Good evening tonight.
The Prime Minister and his ministers claim they want her Must to be destroyed. They claim that Hermas should have no role in the future governing of Gaza. Yet how can we actually believe them when they continue to demand that Israel stop its fight against the terror group. The terror group that is vowed to attack Israel over and over and over again until it is completely annihilated. The
terror group that's vowed to continue to attack Israel. And it's a warning we should believe them on given they slaughtered one two hundred Jews in cold blood on October seven, shooting them, raping them and mutilating their bodies and doing it all with glee, wringing their families back home to celebrate and boast. Yet instead of support Israel's war against this barbaric terror group, and instead of being realistic about it and knowing that war does mean some civilian casualties.
That's the reality of every war Australia has been involved in. Well, the Albanezi government demands that Israel give up its fight against Hermas, just pack up and go home. Our embarrassment of a foreign minister, Penny Wong used her opening remarks and Senate estimates to call on Israel to stop its military campaign.
She demanded an immediate cease fire.
Have a look for death and destruction in Rapha is horrific. This human suffering is unacceptable. This cannot continue.
It's a call the Foreign Minister has made before, demanding Israel call off its war against Humus and instead have what she describes as a humanitarian ceasefire Australia.
She is the grave concerns that I've articulated previously about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Humanitarians, human suffering is widespread and it is unacceptable.
No question, civilian casualties are tragic, and every civilian death matters. But Penny Wong doesn't acknowledge that it's Harmas, not Israel, responsible for the civilian deaths. Israeli soldiers begged civilians to evacuate.
From Gaza from Rafa, they.
Distributed leaflets in Arabic warning them to leave. Israeli politician Sharon Haskell told us just last night that they have evidence that Hamas actually shot some civilians who.
Tried to leave.
Hamas in many cases is actually threatening them and blocking as well. I mean, we've seen them in many occasions, shooting with snipers, people who are trying to flee from the war area, and the.
Esteemed Richard Kemp told us last week just how the civilian death toll in Gaza actually compares with other wars.
If you compare the zero point eight to one ratio that Israel has achieved, if you look at Afghanistan in Iraq. In Afghanistan the ratio was five to one, five civilians for every terrorist killed. In Iraq, three civilians for every terrorist killed. That's by US forces, a similar level probably from British forces as well, but hugely worse. I mean, those countries did their best to minimize civilian coachs as well. The Israelis have achieved a great deal better than that.
And by the way, Israel claims today that it was Hamas weapons that caused dozens of Palestinian deaths most likely, they say, and not Israel's own strikes. The Times of Israel reports and I quote is Rael Defense forces said Tuesday that a hidden store of weapons may have been the actual cause of a deadly blaze in southern gazas Rafa, and that an air strike that targeted an adjacent area had used small munitions that would not ignite such a
fire on their own. The Times of Israel reports that the military suspects that the munitions or some other combustible substance it was unaware of, caused a secondary explosion and a fire to spread in a complex housing displaced Gazans in Rafa. They say it killed dozens of Palestinian civilians. Following an air strike targeting two top Hermus terrorists in
the area. So Israel also said that before their strike on a Harmusk compound, they carried out steps to make sure that there were no women or children in the Harmas compound. The Pennywog ignores all of this, ignores the reality of war, the horrible reality of war, and ignores the necessity of eliminating Hamas and the difficulties that Israel faces in doing it.
But do it they must.
Given Pennywong's comments today, it is surprising that Anthony Albanezi claims to be a friend of Israel.
He still claims in an interview with.
Bomber Treasurer Josh Friedenberg in the documentary Last Night We saw that Albanezi claimed that he supports the state of Israel.
And what we're seeing is an intellectual engagement or discourse. What we're seeing is a promotion of simplistic slogans and in some cases, a promotion of hate. Now I support the state of Israel. I also support a two state solution.
We Labor can't have it both ways when it comes to their so called support for.
The State of Israel.
Either Australia stands by its decision that recognizes that Hermas must be removed from power, or.
It supports a ceasefire. It can't support both.
