Thanks Andrew first tonight to the disturbing new details about a fourteen year old boy who police say was influenced by a salad bar of ideology and allegedly had plans to carry out a church as christ church terror attack on home soil. It culminated in the alleged stabbing of
a student at a university yesterday. I'll have more details about this in a moment, but first we need to have a frank discussion in this country about the line between mental illness and children and online radicalization and what we are doing about it to protect kids and of course the community.
It's a line that.
Authorities say has crossed over as they scramble to deal with the threat. Experts say not enough is being done when it comes to early intervention of children with significant mental health problems. Now we can't tiptoe around the matter as our most vulnerable are being targeted online by extremists and the warnings have been there for some time. Here was AFP Commissioner Rhyese Kershaw addressing National Press Club only three months ago.
Some of our children and other vulnerable people are being bewitched online by a cauldron of extremist poison.
On the open and dark web.
In this latest incident, a fourteen year old has been arrested over the alleged stabbing of a student at the University of Sydney. Now we know more details about his history. The teenager had allegedly planned to carry out a christ Church style terror attack at a school here in Australia. He had been charged over those terror plans, but they were dismissed in a children's court on mental health grounds in February. He was then put into a deradicalization program.
But less than five months later, the teen allegedly stabbed a twenty two year old on campus grounds at the university yesterday. And here is a CCTV image of the alleged defender in full camouflage a broad brim camouflage hat and black boots as he leaves the university following.
The alleged attack. Now the New South.
Wales Joint Counter Terrorism Committee has now taken over this investigation. However, it has not been declared a terror attack as a motive or ideology has not been determined.
It's also known as the sort of salad bar of ideologies. People. A lot of these vulnerable people, they're not linked into one particular ideology, they will move as they're exposed to different things. You know, it might be a white supremacist, neo Nazi, It can easily flip into a religious ideation.
The Daily Telegraph reports the boy had a close interest in controversial commentator Andrew Tait, who has made headlines for his extreme views on women and masculinity. Concerns about the fourteen year old's behavior were reported by community members to
government authorities. The Daily Telegraph says he has been homeschooled ever since his alleged plans for a terror attack on home soil, and it's also now been revealed the teenager was last year on a wait list to be assessed for autism for his family to be able to access further support.
Putting aside this case.
What are we doing to help children who have been identified as having significant mental health issues and a vulnerable to radicalization?
Our authority is taking it.
Seriously enough and is there enough support being given? Howard Brown is a victims of crime advocate. He had this to say today about challenges authorities are facing when it comes to early intervention.
We're not doing enough and one of the reasons why we're not doing enough is because civil libertarians say, look, you're talking about a fourteen year old child. You cannot place that person in custody because you're impinging upon their civil rights.
And look in your custody, you're not going in a slammer.
You're talking about something.
I'm talking about in a forensic hospital now. And that's the big difference.
And are we serious about community safety or not and the safety of children. It's a problem federal police are urgently dealing with. They are now working with autism experts to try and stem the number of young people with
the disorder being radicalized online by violent extremists. The AFP would not provide figures on the number of young people neurodivergent or not being radicalized, but have seen an increase in under sixteens on a path to radicalization or demonstrating concerning behaviors since July twenty twenty one, with some planning attacks at schools on students and teachers, or looking to make explosives or use weapons. In May, a sixteen year old Caucasian boy was shot dead by police in Perth after.
Stabbing a man in a Bunnings car park.
Police say he had self ready collies to Islam after watching extremist content online and was understood to have suffered significant mental health issues. He too had taken part in a de radicalization program, and despite the allegation that this is now the second failed deradicalization in a matter of months, the federal government is confident the programs are working.
We are seeing some really concerning trends in the presentation of terrorism in our country, and in fact these are global trends. We're seeing a proliferation of ideologies that are driving people to violence. We have a strong history in our country of being able to prevent terrorist attacks, and for every incident of violence we see, there are many many that are prevented by our police and our intelligence agencies.
So I'm confident these programs do have some effect, but we need to stay really focused on making sure that we're attacking the problem with everything we've got.
But authorities say it highlights a more dangerous trend.
Highlights I guess crossover between mental illness and radicalization.
It's an interesting area.
It's a challenging area, but we've seen a rise.
Of incidents in recent times that everyone's aware of it.
But we need to make sure that we understand what our children are looking at online and the information they're digesting.
