Live on Sky News. This is Shari. Welcome to Shari stee Price with you all this week.
Now, of course, Parliament's back, as we've seen with the first question time. I'll deal with how that went shortly. Labor are definitely happy with themselves, aren't they, after that big may win, as.
They should be.
I just hope they realize that the country they're actually been put in charge of to run is not in great shape. House prices, rents, You've even got rising unemployment now, higher energy prices and a rundown defense force. There's a hell of a lot of work to do. Labour's got the numbers big time, but they've also got a massive
job to get the country back on track. Now. Coming up on Shari Tonight intends to make today around Australia's continued signing up to net zero emissions targets, with the Nationals Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack calling for that binding ambition to be dumped. I'll talk shortly with Barnaby Joyce on Labor and the Hubris on Show today Labor veteran Graham Richardson. I want to us rich O whether that's controllable.
Rich O and Michael Kroger up in just one moment plus the latest on that South Australian algae bloom disaster. I mean, the federal governed had to be dragged, kicking and screaming to do anything about it. I'll find out whether the rescue package actually is good enough. But first though, on the economic health of our country. Let's get serious. We have become a nation of leaners, not leaders, and I hate to say that we have continued to swamp
the country with unprecedented numbers of migrants. We have workers relying on governments for their pay packets grow, that grows alarmingly and a report out today should surprise but not shock anyone. The Center for Independent Studies has found that more than half of Australian workers rely on one government or another federal state, presumably for most of their income. I mean this is a combination of direct wages, government benefits or direct subsidies. I mean half of people, half
the nation now. Economist Robert Carling has told Scott Today that federal spending alone has now reached twenty seven point six percent of GDP. How can that be sustainable? Ten years ago it was high enough, it was twenty four to twenty five, still way too high. And according to that report, spending is driven largely by a small group of programs including, surprise surprise, the NDIS, age Care, Medicare and defense. NDIS is actually costing taxpayers more than what
we spend on defense. How crazy is that this year alone fifty two billion dollars on the ndis simply not sustainable and does anyone in their right mind believe labor is seriously going to rain those figures? In defense spending is fifty one billion and should be more. Simply put, we are spending like a bunch of drunken sailors, and there seems no willingness in Canberra or in need in the states like Victoria to run it in. Indeed, it seems the answer labor has is to not stop spending, but
surprise surprise, to raise taxes. Now, the Roundtable in August hosted by Jim Charmers, will I predict nothing to increase productivity, but is more likely to already have a raft of tax increases designed by Treasury and ready to be wheeled out. Now, think about that a labor government three months in with three years and almost certainly six years to go. Given their majority, will be sorely tempted to wheel out the
bad news early on. Government's always do that. I mean, when you get elected, get out the bad news before you get close to an election. Australians with superinvestments, real estate investments and the like, that will be likely the targets evenly. Treasury briefings talk about finding quote, additional revenue. I mean that's not code. That's a direct and pointed suggestion that your taxes must go up.
At the end of question.
Time, one labor leader in the House, Tony Burke, wrap things up bragging about how labor will spend your money today.
Because the government is labor. We have started the pathway for twenty percent off student debt. We will go on with legislation to make sure that penalty rates for workers are guaranteed. That will happen because the government is labor. We will continue to have tax cuts for every taxpayer because the government is labor. There'll be more free GP visits because the government is labor. They'll be even cheaper medicines. Because the government is labor.
Doesn't sound much like spending cuts to me, and I don't think it would to you either. And of course the Minister in Charge of Climate Change, Chris Bowen, well, he couldn't resist continuing his crazy Uncle act that we saw in the last parliament.
The new dream Team, the dream couple, the Member of New England, Member A Riverina out there this morning backing each other in the Memaphi Riverina said on the Kieren Gilbert Show, where Virilam, we're out there, he said, a Member for New England and a Member of Riverina.
Now this is not his Tinder profile. This is his dream ticket. This is his dream ticket.
He's not looking to swipe right, He's looking to swipe out the Member for.
Maroanomas as beggars what he's trying to do.
But they're trying. They're trying to betray the.
Member for Maranoa. But what they're really doing is betraying people, a rule and regional Australia.
As I said, the crazy Uncle. Now one thing that did stand out for me and I'll get rich O and Michael's opinion on this in a moment, the number of times the Prime Minister in question time addressed his own side, looking backwards off Mike rather than eyeballing the opposition, giving a signal I believe that he doesn't really rate them.
Australia participates in exercises in the South China Sea in the region in a consistent way, not just Australia, and at the same time, of course our Talisman Saber exercises were occurring, but we regularly participate, not just as a nation state, but we've participated as well with our ally in the United States.