How does Penny Wog and Anthony Alberinezi actually want a must to be removed from governing in Gaza fairy dust? Pennywong's comments remind us that Labour is a fair weather friend of Israel, at least the federal government, not Chris Min's in New South Wales. Labor is a fair weather friend of Israel. And they say they claim to condemn
anti Semitism and yet their comments contribute to it. And anti Semitism is continuing to explode in our streets and in our schools, and of course at our prestigious universities where students talk about chasing Zionists off campus and they
shout into fighter Revolution, thank you. Now you think Sidior University's Vice Chancellor Mark Scott would be trying to deal with those clearly anti Semitic chants, but instead the former ABC boss is now rewarding these protesters for their hate by going so far as to include them in the university's policies, inviting them to review their defense and security research ties. And this means that any ties with Israel could be cut. This is the same university that claimed
chance of interfada were not hate speech. Now the Coalition Sarah Henderson spoke with my colleague James McPherson just a short while ago.
And she condemned this in no uncertain terms.
This is a major problem of university leadership and political leadership. You have to ask where the Federal Education Minister Jason Clay is on this, because it does amount to an effective boycott of Israel by the University of Sydney.
Now.
In Josh Fridenberg's documentary Last Night, the former PM John Howard makes this point about Labour's responsibility for the crisis that we're in.
I believe that if from the beginning the horrible events the seventh of October had been denounced in unequivocal terms, no if, but babies, no equivalents, no they From the very beginning, you would not have had quite these outbreaks.
What would you give to have John Howard or even Julia Gillard or any other leader who's able to find the courage and strength to stand up to those filled with hate as our prime minister right now, instead of the leaders that we do have who are capitulating to the terrorists and allowing anti.
Semitism to fester.
Now, also on the show tonight, the Albaneze government admits there are major failings in its immigration policy, a mistake that has seen murderers and rapists roam free. This is a major political issue and I'm going to talk about it throughout the show. We're also going to cross live to Washington for the latest from Donald Trump's hush money trial. But first let's bring in now tonight's panel, former Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger and former Labor MP Michael Danby.
Welcome to you both. Michael Kroger, starting with you, what do you make of Pennywang's demand that Israel leave Gayza right now, give up the fight against the terrorists, or who are hell bent on destroying every single Jew and wiping out Israel.
Well, it's almost bizarre. So what if you expect to happen. If that happened, if Israel laid down his weapons and left Gaza, now Hamas would reassert control, retake over Gaza, steal more money from the international community, rebuild their stock of arms, probably then take steps to remove Martmuda bas
in the disputed territories because he's sick. They're sick of the Palestinian authority, strengthen their operations in Qatar and Turkey, and away they'd go again, and Israel would be demonstrably less safe than it was previously. So what a totally bizarre comment from the Foreign minister. And as for these calls from a Palestinian state, Now Hamas would run the Palestinian state, I mean they would have elections. Presumably it
would be run by Yaa Sinwa. He would be the head of head of the government of the state which coexisted right next to the state of Israel. So I don't know what Penny Wong's thinking. Arguably she's done some good work in the Pacific Islands with our neighbors there, but on this issue she has been bizarre and extreme. And that's what you get when you give the socialist left portfolios of prime minister, foreign Minister and immigration minister.
Yeah, exactly right, Michael Downby. I mean this is your odd party. You were a federal labor MP. How different is the party that you're seeing now their positions on foreign policy with the governments that you were part of, the labor governments that you were part of.
Utterly different. It's almost sad to see it. I mean, Albo is relatively moderate compared to the rest of the socialist left. The penny Wong said a few days after October seventh that Israel had a right to defend itself. It had a right to defend itself until it did so. They're doing exactly what the Americans asked. They've moved nearly a million people into the humanitarian zone. It's not a full out attack on Rapha. It's targeted attacks by small
elite groups. And still you can't satisfy these people. So the problem for the Israelis is that international opinion, led by the penny Wongs of this world, the Spanish Prime minister, etc. Are severely constraining their ability to fight and win. But I suppose that's the truth of Zionism Shari that the Jews are not reliant on the goodwill of any people. They've had very bad experience over the decades, over the centuries of being at the mercy of.
The merciless true True.
Now turning to federal politics, there's been an extraordinary admission of fault from Labor today.
This failing of THEIRS led to.
Dozens of criminals, including murderers and rapists who are not Australian citizens.
It meant that they were allowed to stay in the country.
Now, the Prime Minister today confirmed in question Time that Andrew Giles would now order a revised directive that will replace the disastrous Direction ninety nine Have a look.
