Why On Sky News, this is Sharry Good Evening. Welcome to the show tonight. The Labor Party in panic mode after polling shows Dutton could win the next election. Well it turns out he may not be as unelectable as the PM hoped. Meanwhile, Penny One refuses to rule out supporting a pro her Musk motion at the United Nations. I'm going to get stuck into this in a minute. And an ABC executive today has refused to apologize to Heston Russell for doctoring a video in a report accusing
him of war crimes. This as new claims emerge of fabricated evidence that arrogance continues. Also on the show, a cover up to avoid implicating a public figure. That's the damning findings of a review into the Daniel and Catherine Andrews twenty thirteen car crash. Well, one of those in the probe will break down these revelations shortly plus, Donald Trump breaks his silence. All of a sudden, we heard juds being fired in the air, the former president speaking
candidly about the second attempt on his life. But first tonight, a legendary labor figure and the business community are today accusing the Albanese government of losing its way. Tonight, as we speak, the business community is delivering a damning verdict on the Prime Minister, saying he's taking our country backwards
with a deteriorating economy. In a major speech tonight, the Business Council of Australia's Bran Black says Australia is losing its way thanks to Labour's workplace laws and industry regulation.
My message receiving is that wish key that is real and all Australia's already feeling in consequence. You be one of the twelve hundred plus businesses that close their doors.
If they're an equidation in July, you feel that if you are the employees of those businesses, and you feel if you're in Australian worry about future.
And his sentiment was echoed by the trailblazing Bill Kelty, who has made scathing remarks about the current Labor Party to leading figures. At a private lunch, he said, what we do not need is a self congratulatory government telling people they have really cared and looked after them. Pretty strong for the man described correctly by the Finn Review
as one of the architects of Australia's modern prosperity. Well, this all comes after the Mineral Council of Australia Chief Tanya Constable's attack last week on Labour's ir laws, which she called reckless. She said they were bringing conflict to the workplace. Well, both Anthony Alberesi and Jim Chalmers are in the room tonight as the Business Council ramps up its political attack on the government ahead of the next election. Already this election is shaping up to be highly competitive.
Labour had long dismissed Peter Dutton as a serious challenger. They shrugged him off as too unpopular to be elected. But now his tough exterior and his policy convictions seem to suit the times. He's exceeding voters and Labors expectations and a Dutton minority government certainly isn't out of the question. The seemingly never ending cost of living crisis is hurting families and the business community. And in his speech tonight, well here's what Bran Black said.
He should rather feeling confident in that growing posterity.
Many CEOs feel so we are losing our way instead the beases on things that matter. We's having incremental but noticeable in such a giving its setbacks and this shouldn't.
Be smissus talking Australia down. He's a belief by Helsown membership that we can and must do Earth for the same future generations.
Now representing Corporate Australia, Black said there needs to be cuts to regulation, more flexible workplace laws, simpler planning laws for new projects, a more efficient tax system and that's just the start. Political editor Simon Benson writes that it's taken the Business Council long enough to work out that the Albanese government's political agenda was not favorable to economic activity.
They have now finally woken up and it's come at the same time as trade union legend Bill Kelty's intervention. He was that Labour needs to dramatically reshape its economic agenda to lift productivity, and he's criticized the Albaneze government for well, as he says, having no plan and to revitalize a near stagnant economy. He's critical of high personal
income tax brackets and the effects of bracket creep. He says people are not impressed by politicians telling them, or at least implying that a tax cut has fixed their problem paying bills, especially a tax cut that leaves them paying more tax than they were two years ago. And Kelty paints a realistic picture of the dwindling Australian gene.
He says for a great number of people, they face a world of renting, not home ownership, total marginal tax rates including GSD of over fifty percent, and jobs in which the real value of their wages have declined. Radical policy decisions taken across industrial relations, foreign policy, national security and environmental laws are now coming home to roost for the Prime Minister, and they well may very well cost him the next election.
Well.
Now to revelations, the Bayner administration is putting pressure on alban Easy to oppose an extreme pro Palestinian motion at the United Nations that calls for Israel to immediately withdraw from Gaza. Now, to be clear, this motion demands an unconditional withdrawal from Gaza. It calls for sanctions and travel bands on Israelis and a ban on armed sails to the Jewish State. It also supports global boycotts on Israeli companies. That is just simply racist and anti Semitic. It can't
be described as anything other than pro Hamas. And yet again this demonstrates how the United Nations is a discredited body that no longer protects the very people it was created to act as a guardian over this UN motion would mean forgetting about the hostages and allowing a terror group to remain in control, free to commit massacres of Jews over and over again. It's absurd that the Americans have to pressure Australia to vote down this UN motion.