Australia has a real challenge on its hands. It's a new frontier and mental health is at the center. Sure we can't use mental health as an excuse for everything, but if children self radicalizing, in other words, they're sitting
in front of a screen, then there are serious issues there. Well, the problems just keep getting worse and worse for the bubbling Joe Biden, following that disastrous debate performance where he malfunctioned from the moment he walked on stage, legendary journalist Carl Bernstein, who broke the Watergate scandal, claims mister Biden has suffered as many as twenty mental breakdowns to his shaky effort against the former president, that there.
Have been numerous instances where the President has lost his train of thought can't pick it up again. There was a fundraiser at which he started at the podium and then he became very stiff, according to the people there, as if it were almost a kind of rigor mortis.
Oh dear, not a good look, though.
I think we have some more recent vision of this riga mortis. Joe and Sadly, there's more.
With the COVID I could be with dealing with everything we have to.
Do with how do you address concerns about your capability to handle the toughest job in the world, well into your eighties.
Went I went to South Korea.
I convinced some to invest billions of dollars here in the United States and there.
Guess what those fabs they call that to build.
These chips to for the ability.
For the Oh, it gets worse every time.
Now, the White House has held a press briefing for the first time since that debate.
One reporter asked a fair question.
Does President Biden, at eighty one years old, have Alzheimer's any form of dementia or degenerative illness that causes these sorts of lapses. But according to Kareem Genperre, it can all simply be put down too.
It was a bad Nate. It is not uncommon for incumbents to have a bad nate on their first debate. Just to take a step back, it was a bad Nate. Oh, it was more than just a bad night.
No spin is going to cover up the fact that the president is a very sick, frail old man who needs to be in a nursing home. He's been completely exposed. Now the White House can no longer save Joe Biden from himself.
He's cooked. A House Democrat lawmaker has.
Become the first in the party to publicly call for President Joe Biden to step down. Lloyd Doggett said Biden should make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. And just as Democrats agree they have to replace this guy, they are reminded that the vice president is just as bad. Here's Kamala Harris's latest campaign video where she starts getting jiggy with it with an American actress to try and win over black votes.
So let's sign your mind.
Oh, Madam VP Harris, I'm worried about the election.
Women's reproductive rights are on the line, Our.
Supreme Court is on the line.
Our basic freedoms are being tested.
Madam VP.
I know you've been sure having across the country.
What are you hearing?
Yeah, girl, I'm out here in these streets. What she's out here on the streets.
It's shivers up your spine level cringe that Democrats are imploding.
Oh, and there's more to come.
Joe Biden will star in his first television interview after the debate disaster this weekend, where he will be interviewed in the US by ABC host George Stephanopoulos, a presenter currently being sued by Donald Trump.
But guess what. It won't beg live.
It's pre recorded, and you know what that means. It can be manipulated, making the President look all shiny and new. Also this hour, Liberal Senator Dave Scharmel will join me on this alarming rise in extremism. Also tonight, Senator Fatima Payman said to quit the Labor Party within days, the Prime Minister all but confirming she's got a foot out the door already, and King Charles kicks off Royal Way
ahead of the UK's mammoth election. We'll cross live to London for the latest, but first let's bring in my panel, former Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger and former Labor Minister Graham Richardson. Hi to you both, Thank you so much for joining us. I want to start here with Joe Biden. Michael, how can the White House simply now turn it around, try and spin it saying it was a bad night.
Well, look, Fox and Sky here and GB News and Sky in Britain are to be congratulated for telling the truth about Biden, and shame on those send a left and left media organizations who pretended there was for two years there was anything wrong with him. But look, Danika, a number of us on SKIS, you know, I've been predicting that Biden wouldn't be the candidate. I know Rowan Dean has been, Peter Kretlin has been, But let me be the first to announce that Biden is not going
to be running. He's going to pull out either before most likely before at the convention or if he wins the convention within a couple of months. He's not running. He's finished. He's out. It's not possible to carry this man with pre recorded interviews, et cetera, c between now and November, particularly when people work out that if they elect him as president, he's president until the twentieth of January twenty twenty nine. He's president till January twenty nine,
and that is horrifying. Look, he's not running. Biden's finished. He's going to withdraw. And I know he doesn't know that, and Julle doesn't know that yet, but that's what's going to happen. You've got two groups in the Democratic Party. You've got the Bidens and the people around the Bidens, these faceless people who are running America, who knows who
they are? And then you've got everyone else. So the ninety five percent of the Democratic Party biding their tongue hoping he withdraws, but you know, the tap stripping and he's finished. He's going to withdraw. I think there's only a five percent chance that Biden will go on to the election. I've never thought he was going to go to the election. I've never thought he's going to be the candidate. He's got the numbers, he think, says no, I'm staying, they can't get rid of him. But he's
going to go. He's going to withdraw. So it's good night to him. And now the next question is who's taking over, and that looks likely to be the vice president.