Talking to his own front bench. Now for the opposition, I'll tell you what it's going to be a long three possibly six years.
Let's get straight into it.
Tonight's panel joins me, Joining me former Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger and former Labor Senator Graham Richardson. Rich O, first to you, how hard is it going to be for Anthony Albanezi the PM, to wrangle that huge caucus and stomp on any hubris that might emerge.
Probably not as hard as you think, because he's earned that huge majority and that gives him enormous respect. So I think, you know, think the corpus will want to try and do the right thing, want to try and be as unified as possible.
Michael, what did you make of the opposition's first up effort today? I mean, I was very surprised at where they took question time concentrating on superannuation. There's so much more low hanging fruit that they could have used, I think more effectively.
Yeah, I'm not sorry sure about that, Steve. Look, Australia has a very serious financial problem, which is that the gross federal government debt is going to increase about nine hundred billion when Albanesi came to office and by the time the next election will be one point two trillion. So debt will increase in this country three hundred billion dollars over the life of these two parliaments.
What does that mean.
Well, he can't cut expenditure, we know that, he can't deregulate, we know that, so he's going to have to increase taxes. So Susan Lee, concentrating on taxes I thought was the appropriate thing to do because you can't sustain these massive
increase increases in government debt that we're seeing. So the next three years is going to be an arguing about government's spending and debt and the financial bizaster that this mob we're going to leave us with, I mean, cheering each other on that they cut student debt today, great well it cost sixteen billion. Who's paying for that?
Well, we are, of course rich. Are you been there?
I mean, what happens when you get elected as a new government and one of a thumping majority like our Albaneze has got you wheel out any bad news that you might be intending to deliver over the next three years as soon as you can, don'd you? And so Michael's argument that we're going to get tax increases, do you agree that's probably the road we're going to go down.
I hope it's not, but I can't rule it out. You know, tax increases sometimes are very hard for governments to resist, and you know, I can imagine that it's possible in this environment for that to occur.
Michael the country's third largest superannuation fund talking about super host Plus. They're not happy with Labour, saying there's not been adequate consultation for this super tax plan. Host Plus says that the unrealized gains tax needs to be reconsidered.
I've got a weird theory on this year. Think that it is possible that someone got into the ear of someone on the host plus board and said, when you get this back on the agenda and argue about it and give us some cover and we might actually start thinking about whether we drop this unrealized profits part of the tax.
That might have happened, But they don't show any inclination to drop it. See, if they took that policy to the election, it was out there for everybody to see. And because Jim Chalmers convinced people that it didn't really affect anybody in this country apart from, you know, a few very wealthy people, they proceeded with it. No one noticed, and Labour got a hefty swing to them, so it
wasn't unpopular in the electorate. What will be unpopular is when they expand unrealized capital gains taxes or get rid of the capital gains tax discount, et cetera, or bring in inheritance taxes, or bringing with the compliance of the states that increase in the GST. I mean tax is going to have to increase in this country. We're going to be an economic basket case. If they don't increase taxes. That's the only way. That's the only labor way. They've
done in Victoria with disastrous consequences. But if you can't cut spending and you can't deregulate to increase growth GDP growth.
You're anger left with one option.
The other option is you just sit there like a vegetable and see debt in this country go to unpalatable levels as we're seeing in America. I mean debt in America now because of these recent changes, are going from thirty six to thirty nine trillion. Kirstarmer just tried to cut debt in government expenditure, therefore debt in Britain and got a whack over the head. Labor governments can't cut a debt conservative governments. If you called from a conservative, you're happy to increase debt.
This is a.
Worldwide Western society problem that no one seems to be able to address. But sooner or later, as we say, the economic reality stick will hit these governments with disasters consequences.
Graham I mentioned NDS and the figure of fifty one billion. We're now spending more on the disability insurance scheme than we are on defense.
It's very difficult to.
Rain that in because you are immediately targeted as someone who doesn't care about the disabled. But that's not sustainable, is it? Fifty one billion?
I wouldn't have thought. So something will have to be done about that. It's a matter of what goes against Labour's grain, and we're not champions at cutting debt. I have to concede, but we're at a time we need to.
That's a polite way to put it.
Michael, you and I living in Victoria, I can't believe this crime crisis. I mean we've talked about it over and over and over again. This government has absolutely let crime get out of control. We've had a bloke threatened with a knife during a violent kidnapping in Melbourne.
That was last night.
At the weekend, a bloke in a shopping center had his phone stolen and his hand cut off. Nine petrol stations and grocery stores were targeted. I went to my local liquor land yesterday. The young bloke working in there has got the door locked. When he opened it up and I went in to buy a bottle of whiskey, he said, well, I have to have the door lock because we've been robbed thirty times in this week alone. I mean, how long are we going to let this be out of control?