Australia was once a sound and rational, reliable international partner that could be relied on to be a friend of Israel, now no longer. Now Pennywang hasn't said whether Australia will support this or not, but that it's even a consideration is unthinkable. She declined to comment today when we contacted her office. The coalition's position is that alban Easy and Penny Wang should categorically oppose this UN motion and really
this is a statement of the obvious. But here was Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham on Pete Stefanovick this morning and he made the point that this is a one sided motion that the government just shouldn't support.
It is a motion that would be deeply counterproductive to long term peace efforts. And it's an entirely one sided motion that makes no mention at all of Hamas of the horrors and atrocities committed back on October seven last year, or of the hostages who have now continued to be held for almost a year.
And importantly, Birmingham pointed out how Australia is now becoming out of step with our closest international ally, the United States.
The decision for the Albanesi government should be clearcut, that should be to oppose it, to stand with friends in allies, and to continue to support long standing bipartisan policy in Australia about how we ultimately negotiate a two state solution for Israel and the Palestinian people.
Now, Colin Rubinstein, who'll join me here on the show tonight, he says the UN motion and support setting up an international Commission of inquiry that would effectively dismantle Israel as a Jewish national home. He calls this an ultra extreme motion. He says it would be the ultimate reward for terrorism, turning October seven into a victory for Hermas. And Colin
Rubinstein says, mass murder, rape, and torture would not be punished. Instead, they would become the successful Palestinian tactics that prompted the international community to attempt to impose via coercion all the extremist demands of the Palestinian leadership. It's bewildering how terrorism has come to be excused by the international community, and
it's a sad indictment on the United Nations. The very organization set up to protect Jews in the wake of the Holocaust, it now perpetuates anti Semitism and acts as a vehicle for bloodthirsty terrorists and evil regimes like Iran seeking to dismantle the Jewish state. How has this come
to pass? As I said, I'll be speaking with Colin Rubinstein about the UN vote later in the show, but now let's bring in our regular Tuesday panel, former Speaker of the House Bronn Bishop and Sky News host Caleb Bond. Welcome to you both. Look, I want to start by getting your reaction to the news. It's unfolding as we speak the Business Council dinner, the fact that the Business Council is now turning on the Albanesi government Brunwan. Back in twenty twenty two, Albanesi promised he was going to
be a pro business prime minister. Well it's taken the BCA a long time to realize that that's actually not the case.
Well, Alberzi made a lot of promises, didn't he before he's elected. I don't think one of them has been delivered except to the trade unions. That's the only promises he's delivered in So I'm very pleased to see that the Business councilor is finally coming to its senses, dare I say, and realizing that this government is absolutely in their not in their interest at all. And I think
they're making a strong case. And I watched Albanezi's response to the draft being leaked out and getting the points coming out, and I can only describe it as pathetic.
I mean, he stands there when people are hurting, when inflation is still sticky, when people are being talked about of losing their houses, and he talks about for each other, lowering the cost of childcare and free medicine or words to that effect, and people just listen to these words as if he's proud of what he's achieved, which is nothing. So it is important that the Business Council will come out and say that what you're doing is destroying this country. Two surpluses charmbers.
Start and by the way, comments supported by Bill Keilty absolutely.
Remember well, bro I do remember well, and I do remember that he and Bob Hawk with their accord was aimed at stabilizing and brings them wages claims down so that you could beat inflation and start to have people have faith in the ability of their door to buy the things that they need. All we're doing now is with the wages chasing infletion is people have more money in their pocket, but it buys lets, it can't pay the bills.
It's a very different labor government what we're seeing today from the Wholke Keeting era.
You know it was very different and understatement speak well, this.
Is a radical left government. You know, it's not mainstream at all. Even under Kevin Rudd labor was much more mainstream. Caleb correct.
And you know the fact that the Business Council is speaking out. I mean fights between business and labor are not a new thing. But what it indicates is a lack of business confidence right now, and a lack of business confidence ultimately leads to less investment and less employment, and that will be the biggest issue for the government here.
Potentially.
