Live on Sky News. This is Sharry.
Good evening and welcome to the show.
I'm Danikiti Giorgio filling in for Sharry Markson coming up tonight. Anthony Aberze's holiday in China wraps up. Yes, it really did look like a sight scene tour as he hits back at accusations of indulgence. The unemployment rate hits a three year high and the Treasurer blames it on external factors.
We've heard that one before.
Labor delays its response to the Envoys Anti Semitism report as it awaits an investigation into Islamophobia, once again conflating the two issues.
And Donald Trump hits.
Out at what he called weekling Maga supporters as he faces multiple requests to release the Epstein files for first tonight. The Prime Minister found new diplomats to woo today on his extended sightseeing tour of China, though I've got to say sixteen year old giant panda Demao appeared well in trusted in the PM's desperate diplomacy as he tuned on
a bamboo shoot at Chengdu's panda park. In fact, I think Demo the panda represents all of us, right now completely confused by what the Prime Minister is actually doing there. I mean, is he the Prime Minister of Australia, a tour leader with Kentiki or the CEO.
Of Sports Australia. Today he's got his Hawthorn shirt on.
Yesterday his rabbit o's had a top his head that he's out spooking the Asia Pacific Wild.
Card Tennis playoffs.
I mean, thank god this utterly bizarre tour is finally coming to an end. That the PM's whole extended trip to China, filled with banquets being serenaded by the Chinese military band playing Aussie rock, flattery, smiles, handshakes and a bit of sight seeing on the side at the Great Wall and the Panda Park is just really confusing, especially
when you look at the overall state of play. I mean, we're in the middle of Operation Talisman Saber here in Australia right now, preparing our military and those of our closest allies for any future conflict with China. China is also sending spy ships our way to identify strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities in our military capabilities, and the Prime Minister is cuddling up to Pandas and promoting tourism.
Those pictures go to twenty seven million people potentially in Australia, they go to over a billion people in China, a billion people. And those billion people represent people who increasingly are rising up the income ladder and our potential tourists and therefore job creators in Australia.
And that's just it.
It's all about the pictures for this PM and what his trip looks like, not about standing up for Australian values, which of course plays right into Beijing's hands, because for China, the mere symbolism of having the handsome boy from Australia there is all that matters.
It's about how it looks to the world, especially.
The United States, and at a time when Australia is under pressure from its number one ally to increased defense spending and declare what we would do should China go to war with Taiwan. Let's be realistic. China would love nothing more than to drive a wedge between US and the United States. And the opposition is rightly asking questions.
And I do wonder whether a GoF Whitlam history tour on the Great Wall of China, whether a visit to Chongdu to pose with some pandas, and whether a hit of tennis is strictly necessary as part of a six day visits to China when there is so much else at stake in our other international relationships around the world. I have to say that some of this is starting to look a little bit indulgent.
But the Prime Minister disagrees.
If you compare the difference of this visit with the failure of the coalition during the last term. During the term in which I was opposition leader, they didn't have a fun conversation between a single minister in Australia and our major trading partner. So you know, we look at these things in perspective. What we've had is constructive engagement.
And look that just sums it up. Albo is an apologist for China.
He makes excuses for our greatest strategic threat, which has conducted live fire drills off our coast since spy ships our way, engaged in military near misses, imposed punitive tariffs and Australian goods, and refused an investigation into the origins of coronavirus. Even when the Prime Minister was today asked about how the Chinese regard that period of coercive trade measures.
This is what he said overwhelmingly.
What we discussed as moving forward is issues of today and tomorrow rather than the past, and it's something that I very much have concentrated on.
Well, Albout can give us his best time traveler answer, but judging by that, the PM has barely said boo in the meetings with the Chinese president. And have a listen to this answer when he was asked about live fire exercises.
And one of the things that I find about giving countries respect is that you get it back when.
You think about showing respect and getting respect back.
Do you expect now that that respect will translate to notification for naval exercises in our region?
Well, we're put forward at our view there, but to put it in context, Australia has engaged in multiple exercises in this region. We do so, and so it is just a fact that that as occurred. We exercise our right to act within international law and we do so.
Unbelievable the Prime Minister has given a stronger position on China's interests than the Australian I mean, he is out there acting as a mouthpiece for Shijing pink. So the Prime Minister is about to return to Australia about is house trained as a panda? Well, labor is all out of ideas when it comes to the cost of living crisis and the economy. The unemployment rate has risen for
the month of June. And this is what happens when electricity bills are through the roof, when red tape and ir laws make it impossible for employers, and when unions have their fingers in every pie, Why would anyone want to go into business right now in this country? Today's figures reveal the cost of living crisis remains, and of course if you don't have a job right now, it makes it even worse. The unemployment rate has risen to four point three percent for the month of June, un
from four point one percent. That's the highest it's been for three and a half years, and the fourth consecutive rise.