As the Minister has said, he'll be reviewing the recent AT decisions and where necessary and appropriate, de'll over ruled them. The Parliament yesterday's past legislation abolishing the raw to AAT and replacing it with a new Administry of Review Tribunal and the only effective way of ensuring that Tribunal members are making better decisions is to issue a new revised direction, which the Minister will be doing. The new directive will ensure that the protection the committee out ways any.
Last Michael Kraigan, this is a rare and quiet, major admission that their immigration policy has been wrong.
I think I said to your last week Charlott, if they would have to rewrite this directive, and that's exactly what they're doing. I'll tell you what's happened here. Giles has gone and had a meeting with Albanzi as sure as anything. All right, he's gone and had a meeting with Albanesi, just the two of them, And Giles has said, Trim, if you sack me, I'm going to come out and tell everybody that you were the one that wanted this direction ninety nine published because of your meeting with Jasida
A Durn She got you to agree to it. You told me to write this directive. I wrote the directive. This is what's happened. This is your fault, Prime Minister, not my fault. As minister. I'm copying all the blame. So you come out on the front foot and defend what we've done. So we're going to change it. But
if you sacked me, mate, I'll unload on you. I'll tell you that's exactly what's happened, which is why Albow now, having shifted the blame on this and not wanted to talk about it for weeks, has for the first time got up in the Parliament now and taken a policy lead on changing a policy direction because Giles has put the war on him. That's exactly what's happened behind the scenes as far as I can.
Read it, and it's a big win politically for the coalition, no question. Michael Downby, Can you tell us a bit about what's going on here behind the scenes. You know, we all talk about one of the reasons and we keep saying it on the show that Albanezy hasn't sacked Andrew Giles is because they're so close factionally.
Can you tell us a bit about this.
I had a famous professor who once said things are what they appear to be. So the socialist left look after each other. Albow is a socialist left Prime ministry is a bit more mainstream than the rest of them. Giles is his factional heavyweight in Victoria, and they rely
on each other. And when you make Australian foreign policy or in migration policy dependent upon appeasing the ideology of the socialist left in New Zealand, you end up with this disaster where rapists and murderers and elderly grandmothers in West Australia are bashed. Albough, you should get on a plane and drag that Charles by the scruff of his neck and go over there and apologize to that poor woman who was so badly treated by that criminal.
Indeed, now the ABC has publicly demonished its star political correspondent Laura Tingle for her outburst over the weekend. The ABC's news director, Justin Stevens, released a statement saying her comments lacked the context, balance and supporting information of her work for the ABC and would not have met the ABC's editorial standards.
Now, this, of.
Course comes after Laura Tingle herself released a statement saying that her were claiming that her comments were taken out of context and lacked detail. Michael Craig, whenever anything is published about something that an individual doesn't like, they always claim it was taken out of context. I mean, we heard her words, the very audio of her words.
She's clearly this.
Is not the first time she has lacked impartiality, yet she's meant to be their political correspondent.
Laura should step down for goodness, sake. I mean it's she's embarrassed the ABC, she's embarrassed herself and for the lead political reporter in this country to have published what she said on the weekend. You know, why is it that everyone at the ABC seems to be hard left? Since we left wing always apologizing for tweets and is there anyone in the right wing of the ABC's had to apologize. No, they happen to have to apologize because they aren't in is we know so don't even.
Have anyone in the center. Will they have anyone in the center?
Not many.
The only thing, the only thing I'd say in defense of Laura was if she was talking about the Jewish hatred, the underlying racism that's always been there in Australia, I give her a tick for that. If that's what she was talking about. I fear that wasn't what she was talking about. I fear what she was talking about was we're all racist because we don't like Aboriginals and First Nations peoples, blah blah blah. We're all racist because we didn't vote for the Voice. I suspect that's probably what
she meant. But you can't have the head of effectively the lead political reporter for the ABC across the country, having attacked Peter Dutton in the way she did, having made this comment about Australians are all racists out there? Or you blue collar people out there who voted against the Voice, you're all racists? I mean, is this what the ABC thinks? This person was elected to the board by the ABC staff. They know her views, so she
reflects the views of the staff. Is this woman the ABC's out of control?
Yeah?
Now, just before we go in, while we're talking about media network scandals are The Australian newspaper reports today that nine chief executive Mike Sneezebee's leadership is on shaky ground. They write that given the apparent calling of sneeze and Costello's professional relationship and the despair of some other board members about how the Wick matter has been handled, senior insiders say mister Sneezbey's future is now uncertain. Michael Dowanby, this is a big scandal that the channel at the
nine network, initially over sexual harassment allegations. Now it seems there is this leadership tension and there are questions about whether Mike Sneezebee or Peter Costello will have to go.