One of the things that's been spoken about tonight at the dinner is the collective bargaining multi employer bargaining that has come in as part of the government's IR laws. Now, interestingly, that's something that actually benefits in some ways big business over small business, So it's interesting that the BCA is speaking out about it. But ultimately what it means is that businesses that perhaps cannot afford to pay the higher wages that a larger employer could absorb get put out
of the system. You move them out of the system. Well, where those people going to go to work? And that will ultimately be the problem. The union's now talking about setting up a work Choices style campaign when it comes to the next federal election. Good luck to them. The Coalition and the Business Council have to run a campaign on if you want a job, you have to defeat these IR laws.
You think that would be a fight coalition would welcome. Well let's turn now to the shocking allegations against the ABC that they doctored gunshot audio on a story that accused the retired Special Forces soldier Heston Russell of war crimes. We spoke about this at length last night on the show. Well today Heston Russell has doubled down and he's accused the ABC of fabricating more footage. Here's that breaking news this afternoon.
But mister Russell alleged today that another broadcast on the flagship seven point thirty report has even more added gunshots. How many shots did.
You count there? It's about eleven or twelve? Do you think they should take this down? Absolutely?
This is completely new audio brought in from somewhere else that digging themselves a deeper hole because there's been many edits made to sensationalize this story.
The ABC has been contacted for comment, but mister Heston, who's already won a successful defamation case against the broadcaster for four hundred thousand dollars, also wants an apology and is calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the issue.
And then, quite amazing timing, the ABC's director of News, Justin Stevens, happened to be giving a speech at the Melbourne Press Club today and he was asked whether he was going to apologize to Heston Russell, and once again he refused, he said, I'm not going to preempt that. Well, the arrogance here is just unbelievable. Heston Russell now considering
further legal action against the public broadcaster. But bron When Christa in The Nightly wrote a brilliant piece where he spoke about Mark Willersey the journalist to arrogance, he said he was caught out basically spinning a battlefield rumor into a war crime. And I think that really captures the nub of what's happened here.
This is really shocking. The ABC has been doing some awful things, but this is just beyond the pale. And if they think they can get away with just firing some poor person who was in the editing booth and letting everybody else float along on, that's not going to wash.
Do you know?
It's interesting the staff of the ABC are public servants, so they are actually covered by the knack and perhaps this is an issue it should be referred to the knack. Interesting thought, Well, it's serious enough to because there's an academic who wrote who said Stephen Morris, professor of Politics, said political corruption is the illegitimate use of public power
to benefit a private interest. And if a pursuit of in the words of mister Stevens today, trying to say that journalists seeking to gain acclamation as journalists was.
A pursuit.
I think we're getting into very murky territory. I'm not making any allegations. I'm just saying that this may matter is so serious it cannot be left to the ABC to investigate itself. The idea of a parliamentary inquiry is one, but perhaps the NACKT does have a role.
Well, and Heston has said there might be further legal action. That is something and you considering and talking about with Supersanthro and.
Rebecca Jill as well as not instead of.
But Caleb, I think a lot of people looking at this and they see the errors. They watch that amazing spotlight show on Sunday Night on seven that revealed all of this, and they think, how can that ABC keep going, keep pursuing something to the point where he might nearly be on the verge of taking his life, and then just refuse to apologize. Well, when it's been found in a court of law that they got it wrong.
Because the ABC is so high and mighty, and many of the people who work at the ABC are so high and mighty. They believe that they are more superior than the rest of us, those who work or work in the quote unquote tabloid media or the Murdoch Media or the nine media or what you're all scum. We at the ABC are above all of you, and so they feel like they can do anything without impunity.
A bottom of correct as willis he said.
And the problem is, though, that the ABC has engaged here in fake news. I mean, this is just absolutely news. And I do not for one second by this argument that it comes down to an error that was made in editing. Right now, you might forgive a print journalist who wrote a story and there was a headline that went on it that was a little bit misleading, but it wasn't the breaking story of the day. Whatever. Right, you make a complaint, someone complains about it, you go
to the subedter, to the subeter apologizes. If you're breaking a major exclusive story, whether it's in television, print, online, whatever, you go over every single little bit of that before it goes to where or is printed, because it's ultimately your name is the journalist, your barline that goes next to it. I do not buy for a minute that other people in the ABC were not aware of the
fact that was docted. Either they were aware or they took very little care in checking the product they were going to put to it.
