be really sensible here.
We've got Chinese inverters attached to most of the solar panels in this nation. The ability for China to impact our energy markets and shut us down is becoming more and more a reality of being able to occur. The fact they want to access to AI and materials. I mean, I'm starting to think mister Abnezi wants to saw walking around saying mee, how soon because he is moving us
so close to China. It is actually embarrassing to be Australian and how challenging things the geopolitical environment is at the moment. Yet he seems absolutely unwilling to stand up for Australians. Had no consideration for people that were in those airplanes that had to be diverted over the live.
Fire that was notified. They were notified off by Virgin pilots.
This is unbelievable that this guy has any credibility standing up there at all.
That Australians need to wake up.
They need to wake up and understand what this guy's doing because he's leading us down a very dangerous path.
Absolutely, when he was all at sea today in that press conference, you look completely flustered. But the bright lights, the bright red lights, just keep shining and that's all that is important to our Prime minister. Now, look after an embarrassing gaff from Treasury which saw official advice to Jim Chalmers about hiking taxes released, it seems the Treasurer
is on board with the idea after all. I mean yesterday he told us he was relaxed about the leak today he tells us he's open to a number of methods for making the budget more sustainable.
When you make the kind of progress that we've made on budget repair, two surplus's biggest ever noomenal turnaround in the budget, and a single parliamentary term getting the Liberal debt down by one hundred and seventy billion dollars, that always involves a combination of measures.
And let's not forget that you can't trust a word this government says when it comes to monetary policy.
That when you go to an election and you make commitments, you should stick to My word is my bond?
My word is my bond? Run when that tap from this line. But look, this was always going to happen. Was it over that the Prime Minister a couple of weeks ago was talking about tax reform. Now you've got Jim Chalmers open to this idea. Do you think it's on the agenda?
Look, the snake charmer is precisely that. The only fact that you can rely on. He said before the election, the budget's in great shape, he said after the election it's unsustainable. Of course he wants more taxation. Of course he's looking at ways to further tax the Australian people. And what do we see. We'll see wealth taxes, We'll see death TAXX.
Yeah.
Well, indeed, their Labor Party has always been in favor of death taxes, and it has to be thought and the Liberal Party has to be out there first and foremost saying this cannot happen. But if you look at what they've done, one hundred and forty four billion dollars in expenditure, and he's trying to tell us he's lessoned expenditure.
And furthermore, it's built into the forward estimates. So we're in a situation where we've got a I call him the snake charmer because it's all illusion and he tells us one thing when reality is totally another. And this idea of productivity increase, everything they did in the first term, from industrial relations to increasing the cost of energy has made sure that our productivity.
Went that way.
And unless we see look our top three expenditures that have got to be examined. We've got the NDIS, we've got defense, and we've got the negative. We've got the energy policies that they're pursuing. We can't afford all three. Now, if you stop rewiring the nation, which is trillions of dollars, so we can afford increased defense and we can afford the NDA is absolutely.
I also wonder was this even a leak from Treasury.
I can't help us think was this a deliberate ploy to try and soften the blow?
You sort of wondered, don't you, whether they were just kind of softening the ground up a bit that this is how things aren't going great. I mean, look, it's not a good look for them. The Treasury is saying, there's no way you're going to meet your housing targets, there's no way you're going to keep the budget in check if you don't raise taxes and reduce spending. And I think that's you know, it wasn't one or the other either.
It wasn't tax and spend.
You know in reduction.
It was you know, you're going to have to raise taxes and find a way to cut spending at the same time, and they're just not capable of it.
But it's you know, we talk about the ndias.
Before this government came in, Bill Shorten referred to the coalition as KABOOKI playing pearl clutches when we tried to make changes to the ndis around sustainability.
And then of course the first thing he did.
Bill Shortened when he became minister was coming and say, oh guess what, it's not sustainable. But yet through three years of government, no one was prepared to put their big boy pants on and do anything about it. And I think this is what we're going to say. And now the fact they can get everything through the Senate with the grains, it actually looks like it could get a whole lot worse rather than better.