Well, let's hope that in Novema next year we can pump the airline government. I mean, crimes out of Victoria's basically a law of state. To honest, I mean, we have synagogue's fire bond here, we have tobacco shops fire bond every every week or so. We've got these illegal tobacco sales everywhere, and we've got Middle Eastern crime, gangs, youth crime, bail problems.
Victoria is basically laws and it's bankrupt.
So you know, if you worry about the federal bit, the gross dead in Victoria, by the way, in a few years time is going to be three hundred billion. That's just in Victoria. I mean, just just ciner Allen
has bankrupted Victoria. What's the consequence of that. Well, sooner or later, the labor governments they started to sack public servants here because they've got no money in the bankrupt Sooner or later they're going to have to cut back on schools and hospital funding here because there's no there's no other there's no other choice.
I mean, you.
Can't, you can't let spending grow out of control to the extent that it has, so no, you know, as well as Victoria is a total baster case, crime is just one of the very serious problems we've got in the state. Anti sembinism is out of control in the state, et cetera, et cetera.
Graham, As you know, I lived in Sydney for a long time. The situation up there doesn't appear to be as bad as what it is in Melbourne.
Is that how you see it?
Yeah?
I think that's probably right.
But of course you know Sydney is a superior city and so you'd have to expect that.
He couldn't resist, couldie Michael Kraigner, Graham Richardson, Thanks a.
Lot, Thanks, thank you.
Okay, let's catch up with National's back bench of Barnaby Joyce, who, of course today was making headlines with his new bromance with fellow former NAT's leader Michael McCormack and this Private Members bill wanting a debate. Well more than that, Barnaby wants net zero us signing up to it dumped.
Barnaby.
Thanks for your time, and it's been a really busy day. You called I think net zero the head of the net zero serpent. Can you explain to me what you meant by that?
Well, Steve, and good evening listeners.
What we've got in Australia is you've seen it tonight on your stable TCV and the just is this Australia people just charging over people's farms twelve thousand dollars fine. I think they mentioned if you dare to sort of stop someone intruding into your own land. We're seeing people pushed out of their houses, they can't afford their power bill, living in cars.
That is actually really happening.
We're seeing the desecration of the landscape with wind towers and solar panels. You'veimistically called farms. They always put that weasily nominoclatter in it. They're not farms did amint a power precincts, and they're not renewable their future landfill from obsolescence that'll just rotten a paddock for most of it. And we are what were doing to this nation. Even on the ABC the other night they were talking about that basically the massive diminution of our manufacturing capacity, the
de industrialization of Australia. And we've got China breathing down our neck and we're trying to do everything in our power to make ourselves power less. So where is the source of this? And the head of the serpent is
net zero? A lunatic policy, complete lunacy that somehow in that building, there's an action that can be taken at the dispatch box which will get rid of droughts and cyclones and stop animals going extinct and warm and cool the ocean, and you know, it'll do everything, change the temperature of the globe, change all that up there, just because cris Bone says so, even though China is not participating in it, Russia's not participating, in the United States
not participating in Indonesia's not participating in it.
You know, Brazil, most.
Of Southeast Asia, most of Africa, what it is. You'll see some participation in it by some in Europe, but even there England, if they change government, it won't be participating it. Even just across the ditch, New Zeal's not participating in it. So it will have no effect. But the self immolation of our own nation. What a ridiculous lunacy. Let's get the hell out of it.
So let's go back in time. But you're a senior member of a coalition government. You're, in fact rose the position of deputy prime minister. Why the hell did the coalition during those leaders sign up to this in the first place. Take me inside the internal debate that musket you must have been heavily involved in about whether to sign up on slertly.
I always voted against it. I've argued against it. I
thought it was lunacy from the start. But in a position, especially within government of executive office, you're bound by cabinet solidarity, which I complied with, and even in the National's Party room after I'd cut that deal, which got about thirty two billion dollars worth of infrastructure Urana Dam, Hellsgate Dam, Bowen pipeline, intermodals for Catherine Tenant Kreeg, upgrade of roads, Allied Health for Western Victoria, and on and on and on.
It goes, upgrade of airports, you name it, we got it.
After I'd cut that deal, I went back to the room and I said, look, you'll have to have a vote. I voted against it, and which was splendidly put in the paper by one of my colleagues. But that was good actually, because for the record people know that I've never supported it, and even Peter Dutton, how I get along with but he ringing up, berating me, threatening to sack me if I'm not more foolsome than.
My support in net zero, which I could never be.