Just adding there. Of course, the journalists have denied that they had anything to do with it. Now, let's have a look at the fallout from this freshwater polling that suggested a Dutton minority government is within reach for the Coalition. Well, Labor is hitting back, going on the defense. They are using the line that Darton has extreme right views and a lack of policy and that this is going to
see Poles tighten up closer to the federal election. But Bronwin, this is the issue Labor has always believed Albanezy has always believed that Peter Dutton is unelectable and so this has in a sense given them a bit of protection. But it's just not the case.
Well, they also said the same thing about Tony Abbott.
They did.
And when I look at mister Alban Easy, he sometimes looks like he's come off on our selection and think that this is supposed to be the leader of a modern contemporary society.
Come off what sorry on our selection?
It's an old movie where it's kind of like Dad and Dave.
Right, I'm in pieces which you have a screening, a family screen that's by the bye.
But I mean other people say, of course, mister Chalmers looks like I'm a pile, which is another old television production. But to the point, to the point, it is a matter of Peter Dutton being very mainstream. He's expressing the views that ordinary people see are the way we should be going. That labor is taking the country absolutely in the wrong direction. You're seeing already people putting themselves out
to be alternate leaders. You've got Burke out there, you've got charmers, and now you've got Blebersec who's busy promoting herself as a good left wing candidate. And I was fascinated by the words of Kelty in particular that the government was losing its way. Yes, of course, I think I remember that there were similar words, a good government losing its way the put Gillard in place of Rudd. So I think there's no accident about some of these
words being used, and I think there is. I think there is time for alban Easy to make some progress. But I do think that that Financial Review poll it shows that Peter Dutton is possible to get the keys to the lodge, is certainly true.
And there's no question there are people in Labor, particularly in marginal Western seats like Tony Burke, who are panicking about this Caleb.
Of course they are, and deservedly so. I mean, the great thing about Peter Dutton is that he has been so underestimated for such a long time, and polling for the better part of a year now has shown that, at least on terms of strength, people rate Peter Dutton better than the Prime minister. He doesn't necessarily win on popularity,
but he wins on strength. He wins on understanding issues like cost of living, the biggest issues that are around right now exactly and ultimately when it comes to an election, they are the things that people will be thinking about. He's been strong to characterize him as you know, extreme right or far right, as Labor is trying to do, or at least they believe privately, is nonsense. And if that's how they're going to estimate him, well they're on a hiding too, don't thing.
Yeah, Well, there's such a far left government, you know, compared to siss governments, right, They that he would be far right to that, you know, compared to Centrius governments, like I said, like Rudds, like Gillards, like even State Chris Men's and Peter Mullen askus there's very Centrius labor company.
By the way, Bronwin, I played a bit of Bye Bye Birdie on the Sunday show Down the other night and Paul chardedly for that. So you're in good company.
Have to give us a list of the movies to catch up on. Brunwin, Bishop and calebind Great to see you both well. Today. Let's turn to today's bombshell revelations around Daniel Andrews and that infamous crash with the teen cyclist Ryan Mulliman will A review by a former police assistant commissioner says the investigation into the crash was an overt cover up to avoid implicating a political figure. The review suggested that the police investigation into the accident was flawed, unfounded,
and contrary to the available evidence. These are damning findings now. Sadly, the commissioner who did that review, doctor Raymond Shuey, died in August, just days after completing his final report. The review was commissioned by the cyclist's lawyers as part of an ongoing Supreme caught damage proceedings into the crash. Now, in response, former Premier Daniel Andrews and his wife have
just this afternoon made a statement. They said, this so called report was commissioned by lawyers on behalf of their clients who seking money through the courts by suing their former lawyers. We are not a party to this legal action. We did nothing wrong. This matter has already been comprehensively and independently investigated and closed by Victoria police and integrity agencies. Well, let's bring in now Colin Robertson. He's a design engineer
and consultant to the mueller Men family. He's been helping them fight for in their eyes justice. Welcome to the show, Thanks for your time. Look just how damning are these findings.
I'll put simply, Shari very damning. Doctor Shuey looked at Dr Shuey looked at two main aspects.
He looked at the.
Actual crash itself, how it happened and how it didn't happen. And he looked at the police investigation. That was another area of expertise is police procedure, Police investigation so to the first to the first item, the accident itself, he's concluded conclusively that it's implausible or impossible for the accident to have happened the way that the Andrews and Victoria Police that had happened. To the second point, the police investigation put simply, there was no investigation.