Thank heavens, there's an alternative network like Sky and Shari to expose all of this kind of stuff. Thank heavens we've got gutsy Sophie Ellsworth going behind enemy lines to record what people are saying when they don't think other
people are listening to them. And thank heavens for Sky that you did that program on anti Semitism, which you're that you interviewed the chairman of not the chairman but a board member of the ABC gersh who see this should have been broadcast in the last seven months in Australia on the text Bayer funded network. So nine is bad, but the agency is worse since Sky is good.
Yep, all right, Michael Kroger, Michael Danby, thank you both so much for your time. Now coming up why veteran journalist Paul Kelly says Australia is a nation now splitting into two cultures, and he'll join me next. Also across Live to Washington for the latest on Donald Trump's hush money trial.
Welcome back now.
As we know, the International Criminal Court has brought its credibility into disrepute after it requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nettan Yahoo and his Defense minister.
This essentially conflated.
The democratic government of Israel, defined by its morals and how it acts in accordance with international law.
Well, it equated them with the mus terrorists.
One journalist who since October seven has been a standout in his exceptional columns writing about this issue Israel, anti Semitism and just pulling apart the hypocrisy is the Australians Editor at Large, Paul Kelly, the most experienced political journalist in our country. Paul, I'm delighted to have you join me once again. Thank you very much for your time. It's always an honor to have you here. Why do you think the International Criminal Court got it so badly wrong in its decision.
I think there's been a lack of integrity, a lack of credibility, and a sense of bias against Israel long displayed from this court. And as far as Australia is concerned, if the prosecutor's request to issue these arrest warrants is given, I think Australia should consider very carefully whether it wants
to remain a member of this court. We know that the previous Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, who is essentially responsible for US joining the court, has signaled that as far as he's concerned, he thinks we should withdraw if these arrest warrants are given. I think John Howard, if they are given, will make a very powerful statement. But the point about this court is this court, with this decision,
brings into doubt its own credibility. Australia as a democratic sovereign nation is under no commitment to adhere to this court if we feel it lacks proper standards. So I think there'll be a real test here if these warrants are in fact granted.
What we saw part of its flawed process, which meant that it arrived at this decision, is that it reportedly, and this is according to very credible reports in The Times, it reportedly relied on a panel that was far from impartial. It was stacked with ideologues who hate Israel, and they relied on advice of doctors that were sympathizes.
Look, I think there are three essential problems with this statement from the prosecutor. The first is what it means is that leaders of democratic nations that are attacked that seek to defend themselves in a war campaign and eliminate their aggressor are likely to be charged with war crimes. But if this court had been around in nineteen forty four or nineteen forty five, then I think Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, and Harry Truman would have been up as
war criminals. Secondly, by linking Hamas with the Israeli leaders, essentially you create a sense of equivalents there. This is very damaging to Israel. It's linked with a terrorist organization, and it elevates Hamas almost to the status of a nation state. I think it indicates the flawed nature and
the bias nature of the culture of the court. And finally, the provisions of the Court are that in a last resort, it can only intervene in a particular country where the judicial system of that country is not working or is nonexistent. That does not seem to apply in the case of Israel. So for those reasons, and given those arguments, I think we've got to look very very suspiciously at the motives
and the purpose of this prosecutor's decision. And what will be fundamental, of course, is what the panel on the Court decides about the rest worrants, and not to mention.
They didn't even visit Israel.
They didn't even go on the ground like they had said they were meant to, so they didn't follow their own processes for a thorough investigation. Paul, those were very strong remarks, very very well said, what do you make
of the Albanese government's response to this finding. We saw that other parts of the world, many of our international counterparts, led by the United States, strongly condemned the ICC decision, the ICC ruling, and yet our own leadership in Australia couldn't say that if Benjamin Netanya, who came here hypothetically, that he wouldn't be arrested.