It's a nutcase policy, and the rest of the world has found that we're not doing something unique here, Steve, We're just catching up to We're the majority of the people on the globe and the majority of the economy on the globe have already got to it's crazy.
I'm going to describe for you in a moment one of these so called wind farms that I visited in Victoria at the weekend, and I was just horrified and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. But here's Michael McCormack, who you've now teamed up with, and he was asked about what's going to happen with net zero today.
Hey, listen, do you think the majority of your party colleagues agree with Barnaby and you?
I'd like to think so.
I'm repealing the to.
I'd like to think so do they. I mean, how many in the National Party. Actually they may not come out publicly, they're not as brave perhaps as you and McCormack are, But how many around that National Party party room actually agree with you? I mean, anyone who lives in the bush surely must agree.
You know, Steve, if I wanted to lose the seat of New England. I know exactly how I'd do it. I'd go back to the people of New England and say I believe in intimnate power and we should have more intimindent power rolled out. And I would go from on the safest seats in Australia to stacking shelves at Bunnings in one fell swoop. It is we have now seen at a party level. Remember the National Party of New South Wales has as policy from its last conference
who get rid of net zero. The COLP in the Northern Territory has policy to get rid of net zero. The Liberal Party in South Australia has a policy at the party level the members level to get rid of net zero. The Canning branch of the Liberal Party in Western Australia has passed the motion to get rid of net zero. The White Bay branch of the LMP in Queensland has passed the motion to getting in it rid
of net zero. We are following on this one. We are following the members and we are following the street.
We are not leading.
And you know I think that for myself, michae LeAnn and many others it's not just about it's not for God's sake, it's not about me. It is basically catching up to where other people want us to be. See at the start, Steve, they thought that net zero was this innocuous thing and it sounds good and the kids like it.
A do it. And then they've come out of and went, what the hell is this? What are you doing to us?
And they go no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no stop And that's what we've.
Got to do.
So David Little Proud, the head of the National Party, he says that he's committed to net zero. The coalition split earlier this year was the net zero question ever part of the negotiations to get back together and could have been a deal breaker. I mean, if David littl Proud had said to Susan Lee not we're out of net zero, would she have walked away from the coalition agreement?
Do you think it would have been a different scenario.
But it wasn't about net zero.
But you know, that always concerns me because if someone said, what's the biggest issue around, said, man, that zero, because it's you know, that's the one. You can't say I believe in that zero. But I don't want the transmission lines. I believe in that zero, But I don't want the swindle factories, the solar panels and the wind house. I believe in that zero. But you know, I'm really worried about power prices. You can't do it like if you don't. If you want to help the pensioners, you're going to
go to choice. You can believe in the Powers agreement, or you can believe in pensioners and lower of power prices. You can't have both. And I'm going to go with the pensioners and reduce power prices. And that's not unique because that's where the rest of the world's gone, and that's where I honestly believe the majority of the people are. And even if they're not, I think the job of us in this building is to clearly and cogently.
Provide the facts.
And enunciate the policy in such a form as you take them with them. We did that on the Voice, We've done it before the carbon tax, the ETS. It's happened multiple times. I've been down this path multiple times, and you've got to sit back and look at it and go is it right or is it wrong? Is it good for our nation is a bad found nation, and it's not it's wrong.
Well, a global warming argument is a cult as we know now. I was in regional Victoria at the weekend. The anger around wind turbines in the front bar of the pubs I was in was palpable. Transmission lines is an even bigger argument. So I went to a place called Rokewood. Now that's Victoria's biggest win factory. There's one hundred and twenty turbines there surrounding a little town of two hundred people. And seeing these things up close was
absolutely frightening. I mean, yes, you've got to see them, and I don't think the people are all going, oh, these are wonderful things. Have actually ever seen one.
And they're not beautiful.
It's changing your whole landscape into an industrial landscape of future obsolescence.
Their statues to obsolescence. These things run out of jews.
They basically in ten to fifteen years time they have to be pulled down. And even the Labor Party, it's been a couple of years ago now said that the costs of the decommissioning of one with structural imperfections, which would have after ten to fifteen years one point six million dollars. Now, which cocky round then is going to have one point six million dollars per tour?
Well they won't have. So guess what happens? They fall over?
Yeah, after a period of time this rust and paddock and so they're gonna have land with some neaty value and got transmission lize and they're just this, you know, this new form of viril and socialism. Like, Steve, I'm going to come on to your place if you dare stop me. There's an up to twelve thousand dollars. Fine, I'm coming with security guards and the police. Watch out, Steve, because you stand in my way.
I'm going to rescue. I know, planes over your place, Steve, I'm watching you. This is that?
Is that Australia? Is that what we've become? You know, would you accept that in Mossman? Would you accept that? Instant Kilda Cossey wouldn't.