This is why it's so important that the Opposition comes out and says we're abandoning net zero by twenty fifty because it's impossible to reach and it's not desirable to reach. And if we stopped building this ridiculous rewiring of the nation, think of all the tradesmen who'd be released and would be able to go into building.
Homesh I mean it.
Distorlled red tape they've put on absolutely everything. The compliance costs the costs of doing business, and every time businesses turn around, they're looking at whacking another another impost on them, and it's it's the compliance cost alone is driving more businesses than ever out of business.
Well, these guys just don't know what they're doing.
I mean, why would you want to go into business in this country? You wouldn't know, You just wouldn't Energy policy, I our laws is just so many issues.
I follow you.
We run out of time. Holly, who's a rollin bishop. Good to have you both on probams on five.
She could energize the name both on fire.
It's a big day. There's a lot going on, isn't there? And I want to get our next guest's opinion on that. Anthony Albernezi. Of course, meeting with President Hu jing Ping in China today, let's bring the former Deputy Prime Minister and National MP Barnaby Joyce, Barbaby are good to see you.
I want to play you a bit of audio.
This is what the Prime Minister said about what he raised with she about those live fire drills and spy ships off our coast.
Have a listened to this?
Did you seek assurances that Australia would be better informed in future about the PLA's navy in Australian waters? And has China asserted its right to free navigation in those waters?
Yes to the former and secondly, in response, of course it was president She said that China engaged in exercises just as Australia engages in exercises.
Barnaby, he's telling us there what cheating Ping said, not what he said. Does it leave you with much hope about how strongly this was prosecuted?
No, it seems like the negotiation. It reminds you of a sort of negotiations with the communist crocodile. You know, he went in and saw them and he said, you know, did you bring up live our exercises? I guess And what happened, Well, the communist crocodile just sort of stared at me, And what about the port of Darwin just sort of stared at me? And what did you actually get out of this from the communist crocodile and a
not insensitive just sort of staring at me. And I think that's where it is that you know, China, even the whole way it meets you, the whole way you walk into the room, it's telling you your place in the world. And it's not with China. It is expecting deference to it. The ultimate goal under sort of a Chinese totalitarian regime is for us to be a vassal state. Now I've had concerns about this right back, even when Tony Abbott was the Prime minist the same I've got
to change our foreign investment laws. We've got to be really careful of Chinese state owned enterprises. This can get out of control. I was called a bigot, a racist, a redneck xenophobe, and now I'm just called correct and
you see there. I think it's really concerning if you, after all the hype, when we sit back and watch this, we'll see that the communist crocodile basically said, look at me, I'm big, I'm savage, I have the I'm I'm going to wander around chasing you and sort of nachurally kill things for the purpose of it, but you're going to respect me. And the crocodile doesn't have to listen, you know, to the person on the side of the pond. Just just be careful. That's what I got out of this.
Be really, really careful, and let's remember that we've got to become as powerful as possible as quickly as possible, otherwise we're in real trouble.
Absolutely.
I mean, maybe the crocodile Barnaby can be the official mascot of this tour. I think you're absolutely spot on there.
Now, look, I've got to ask you about this story. We know I mentioned this just before.
Actually labor has never been on the side of business energy policy ie our laws.
Why would you want to go into business right now?
But now the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is warning that the government's overly ambitious twenty thirty five emissions reduction target will undermine the productivity, competitiveness and viability of local industry. Well, there's absolutely no doubt about that, barnaby. But at the same time, unions are calling for a Julia Gillard style price on carbon to be considered to
lower the cost of net zero. G Bartabe, go figure, I mean a carbon price now, because that was just so popular under Gillard.
It works so well, didn't it.
It was a disaster and this whole energy process in Australi as a disaster. And leaking these two topics to Nika. If we are to become as powerful as possible, as quickly as possible, you better ditch net zero in a big, big hurry. And got to understand that it won't be a war against the weather. It won't be your capacity to deal with the rain to be this ludicrous idea that you can change droughts and change floods and Chris Bowen can basically stop frosts or bring frost on or
whatever it is. The real issue that's before you is the geopolitical circumstances of the area in which we live, and a carbon tax is not going to help that. It's just going to be more costs. And I was a bit disturbed, a bit disappointed actually in Rio Tinto because they sort of you know that they try this dance to sort of garner favor with the government. Oh well, you know, a carbon price should be considered, but we also want more billions of dollars of subsidies from the government.