In the unemployment rate. More than thirty.
Three thousand people lost their jobs and only two thousand new jobs were added to the economy, well below economists expectations of twenty thousand. Now we can't be the surprise that it's so well below expectations when you've got businesses going bust around the country. Almost seven thousand collapsed in New South Wales from July twenty twenty four to May this year, more than five thousand in Victoria, and over
three thousand went under in Queensland. And don't forget these are small businesses run by hard working families, by aspirational Aussies. And the common denominator in all of this are rising costs. The costs of doing business in this country are too high. Yet right on Q Today, Treasurer Jim Chalmers could not wait to lay blame on external factors, saying the tickup in the unemployment rate is the inevitable consequence of economic uncertainty and volatility around the world.
Really, how curious.
Given the Australian economy is barely growing at one percent per year at the moment. Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth then went on to lay blame on the Reserve Bank for not cutting rates.
The Reserve Bank is independent and they've outlined their reasons for keeping rates on hold. It was obviously a great disappointment to many Australians that decision, but of course the Reserve Bank will meet again and will consider not only the inflation data but also this employment data as well.
It's always someone else's fault, isn't it.
I mean, the biggest message the RBA sent when it kept rates on hold in July is that cost of living is still an issue in this country.
Labor has done nothing.
To help productivity in its first term and the RBA board hesitated because Labor could not well give it the assurances it needed.
To cut rates.
Governor Michelle Bulloch said she needed more economic data to be truly satisfied that inflation was under control, despite Labour's insistence that it slaid the inflation drag.
It this forum last year, I said our government's focus was winning the fight against inflation.
We held do our course.
We've made very substantial and now sustained progress in the fight against inflation.
And what's not helping is Labour's migration policy. Big Australia is getting bigger by the day. New figures reveal net permanent and long term arrivals surged to over thirty three.
Thousand in May.
This was the highest main net arrival number on record, according to analysis by the IPA, surpassing the previous record of over thirty.
One thousand in twenty twenty three.
It means we now have to find homes for these thirty three thousand people who've come into the country in just one month, and net permanent and long term arrivals in the year two matter, we're almost two hundred and fifty thousand, the highest on record. And we know already more than one point one million people have come into this country since Labor was first elected in twenty twenty two. Now, migration is a huge issue in this country. It's exacerbated
the cost of living and housing crisis. Anyone looking for a rental right now knows just how tight the market is. And have a look at the rental vacancy rates for June one point six percent in Sydney, one point eight percent in Melbourne, zero point nine percent in Brisbane and spare a thought for Perth zero point.
Eight percent and the same in Adelaide.
It's also impossible for first home buyers to get a look in. But Labor opens the door to thirty three thousand people in just one month alone, And the topic of migration is missing an action right now in political debate, and I believe it's because of the usual Oh, it's racist to talk about migration. You're a bigot for even bringing it up. Please spare me. It is not racist to talk about migration when we are in the middle of a cost of living crisis.
It was not front and center at the last election.
The Coalition pushed for a lower migration target, but it was barely campaigned and prosecuted strongly enough and seriously, Capping migration is just so obvious every day Aussie's should.
Have priority now.
If current trends continue, net permanent and long term arrivals could reach almost six hundred thousand by December. And worryingly, Labour's migration budget forecast for the year already at three hundred and thirty five thousand arrivals, has been exceeded by almost eighty nine thousand people, or around twenty seven percent.
You got to ask why the opposition hasn't fired up about this.
Just last week, leaked Treasury advice revealed Labour's National Housing Accord target of building one point two million homes between twenty twenty four and twenty twenty nine will not be met. Labour's failed to deliver a single housing target yet ramps up migration. Where are we going.
To put all these people. So here we are today.
Unemployment has risen, the inflation dragon has not been slayed, and Labour's solution to all of this is a productivity talk fest next month. What does it tell you this government is all out of ideas. Joining us now for more on today's top stories is National Senator Matt Canavan and Senior Fellow and Chief Economist at the Institute of Public Affairs Adam Crichton. Hi to both of you, Thank
you so much for joining me. I want to begin with the warm and fluffy panda diplomacy and just a reminder to both of you of how much this Prime Minister loves a picture opportunity with pandas.
This is what he said.
Those pictures go to twenty seven million people potentially in Australia, they go to over a billion people in China, a billion people.
Matt, it's all about pictures. What's the Prime Minister actually achieved during this trip.
Well, look, it seems like he's had a really good holiday. I mean, he's honeymoon with his fiancee. Should happen after the wedding, not before. And I mean how long has this guy been out of the country for It's been.