So why do the people in the regions that what you accepted? Do you know what you're doing to us?
Well they shouldn't have to. They shouldn't have to accept that. I mean the other tricky thing is language. I mean they call us sing at Rokewood. The Golden planes wind farm.
Now it's.
Out.
I mean serious, foul winble Golden seriously.
Go way.
That's that's how, that's how, that's how these swindlers work.
And if you dare question me to go may.
I I've been look at this capacity investment scheme. You get a return. I got to pay ninety percent of your income even.
If you don't produce powers. I haven't got to rip off the taxpayer pay. Is that you know?
Come on, man, show me the details, show me, show me, show me exactly how much again, come on, Chrissy Bowen, show us what you're given. A mate, you don't believe in climate, You're a denier.
You're a denier. You're not a blacks.
When we saw Chris Bowen, saw Chris Boone in parliament today he's with his mad uncle impersonation again. What about the claim of regional jobs? Just finally, because just send her Alan the Premier Victoria when she she ticked off on this scene, she said there'd be seven hundred jobs in construction and then seventy jobs ongoing. What are the jobs ongoing? When these things just stand there and we're around, where are the seventy people working? What are they doing well?
Well, let's let's let's have let's give this one a little bit of a run in the park, give a bit of a test. There's a town in northern New Southalest called glenn anis two billion.
Dollars worth of swing back around it two billion and where the jobs? Wasn't his suburb there there's.
A couple of people, probably general maintenance, made their flying fly out.
If you talk about the Colin tr took you about.
Billa Wheeler Gunnada single to and says snook muscle brook, Port of Gladston, Port of Newcastle. I can show you the jobs, but we told about all these jobs in the renewable industry.
So where's the renewable town. Where's the town with all the renewable jobs.
Look, I can take you to a car park at Basewater power Station pack lots of people.
Make good money.
But you know I've gone past the swindle factories, the swindle fields, and the solar panels and the windows.
They don't even have a car park.
Well, but these jobs there was no one when I was.
Of course, they're not.
Part of this rubbish, you know, it's all part of this.
You know, all these renewable jobs. I don't know.
I live out in the country where they all are, and I don't know anybody who's.
Got one of these renewable jobs.
I know there's fly and flyout contractors. They turn up and live in Donnerville. All the dogs barked out and they all live in them and they come in, they go out. But there's no permanent jobs made. One to a handful, possibly.
Yeah, mowing the lawn around the base. So finally, what happens with the product?
That's it?
Now?
Do you believe?
Okay, I think we're going to I think.
The Labor Party will let it be debated. I think, you know, I don't what's driving that. I hope it's you know, the proper reason, but there's probably some politics in there as well. I think certainly the interest you saw that today it's gone. It's like you can throw matches at logs and nothing ever happens and one day, and that's what happens in politics. It's there, and the Australian people want this debated. They want it, they want it debated, and they want to see.
Where we are. They want to see where we stand.
And I think that's that's their right, and I think that is going to happen, and it's.
A debate that we've just got to have.
And if you're not, you're going to go back to those people who you were talking to Steve in Victoria and they'll say, what what what did they do.
In that building?
Said not much, mate, they just hit it under the carpet, went onto the next thing. And that's when people say, I'm really over politics and other politicians.
I'm the party system the way it is. I want an alternative. It's not working for me.
That's what they think. Barnaby joyous, thanks for your time tonight. I appreciate it, absolute pleasure. Steve so coming up after the break, Labor laughs off. Questions over that super tax plan we were talking to Richo and Michael about.
It's going to be a very long three years.
Aaron Patrick will have more on that later, but first the Senate is cracking down on Mareene for rookie stunt as they should yesterday. Liberal MP Julian Lessa will join me up next. Welcome back to price In for Shari. I'll have another look at that dreadful situation on the South Australian coastline around adelaide with that Algie Bloom and whether the compensation that the federal government matched by the state government has been enough. We'll take you to South Australia.
Shortly back to care and politics. Now, the Senate has as they should have, censured the Greens Deputy Leader Marine Ferouki today. Now how she's got a position of authority in the Greens is completely beyond me. It shows how far that party's just drifted far, far left and they're just an activist party.
Now.
She pulled a stunt yesterday where she held up a sign in protests during the Governor General's speech Sam Austen. Now here's what Marine Ferouki had to say about the censure motion against her.
And I will not back down from this call because Palestinians are being murdered, starved and displaced by Israel as we speak, and all you can do is crack down on people who protest, who tell the truth, who hold up a mirror to you.