So he's concluded this was a cover up to protect a public figure, a cover up to protect Daniel Andrews. That's the allegation here. Can you point to some of the details that doctor Shuey drew on in his reppoint to make this claim.
Yeah, certainly.
One of the points that he strongly emphasized was that the driver's name was recorded as Catherine Kessick in the official police documents and all the other documents, he's referred to as Catherine Andrews. Another point that he was very firm on as the police failed to provide Peter Melman,
the father of Ryan, with the driver's details. In fact, outright refused to provide those details, which in a matter of police procedure, both the driver and in an accident and the person who's been hit are entitled to those details.
You've been involved in this case for the past couple of years, you've been helping Ryan's family and Ryan himself, creating re enactments, pouring over the evidence. What to you is one of the most compelling pieces of evidence that indicate there was something wrong with this investigation right from the start.
Well, listen, anyone with the technical background, or in fact a functioning brain, when they saw those three grainy photographs of the crash damage. The official version, Andrew's version of the crash is that Ryan hit them at speed, in fact a perfect tea bone. So look at those photos,
it becomes immediately apparent that the car hit Ryan. In fact, Dr Suey has concluded that the car has cut the corner or made a sweep turn as he calls it, at speed at say forty five kilometers hour, and they simply run Ryan down as he's crossed the road.
Now that these damning findings have been made public, this report is finished. Are Ryan and his family looking at further legal action? Are they looking at any other complaints to other organizations in Victoria?
Well, listen, I'll emphasize at the start that Ryan's family are not looking for monetary compensation, although of course that may be an outcome that the current legal action sort of leads to they are actually seeking justice for Ryan. They want the truth of They want the truth of the accident to come out, and they want the public to know what happened that day.
So there is a.
Current civil action against the lawyers Slater and Gordon who represented Ryan against the TAC and the initial accident. But the family are also calling for the Victoria Police to reopen the investigation in light of doctor Suey's comprehensive forensic thirty six page report.
You wouldn't expect that to happen under the current labor government, I suppose.
Well, look, I guess at this point, let's just say they're asking if no action is taken. As my understanding is, there are civil remedies, legal action that can be taken against Victoria Police and not just the force themselves, but the actual officers involved in what doctor Shuey was absolutely out of.
It was a cover up.
Yeah, so this now is going to have a long way to run. As you've just said, there Ryan's family, the cyclist family asking Victoria Police reopen its investigation. If not, there are other legal avenues to pursue. Colin Robertson really appreciate your time. Now after the break, the US is pressuring Australia to reject a PROHAMUS UN resolution. Well, how can Penny wang possibly support such an extreme proposal that
ultimately does back terrorism. Colin Rubinstein will join me next, and what a surprise, the Prime Minister's social media band for kids hits a roadblock with big Tech refusing to enforce age checks. All of that still coming up, welcome back. Well, the pressure is on Pennywog tonight, and not just from US,
but from the Biden administration. Biden's own team is urging Australia to say no to a draft UN resolution by the Palestinian Authority that demands an unconditional withdrawal from Gaza and the West Bank, as I spoke about at the start of the show, also recommends sanctions against Israel. Now Labor is reportedly weighing its position. It should be a direct and easy no. Well, to discuss this further, let's bring in now Australian Israel Jewish Affairs Council Executive Director,
doctor Colin Rubinstein. Colin, welcome to the show. Thanks very How extreme is this resolution? In your opinion, it's.
About as extreme as you can get. It's the ultra extreme. It's basically calling not only for the isolation of Israel, but the delegitimization of Israel and ultimately is dismantling. So it's an omnibus resolution got everything in it, all sorts of boycotts, economic boycotts, military boycotts, calling Israel apartheid and basically calling for the unraveling of Israel and demanding the imposition the coercion of Israel to accept the extreme Palestinian
demand for a state, not calling for negotiations. It upsets thirty years of Australian by partisan support, by the way, which is very negotiated resolution leading to a two state outcome. None of that in this resolution show it should be very clear cut for Australia simply devote against it because it's so extreme and it's totally counterproductive actually to moving forward, because it will only delay the possibility of genuine negotiations going forward, not expedite them.