A whole week.
Sure it's important to go and talk to other countries. Sure it's even appropriate to have some kind of photo op with a panda at the Great Wall or something, but I don't think you need six days to do that six days. Look at all the issues that are
facing this country. Young people can't afford a home. I've spent my week trying to fight for the six thousand jobs in our smelters and refineries that are on the chopping block, ironically partly thanks to the aggressive industrial tactics of the Chinese government, which I didn't hear the Prime Minister say a single word about on his trip. And so those six thousand jobs, a lot of them are union jobs. These are jobs in smelters and refineries. They're good,
high paying union jobs. They're on the chopping block right now because the Chinese government has financed a massive expansion of nickel smelting, of copper refining, of all of these critical minerals, and they're doing so in ways that aren't consistent with international trade rules. And the Prime Minister has not spent any time standing up for those workers, for Australian workers, and instead has spent his time getting happy snaps around various Chinese tourist sites. I mean, this guy
is not paid to do that. He's paid to protect Australians and Australian jobs and he's failing at that right now.
Oh look absolutely, and I couldn't help but notice, Adam, how the Prime Minister has thrown his support behind the Australian Opens twenty twenty six wildcard tournament in Chengdu, and it comes amid ongoing concerns regarding the fate of former Chinese player Pun Shwe, who vanished years ago after she accused the retired Communist Party officials of sexual assault. Adam, but you know Albo had nothing to say about that,
yet he's out on the tennis courts. I don't know if he's a CEO of Tourism Australia, the CEO of Kiniki.
I I'm not sure what he was doing on this trip.
Well, look, you should have realized that when he talks about the tennis that obviously journalists will refer to the Chinese tennis player who disappeared. I mean, it's just another reminder of the different philosophical systems of our two countries and that we're focusing so much energy on this totalitarian dictatorship. That's what China, That's what China is. And as Matt said, I mean he was there six days. The timing could not have been worse. Really, I mean, they've the US
is currently conducting a review of the Orchestreaty. You know, they want to see Australia as very much on their side, and here's our Prime minister spending six days there and you know, talking about the tennis and getting photos with pandas I mean, it's you know, the length of the trip was unnecessary, I think, and the timing was terrible, and it's really achieved nothing except I think, basically offend the US at a critical time.
Absolutely. I just see the optics of it are just shocking. Right now. Now, let's move on.
Because minus have worn labor of potential plant closures, inflation and an expensive transition to net zero was the industry faces a likely shortfall of carbon credits in five years. Rio Tinto says that the shortfall would put significant pressure on market and price dynamics. Matt, you were just talking there about the industry. What do you make of this.
Well, this is the other threat to the long term threat to major manufacturing facilities in Australia. As I say, there's a short term issue with the way the market's being flooded by a Chinese product, and the long term you've got the Australian government putting on a carbon tax on all of these facilities right now through what they
call the safeguard mechanism. That mechanism requires them to buy carbon credits every year, and five percent of their carbon emissions every year has to be reduced and they have to increase the amount of carbon credits they're buying every year. What Rio Tinto is saying here is like what most people that look at this market, this carbon credit market say is that the price of carbon credits are going to go through the roof as more carbon emission reductions
have to occur over the next decade or so. At the moment, at current carbon prices, these facilities, these factories are up for a six point six billion dollar bill to decarbonize to twenty fifty to get to net zero. If the price doubles or more, which many people think it will, obviously that bill goes to twelve to fifteen, possibly.
Twenty billion dollars.
Meanwhile, the federal government already has ten billion dollars of assistance to these factories who are struggling with their costs. So we're going to tax them on this hand, We're going to put a tax on them, and then we're going to come along and give taxpayers dollars which we've taxed you at home, and we're going to give them that money back to pay the tax, to pay the carbon tax. Why don't we just cut out the middlemen and get rid of the carbon tax. It makes no sense.
It's doing nothing for the environment. It's just putting Australian jobs at risk.
Oh.
Look, absolutely, I can't even believe it's even being discussed right now. It's extraordinary. Now, Adam, I alluded to this earlier on. I want to talk about housing targets and migration. The CEO of Master Builders Australia has told Sky News private markets.
Believe it's too costly to build it Ausralia.
In a further blow to this one point two million homes target by twenty twenty nine, which we know that labor is not going to achieve now, I mean that's according to leak Treasury documents.
Adam, you know, the IPA has done really good research about migration. I mentioned that one earlier. But where are we going to put all of these people?
We don't have enough homes as it is, Labour's not going to reach its housing accord targets.
What are we going to do?