Well, I mean, this is the problem that they've got. I mean, who else really is there? We've got Kamala Harris, she's out there, Graham Richardson making a.
Complete mockery of herself.
As I've just shown, they're desperate, They've got nobody else. They're basically stuck now with the vice president. In the event that the president does actually withdraw.
Well, I think the president has to withdraw. I can't see how a bloke who doesn't know what room he's in can keep being the president of the United States, have the most powerful job in the world. Have his finger on the button, he doesn't know what button is. And I just think it's so sad because if you look at his career, he's had to sell a career. Biden almost fifty years of public life, and it's remarkable. And I think you know, he's made a tremendous contribution.
But for all of us, there comes a time when your contribution is over and his is well and truly put. He needs to just go, and the Democrats need to get some balls and get rid of him. If he won't go, they have to do something dramatic. They can't just sit back and allow this dottery old bugger to try and pretend he can run America.
Now your spot on, Absolutely it's time for him to go. Stop the embarrassment. It's becoming elder abuse. Now, it's just ridiculous to keep the circus going. Look, let's return back home now.
Just before you go on, you just go back to who would replaced by it? Well, because this is the other half of the equation, and he goes who replaces him, Well, the most senior person is the vice president. She's far more senior than Gretchen Whitmar, who's a governor. How could they argue that Whitmar should get the job above the vice president? You can't Gavin Some's unelectable. In California, there are two Democrats who are more senior than Harris, and
they are Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama. But Clinton's I think past it, and Michelle Obama's never shown any incollation that she wants to run, which leads me to the conclusion that shocking show she is and she'll be thrashed by Trump. It looks like Kamala Harris.
Yeah, well they're stuffed then either way. It's not a good situation to.
Be And look, let's return to home matters now. Because a renowned Australian businessman, Dick Smith, has hit out at industry operators such as the CSIRO and AEMO, accusing them of being misleading and completely biased against nuclear This is what he said.
I believe it's the only answer we've got to reduce carbon in the atmosphere. I don't think it's possible to do it right throughout the world without using nuclear You've got to use everything you've got. I'm pro renewables, but renewables alone and Bacty's storage will be phenomenally expensive.
Graham, why won't Labour even consider the nuclear objectively as what dick Smith has called for here?
Because we're stuck.
We're stuck in an old ideology that we've held dear to our hearts for years and years, and we just don't know how to say, well, might have been applicable twenty years ago, but it's a load of crap now, let's get rid of it. We just don't seem to know how to do it. And I'm hoping, really hoping that Albo gathers himself and stands up in the next few week months and just says it's finished. We're out, because really we are looking very, very very old when it comes to policy.
Well, that's an interesting insight then, from you, Graham. As a former labor minister, Michael, You've got to say Dick Smith is making a fair point here. Labour's argument that nuclear power would be too expensive yet not adding into the conversation the cost of their so called green dream.
Yeah.
Look, Graham's right. Labour have had an idea logical objection to the mining industry ever since I was at university from nineteen to seventy five onwards. They hate the mining companies. They've just they've just got this blinkered view of any anything that's taken out of the ground. It's this sort of caveman view of the world as great basically as theirs. And you know, I've just come back from Europe France to get seventy percent of the of the energy from
electricity from nuclear power. The whole world's basically increasing their store of nuclear power, and Australia looks very backward when we're trying to rely on wind and solar when nuclear basically is the fuel of the future. And so yeah, I mean, will I albow do that, Graham? I don't think so. But you're right, they're looking very bad.
I got to remember, Michael, we're not relying on wind and solar, We're still relying on coal. I mean, that's the real tragedy. Most of the power in Australia can't mention that.
Yeah, of course, Yeah, the bad word coal. But you're right.
I mean the energy transition is happening completely back to front. We're racing now to shut down these coal fired power plants. No surprises, the life of Arah Ring has been extended. I mean, what does that tell you that we're desperate to keep the lights on in this country now? Look, businesses have come out today warning the government's cap on foreign students could cripple the country's higher education sector and deliver a lasting blow to the economy. That's according to
the Business Council of Australia chief brand Black. He said that international students were being used as a red herring in the housing affordability debate.
Michael, do you.