You know, this is just taxpayers money. All these billions of dollars going to those wind towers, the indimendal power precincts, the swindle factories, the money that you pay in your power bill. This is really hurting Australia and I don't know.
We need an epiphany across all parties to basically understand that if we are going to hand to our children a nation that can sustain itself, a nation that is strong, then you better redirect your priorities away from this insane belief that from Canberra, from Parman House, we can change the temperature of the globe.
Yeah.
Look, absolutely spot on, and we spoke about this earlier in the week. Barnaby, obviously you're looking to introduce a private member's bill.
You want net zero, you want it scrapped completely, you are absolutely done with it.
I have to mention to you that I had Pauline Hanson on the show last night and I spoke to her about your Private Members bill, and she's offered you an invitation. She's saying, well, why doesn't Barnabe Joyce come and join One Nation? And she was very, very firm on that she wants you to join the party. So I've got to ask you, would you ever go to One Nation? Would you ever consider it?
Look, if no, Pauline supports getting rid of net zero, I know she does. I know Paulinbers I support that too. But it's not about changing parties or doing that. It's about getting our nation into a strong position. I want all parties to ditch net zero. I don't believe I'm going to have any luck with the Labor pain and the Greens, well you know their crocodile food. But what we've got to We've got to get the coalition to get out of net zero. I mean, we need we
just it isn't you know? You can't sort of wave the flag on Australia Day, say how patriotic you are, and then stand behind a policy which brings our nation to its needs, which is deindustrializing our nation. We're down to two oil refineries. We've lost our plastic industry. We're about to lose our aliuminium industry unless I get billions of dollars of subsidies. We've lost our manufacturing glass. We're losing the concrete industry. We're losing our fertilizer industry. Our
grid is a joke. No one can afford it. It's intermittent, unreliable and superly expensive. There is no manufacturing moving to Australia or it's all talking about moving out. And we're doing this to ourselves because we honestly, I mean, if you close your eyes and say to yourself, I can change the weather and just tape yourself and then play it back to yourself, you go, that's insane. But that's what our nation's saying that we by ourselves because China's
not on this gi. America's not on this gig. India's not on this gig. Indonesia's not on it, Brazil's not on it. It's not happening globally in a majority form at all. But we in Australia believe that we can change the rain amazing.
And causing irreparable self harm.
Vira a system of batteries, wind farms, green hydrogen.
I mean, the list goes on.
Meanwhile, these projects are either delayed or getting canceled right now, Barnaby Joyce. But we're just continuing on this renewables only crusade, over and over again. Barnaby Joyce. Good to have you on as always. Thank you very much for joining me on the show this evening.
Appreciate it. Well still to come.
Jim Chalmers is out spreaking his upcoming productivity round table, but is it nothing more than a talk fest? Judo Banks Economic Advisor Warren Hogan will join me. Plus Alban Easy will not pick a side in the conflict over Taiwan. Forum CEO Dr Ross Babbage will have the latest analysis that's next. Welcome back, well, Anthony Albanezi says Chinese President Hijingping did not raise the increasing pressure the US was placing on Australia and other allies to join a conflict
over Taiwan. Let's bring in Strategic Forum CEO Dr Ross Babbage now for more on this, Ross, thanks for joining me.
How much is China looking to drive a wedge between.
Australia and the United States, And how much is the handsome boy from Australia playing into Beijing's hands.
Well, it's good to be with you. Look, I think Jijinping and the Chinese Communist Party would love to draw to push a great, big wedge between Australia and the United States. I don't think that's going to happen, and I think Gijinping realizes that. But I think he sees an opportunity for easing Australia or trying to persuade Australia to distance itself more, become less connected to the United States.