Well, look, no, you're certainly right to point out those figures. Governments are basically hopeless at boosting housing supply. Of course, there was a famous example from New Zealand a few years ago when Prime Minister just Sinda Ardern promised one hundred thousand houses and I think they ended up building about two hundred and fifty. The similar situation not quite as bad as happening here, where the government is already fifty five thousand and sixty thousand homes behind schedule in
just the first year. There is no way that it's going to reach that one point two million. The Treasury itself and that so called leaked document said the same thing. So it is just outrageous that we're bringing in so many people into this country. I mean, it's almost as if the government is trying to sabotage the living standards
of people who live here. And that's a strong thing to say, but those figures are so outrageous I mean, in the first eleven months of the financial year just gone, net overseas migration is ninety thousand more than was forecast in the budget. It was forecast, I think you said three three five. Well it's ninety thousand more than that already and we don't even have the June figures. So I mean, to me, that is reckless and outrageous. And we have all this focus on productivity, round table and
tax whether we should broaden the GST. I mean, you know, these arguments are important, but in my view they actually pale in comparison to this immigration issue at the moment, which is, you know, which was reducing our standard of living very dramatically. And also I would argue it's undermizing social cohesion. I would say as well, So it's a serious problem and it needs to be addressed.
Oh look, I completely agree with you. There's so many different factors to this.
And Matt Master Builders, they've been warning for a long time that labor will not meet its housing targets and now we see this leaked and I put leaked.
In inverted commas.
There this document that was released earlier this week.
But I mean, the question has to be asked, what are we going to do.
We've got so many people coming into this country, where are we going to put them?
Well, what Adam said is absolutely right.
I mean, the government has been clear that the government's not going to meet as housing commitment for some time. You could cut them some slack in the sense that a lot of the drivers that can influence the number of housing starts that occur in anyone year at the state government level, at the local government level, those issues.
But what the federal government.
Can control directly control is a number of people entering into this country. They issue the visas, they issue permanent residency, they can control that. And surely the number of people coming into this country should be calibrated to the number of houses that are available to put a roof over their head. We cannot and should not be bringing in way way more people, and we have houses to keep people sheltered. And that's what we've been doing now for
the first three years of the Albaneza government. By a large margin.
Just do the math.
They're building one hundred and eighty thousand homes a year. We're bringing in, as Adam said, about over four hundred thousand. We we're at five hundred thousand. We're now over four hundred thousand bringing in in a twelve month period.
Do the math. That doesn't add up. We do not have enough houses.
We should be waiting to make sure all Australians have a roof over their head before we bring in more people from overseas.
Absolutely, I think it's we're potting out too done Acre, just very briefly, so just very briefly on the time it takes to build a house.
I mean it was basically flat.
Lined at eight months for many many years, and now it is twelve months. Just in the last few years has gone up to twelve months to build a house. So that's red tape, green tape. I mean that is also just as outrageous as the as the immigration just worth pointing up.
Yeah, I mean, I mean that figure in itself is just extraordinary. Yet we've got a real problem in this country. Adam Crichton and Matt Canavan, good to see you both. Thanks very much for joining me on the show this evening, or joining me now is LMPMP Garth Hamilton Garth, thank you for your time this evening. I want to start
with the Prime Minister's China's China trip. I mean between the banquets being serenaded by the Chinese military band playing Aussie rock, flattery, smiles, handshakes, a bit of sight seeing on the side. Was it really worth an extended trip to visit our greatest strategic threat?
Look, like all politicians, I'll do the thing where it's important that we do have these conversations, these relationships do matter. But goodness me, what's the big story? Bloke went to the zoo? You know, this has just been so overcooked. I thought panda diplomacy was shorthanded for some very sensitive Chinese way of diplomacy. No, it's just when they give countries pandits. This has been the most uninspiring trip the primise that could have taken. But I want to put
a slightly different twist on what's going on here. In his first term, the Prime Minister wanted to establish a legacy for changing Australia forever and by dividing upon race and having the voice in our constitution. He lost that, thankfully. I think we're seeing his next play at legacy. I think he wants to give us the great pivot away from the US and towards China, and I think that's what we're seeing six days in China and he can't even summon the guts to go and speak to mister Trump.
I think it's a very clear message from our Prime minister.
Yeah, oh, look, I completely agree with you.
And you know the question is Garth, the Prime Minister has gone out of his way now to appease and pander to China. But you're right, what about the United States. China would be loving the fact right now that Anthony Arberzi has danced around them and not Donald Trump.
Look, I think we're very very clear on what the labor government thinks about our relationship with the US. We had a senior Labor front benched Don Farrell say he didn't believe that the US we're our closest ally. We are at a really important crisis point in our future. We've got a slightly difficult relationship with the US at the moment. We're not willing to front up to that. We're not willing to be the good friend to the
US that we should be. And at the same time, we've got China who's been very provocative in our region. We've just had a trade war, they've just sailed their ships all around us. We've all forgotten. They just parked underneath that major air route between US and New Zealand not that long ago.