Apart from the racism or anti semitism of boycotts on Israeli companies and depriving Israel of weapons to defend itself and to fight terrorists, I think one of the most extreme parts of this is the demand for an unconditional withdrawal from Gaza. What country in the world would leave its own civilians, over a hundred of them just as hostages in the arms of terrorists. Who would ever support an unconditional withdrawal leaving behind the hostages.
None, of course, it's completely Israel's right to self defense. There's no mention whatsoever of the atrocities of Oclob seven. And you know, voting for this or even abstaining it away would represent a reward for Hamas terrorism, for the genocidal, barbaric tactics and strategy of Comas, and also the Palestinian authority which has its pay for slave policy, which also incites hatred towards Jews, which needs the radical lising. And
so it's just totally counterproductive in every possible respect. And you know, a country like Australia shouldn't have to think twice about rejecting and opposing this resolution, and for the Americans to have to even pressure Australia to do this, it's not a good look for Australia in terms of our relationship with the United States, in terms of our standing as a democratic country which should be supporting our friends and democratic allies in this situation.
It shows the weakness of the current alban Ezi government. As you say, all Australian governments, it's been bipartisan policy for years to support Israel and its right self defense. The fact that the Biden administration has come to Australia and urge it to reject this motion, and I mean it could very well be the position that Pennywong ends up abstaining from.
It, well, that would be very disappointing if Australia can't simply reject this resolution. An abstention, unfortunately, would reflect the tilt against Israel that we've seen not only since October seven, but since this government took power, and it would be a very retrogade step, I think for Australia standing in our national interests and our national security.
Now I want to ask you about this story. This was originally front page of the Daily Telegraph last week. I covered it on my show. It's now in the Australian today that the federal government, the alban Ezi government, has made available millions of dollars in funding to organizations
they have to apply for it for grants. One of those organizations is UMA United Muslims Australia, which promotes on its website one of the hate preachers, Sheikh Dadoune, who said the day after October seven attacks that he was elated. He was literally celebrating in the streets. What do you think about the Albanezi government making available millions of dollars in funding to organizations that are promoting hate preachers.
Look, the program itself is good. It's to enhance security of faith organizations, Jewish, Muslim and so on. So the program is good. But actually giving grants to organizations with who have within them speakers and individuals who actually promote hatred and violence is totally counterproductive the whole purpose of the program. You don't give grants to those who are
inciting hatred and violence. That simply undermines the whole purpose of the program, which is to enhance the security of community. Is an organization. So it's a nonsense proposition. And of course I think, as the opposition spokesman correctly put it today, this sort of grant should not be given. It's really an abomination.
It really isn't at the same time, failing to crack down on hate speech. It's been nearly a year. We know the laws need to be improved, and nothing's been done.
There's certain slackness in granting public money all around front the Australian Research Council to a variety of other programs designed to enhance social cohesion. You do not give it to individuals who enhance racial hatred, racism and even inside violence. So we have to have a good look at the way in which the taxpace money is spent. I think in all of these cases, I just.
What gets me is that front page of the Daily Telegraph in the Australian covering it here on the show, and the government just shrugs its shoulders, doesn't care, moves on the rest of the media. Let them get away with it.
I don't think the Australia and public will let them get away with it. At the end of the day, I think we still live in a democracy and you can't fill all the people all the time. I really feel the Australian public is waking up to the problems being inflicted on us. We want to see cohesion. We don't want to see programs and policies going to those individuals and organizations who are undermining the very fabric of
our so far cohesive multicultural society. You don't give money your support to those who are undermining our commitment to the core values of democracy and the security and viability and liberty of our society.
Absolutely agree, Like I say often, you know, we can all have our own opinions as we do. It's a democracy on what's happening in the Middle East. But the most important thing for all of us is not to have racism, not to have violence on our streets, for our children to grow up in peace, that those conflicts shouldn't be playing out here. We shouldn't be worried for everyone's physical safety. Colin Rubinstein really appreciate good time, Thanks
very much. Now after the break, how a twelve year old girl was let down by the school system, her family now begging for answers. Plus, Donald Trump speaks out after a second failed assassination attempt, with bodycam footage showing the moment the gunman was captured by the cops. That's
coming up, welcome back well. Labour strategists are now panicking after the weekends council elections in New South Wales in key seats, particularly in western Sydney, voters punished labor and they put their preferences and votes with the independents or the Greens. Well, let's bring you now Menzies Research Center executive director Nick Cater and former Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger. Welcome to you both. Michael, what's your read
on Saturday's local election. We are hearing reports in all the papers that Labour's absolutely panicking after the fall in their vote. What message does this send to Albanezi.