Agree with this and THEE We've got record migration numbers, record number of students. It's fair to say something has to be done right.
No, I don't agree with him at all. But you know big business, the BCA, etc. Unions there for a big Australia. They want more immigration, more people here. A bigger population means business can sell more things, so they're genuinly favor of a big Australia. But look, if you have one hundred and sixty thousand houses built last year and six hundred thousand people come into the country. That doesn't quite add up. So and so of course you need to put a cap or reduce the student intake.
I when Sydney University gets almost half its students from who are from overseas, almost half. I mean, it won't be that in the future because Sydney unis so badly discredited now because it's you know, allowing the sort of Jewish hatred to permeate the university. So it's reputation internationally has been trashed. But generally speaking, you know, you've got to cut the number of immigrants and people coming to the country because there's a limited housing stock.
Yeah, well, this is it.
I mean I've said this for a while now. It's becoming a vote acute, vote driving issue because people are really struggling and we can't get Australians into households right now. Graham, what do you make of what big business have said here a red herring?
Is that a fair enough assessment?
Yeah?
Probably, I think it's somewhere near right. I mean, look, I just don't think any government has ever properly faced our housing problem. That's the real difficulty. You know, they build a few houses, but they've never looked at those numbers and said, right, we are pathetically behind. We need to just dramatically build this up. We need to really do something that is historically much much greater than anything
we've ever done. Well, I haven't heard that kind of language from any politician, Liberal or LB.
No fair enough.
Look, we're almost out of time, but I just want to go to the UK quickly, where former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has put his differences with Rishie Sunak aside joining the campaign in a last ditch attempt attempt to help the British Prime minister. Michael, do you think that Rishie Sudak realistically has any chance even with Boris Johnson's help.
Well, I was in London on Saturday and read all the papers and talked to a lot of people. Rushi Sinec has zero chance of winning.
Yeah, and Graham, very quick last comment from you, Well, I think he's got less than that.
There you go, we're on the same page that hazy, quick and easy Graham Richardson, Michael Kroger, thank you so much for joining us. Great to have you both on or stay with us. Coming up online Radicalization in Focus after an alleged stabbing, and as the nation faces a decade long capability crisis, labor cuts back our deployment to one of America's biggest military exercises.
So what message does it send to the US Welcome back? Well?
As I mentioned at the start of the show, the fourteen year old teen who allegedly stabbed a twenty two year old on campus grounds at a university yesterday allegedly had plans to carry out a christ Church terror attacks style on home soil. Now police have since launched an extremism probe, something that should have been enforced five months ago when the boy was allegedly pulled into a deradicalization program under the Department of Community and.
Justice in the first place.
Joining me now to discuss this is Liberal senator and former Ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma. Dave, Look, this is obviously a very concerning alleged incident. Putting that aside, though, we've seen a number of teenagers being radicalized online, and there's also been a key theme of mental health. What is going on here? Do you think and are we even close to solving it?
Look, there's a lot of things going on. It has been incredibly worryington. Eco mean, last week we saw a teenager as well arrested outside the officers of a state labor MP who'd made a number of threatening from and published a whole manifesto directed to a number of politicians. This person was intercepted by police and thankfully didn't do
any harm. But we're seeing a growing number of these, and I do worry that there's a sort of an element of people getting inspired and incited by the examples that they're seeing elsewhere and encouraged to replicate these sorts
of these sorts of attacks. Clearly there's mental health elements to it as well, and then we saw that with the terrible stabbing at the Westfeld Bond dijunction some months ago as well, where someone who's facing significant mental health issues and was not being properly seen to or addressed
seemed to be the cause of that incident. But it's look, I think we've got to put every ounce of effort into addressing not only the mental health elements of it, but the policing and law enforcement elements of it as well, and I think making sure that we send as strong a message as we can that this sort of behavior is not acceptable in civilized society and it will be dealt with the full force of the law.
Yeah.
Absolutely, And we've heard from Mike Burgers not too long ago emphasizing the growing threat of extremism within this country. Do you think that the government is doing enough to help actually combat that threat?
Look, I think this is a difficult task. I mean, the government needs to be obviously responding to the intelligence assessments, and Mike Burgess and others in the Australian Federal Police and the State police, law enforcement and law enforcement services will be providing that. But I'm also conscious that, Look, the police and our intelligence services have limited resources and they always need to focus on the highest profile threats.
And at the moment we're dealing with cyber attacks and cyber espionage happening at an unprecedented scale, attempts at foreign interference with our political and democratic system of government, which we're dealing with a non precedented scale, more traditional espionage and intelligence gathering efforts. Our law enforcement and intelligence agencies I know are stretched and under the pump right now.