And I think that's a lot of their strategy right now, and we'll probably see more of that sort of activity in the weeks and months ahead.
How closely do you think would the US be watching Anthony Albanese's extended trip to China, particularly our time would of course it's seeking clarification on our position on Taiwan and wants us to lift defense spending.
Well, yes, I'm sure the Americans are looking very closely at everything that's the Prime Minister's saying, and other members of Cabinet and for that matter, other Australians and some of the debates that have taken place here. They're very concerned. I think they're very concerned on two or three key fronts. Are Firstly, they're really worried about the level of defense expenditure.
They've been pretty direct, even publicly about their perception that we need to lift our game, and I think they're
not trying to exclude themselves from this. They realize they've got to lift their game as well, because the circumstances that we find ourselves in the Western Pacific are much much more dangerous than they have ever been really since the Second World War, and because we're talking about a situation where the set of global conflict and power and is not on the other side of the world as it was during the Cold War. It's right just beyond
our doorstep, just to our north. And if there were to be a major clash or crisis in East Asia. Let's say over Taiwan. It's very likely if that developed into a major conflict that we ourselves would be intimately involved. We would be attacked a number of our facilities and other things would be affected very soon, and we need
to be prepared for that. And the Americans realize that, and they realize that not just for our interests, although they're concerned about that, but for their own interest too, because they see Australia as playing a critical role in helping the United States conduct its own operations in the theater.
Yeah, and look no doubt about it.
Let's discuss the reports in The Australian Today that former Prime Minister and ORCUS skeptic Malcolm Turnbull discussed the packs problems with Pentagon.
Policy chief Eldridge Colby.
It says the pair are understood to have canvassed arranged of topics about which mister Turnbull has spoken in recent weeks, including the need for Australia to reclaim greater sovereignty and independence in world affairs by standing more firmly on its own two feet. Ross, I know that you are actually a colleague and you're a friend of Elbridge Colby. Do you think that Malcolm Turble's interventions are helpful right now?
Oh?
Look, I think.
Bridge Colby's a very professional and he understands Australia very well. In fact, he really likes Australia a lot. And in fact, he said that in the testimony he gave to in his confirmation hearing in the US Senate, he made it very clear in fact that of all the allies the United States has, he regards Australia as the closest, and he has greater for this place and for a lot
of Australians, And so he likes talking to Australians. And I'm not at all surprised that we've had a former Prime Minister who, of course champion in the case for a French submarine to be bought by Australia and developed here. When that was overturned, I think he, you know, there's a sense of real regret in his mind, perhaps if been a degree of a grudge almost against Scott Morrison
for leading the charge in developing the Orchestra Plan. So look, I think it's Bridge Colby can understand the dynamics that are happening here. He has been immersed in East Asian security planning and thinking for a long time. And I know how you know, we've been tik taking with each
other for many years and reading each other's material. He is he will just put this in the right context and he would see this conversation with Malcolm Turnbull or a set of conversations has really just been part of the bigger mosaic and he talks to a lot of Australians and that's as it should be.
Yeah, look fair enough. Will be interesting though to see what happens from here on in. There's a lot at stake.
Dr Ross Babbage, thank you very much for your time this evening, really appreciate it.
Well, let's move on now.
We spoke earlier about Jim Chalmers being open to new taxes suggested in an accidentally leaked memo by the Treasury. For more on this, I'm joined by Judo Banks, Chief Economic Advisort, Warren Hogan.
Warren, good to see you.
As always, Treasury is worried about the sustainability of the budget, projecting deficits for the next four years. Is there a real urgency here for change? Why would this be the advice at this stage to raise taxes.
Yeah, good evening.