And yet where's all.
The attention going to the people who are treating us the most poor, which is the Chinese government. We need to make a really clear change of direction back to our good friends the United States.
Well.
Look, speaking of which, former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has advised against a meeting between Anthony Abernezi and Donald Trump before the ORCUST review has been resolved. Now we know that the Pentagon is considering making us pay more for submarines.
Under the agreement. Who really knows what the future of AUCUST looks like.
But what do you make of John Bolton's comments that a meeting could harm the agreement? Is this more a reflection on the Prime Minister than anything?
Look, I probably share his concerns, but come to a different place. I don't think if you pitted our Prime minister, mister Albernizi against mister Trump in a negotiation that Australia is going to come out on top. I think he's right at the moment. If that conversation went ahead, I don't see.
A great pathway for Australia. I don't see what we have to offer. We've not been good friends. And I've used that word before and I use it again. A good friend to America right now would be standing up strongly and saying we need to warn you against the isolationism that you're walking into. We need to show you how good it can be working together with your allies and creating something better for all of us. That's what a good friend and a good Australian leader would be doing right now.
Instead of running off to China. We need to cherish the relationship with the United States if things ever go bad, they're the guys who will be there for us.
Absolutely.
Let's hope that Albert Eazi has not lost track of that. Now let's turn to the NDIS. Bureaucrats have told labor ministers they must ignore pressure from the disabilitymmunity to slow the government's reforms to the NDIS. The very frame National Disability Insurance Agency brief says the disability community does not support the government's timeline for NDIS reforms. However, it is critical the agency remain on the timeline if we are
to achieve the National Cabinet's annual eight percent growth target Garth. Look, the reality is this scheme is now a behemoth, and it was designed originally for the most severely disabled in Australia, as it should have been, and now it's absolutely blown out.
How important is it to get it back to the people who actually need the support the most.
I think we need to divorce the good intentions of the NDIS.
And there's not an Australian tax payer out there who doesn't want a bit of their tax being spent looking ath through our most disabled people.
That's a worthy outcome in a nation like Australia.
We should expect that, but we must be able to criticize the system that's been put in place to do that. The NDIS is growing at the moment out of somewhere around. They want to cap it at twelve percent growth this year and maybe bring it down to eight. They've got no plans on how they're going to do that or why they need it at that rate.
To point out how big that.
Is, inflation at the moment underlying inflation is only about two point nine percent, So that's four times the rate of inflation. That's how much this is growing. That equates to somewhere around four point eighty five billion dollars a year. This is growing at an incredible rate. It's pulling resources from health, from age care, from the services industry and
in regional communities like Tawoomba. We feel that today I sat with a group of occupational therapists from my own region and they dispute the statement that the disability sector is against this. They all hate the NDAs. It's a chunky system. It's very poorly designed and we need to be able to have this nuanced conversation. We want the outcomes, but this system can be criticized and it's not working.
Absolutely, it is not working and we need this discussion urgently because, as you said, it's completely blowing out year on year. Garth Hamilton always appreciate your time. Thanks very much for joining me on the show. Coming up as the PM two is China neighboring Taiwan is preparing its military for an invasion, plus Labor drags its heels on anti semetism.
Envoy Jillian Siegels recommendations.
Peter Wirtime from the Executive Council of Australian Jury will join me next.
Welcome back. Well.
As anti Semitism runs rampant in this country, as it has for almost two years, it.
Seems Labor is still dragging its heels.
Education Minister Jason Clair has signaled the government won't be moving quickly on the recommendations from Jillian Siagel's anti Semitism reports.
We're considering it carefully. We've got to consult as part of that.
I want to see what the Special Envoy on Islamophobia has to say as well.
I think that's fair. I think that's the right thing to do.
Joining me now is Executive Council of Australian Jury co CEGO Peter Wirtime, Peter, thanks for your time.
We're talking about delays. It could now drag on for months.
But once again Labor seems to conflate the issue of anti Semitism with Islamophobia.
What do you have to say to that.
Yes, it's back to the bad old days of twenty one months ago when every time anti Semitism was mentioned the government felt the need to bracket it with Islamophobia. It shows a complete lack of understanding of I think of both anti semitism and Islamophobia, and frankly kicking the can down the road is not leadership. I can understand
that some things require planning and time. On an education reform and curriculum reform and professional development, all the things that go with it need planning, They need careful consideration. It does take some time. But to condition the whole thing on the Islamophobia report Islamophobia envoy coming up with
a report is incomprehensible to me. Anti simmon, Islamophobia and other forms of racism and bigger treaty all have their own special histories, their own causes, their own particular features, their own tropes, and they require special individual care and attention and not sort of this mish mash idea of mixing them all up and bracketing them all together and making action on one very urgent problem, namely anti Semitism
conditional upon dealing with another problem. It just seems to me an abrogation of responsibility and it's very disappointing from the point of view of the Jewish community.