I think there could well be a case so that we need to be increasing the resources that we devote to these issues. If our existing resources are not enough to get on top of it.
Yeah, look, it's a certainly a worry regardless. Now look, I want to show you an image sent to two GB radio taken on the main street of Woggle Wogga. The Israeli Prime Minister was recently targeted.
In a vile shop window poster.
There, Benjamin Ettna, who's face plastered with the most degrading label at the top that we can't show you the word as it is disrespectful.
Dave, what's your response to this?
I mean children would walk past this, mums and dads in the middle of Woggle Wogger.
I think it's shocking. I mean I learned about this from Michael McCormack, who's the Member for Riverina National's Member of Parliament who covers that area, and he was explaining it to me earlier in parliament this week and showing me some of the podos he's seen. Apparently this person sort of changes their display once a week, but it's equally disturbing and vile, and I just don't think this sort of material has a place in our shop windows. I think not only is it sort of graphic and extreme,
but it's also stoking social division and social tension. I don't think this is a sort of conversations we should be having in on the public streets, on the main street of Waga, for instance. I think it's a terrible use of this person's real estate. I understand it's a business down there who has a track record of doing this, a marketing business of all things. But I think it needs to be called out and criticized as being anti social behavior, if not unlawful.
Absolutely, it's just disgraceful. I can't imagine children seeing that, you know, as they walk past. Its terrible.
Now, still on Israel, there are reports that there is a deepening rift between Benjamin etna who and his own troops over the future of Gaza, with Israeli military leaders now urging a cease fire. Dave, look, this is an interesting intervention. What does this mean now for Benjamin Netanyahu and more broadly for the conflict.
Well, Israel has been struggling with two war aims, or seeking to achieve two warims since the outbreak of this conflict. One is the release of all the hostages and the return of the hostages that are no longer alive. Two is the elimination of Hamas as a military force, and at times those objectives are in tension with one another, and we're seeing that now. Does securing the release of
the hostages? Does that mean that Hermas remains secure in place? Conversely, does destroying Hamas also mean that you give up hope on the hostages? And there's strong political constituencies for both in Israel. There's strong camps within the armed forces arguing for both propositions, and indeed within the government. Israel's a vibrant democratic society with a plurality of opinion, and these
opinions are being played out now. And I think it's a difficult dilemma that any government has to deal with. Do they do everything they can to secure the release of the hostages, knowing that that might mean Hermas remains as a military force able to launch similar attacks again, or do they commit to finishing the job with Hamas, meaning that it might end up costing them the lives
of the remaining hostages. This is the terrible dilemma they're faced with, and I mean, frankly, it's one they shouldn't have to be dealing with, because holding and taking of hostages, which I mus has done is a clear and manifest war crime.
It absolutely is, but it's certainly a difficult dilemma. As you said, there's no winners out of both of those dilemmas facing the government there. Dave Shama really appreciate your insights.
Thank you so much for joining us this evening.
Thanks so much, Sanika.
Well labor has dramatically scaled back Australia's participation in the biennial Rim of the Pacific War Games off Hawaii after years of under investment in the defense force. The Australian reports the nation now faces a decade long capability crisis. Joining me is Strategic Analysis Australia Director Michael Schuebridge.
Michael, good to see you.
Tell us firstly, why is Australia's participation in this event so important in the first place.
Well, Denika, the Rimpack Exercise is held every two years. It's the biggest international exercise in our region that the Americans hold, and its primary purpose is to have the regional military's US allies and partners work together demonstrate capacity and so it's a key part of deterring China. Its theme this year is Partners Integrated and Prepared, which is
almost black comedy. When you look at the awful shrinking Australian military contribution, we look like a partner who is desperately unprepared.
Well, Labour's now dramatically scaled back. It's involvement.
What message does that send to our allies like the US.
Well, Di Nigra tells them Australia's been talking a big game, but we're not delivering. And as Texans say, we look all at no ranch and you've got to think that's a really bad message when we're asking the Americans to hand over their nuclear submarine technology Crown Jewels.
Yeah, I'm sure the US wouldn't be impressed by this latest development. And of course, Michael, this follows years of under investment. Has our defense sector been left behind by this government?