Well, they're weak and they're paralyzed. They seem to be spooked, and I think the government is spooped about how to manage the internal politics of this conflict within this country. I mean, the fact of the matter is that we have the President of the United States making a powerful statement saying this is an outrageous statement from the prosecutor. We have the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom criticizing it, and we have the Prime Minister of Australia. Can't defend
it and can't criticize it. He just can't talk about it. It's as though he's immobilized. Well, that won't work, because at the end of the day, if the court decides to issue the warrants, then Australia, as a committed nation of the court, will be obliged to arrest the Israeli Prime minister if he visits this if he visits this country again as he did back in twenty seventeen when Malcolm Turnbull was Prime Minister. Now, of course that won't happen.
I'm quite certain that if the warrant is upheld, no Australian government will take that action. But the fact of the matter is being committed to the court means that we should take that action. Well, how untenable is that? How untenable would it be for an Australian government to be in a situation where it was obliged to arrest the Prime Minister of Israel or the former prime minister of Israel should.
He step forward here? Precisely unbelievable. Just one final question.
You know you mentioned how the Prime Minister is immobilized and he can't seem to utter any strong words on this issue and it has been a problem for him over the past eight months.
Do you think this goes to his character?
Is he just a different type of leader than others we've seen in the past, are the prime ministers in the past? Or is it on this particular issue that he seems to be caught in the politics of it.
I think this is a particularly difficult moral and political issue for the Labor Party. We haven't seen this sort of issue are up before at this level on this scale for a Labor government. And what's happened, of course over the past twenty to twenty five years within the Labor Party, particularly the left of the Labor Party, hostility to Israel has become virtually an article of faith. Now a lot of people weren't aware of that. We're only aware of it to a certain extent as a result
of what's happened with the war. So there's a fundamental internal problem for the Labor Party managing its own ranks. Given the degree of hostility towards Israel within the party, then you've got the related problem of the votes in a number of Labor electtions where there is a high percentage of Muslim voters and the party and senior members of the party are particularly concerned about that. That is
a political and electoral problem for them. You put those two problems together and essentially you've got a government which I think has been weak and uncertain and all over the place, bending one way, bending the other way over the course of the past eight months. It doesn't reflect well on the character of the Prime Minister.
Indeed, indeed doesn't reflect well on the character of Albinezi.
It certainly doesn't.
Paul Kelly, thank you so much for being in here and for being so strong and articulate in your articles in The Australian and here tonight.
Really appreciate it.
Thank you, er, thank you.
Now, after six weeks, twenty two witnesses and a number of tordry testimonies, Donald Trump's criminal trial is finally coming to a close. Lawyers made their closing arguments. It is hush money case. The former president having this to say outside.
Court, maybe no mistake about it.
I'm here because itself crooked.
Joe Baden, the worst president in the history of our country, is destroying our country.
He's destroying our country and he's.
Also destroying it with the weaponization.
And this is purely his weaponization.
All right, let's bring in now the Australians. Washington correspondent Adam Crichton. Adam, thank you very much for joining us. Now tell us the latest with the trial.
Good evening, shot. Well, we could have a result within twelve hours. It's that close actually, So, as you said, closing arguments finished up yesterday. The defense went for about three hours and the prosecution went for about five hours. Jurors actually stayed until eight pm last night, which is very unusual. So this morning in New York, the judge will give the instructions to the jurors and then they'll start their deliberations. And that you know, that could take
a few hours, It could take a few days. I mean, the experts say the longer the decision takes, the more likely it will be an acquittal. But the experts are basically pretty divided fifty to fifty.
I mean, there are many.
Areas where jurors should have reasonable doubt. But of course, this is New York, this is a this is a district that voted eighty five percent for Democrats in twenty twenty. So we have to wait and.
Say this was quite an extraordinary tirade. Today from Hollywood a lister Robert de Niro.
Have a look, if Trump returns to the White House, you can kiss these freedoms goodbye that we all take for granted, and elections forget about it. That's over, that's done. If he gets in, I can tell you right now.
He will never leave.
It's a bit much, isn't it. Adam is going to Trump's going to counsel elections.
Yeah.
Look, certainly that actor has been He's been on TV many times blasting Donald Trump. He's hated him for a long time. I think the real question is why Democrats thought that that would help them. I mean, we saw in our own debate in Australia in the Voice that having celebrities on your side does not help. And one of the core concerns of Americans is, of course inflation. So do they really want to be hearing from a rich guy in New York saying that Donald Trump supposedly
is going to be a dictator. I don't think so, but certainly it was very entertaining.
Indeed, now Trump seems to have changed his view on Julian Assange.
Let's have a look at this.
Will you pardon Julian Assange.