No, look, I completely agree with you, and that that reports to sitting on Labour's desk, and nothing's going to happen for a few months now.
Now Israel has.
Struck serious military headquarters and Ministry of Defense in Damascus.
The attack was captured live on State TV.
Have a look at this, So you are, Peter, why did Israel target Syria and what does this now mean for the conflict?
Look, those are very confronting images on any of you, but like everything, it has a context. You can't just judge the international political conflicts on the basis of superficial images that propagated by social media because there is so much outside of those images that they don't tell you that contextualize the whole thing and make it more explicable.
In the case of Syria, well, for decades Syria was under the control of one of the most brutal dictatorships on the planet, that of Hafeza Sad and his son Basha, and they ruled Syria with an iron fist. Now, Syria is a complex country. It consists of a lot of minority religious and ethnic communities, and for much of its history, the majority Saundi population mistreated a lot of these minority
groups in a very severe way. And we saw echoes of that with parts of Syria that came under Islamic state control some years ago, where they just butchered religious minority communities now under Assad. For all his brutality, religious minority communities like the Alawi sect of which the president was one and the Drus got off relatively unscathed. I mean, they were generally left alone as long as they showed
loyalty to the regime. With the fall of the Assad regime and the takeover of Syria by a former Islamic State al Qaeda terrorist leader who is now recasting himself as a conventional political leader, things have reverted back to what they traditionally were, with minority communities once again being very anxious about their security, and the Drews are foremost
among them. And Israel has come in because Israel has a very significant Druze community of its own, and they have demanded action to protect their Drew's brethren in Syria. And the Drews in Syria, who are traditionally very loyal to their government, have now sought that protection as well and have welcomed it.
We're almost out of time, but just very quickly I want to get your response to this. In the last hour, released Israeli hostage Aviva Siegel, who Sharry marks and interviewed for the one year anniversary of October seven has made an impassioned plea for the remaining hostages to be freed. She was sat next to her Husban, who has also taken hostage then released.
Have a listen to this.
We need to stop that and it needs to stop.
The war needs to stop. The hostages need to come home.
The Hamasterists need to release the hostages and everything will end.
Peter, We're almost out of time, but very quickly. Aviva's message is very simple. If I must release the hostages now.
The war ends exactly Hamas planned and started the war. They have lost the war. Their leaders are dead, they have made a mess of Gaza. They have ruined the lives of the Palestinians of Gaza with the war they started. And they can end the war tomorrow by releasing the hostages and laying down their arms. That's all that has to happen, and people should be calling for that to happen, as this heartfelt plead from these parents articulated so well.
No, absolutely absolutely, Peter, were time. I appreciate your time. Thanks very much for joining me on the show. Well, let's return now to the Prime Minister's trip to China. Joining me for more on This is former defense intelligence analyst Paul Monk.
Paul, thanks for your time.
What do you make of the Prime Minister's handling of these key issues like the live fire drills and the port of Darwin over there.
Well, he's been, to put it, bluntly, extraordinarily obsequious to Sin Ping and his supporters. It seems to we are arguing that he's simply trying to re establish the kind of rapport with the Chinese leadership that Bob Hawk established in the nineteen eighties, but that fails to recognize that China has changed a lot and politically for the worse
since the nineteen eighties. You know, if you just draw a comparison in Hawk basically befriending who Yabuk and Albinishi trying to be friends sit in Ping, they're completely different individuals. Who Jarbuk was a genuine reformer, an honest intellectual. He wanted to see China open up, and you could trust
his friendship. Not so is hit in Pin. He is a tyrant who has centralized powered and extreme degree and has openly espoused ambitious and aggressive views, has built up China's military in a way who Jabung would frankly have been horrified by so you can't put them on the same level. And yet ALBINESI, it seems to me and as I said, he support as are talking is if that's what he's doing and this is a really good thing.
No, absolutely, I thought it was interesting because while Anthony Aberesi too is China, we've got neighboring Taiwan preparing its military for an invasion. For more than a week now, almost every corner of Taiwan has been hit with military drills. Paul, the optics of this are fascinating. You've got the prime minister closing up to China. Next door Taiwan is preparing for war with China, and the US wants to know.
What our position on any potential conflict would be.