Look what's been happening over the last few months is it's sour. It's sands through the hourglass, I should say, bit by bit, day by day, the vote is ebbing away from federal labor. And this is due to just massive disappointment by the general populace with their economic performance and by various sections and groups within the community anger
about what they've done. So the mining industry is furious about this gold mining decision in New South Wales, the business community generally, the furious about industrial relations changes, the Aboriginal community of furious that he's dumped out the Macaratic Commission, and on and on it goes. So it's just massive disappointment.
It's a B grade government you can see it and every electoral result, whether it's New South Wales and Northern Territory or Shari next month, it's also going to then translate into Queensland. So I think the electorate are over Labor and I think petered Up is probably the favorite.
Now to become Prime Minister after the next election.
And that is a prediction that Mare and Mara are making. But Nick, it's interesting that at least with these council elections, the vote from Labor didn't go to the Liberal Party. It went to the Greens or to Independence in their heartland seats. What does this tell you? Do you think this is about the Gaza issue?
Well, I think yes, it was about Gaza. I think we've got to be cautious about how we interpret this because I've got to remember, of course, the Liberal Party stuffed up really badly and didn't get candidates in a lot of those seats. So many of those many of those councilarious, many of those wards there would be no Liberal Party candidate. But this is seriously troubling for Labor because you know, traditionally the Green vote holds up about as far as Alburns. For people who know Sydney and
then it drops right off a cliff. And yet it's in those far west, in the Western Sydney regions that it's picked up where it's normally isn't high. In one way, I think nobody couldn't be pleased with himself in the sense that obviously he's been able to hold on to the reality on the Middle East enough that at least the extreme Palestinian supporters think he's let them down. But I must say he's been all over the place. He's
neither one thing nor the other on this. And because of danger now it is, of course he'll go completely the other way, push out towards the Greens, because he knows how his own seat could potentially be under threat.
Yeah, and we're already seeing him speak very vocally about the housing issue, which is one area that the Greens have dominated. Now it looks like the Prime Minister's pledge to have a social media ban on mobile phones for uzzie kids or up to the age of forteen or sixteen, it's already hitting roadblocks. Reports that big tech companies aren't very cooperative in trying to help labor navigate this. I mean,
Michael Kroiger, this isn't a surprise. This was always going to be difficult and the problem is the Prime Minister and Michelle Roland didn't start work on this until the eleventh hour, when they could have been working on it the entire year. They started working out they think they're going to have this legislation in by the end of the year. It's just not going to happen.
I think it's unlikely they'll get legislation before the Parliament parsuitar of the Senate that's going to get passed, because, as you say, it's been a rush, and these big tech companies, they're not fools.
This is not the first government that's.
Tried to curtail air their activities and it won't be the last. So these people are masters of the univers as they say.
So.
I think Albanizi having made such a slow start, even though his intentions and the intention of the federal government, the state governments and all parties effectively agree with this, that's something's got to be done. It's going to be very hard to do it quickly. Albanesi hasn't shown the propensity to be strong on issues, and you know, they'll probably run the clock down until the election and try
and try their luck with the new Liberal government. But I don't think they'll get fired with Peter Dutton either, so I think it's just a matter of time, but it may not be this year.
Yeah, no, I agree, it's not going to be this year. I mean their trial though. Sorry, the tender for the company to run the trial doesn't even finish until well into October, so the trial is not going to start until mid October. There's no way they're going to have legislation in by the end of the year if it is based on that trial. Now, I want to end with this really devastating story that Ben Fordham broke yesterday morning on his show. This is about a little girl
called Charlotte, twelve years old. She took her own life last Monday after relentless bullying at school. Now her parents have set in a statement to Ben Fordham, we lost our baby girl in the most awful circumstances. They said, no words can ever describe what it's like for us and life will never be the same again. Nick the family are making this public. They've agreed for permission for their daughter's photograph to be aired there, saying this is
what she was dealing with. But yet the school sounder Sabina is refusing to really accept that this was a case of bully.