All joining me now, Shadow General Shadow Attorney General Julian Lisa Julian, how's that that woman got a position as deputy leader of the Greens or does that say more about where the Greens have ended up.
Well. I do think it says a lot about where the Greens have ended up, Steve. I mean, her conduct in the Parliament yesterday was just a disgrace. The opening of the Parliament is one of the most solemn occasions in the parliamentary calendar. We have the Governor General, who's the representative of the King, declared the parliament open. This occurs in the presence of all the parliamentarians from the House and the Senate, as well as judges of the
High Court and diplomats from around the world. There are visitors of plenty in the Parliament. Senator Feriki has the right to raise issues and questions in her role as a Senate as a senator in the Senate, using its normal processes, but to hijack the day and to put forward her disgraceful sign was reprehensible and it was right that the Senate censured her today, but they could have
gone further. My colleague Michaelia Cash moved that she actually be suspended from the Senate for a period, but Pennywong made excuses and the Government wouldn't back this motion. Now I think that we will know why that's the case, because the Labor Party relies on the Greens preferences at election time, and they rely on their votes to get the bills passed. So the censer motion was good, but it could have gone much further if Pennywong had followed the leadership of Michalia Cash.
What justification did Senator Wong, our Foreign minister, used to disagree with Micalia Cash's motion. I mean, surely carrying a sign like that, wearing a kefia, making stuff up in the Senate deserves some sort of sanction rather than just a tap on the sholder, a tap on the hand.
Well, well, I think that's right, and they had given her some sanction as well as stopping her from representing the Senate on any committees. But it was a sign of the lack of leadership that Pennywong has displayed that she didn't back Michaulia Cash's call to suspend her. I think a suspension is the right sort of thing, because what we see again and again from the Greens is a sense that the laws and the conventions of our
society don't apply to them. And I think it's time that law abiding people and people who value the dignity of our institutions stood up for our institutions, and we just never see enough of that in our country.
How I mean, this is a difficult question for you.
But if you rang her or went round and visited her office and sat down and said, listen, I'd like to have a chat to you about your views on what's happening in Palestine, and I'd like to have a chat to you about the facts of where the supplies of food are and why they're not getting through and all of these allegations that Israel is committing genocide and trying to starve children to death. Would she be open to a discussion or was there just a closed book on this.
I don't know, Steve. I think the Greens on this have been completely one sided. We all know what has to happen to what's happening in Gaza to an end, and that is for Hamas to release the hostages. There've been hostages there for nearly two years that they captured on October seven, and we want to see a Gaza with Hamas playing no role in its future. That has been our policy for a long time. That's what needs to happen, and that's the best.
Way to resolve the conflict.
No one wants to see people starve. People want to see the aid get through. But Hamas is the big obstacle here and we shouldn't forget that.
Jollyn.
Obviously, I was just speaking with Barnaby Joyce talking about his stand on net zero. He's on the back bench so he's able to put forward a private members Billy wants Australia to walk away from net zero. You are supportive in my memory of the Australia being connected to net zero. You stood on your principles and walked away from a front bench job during the Voice campaign. If Susan Lead were to change the Liberal Party's support of net zero, what would you do.
Well, We've got a process that's in place because, as Susan said many times, our values are not up for review, but our policies are. And we've established a special process to look at our energy policy and that process is being led by the Shadow Minister for Energy Dan teen. It involves people from the Liberal Party and the National Party and all of us myself included and Barnaby two have the chance to make submissions to that committee so that we've got a policy that we can take to
the next election. That will reduce power prices because under this government power prices have gone up and up and up, improve right reliability and also deal with emissions issues as well. So that's the process that we've put forward and that's the process that we're all going through at the moment.
It's a divisive issue. It has caused the coalition trouble in the past. Do you how hopeful are you that you can come to some agreement with the Nationals and move beyond this because labor is just going to make a meal of it if you go back to pulling each other's arms off over this issue, aren't they.
Well, the biggest issue, of course, Steve, is getting prices down. This is one of those issues that really affects family budgets. We all remember before the last election the Prime Minister promised he'd cut energy bills by two hundred and seventy five dollars. That was one of the biggest lies that's ever been told in politics, because all we've seen is prices go up and up and up and families are struggling to meet their energy bills. We're in the middle
of winter at the moment. People are having to make decisions about whether to put food on the table or turn their heating on. We are one of the richest countries on the planet. We should be able to do. We shouldn't have to put people in that situation, and that's why we need a sensible energy policy and I have great confidence in Dan teen and the team that we will rely a sensible energy policy between now and the next election.
Good on you, Julian, thanks for staying up for us. Appreciate it very much. Still to come on, Shari, tonight is the Labor govern hoping to brush South Australia's algaie crisis under the rug? It sure seems like it. Liberal MP Tony Passon will rip in.