Yes, it's an invidious position for an Australian Prime minister to be in because as we've long acknowledged, China is our biggest trading partner of the US is our long term leading by a country miles security partner, and we would prefer not to have to choose. And John Howard used to sage, did he say, we have our differences with China, but we're very happy to trade with China.
China's got a lot harder even to trade with Undersidi and Ping, and the security dilemma presented to us has got a lot more grave because he's undertaken, as I said, a moment ago, a massive peacetime military build up and has plainly articulated aggressive ambitions and indeed he's enacted them in the South China Sea, in the hazing in Taiwan space and frankly in Japanese waters and hears China Sea against Philippine naval craft. So this is a whole different
situation and we need to take it seriously. And it's all really well to say, as I'm sure the Prime Minister would that he's seeking to be diplomatic, not provocative, but it's leading to a situation where our allies and security partners are un certain. And you know, one might say, look, you've got this multi party military exit is taking place in Northern Australia. Surely that shows where our security loyalties lie. But we have to do some hard thinking about how
we're going to articulate that. And it seems to me the question of Taiwan is acute. That's why they're doing military drills in Taiwan, and we prefer to just fudge it all by saying, you know, well, we acknowledge Jone's position that Taiwan's the province of China. We're fine, but chet imping is not saying, look, we want to lure you back, we want you to be comfortable and the world. He's saying you will count out and we will take
over whatever it requires. Those are fighting words and there are good reasons therefore for us to be apprehensive about what she will do.
Absolutely, they're still on number one greatest strategic threat. Paul Monk, nice to see you, Thanks very much for joining me on the show. This evening still to come. Trump gets heated over the Epstein files posts. White House correspondent Diana Glebova will bring us the latest. Plus, a lesbian group heads to court to defend women's spaces. I'll chat to Giggle CEO Salgrover next.
Welcome back.
Well.
An Australian judge last year ruled that sex is changeable in the case of Giggle versus Tickle. Now, if someone can explain how a biological man is a woman, please do go ahead. We know about the case of Salgrover, creator of the Giggle for Girls app who was lodged at appeal seeking to overturn that court ruling that she unlawfully discriminated against Roxane Tickle, a biological man who identifies as a woman, by barring Tickle from the app.
Now, in a rare court move, it's granted.
Melbourne based Lesbian Action Group a intervenus status in the appeal as a group claims lesbian only spaces are being invaded by men claiming to be women, and I'm pleased to say, Salgrover joins me.
So it's always good to catch up with you. Thanks for joining me.
First, I've just got to ask off the bat realistically, is there any such thing as a female only space in this country right now?
Not?
Legally no.
I mean, we have the Australian Hum Rights Commission, specifically the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, fighting with all of her might to make sure that there is no such thing as a female eely space, that women and girls have absolutely no right to say no to men if that man claims to be a woman. This is the legacy that thereafter.
It's just absolutely shocking.
Now, explain to us the significance of this Lesbian Action Group being granted interveners status in your case, and how will it help you.
It's fantastic that they've been allowed to intervene, and what it basically means is that it is women and lesbians versus the government versus the branch of the government, the
Sex Discrimination Commission. It means that not only are we fighting for what a woman is, which is obviously a sex based concept and women are a separate category to men, but we're also fighting for lesbians to be separate from heterosexual men who claim to be lesbians, because this is happening, heterosexual men who claim to be women are then claiming to be lesbians and invading lesbian spaces, lesbian events, be ditting whatever. Lesbian Action group who has been granted permission
to intervene in the case had a great point. I think they said it last year that once upon a time, women couldn't marry each other, but now women lesbians cannot have events to where they could potentially meet a wife.
So the law has sort of flipped.
So we have to obviously get all of this back on track and back to normal, because this is not sustainable for being me to believe a lie, and if you object to that lie, you're being punished. So these men, women, men lesbians actually have more rights than women and lesbians, And to that, I say no.
So let's just get this right.
So we've now got a situation because I note that the courts also granted leave to the Sex Discrimination Commissioner. So in essence, they now have to try and argue that men can be women. But also that if you've got say, two men who identify as a woman, that they can be labeled lesbians.
How do we get here?
Yeah, I mean, I must say that this has been a really long and painful three and a half years for me. But as painful as this has been, I can't fathom how agonizing it must be to have to make the argument that a man can be a lesbian. Like God speed, Sex Discrimination Commission. It must be there must be some headaches there, you know. But for us we have to This is their government funded. This is a government body that's going in there. This is taxpayer funded.