I think the leak, while looking a little bit like Paul Keating's banana a public speech, was more likely to be inadvertent, and of course this is advice for the new government. But it does highlight that the fairly rosy picture painted of our government finances at the pre election
budget may not be as rosy as implied. And of course I think there is also some concern here that there could be adverse economic circumstances for this country which could see our budget deterior rate quite rapidly in an environment whereas you've just been discussing, the call on the budget for things like defense and potentially other things is going to only grow from here. So I'm quite concerned
about this. I don't think it was intentional, but I think it may have a similar effect in focusing our community on the government needing to tighten up. But most alarming is the suggestion that the way to deal with this is to raise taxes. It is not to raise taxes. We need to look at what spending can be cut in order to accommodate new requirements around defense and so forth. After eight years of government spending growing at a tremendous rate,
fastest rate we've seen in a generation or more. And of course the government's share of the economy growing to record levels.
Yeah, record government spending, as you said, certainly hasn't helped. Now.
Labour's Economic Roundtable is coming up next month, with the government set to host business leaders over three days in an event focused on resilience, productivity and budget sustainability. Warren, Is this a serious attempt to think about how we lift productivity which as we know it's had its worst performance in fifty years, or should we be adopting a degree of cynicism over this?
Yeah?
Well, I am very concerned that it's not going to be too different to what we saw in the previous parliament with the Job Summit, which was really just a policy exercise to tighten up industrial relations and in fact
work against productivity. Because I think I'm concerned about with the productivity discussion is what we've seen from this government in terms of industrial relations, in terms of growing the size of government and funding increasing amounts of activity in our economy through their care economy strategy, whether it's NDI health, childcare. This is undermining key planks and pillars of what gives
us productivity. So I don't see any of these key strategic economic policies that the government's been running for the last three years on the table. And of course this idea that you just raised taxes to fix the budget is going to be even more hurting for productivity in
this country. So I am not at all confident that we're going to get a serious conversation about reform or of course restoring productivity, which is essence needs to be about trying to get our economy working as efficiently as it can be and not being directed by government and government funding.
Yeah.
Absolutely. Now let's talk tariffs. Donald Trump's three month deadline came up last week. South Korea and Japan got slapped with twenty five percent tariffs and their allies of the US look at Brazil at cop fifty percent. That will certainly kill trade Warren Trump has alluded that the baseline tariffs could change, could go up and down. The Prime Minister is in China, now, how important is it to ensure free trade but at the same time look after our own interests.
Yeah.
Well, we've fared well out of the tariff policies so far, having attracted just the baseline with a couple of industries hit with higher tariffs which were applied to all countries still an Aliminium being the main ones. But we've got to be very careful here because I think it's pretty
clear that this tariff policy is really geopolitics. We saw that last week where countries like Vietnam and the Philippines, really important countries geopolitically for the United States, got let off quite lightly with twenty percent tariffs, whereas Brazil part of the Bricks consortium of nations supporting the access of alignment, China and Russia and Iran of course being here with
a fifty percent tariff. So we are in the good books, and as we all hope to remain in the good books, I think the Prime Minister needs to tread very carefully. And of course we see those baseline tariffs go up, we will more than likely be hit with them. So this has got a long way to play yet, and I think the next week is critically important.
Yeah, and plus we'll see if you know, pharmaceuticals could now be on the.
Cards for us as well. Warren Hogan always love to see you. Thank you so much for joining me on the show this evening. Really appreciate it. Coming up after the break, the renewables only fantasy hits another hurdle as another green project is acted in Victoria. That's next, Well, the renewables only fantasy has hit another hurdle. Another green project has been axed after the offshore wind developer Blue Float Energy abandoned its plans for one of Victoria's most advanced offshore wind projects.
After failing to secure a buye.
Joining me now is Deputy Nationals Leader Kevin Hogan. Ge Kevin, it's hard to keep count of the number of projects in recent months that have either been axed or delayed, and all the wild coal is being driven out and there are no plans on how to keep the lights on in this country.
No, it's actually quite scary, as we know, Danika, this sum we've said about three or four now major wind turbine projects basically don't add up. So what the people who are the proponents of this have worked out with their spreadsheets is it doesn't work. Wind turbines especially exceptionally expensive on the offshore win ones. You know, I'm sure ones have high maintenance class I have a twenty year lifespan there's a lot of wear and tear with sold
air et cetera. So they're not adding up. And you know, we know Labour's renewable only policy is an experiment with our energy grid with eighty percent by twenty thirty, which also, Donika, no reputable independent analyst is saying that they're going to reach that. So I think they have to start to be honest with us about that as well. But look, their plan an experiment with our energy system and it's very dangerous.