Well, I'm going to talk about that today and we're going to give it very serious consideration.
So Adam, look, there is this new ground smell of support for assiannge. I've never personally understood it, but the general sentiment on both sides of politics now seems to be that he's kind of done his time, even though he's never actually done his time, but that, you know, the view is, and there is this pressure from the Prime Minister in Australia on the Biden administration and obviously on parts of the team Trump to pardon Assan and just let him be free and live his life.
What do you think, Well, I.
Think the likely thing now is the US is just going to wait to see how this appeal goes in the UK, and perhaps if he's victorious in the appeal. If Assigne is victorious, the US might just drop it, because, as you suggest, on both sides of politics, there is this growing support for him. There is this belief that he has served enough time.
In effect.
Look, I think in Trump's case, that's really going to depend which ministers end up in his cabinet. I mean, of course, it was his administration that seriously pursued Assange in the first place. So there's quite a diversity of views. You've got Mike Pompeo, the former Secretary of State, who really really hates Assange, and indeed, of course, as you know, there were reports that he tried to kill him, have
him assassinated. And then, of course, on the other hand, you've got people like the President.
Sorry, Adam, let me just clarify that there. Let me just clarify that there, for accuracy, Mike Pompeo himself didn't try to kill a Signs. The allegations are that, oh CIA, Yes, allegations are that the.
CIA tried to have him killed.
Those allegations were made by assigners lawyer who came on the show to speak about it, Jennifer Robinson, and she claims to have documents that support it.
Continue.
Yes, yes, that's right. No, yes, So look, I mean I think it's a really uncertain what happens. I mean, Joe Biden of course recently made a flitting remark that he was considering Australia's request to drop the charges. So look, let's just wait and see. But certainly politics are involved. The more popular, the more sympathy there is for him, the more likely. I think ultimately the US will drop the charges.
Yeah.
Just a system, especially in the US, never free from politics, as we've seen with this Trump case. All right, Adam Crichton, thank you very much for joining me. Now coming up, the Labor admits its own error on immigration security, forcing a rewrite of their disastrous policy. Will have a fiery debate with my political panel after the break.
Welcome back.
Well, the Immigration Minister Andrew Giles is under immense pressure to resign. I feel like I've been saying that on air for weeks now, but the pressure is really on today. And he has vowed to review the cases of up to thirty foreigners, some with extraordinary criminal histories, and yet they were allowed to keep their visas because of their links to Australia.
A number of cases were not raised with me by my department, and I've asked my department for an explanation why my department is now looking at all these cases as a priority of the pain. They are all under cancelation consideration.
All the department's fault wasn't raised with me, never his responsibility, even though he is the minister. I mean, despite this clear incompetence, the Home Affairs Minister defended him on breakfast television today.
So actually, Minister Giles has stepped in here. He's taking action as a good minister would do. He has demanded answers from the department about why these visas were not brought to his attention.
All right, let's bring in our political panel, National Senate Leader Bridget McKenzie and Labor MP Daniel Malino. Daniel, I have to say I almost feel sorry for you having to try defend your colleague here because everyone can see that the incompetence has got to such a point that something needs to give.
He's got to go.
He's not up to the job of managing our border security and the community safety.
Well, can I just begin my answer by saying, and look, I think this is something that all MPs would agree with, that a number of very disturbing cases have been raised in the House and more generally, and I just want to firstly say that obviously my thoughts go out to any people who have been affected by any crimes. So that's just the starting point. Look, what we're dealing with is an incredibly complex system and just by way of context,
and I haven't raised this in previous weeks. But I do just want to say that we inherited a system that had been heavily criticized by a number of independent reviews. Christine Nixon, Dennis Richards, and Martin Parkinson, people who are widely respected across the parties. They all said that the system had been neglected for a long period of time. We inherited not only a system that was creaking at
the seams, but there was a gargantuin waiting list. So it's in that context that this government has been trying to fix a mess which we inherited. Now, when it comes to these AAT cases, a criterion was added, but the clear intention was that matters like the severity of the crime family violence in particular should remain paramount. And I think the Minister's now coming in after having found out belatedly some of these cases, to fix and clarify this, and I think that's the right action.
Bridget Daniel Molina says, this was your system. It was your mess that they're trying to fix up.