But for us on this side, so they said we have to raise it'll be well over a million dollars by the time this is all over. And that is another sort of part of the stress and part of the pain of it of being like, not only are our rights being taken away, but we have to spend so much money in court to fight to get back what was all already established in a sex discrimination out in nineteen eighty four. These roads already existed, They've existed
for forty years. But yeah, all it took to take them away it was a was men just seeing their women. So I mean, if anyone who does want to support the case, giggle crowdfund dot com is the website which has more information and how you can do need yeap.
Giggle crowdfund dot com go check it out absolutely Before we let you go, Sal, I just want to ask you about a case in Scotland where an NHS nurse has now been clear of misconduct after refusing to share a hospital changing room with a male colleague who ID identified as a woman. I've got to say justice has been served here, Sal, But what does this case tell us about women's rights around the world right now?
Well, one of the things that does tell us is how far ahead the UK is on this issue. Obviously, we had the four Women's Scotland case earlier this year in the Supreme Court that established that in law a woman is a is.
A biological concept.
It's not of a human female. But it must be noted that even to get to this point where it's someone like Sandy Peggy could win like this, it took lots and lots of court cases over years to get there.
So in Australia we haven't had that yet. That's this particular case, the giggleby Tickle case with Lesbian Action Group now involved, is so important is because it's the first one, so it potentially could be the first of quite a few because there'll be a lot of different things that need to be fixed because they really did model the
law that much down here. But it makes women like myself who are fighting for very optimistic when we see other brief women around the world who are fighting and winning fantastic.
Well, it is good to see and look all the very best to you as well. Will be following your case very closely. Sal Grover, always appreciate your time. Thank you so much for joining me on the show this evening. Appreciate it. We're still to come. Donald Trump fires up after one too many Epstein questions, and the Obamas address marriage speculation. That's next, Well, President Donald Trump is growing impatient with questions over his administration's handling of the Epstein files.
The president lashed out what he called past supporters and weaklings for refusing to drop the story.
Have a look, some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net, and so they try and do the Democrats work. The Democrats are good for nothing other than these oaks, as they're bad for policy. I call it the Epstein hooks. Takes a lot of time and effort instead of talking about the great achievements we've had.
Jody now is New York Post White House correspondent Diana and Rosie Diana.
Thanks for joining me.
This is clearly a very touchy subject for the president.
Yes it is, and there's been a lot of chaos and confusion in the past few weeks as Republicans try to figure out what their messaging will be on the Epstein files. I mean, for years people have wanted to know what is in those files, not just Republicans, and now Trump, as you said, is very touchy on the subject, and nobody knows really what exactly is in those files until,
of course, everything is released. But people are confused about why all of a sudden, he's going after his own supporters and those that want to know what's in them out of the case of transparency.
Well, how has that gone down with his supporters? But he's called them wakelings.
Yeah, I mean there's been a lot of divide. Even how Speaker Mike Johnson, of course, one of the most important people in the Republican Party so far right now, has said that he wants to know more information about those files. And I think that, you know, looking at the polling, it's not just Republicans that want to know
what's in there. So some in the party have been worried about what this means for the midterms for example, that are coming up, because all of a sudden, Trump is going after those in his own party.
Well, Jay's fascinating to watch.
But I mean, even here, come on, we won't know what's in those Epstein files.
We're all dying to know. Was well over in Australia. Now.
I don't know about the Obama as if they're suffering from some sort of relevant deprivation syndrome. But Barack Obama has appeared on an episode of wife Michelle Obama's podcast where the two addressed rumors surrounding the status of their marriage.
Have a look at this.
Wait, you guys like each other?
Oh yeah, really it was such a.
Oh look, I don't know, John, I just find it all a little bit cringe right now.
What do you think? Oh?
Yeah? I mean, though Obamas have been in and out of the news for years, but mostly about their marriage, and the Republicans love to joke that they've been divorced. And of course I remember those rumors about Barack being with Jennifer Aniston and different celebrities. So I think they're just trying to have fun with it. I mean, they're saying that they're still together and that they've been together this whole time. But you know who really knows.
Well, look, who really knows. We're almost ot time. But I just want to ask you.
Donald Trump has announced that Coca Cola will start sweetening all of its products with real sugarcane.
What's going on?
I mean, we all know that he likes diet coke, but he has been on the MAHA agenda make America healthy again, so I think that he wants, you know, those artificial sweeteners, those dies out of the American food and this Coca Cola News has got a lot of people excited because people do like that real cane sugar.
Yeah.
That well, I mean, apparently he's doing it, he says, after RFK junior voice concerns about artificial sweetness in soft drinks. So's he's certainly listening very closely there, Diana. Really appreciate you joining us live from the States this morning. Thank you very much for your time. And that's all we've got time for this evening. Thanks for your company. I'll be back again tomorrow night at five pm for my show,
but stay tuned. Now it's time for James Morrow filling in for Paul Murray and the man Cake of good Night