Yeah, I mean, our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. This is just terrible. He's never had covered from this. It's a most horrible, horrible thing you can imagine. But yeah, I mean, I think we haven't seen enough action from the school. But I think this goes back to the previous story on social media and smartphones, particularly, evidence is there. It's in abundance that there has been a big rise in teenage anxiety, in suicide, everything connect
mental illness, which started with the smartphone. Once kids have got the smartphone and they could do all this stuff on the mown. Now, I don't know in this case whether that's a factor, but it's certainly a factor with a lot of youth suicides, particularly girls as it happens. The statistics are very clear on that. So this goes to why Alban Easiest waited this long for something that
people knew was a problem years ago. In fact, the coalition took a policy to the last election to deal with this, and he's taken right till the end of his term to try and rush something through which clearly isn't thought through. The technology is not there, he doesn't even know what age he wants is to kick in at. So the priorities of the government are wrong. And I really hope that the incoming government focuses on this very very strongly.
And you're right social media plays such a big role because before kids could go home from school, they'd have at least a reprieve. But now the bullying follows the kids on the phone, on the social media. They feel like they can't escape at it and it can become too overwhelming. And we should point out that if you or anyone you know is in distress, Lifeline is on thirteen eleven fourteen and Kids Help Line on one eight
hundred fifty five, one eight hundred. All right, Nick Cata and Michael Kroger, great to see you both.
Thanks y.
Now after the break, Donald Trump is blaming Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for inciting the second assassination attempt, once again calling out their rhetoric. We'll got it live to the US with Adam Crichton after the break. Welcome back. All right, Well, let's go live now to Washington and bring in The Australians correspondent Adam Crichton, Adam, so much news with the upcoming US presidential election. A shocking second
assassination attempt. We've now seen today the body cam footage very dramatic of the moment that the cops arrested the man who's now been charged. How did Donald Trump respond to this today he spoke for the first time.
Yeah, Well, certainly the response has been very different from the first assassination attempt, where he really reigned in his rhetoric and he was more careful to not put blame on the Democrats. But this time, certainly he's gone full throttle. He's been extremely aggressive in saying that the reason for this second attempt was the Democrat party rhetoric and that's from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris down. So certainly a very different response this time. Look, I mean, is that fair?
Maybe?
I mean both sides I think engage in this sort of extreme rhetoric, and I think that's you know, that is partly because there are very large differences now between the two major political parties in the US, and they also need to get their base out to vote.
You know, this is an assassination attempt. I think we just in a sense have really undermined just how serious this is trying to kill off a future president and past president. Do you think that maybe some of the leading political figures in the United States former presidents haven't been as vocal about this as they should be.
Yeah, look, that's a very good point, show. I mean, certainly the US does have a horrible history of political assassinations. You know, way more in this country, I think than other countries around the world, even per capita. And yes, you're right. Look, I think you know, the former presidents have not really said any think about this, I mean, you know, and maybe that goes to the point that Kamala Harra said that she was very glad that Donald Trump was safe, but she also says that, you know
that he's an existential threat to democracy. So I mean, can you believe both of those things at the same time. You know, some Democrats liken him to Hitler. I mean, you know, would you be happy if Hitler was still alive? I don't think so. So I think there's a real problem here with the rhetoric.
Well, the Secret Services once again under scrutiny, but Donald Trump has thanked all the law enforcement officials. The thing that concerned me though, is that there are reports of this assassin was in the vicinity of the golf course for some eleven hours before he was noticed. I mean, how does that happen, that there's someone driving around with weapons for eleven hours before being picked up.
Yeah, look, it is extraordinary. I mean he was in the city of the golf course. Well, actually in the same spot. That's what the FBI said press conference earlier, and that's why he brought packs of food. Apparently the backpacks of course. Well, I mean one of the mysteries was that Trump's arrival at the course was not on his public schedule. He doesn't have a public schedule, and so I guess this guy Routh was just waiting around for that twelve hours until he arrived. I mean, everyone
knows that Trump likes to play golf. Was on the weekend, that's when Trump does play golf, So look, he was just waiting around.
I Mean.
The one crazy thing about this guy is his age. I think he was fifty eight. Like, that's a really old would be assassin, don't you think. I Mean, most people tend to calm down as they get older, but certainly not this guy who's you know, whose social media posts actually reflected all the Democrat talking points.
All right, Adam Crichton, we're out of time. Thanks for joining me. I'll see you tomorrow at eight o'clock. Right now, here's Paul