And a little later on.
Plus, it looks like this second term is going to be much of the same if today's question Time was anything to go by. So much for second chances. Aaron Patrick will discuss their poor performances this afternoon next Welcome back to sleep Price in for Shari now. I watched most of Question Time today and I didn't think it
was a particularly sparkling start of the parliamentary year. Labour spent most of the time dodging scrutiny and laughing off questions about this proposed super tax, accusing the Coalition of running another scare campaign. Now, this tax, of course, only applies to people with more than three million dollars in superannuation.
Interestingly, for me, at least.
Whenever a direct question was asked about the numbers of people that this will impact and how it will impact on, say a small business or a farm, then we didn't get too many answers. The Albertizi government will hike the tax rate over three million, from fifteen cents in the dollar to thirty on superccounts, as I said, with three million dollars joining me now, Chief writer at the Nightly,
Aaron Patrick. Good to see you again, Aaron. I just wonder whether the Coalition picked the right way to start the year, given that it is a small number of people that this tax would affect, and it is I think the unrealized tax on unrealized assets.
Is the key to it.
But there's so many other things that the Coalition I think could have got into labor about.
Yes, Steve, you know what, I kind of agree with you. I watched question Time pretty closely today, as I know you did, and I think those attacks of the super tax fell flat, partly because they're not new, you know. The Culition ran that argument as hard as they could pre election campaign and obviously it had zero impact. So
I just don't feel it worked today. And clearly the government was completely unfazed, you know, and a lot of those questions went to the Assistant Minister Daniel Malino, who's a really very minor figure in the government. So I just don't see how that really played much impact on a day that was really important for Susan Lee because I was at her first day in question time as Opposition leader.
Well, why wouldn't she have stood up and said, I mean, there's a million other questions, but why wouldn't you have said, for example, my question is to the Prime Minister leak Treasury documents show that they believe you're not going to get anywhere near you one point two million. If that's the number houses that you are a build, Well, why wouldn't you get up and say my question is to the Prime minister, are you still having trouble getting a
meeting with Donald Trump? I mean, there's a thousand things at the cost of living is a big issue. People who've got more than three million dollars in super good luck to them. But average people they don't want the government He'll to account for that. They want the Government Hill to account for the fact jobless rates going up, interest rates didn't come down last month, cost of livings out of control, rents, housing prices so much ammunition mate.
You know for your average Australians the economy is really tough at the moment, and I think that's a price number. Was it last week that unemployment jumped up would have been really great material for them to go after, particularly Jim Chambers after look to be fair, mate, they did actually raise the housing question Cusaly did ask that, but then they kind of left that attack mostly line to
concentrate on the superannuation charges. And also the Government gave the cross bench like four questions and so it sort of that meant that sort of crowded out the Coalition a bit. So watching it, it really didn't feel like it was the Coalition's big performance as you would have as they would have hoped for. So this is a sign of how tough it's going to be for the Coalition to score points when they are so boudly outnumbered in the Parliament.
I had to get a tooth drill just before the start of question time. I should have stayed at the dentist. I think was less painful than watching question Time as usual. Barnaby Joyce so I spoke to about half an hour ago, and Michael McCormack. They have stolen the headlines today over net zero. David Little Proud, the leader of the NATS, he doesn't seem phased about this, but I reckon he would be a bit worried.
Here's what he said today.
Anything I haven't done is has put my name through my leadership ambitions for everym Well, why would I do that?
But David Little Proud is the leader. I'm pretty relaxed about the situation.
I think what is important in the National Party, in the culture of the National Party, is that the party reem determines our policy positions.
Everybody you mak of the Barnaby and Michael bromance that suddenly come out of nowhere.
I think those two big old bulls are having I don't think having a fight in the paddock. I think they're being a bit more romantic. Look David Little Proud, man, that's a guy he is called under pressure. You know you've got to sort of you've got to respect that. And you've got two former leaders conspiring to basically, you know, rip up one of the key policies that the Coalition agreed on several years ago and take the Coalition in a very very different direction. So David Little Proud is
under huge pressure and it doesn't really show it. So I expect that that in a politician. But this is going to be a hell of a contest and the Coalition because there's a lot of liberals, like conservative liberals, who want to rip up Net zero two.
Aaron doing great job on the Nightly.
You've written about Donald Trump and this issue with Barack Obama, which most Australians wouldn't understand. But he's going after Obama accusing him of treason?
Is this going to Is this going to go anywhere?