Well, the sad thing is there's a fire hose of taxpayer money going into the defense organization over the next ten years, seven hundred and sixty five billion dollars. But our military is going to look like a slow motion car crash over those ten years because Richard Miles, pat Conroy and the defense bureaucrats tell us they can't do any thing quickly, which is complete nonsense. We could have a much more powerful military over the next two, three
and five years. But that would cause that would mean the Defense organization and the government would have to change some of their plans.
It's a fascinating development. Now.
This, of course comes after revelations that Anthony Alberzi has ditched his Washington visit for the seventy fifth NATO summit. The Prime Minister was expected, of course, to meet his Indo Pacific counterparts. Instead, the Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, Richard Miles will take his place.
Here was the Prime Minister defending his decision.
I'm not going because we're not members of NATO.
You went to the last two previous meetings. I went to the last two and said they were important, and they were and it is changed your mind. Why have you changed your mind?
I haven't changed my mind.
Did you never say you were going to go?
No, So we're not members of NATO, so I'm not going. Michael has had a good enough excuse.
No.
So what do we hear from the government. We hear that we need to focus on our region. So that's why we can't help secure the shipping lanes in the Red Sea. We need to focus on our region. So that's why we won't equip the Ukrainians with amazing Australian defense technology our companies make we hear it now that we can't send a decent military contribution to the major
regional exercise of our US Ally. I think the Prime Minister isn't going because the cupboard is bear when it comes to our military and he's not willing to prioritize the sensible things, so he doesn't want to be embarrassed in front of his US and NATO colleagues.
That's a really interesting point you raise. Do you think overall, though, is in our nation's best interest for the Prime Minister to attend the summit?
Absolutely, And what he could do is something that the government has continued to fail to do. He could announce that the Australian military is being equipped with long range uncrued submarines made right here in Australia, that the Australian military is getting drone and counter drone systems made right here in Australia, and that those same systems are being
supplied to the Ukrainians. He could do those things and that would divert some of this fire hose of wasted public money that we're apparently spending while we wait for nuclear submarines a decade away.
I just feel like we're the laughing stock on a hunter world scale at the moment. Michael Schubridge, good to speak with you. Thank you so much for your time this evening. Well coming up, Fatima Payment all but confirmed to be on her way out of the Labor Party. I'll speak to my political panel about this and more next.
Welcome back.
Fatima Payment is on the brink of leaving the Labor Party following her suspension.
So the saga just rolls on.
The Sydney Morning Herald report that the exiled Labor Senator is taking advice on her next steps from controversial election strategist Glenn Drury, a political operative known as the preference Whisperer for his success in securing seats for Upper House Independence and Minor Party candidates. Payman's decision to work with Dury is the strongest signal yet she intends to leave the Labor Party, even the PM has all but admitted Payment.
Has got a foot out the door already.
Both Senator Payment, of course, has made a decision to place herself outside the Labor Party. That's a decision that she made. I expect further announcements in coming days which will explain exactly what the strategy has been over now more than a month.
Let's bring in my panel now, Labor MP Daniel Molino and Senator James McGrath.
Hi to you both. Thank you so much for joining us. Daniel will start with you. We've heard there has been Labor in fighting over fatima payment.
What's the sentiment within the party room?
Well, Hi Danika and hi James. So look, there's been a lot of speculation about this, but what I would say is what we know is that Fatima has crossed the floor on one occasion. Fatima has been given every opportunity to reconsider her position. But yesterday in caucus, the Prime Minister put a very clear and strong position, which is that Fatima really needs to make the decision to abide by caucus's position on this very important issue, and
the choice is very stark for her. She can come back into caucus if she decides to abide by Labour's position and vote with Labor, and if not, then she'll be remaining outside of caucus indefinitely. And the PM put that position to caucus. It was voted on and unanimously supported, and it was unanimously supported without any discussion. So there's a really strong position within the caucus on this. I would just say at a personal level, I know that Fatima is grappling with what for her is a very
important issue and what's a very complex issue. And look, I hope that she takes the opportunity over the next few days and weeks to make the decision to come back into the caucus and abide by its position.
But I mean, she's now apparently talking to the so called preference whisper, which means she's got one foot out the door, Daniel, So why won't the Prime Minister just beat her to it, go ahead and expel her.
Well, I think he's taking the right position, and this was a position, as I said, which was unanimously supported, which is that she's crossed the floor, and so that's instigated a discussion where it's been made crystal clear to her that in order for her to sit in caucus, she needs to make a commitment to abide by the
Labor Party's position on this very important issue. So she hasn't done that yet, and I think the way that the Prime Minister has suggested moving forward on this is the right one, James.