Yeah, and it's costing us all money at the same time, and our power bills keep going up.
Nothing seems to be changing now.
Look, Australian business leaders are pushing for the Prime Minister to lobby for deeper trade ties with China during his visit. Kevin, Look, how do we strike a balance here, because obviously diversification is so important. We've seen what China's done to us in the past with the tariffs. We've got tariffs also coming from the US as well. How do we strike a balance here and while looking after our own interest?
Yeah, look, it's delicate, Janika, I think that, you know, I think it's great that the Prime minist So I think the guy I support the fact that the Prime Minister is in China. They are a very important trading partner of ours, and I think that's healthy. I mean, we were in government when we sign the Chinese Free Trade Agreement, We're in government when President Ggping addressed the Parliament. So the relationship has had ups and downs, but I
support the fact that the Prime Minister is there. You'll talk about diversifications important, but I'd also bring in national security issues as well. I wish I saw the same exuberance that Prime Minister Albanese has with the Chinese president with the with the American president. They're a very important allied national security partner, an economic investor in our country as well. So it's unfortunate we don't see the same exuberance for the President of the United States that the
Prime Minister has for the President of China. But I'm glad he's there. I'm glad he's in China building the relationship.
I mean, you know that the Prime Minister does talk about the importance of people to people relationships, Well, he still can't get a meeting with Donald Trump. Do you think the US is watching this trip very closely? It's an extended trip it's a very long trip six days over in China. Is a US watching observing thinking, well.
Hang on, what about US, what about the number one ally?
Well, look, I'm sure they are and I think it's unfortunate that the Prime Minister Albanesi hasn't made a priority to physically meet President Trump. I mean, I think he wasn't keen initially and now he's struggling to get a meeting as quickly as he would like. But that's think to the great detriment of the relationships. There's been some very strong person of personal relationships between both labor and liberal prime ministers and US presidents in the past.
We don't have that now.
I think that's a shame. They're an important ally, they're an important economic partner, so he needs to work on that. I think it's to the detriment as we know of our still and aliminium industries. We've seen, you know, other countries like the UK get exemptions and lower tariffs than we have in those sectors. So look, I think it's a real I think it's real to our detriment. I don't think as we've saw reports last week or a week or two ago, I don't think Ambassador Rudd has helped.
We all know the comments he made about the President of the United States, and they're leading them from x and Twitter. Doesn't mean they disappear or go from people's memory. So that's unfortunate as well.
Yeah, and the elephant in the room still remains Kevin, right, you're not wrong there. Now.
The Reserve Bank has called for surcharge fees on card tapping and payWave to be removed. That fee is costing Ossie consumers about one point two billion dollars a year and the RBA says scrapping it would bring the Australian pay market in line with the rest of the world.
Is this a good idea, Kevin?
Look, anything that lawa's cost of living is a good idea. So I think it's a great thing that we start talking about. Just where that charge goes I'm interested in. I mean, if we were to lob that whole charge back to small business especially, I think that would be very damage into a lot of our small businesses that are doing it quite tough.
As well.
I'd like to see more transparency around the whole thing. You know, do the banks charge the same church er charge to small business they do to big business. I mean, I think we need some more transparencies about from the banks on this, and I think the banks should be the ones that bear some of the cost of this, not small business.
No, I completely agree with you. A good point, Kevin Hogan. Good to see you. Thanks very much for your time this evening. Appreciate it.
Coming up after the break, Donald Trump disappointed but not done with Putin. We'll cross to the US. Ow Man Brad Palumbo will join us live next.
Welcome back. Well.
Donald Trump is getting in pace with Russia and has given President Vladimir Putin a fifty day ultimatum to end the nearly three and a half year conflict or face severe secondary trade tariffs.
As I thought we would have had a deal two months ago, but if it doesn't seem to get there, so based on that, we're going to be doing secondary tariffs if we don't have a deal on fifty days.