Well, it's not that this is yeah, absolutely, this guy has spent his entire adult life seeking to weaken Operation Sovereign Borders. Who has not actually appreciated that the reason we have a tough approach to immigration and the settings we had when we were in government was to make sure that real people didn't get really hurt in real life. And now he's taken his university philos to the ministerial sign off stage and he's making mistake after mistake after mistake,
and it is absolutely fascical. And I think, Shari, when you opened with the know, how can labor keep defending this guy when Australians are not being saved and every time he comes on to try and fix the job, it's just in the greater stuff up.
He has to go.
And if the PM had any leadership capacity, he would sack Giles and appoint someone who can actually.
Do the job. Yeah.
Yeah, And I should just clarify that at the start there you were speaking about Andrew Giles and not our guest, Sir Daniel Melino In in case anyone wondered. Now, inflation has crept back up to three point six percent in the year to April. This is the second consecutive month is that it has inched higher. It is concerning data. It takes the chance of an interest rate cut off the table Treasurer Jim Chalmers look says that he's not too
concerned about this. Daniel, Why isn't the government worried that inflation has gone up to three point six percent?
Well, well, look, I mean clearly I'd rather be coming in here saying it had edged down by point one rather than gone up by point one. But look, I'd say a couple of things. One is it's really good that Australia is now collecting monthly CPI data because for a long time it was only quarterly, and all of the other major economies collected monthly, which is clearly important because the central banks make much more frequent decisions than quarterly. But when you collect monthly, it does tend to be
more volatile. And our monthly numbers only get updated with about two thirds of the basket, so we've just got to be a lot more cautious with how we interpret the monthly number. The second thing is this is an April read, so it's pre budget and that's another cavet.
And finally, what I would say is there are cross currents in the data at the minute, so unemployed Sorry, inflation edged up by point one, but the day before we had retail sales near flat for the sixth month in a row at point one, which shows that the reserve banks interest rate rises are having a real impact on spending in the economy. And today we saw construction down, so we are really seeing a lot of measures indicating that aggregate demand is reducing, which is what we need
to see in order for inflation to come down. And find I just make the point that it's gone up by point one, but it has come down materially from when it was above eight. So I think we're still tracking in the right direction in terms of the trend, and we just need to wait for that quarterly number to get the real trend.
All right, Well, let's bring Bridget in on this.
And you know, at the same time, we've seen today that Ed Husick has broken ranks to intervene on economic policy. It's been seen as a challenger, an undermining of the Treasurer's authority. So the industry minister, who's got nothing to do with the financial portfolios in government, he's broken ranks to urge Jim Chalmers to lower company taxes.
Here he is I believe in the strongest labor traditions. We need to be able to bring business and labor labo you are together and show that everyone wins. I mean that has been the legacy, that that's been the hallmark of previous labor governments, and we need to consider that how we do that, either through corporate tax reform or the way in which we provide investment allowances for the uptick in manufacturing capital.
Look, I'm going to get to your bridget, but just very quickly, Daniel, do you agree with him?
Well, look, my whole career has been based on a labor party that works with business for productivity and employment. I mean, I think corporate tax reform for me, is much more than about the rate. It's also about things like the production subjecties. We've talked about about instant as set right off. So both parties I think have engaged in corporate tax reform. I don't think there's much in there that's particularly new.
But do you think do you agree with that music that we should that the government should look at lowering company taxes?
Well, you know, I mean I think we should be looking at a whole range of taxes that could potentially be reduced if they're inefficient and economy. That's always got to be balanced against the need for revenue. I don't think this is on the government's agenda, and he was talking about long term so I certainly don't think that's something on this government's agenda.
Bridget what do you think Do you think it is time to address the company tax rate?
Absolutely?
You know, I think having a look at our entire tax system.
Is very needed. What I think Ed has done.
With this particular speech has actually you know, got the starter's gun going on the next labor leadership issue. The ALP MPs clearly know the Prime Minister isn't up for the job. He lost his authority over the Voice and his leadership has failed following Hermas's massacre on October the seventh and this government's poor response here at home with matters pertaining to Israel.
So they're all lining up. ED isn't the only one.
Richard Marles was spooking his wares against anti Semitism here in Parliament today we had tan Plibusec's taking a very strong stance one the Coalition has been talking about a long time against pornography and its impact on our young people. So you'll see Tony Burke coming out shortly. I'm sure and others. As it becomes clearer that the labor corcus, particularly the senior cabinet ministers, recognize that that the Prime Minister just isn't up to the job.