Look looks? Thanks Thanks Steve. I wrote the story up because what really just struck me was is nobody seemed to really care. So Donald Trump put out a fake video of Obama being arrested in the White House. It was really quite something. And then it sort of really because the shop value has gone out of what Donald Trump says, and he said so many sort of things which are just so different to what any president has said before. There you can see the video right now,
and they've got Obama on his knees. You know, isn't that amazing for our current president put that out mate. I've I've never seen anything like it, and and and you know, I presume he was a distraction from from the Epstein files. But it just shows how different the world is under Trump and how difficult it is for all all other countries, including his close allies like Australia, to sort of deal with this guy and try and manage our relationship with this guy.
Yeah, maybe Anthony ALBERIZI, he's better off staying away from him. Eric Aaron, as I said, doing great job on the Nightly. Thanks for joining us tonight. Now coming up after the break, our final break of the program, we'll talk about the South Australia and Algie Broom crisis again because I think it's a real worry. It's rigging havoc on marine life.
There.
You got dead sharks, skits, stingrays. It's just dreadful. Liberal MP Tony Passon joins me up after the break. Welcome back to Nika. Coming up for Paul Murray at the top of the hour. Now, last week I was in Adelaide visiting my ninety one year old mother who lives near one of Adelaide's pristine suburban beaches. It's just a great part of the world. But I learned about this algaie bloom. Now, this has been going on for months
and months and months. It's devastating agriculture there. Tourism industries are also worried about what's going to happen with summer just around the corner. Now, the federal government had to be dragged kicking and screaming to Adelaide. Murray, what was embarrassed on a radio interview that I listened to on Friday, and he hopped over there and wrote out a check
for fourteen million dollars. It's nowhere near enough. Joining me now, Liberal Member for Barker, which covers the southeast of South Australia, is Tony Passing. Good to see you again, Tony, too little, too late?
Yeah, The question I've got is why so slow? I mean, you mentioned in your intro that this has been occurring slow ecological train wreck over some months. In fact, surfers first identified this bloom on the fifteenth of March March of this year, and for your viewers to put that in context, that was before the federal election campaign started.
Since then we've had the federal election campaign, we've had that long period after the campaign an hour' in Canberra and it's only effectively at the end of last week that Murray Watt managed to get to South Australia for what has been described as a bush fire.
In the ocean.
It's just not good enough. And we hold real fears right now for what might happen as we go into summer, because we know that cooler oceans keep this.
Bloom at bay.
Warmer oceans which you get over summertime, of course, we'll see it expand. And one can only think what action would have been taken and how quickly had it been taken if this had been off the coast at Bondai, for example, Well it.
Would have been very quick.
I mean it spread quickly too, hasn't it Only because I used to surf at those beaches like Whitepinger and Parsons Beach that's fifty k away from the beach that I was walking on last week. So this sings on the move and it should be declared a natural disaster. If it was a flood of this magnitude, that's what would happen, or a bush fire. And yet Murray Watt
seems very reluctant to do that. And I guess, given he's got a labor government in South Australia with Premier Melanowskus, who I have some regard for, Melanowska seems to have just gone okay, you give us fourteen, I'll put forteen in the industry will tell us Tony that twenty eight million dollars ain't going to cut it.
Well, we've had fishermen who haven't been able to fish for months so across the fishery. And you're right, Steve about the broad scope of this bloom. I mean there's areas that have been identified off the southern basin of the Krol all the way across the West coast. I mean this isn't a small, isolated and whilst the twenty eight million dollars it's been belatedly provided by state and federal governments is welcome, I wonder about the detail first off,
and second of it in terms of industry support. There's funding for research and to get an idea of what might be happening and what's around the corner. But in terms of industry support, it simply isn't there. And fishermen are literally ringing officers in tears, and I really worry about the mental health impacts. Now, I did tell you earlier this is a bushfire in the ocean. I know that sounds like a tautology, but that's the sense. It
destroys everything in its path. Any aquatic animal that breathes through its gills is dead meat when it enters the bloom. Now, I remember when a prime minister was on holidays during a bushfire that raged in Australia. He was completely pillaried. And yet right now questions aren't even being put to the Prime Minister of Australia. It's like he's been skating through this scenario. And I think Murray Watt coming to South Australia, whilst welcome, is just not enough. And my
question is why has it taking this long? March Steve March before the federal election campaign even started. I mean, it's unacceptable.
Well Tony, it's just not good enough. Maybe you might be able to get a question into question time some stage this week to Anthony Albanezi and get him over there to go and have a look. Appreciate your time, mate, Thank you very much for joining us tonight. Is I was in South Australia last week and it was just extraordinary. The damage that this is doing is quite remarkable, I can tell you. I was told a story that a baby dolphin had to be euthanized down at Glenell Beach.
Janika Giorgio up next sea tomorrow night