As we just mentioned, it's been reported that she's speaking to the so called preference whisperer Glenn Jury about this. Do you think that Fatima Payman will walk away from Labor soon?
Well, we've got a weak prime minister. And if you dealt with this issue a week ago instead of wibblewobbling all the time, because we all know what the Labor Party's rules are. They've got a binding caucus and if you cross the floor, you get kicked out. Look at Keating, look at Hawk, look at those Labor lumeries. We've got this weak prime minister, and we've got this Labor senator, Labour senator who is just playing with the Prime Minister
because he's weak on this. And if you can't rule your own party and you can't make decisions to benefit your own party, then what surprimeists running this country?
Yeah?
Well this is the thing.
I mean, there's been so much dilly dallying from both Fatima payment and Anthony Alberesi. One's not making a decision here. So here we are still at the end of the week almost and nothing has been done about it. Look, I want to ask about this speculation of an early election, which is growing since the Anthony Albanesi is reportedly mulling a reshuffle of cabinet members Home Affairs Minister Claire O'Neill and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles.
A tip to be moved, Daniel, a possible reshuffle of your comrades. How do you feel about it?
Oh?
Well, look, I think there's nothing that the commentariat in Australia loves more than early election speculation. But I must say that I'd actually think it'd be better if we had longer terms. I think the PM might have said something to similar effect, but I think four year terms would be better for our federal political system. I was a state MP for a term in Victorian. It works well in all the states, so I just start with
that proposition. But look, in terms of early election, look, every indication I get is that this government is putting all of its efforts into bedding down all of the many measures that just came in on one July to help people deal with a cost of living and a range of other really important measures dealing with the future made in Australia, the Clean Energy Transition and so many
other measures. I mean, as for a possible reshuffle, well, you know we've had the same ministry line up for over two years now, which is actually incredibly stable, particularly compared with what we had for the decade before that, where we had ministers constantly shuffling in and out of portfolios to the great detriment of policy. So look, there may or may not be a reshuffle. Obviously way above
my pay grade. But look we've had a lot of stability in the ministry so far and that's been very effective.
James, are you taking this as a firm sign that an early election is on the cards?
Look, the opposition is ready. We want an early election because we want to get rid of this weak prime minist We want to get rid of this government who have allowed our borders to be softened and have allowed a cost of living crisis to take over this country. But about two hundred meters from where I'm sitting, there's a terrible function on tonight, and it's the Midwinter Ball, and you couldn't get me there if you paid me to go, or bought me an island the Pacific. It
is full of sanctimonious left wingers. But I'm going to tell you what. That room tonight is full of gossip and in trigue about two things. The reshuffle, because everybody's looking everyone up and down and going hey, or she's out here or she's in. But also about the early election. There's a lot of dates flying around and if the Prime Minister was strong, he'd come out and say nope, the election is definitely going to be held next year,
and he hasn't done that. So that's why the speculation is swirling around this building.
My gossip inside the midwinter ball. There you go.
Now, in an unlikely alliance, the Greens have thrown their support behind Peter Dutton's supermarket the vestiture proposal, with the party's Economic Justice spokesman Nick McKim labeling Labor as isolated in its refusal to support the plan. James, it's been reported that the coalition is split over this.
Has a rift emerged.
Now a rift, tap hasn't emerged. The party room was quite strong in adopting this policy yesterday. And this is a policy about ensuring that we deal with the cost of living crisis in Australia. It's about ensuring that families can have access to fresh food and vegies that's affordable. It's also about ensuring that the farmers and suppliers can actually get a good price, and that is a good thing and I think all parties should be supporting this now.
Earlier this week we showed you the level of tolerance that the Greens Party has shown towards the disgraceful defacing of our war memorials in Canberra, move that I and many others deeply condemned. It's absolutely disrespectful to our veterans and our troops. Now the Coalition is trying to get a motion passed in the House of Representatives condemning the vandals. Daniel, what's your reaction to the way the Greens have responded to this?
Well, look, this might be an issue where James and I agree.
I suspect it will be.
Look, I find the position of the Greens on this indefensible. I find it amusing, but then again not altogether surprising, because the Greens have taken an incredibly cynical, opportunistic political stance on what's a very difficult, complex issue when it comes to the Middle East and Gaza. So the Greens aren't willing to vote on a motion that is condemning something that I think the vast majority of people in
Australia would find a completely unjustifiable and unacceptable. It's pure politics, frankly, and we're seeing this play out in a whole range of areas around the country, including in my electorate where my office has been defaced half a dozen times. The windows were smashed on one occasion and we had to close for two weeks. The Greens Party, quite often, all too often, has been egging these kinds of acts on.