Right Daniel, I've got to let you respond to that very quickly because we're out of time. Do you think this is ed Husick showing that he doesn't support the prime minister?
No, Look, I actually feel like our political system works best when people can throw ideas in the mix. And as I said, I think this idea is actually very consistent. This is very consistent with a central plank of the budget, which is corporate tax guarn leaf for companies that engage in green hydrogen investment and critical minerals investment. So I actually think it's very consistent with the core plank of our future made in Australia. So I don't see anything in this, but I think political.
Impressive spin, Daniel Milino, very impressive spin, and Husick is doing a very proud Daniel Milino, Bridget McKenzie, thank you both very much for joining me.
Now.
After the break, Sydney University caves in to the anti Israel protesters, offering to give them a say in policies plus breaking news just in the Greens have put a specific demand on the table to support Labor should there be a hung parliament. Stay tuned, welcome back, well breaking news just now by Joe Kelly in The Australia.
He says that.
The Greens leader Adam adam Band has put recognition of a Palestinian state as one of the key demands that he'll make of Anthony Alberizi if they go into talks if there is a hung parliament at the next election, well to discuss this and more. Bringing now the Executive Council of Australian Jury CO Chief Executive Alex Rifchin. Alex,
thank you for joining us. So Adam bound just giving those comments right now to Joe Kelly in The Australian, he says he will elevate the recognition of a Palestinian state in any discussions for minority government should the election return a hung parliament. This does feel concerns about a Labor Green coalition. I mean we think kind of Labour hasn't been strong enough to support the Jewish community as it is, but if they get into a coalition with the Greens, this could get even worse, it.
Would be a dangerous thing. It's frankly unthinkable. In the past seven eight months, since October seven, the Greens have staked out the most extreme positions against Israel and the Jewish community imaginable. We've seen their members of parliament at state and federal level engage in overt open anti Semitism.
We're talking about genllingly On, the member for Newtown in the New South Wales Parliament, talking about Jewish tentacles seeking to control power and government and so forth, and no sanction, no actions were taken against her by her party. So this is a party that needs to be considered what it is, which is institutionally anti Semitic, and as such
the major party should pledge to preference them last. And the notion that Labor would actually do a deal with them and be beholden to them in some sort of a coalition government is apparent, and we would call on Labor to declare that it will not, in any circumstances sit in coalition with the Greens, particularly given this latest policy gener of Airs pushing for the declaration of a
Palestine state, effectively recognizing the terror state in Gaza. That's something that most Australians would find vile and extreme, and it's something that we as the Jewish community would oppose until the very end.
Well, it is a sitting week in Canberra. This is a big story. Labor is going to have to respond to it tomorrow. But the reality is Labour's halfway there down the path of saying that they recognize oppaliance Palestinian state.
In any case, Now, Alex, I want.
To ask you about this offer from the University of Sydney's Mark Scott to the pro Palestinian protesters to be involved in reviewing the institutions that are involved in their defense and security ties. The Vice Chancellor, Mike Scott has given the campus until three o'clock tomorrow to respond to the offer. I mean, these protesters responsible for hate chance and yet then they're rewarded by this And wouldn't this effectively amount to a boycott of Israeli companies anyway.
Well, we need to see exactly what Mark Scott and the university has supposedly agreed to with these students. But on the face of it, it looks like a pathetic capitulation to extreme this. It looks like appeasement in its worst form. From the very beginning, we have caught on the universities to close these encampments, to enforce their policies to protect Joys, students and staff. We're being intimidated and harassed. We're being told to stay home from campus for their own safety.
And if a deal has in fact been done with these thugs and extremists, it shows that they have greater rights and greater powers than Jewish students and academics who simply want to learn and study at their university. We need to see exactly what Mark Sot has agreed to. But if there is any pledge to review arrangements or agreements with Israeli universities, if this opens the path to a boycott campaign, they'll be responsible for everything that ensues.
They would have set a terrible piece of it, not only for this university, but for higher education institutions throughout the country. This is one of our most esteemed and prestigious universities, and to think that they would engage in any sort of negotiation with these people who have openly professed their support for terrorism is a very disappointing thing in the extreme.
Indeed, all right, Alex Ripchin, thank you very much for joining me tonight now. Usually I bring you the big news, but tonight my mate Paul Murray has a big story for you.
So I'll see you tomorrow at eight. And here he is.