It's very simple.
Yeah, of about one hundred percent that is joining me now is a podcast host of Brad Versus Everyone, Brad Palumbo, Brad, Hello, thank you for joining me. Look, Donald Trump's threats are getting very serious now, aren't they.
Yeah, I mean they are, and I think we should all be rooting for him on this, that he's able to bring an end to the war and negotiate a deal. You know, Trump promised that he would stop it and come to peace on day one of his presidency. That was always unrealistic for being honest, But if he could use this trade leverage to bring about a cease fire, I think that would be phenomenal. I think everybody would appreciate and celebrate that because it's been years of just
bloody war after Russia's unjustified invasion. But the idea that we could just hold out for Ukraine to eventually win the day. I mean, as much as I think most people would like to see that, a degree of realism and practical practicism and practicality is needed here and Trump I really hope he can get a deal done. That was part of his pitch to the American people. I'm a deal maker. I'll bring this stuff to an end. We'll have to wait and see.
Yeah.
I thought it was interesting as well.
Donald Trump revealed that Milania Trump actually played a role in identifying the issues with Vladimir person. I like that it took guy his wife to do so, but what more can you tell us about what she said to her husband.
Well, she's actually been an influence on him on this kind of issue in a particularly interesting way, given her background and her different, very international life and connections. And it is interesting that he's open to this kind of thing, and that tells you she's in his inner circle. She's influencing the president. And on the flip side, though, the fact that she was informing him about cities being hit, you would think his other officials would be a more
on top of that. But as long as he's ultimately finding out about it in a timely fashion, I guess that's fine. And hopefully she can work some millennium magic and bring this about and bring this to an end soon.
Yeah, we're all hoping for that outcome. Now, let's change pace. We all know Donald Trump and Rosie o'donald. They have had their differences, and I think that's probably.
Putting it mildly with the pair.
Gosh, they've been exchanging jabs going back decades. But now Donald Trump has said he's considering revoking her citizenship after she fled the country to escape his presidency. He took to truth social to say that because of the fact that Rosie O'Donnell is not in the best.
Interest of our great country.
I'm giving serious consideration to taking away her citizenship. She goes on brad to say that she's a threat to humanity. I mean, you've got a laugh, don't you.
I mean it's comical in one sense. I think she's a clown. I think her stunt of fleeing the United States was silly. At the same time, I do not, in fact, think she is a threat to humanity. I imagine that's just Trump's typical bluster and hyperbole, and this is probably just a barb. I don't think he can actually revoke her citizenship unless she's committed some sort of serious crime or another offense. Americans are entitled to say
whatever they like, even troll, even be as ridiculous. And I'm sord as she has been, and they still are citizens, whether any politician likes it or not. So I wouldn't anticipate that actually happening. The truth is, though, about these kinds of spats, this is good for both of them. Rosie O'Donnell will play the victim, but this is great for her. This feeds in gets her more attention. She wants Trump tweeting about her.
Of course she does. She wants the attention.
But I think Donald Trump absolutely loves it when it comes to a poor old rosie. Oh now, Brad, You've had quite a fun exchange overnight on CNN where commentator Anna Navarro dismissed your views because you're a white man.
Here is that moment.
I want to respond to you saying that I was hyperbolic when I talked about a vein of terror.
No, it might be hyperbolic for you as a white man. Oh, it's certainly not hyperbolic for me, Latino. No, I'm not being racist.
Well, I'm not dismissing your opinion.
J Brad, why do you subject yourself to CNN?
I think it's fun. I'm here for the day. I love it, and I just found it comical because listen, this is the problem with the left and with their addiction to identity politics. Na Navarro made a claim that Trump was had a reign of terror in America, and I said, I think that's a bit hyperbolic. She said, no, it isn't. And then, instead of explaining facts or arguments about why it's fine, she said, in my race.
Unbelievable, Brad, unbelievable, seriously typical of the left, Brad Palumbo.
Thank you so much for joining me, Thanks for your company. Now here's James Morrow hosting in the man Cave.