We saw a debate in the House tonight on emotion where the Liberal Party and the Labor Party didn't agree, but there were thoughtful speeches on both sides. I thought Julie and Lisa gave a very thoughtful speech on the opposition side. On our side, Edge Husey gave up his time for Josh Burns, something which was noted by speakers on the other side. But then the Greens, in their contribution on that motion gave what I thought was a
highly divisive and really an appropriate speech. So this to me is just one more reflection of the Greens taking a highly inappropriate and divisive attitude towards this broader issue.
Yeah, I completely agreed James were almost od time.
But what's your response.
The Greens are morally bankrupt. They are defiling our democracy by refusing to condemn the desecration of a sacred memorial memorial to the men and women who have died defending the dream that is Australia. They are just horrible, horrible, horrible people.
Yeah, it's something the three of us all agree on. Daniel Molino, James McGrath, good to have you both on. Thank you so much for joining us on the show this evening. Well after the break, we'll cross live to London as Royal Week officially kicks off.
We'll take a look at the King and Queen's latest movements all over in the UK.
It's not just General election week, Royal Week is underway. King Charles and Queen Camilla have landed in Scotland for a week of celebrations alongside.
Other members of the royal family.
Each year, the Monarch spends a week visiting various regions in Scotland and hosting thousands at the Palace of Hollywood House in recognition of their good work. Shortly after the celebrations, the Monarch will be heading back to meet the Yuly elected Prime Minister at Buckingham Palace, and of course the Brits.
Head to the polls tomorrow.
From all, let's bring in royal expert Russell Myers from the Daily Mirror. Russell, always good to speak with you. Thanks so much for joining us. What's on the agenda today in Scotland?
And one are the royal faces expected to see there?
Well, Hi, Denika, great to see you again. Well, it's such a busy week for the royal family this week, and you know King Charles's relentless schedule is continuing. I mean he's had, of course so much to deal with with his cancer treatment, but throwing himself back into work and the Royals are up in Scotland this week. But it's cut short, of course, as you mentioned the general
election happening in the UK on Thursday. But today is about a celebration to welcome Camilla, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward to the Order of the This or one of the oldest orders of nobility, and a big celebration at Saint Giles Cathedral, the site where the late Queen lay in state in twenty twenty two.
And I think this is sort of a mark of.
Respect for not only Prince Edward's work for the Royal family but also for public service and of.
Course the Queen as well.
So you know, a big, big celebration for the royals and the people of Scotland. Welcomen this week.
It's going to be a fantastic week, a busy week at that. Now, Russell, we know that the King and Queen are set to visit Australia later this year, but there are talks on a scale back of the tour on doctors' orders.
Do you think it could be canceled completely?
No, I want to sor to totally allay your fears completely, because certainly they've got the go ahead for the King and Queen to come down Under in October. It's going to be a very very important tour. It's been something that's been in the planning for quite a long time. But of course, as I mentioned, King Charless had such a lot to deal with with his cancer treatment that
is still ongoing. But the leg of the tour that has been shelved will be New Zealand, and I think that, you know, comes a bit of a sadness for the King Queen not to get to see the Kiweds. However, there will be a full schedule of events for it will no doubt be lasting about just about a week. In Australia. All the states and territories are clambering at the moment, I understand to try and welcome the Royals, and I think it's going to be a fantastic spectacle.
Hopefully I'm going to get on the plane to come and see you guys as well.
Oh we hope so.
Russell Meyer is always good to see you, but great to hear that they're still planning to come. And you're right, the states are jostling. We're almost out of time though, but the King and Queen are also set for a visit to the Channel Islands later this month.
Quite a busy schedule for the.
Pair, Yeah, absolutely huge, usually busy schedule. This summer program is in full swing and King and Queen getting down to Jersey and Goernsey, and I think this is part of the King's program to try and get out and see as many people and make up for lost time. I think that's it gives you a real good indication of how Charles is feeling for the future.
Yeah, well, it certainly does.
But it is good to say though that, given his full packed, busy schedule just a month after that cancer diagnosis, to see him back out there is absolutely fantastic. Russell Myers, really appreciate your time. Thank you so much for joining us on the program this evening, and that's all we've got time for today. Thank you for your company here on Shari. I'll be back again tomorrow night at eight pm to do it all again. In the meantime, though, stay tuned because Paul Murray is up next.