Why On Sky News This.
Is Sharry.
Good Evening, Welcome to the show tonight. A political storm erupts over our exclusive report last night that ASIO boss Mike Burgess has finally clarified his comments on whether Hamas supporters are welcome in Australia. James Patterson would join me tonight to discuss Australia's economy on life support as we brace for the worst and your growth since the nineteen
nineties recession. But who's to blame? We're leading economist Judith Sloan will give her view, and Joe Biden dares to condemn Israel.
For the murder of hostages by hermas.
Well, where has he been while an American was executed on holiday?
Of course, sundowning at the beach.
Will cross live to Israel as the world engages in a shocking case of victim blaming.
Well, last night I.
Exclusively revealed that a Director General Mike Burgess, had clarified his position on the guards and visa issue. Now to our major exclusive, AZIO Director General Mike Burgess has told a private gathering that anyone who supports Hamas or the October seven terror attacks would pose a security threat. These comments clarify his view on the guards of visa issue. So he made it very clear that Hamas supporters wouldn't be welcome in Australia and would be considered a security threat.
The story kicked off today in a major way.
Schari Markson revealed last night something that hadn't been revealed previously, and that's the ASIO Director General, or as the Prime Minister would say, Azio. The ASIO Director General, Mike Burgess, has told a private gathering that anyone who supports Hamas or the October seven terror attack would pose a national security threat in comments that clarify his views on the Gaza visa issue.
Well, I welcome the clarification from the Director General of Mike Burgess is a very good man and he works day and night to keep our country safe and the work of AZIO is to be respected by all Australians. But the problem is that they've got a government who has brought in thirteen hundred people from Gaza without the requisite security checks. It's reckless. It puts our national security
at risk. I think, frankly the Prime Minister should be apologizing to the ASIO boss for what they've put in place which has made asio's job much harder.
The only person who's been critical of the AZIO Director General is Peter Dutton. What we've done is support our security agencies. I haven't undermined his authority. I've supported him and will continue to do so so.
The Prime Minister refusing to apologize despite the fact that he did blatantly repeatedly misrepresent the ASIO Director General's physician in Parliament. Well, now that Mike Burgess has made it clear that AMAS supporters do pose a security threat, this puts the pressure back on the Prime Minister over whether he too will reject terrorst supporters from being given an Australian visa. After my report last night, the ABC Today published comments where Burgess said his original remarks on the
Insiders program had been distorted. He said, and I quote, I've watched with interest over the last couple of weeks how people have chosen.
To distort what I said.
I said that if you support a Palestinian homeland, that may not discount you from entering Australia, because that by itself is not a problem. But I also said that if you have a violent extremist ideology, or you provide material or financial support to a terror organization that will be a problem. Now I'm going to break this down and speak with Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Patterson in a moment. Now, economic data out tomorrow is expected to show our.
Economy is dead in the water.
The predictions are that our economy is growing at as little as zero point two percent for the June quarter.
This would put on.
Your GDP growth at just zero point nine percent for the year. And this if it turns out to be those figures, this would be the slowest pace since the nineteen nineties recession, the weakest economy in more than twenty years, and this is a major concern for jobs, the mortgage, the rent and grocery bills. It's why the Treasurer has accused the RBA of smashing the economy with its thirteen rate hikes. His comments an extraordinary intervention and show just how concerned he is about.
The data out tomorrow.
In a highly political move, Chalmers is now crafting a narrative where the Central b think is partly responsible for the weak economy, or, as he puts it, for hammering Aussie families. The Treasurer today hit home the point that interest rates are softening our economy in a breakfast television blitz.
I think it's self evident that the interest rates registrate rises which are in the system are slowing our economy. I think it would be strange, really if the treasure of Australia couldn't say to the Australian people, you know, our economy is slowing, and here are some of the reasons why it's slowing, including higher interest rates. But really what we've got here is a combination of global economic uncertainty combining with higher interest rates and persistent price pressures.
Well, Charmer's strong comments accusing the IBA of smashing the economy show the stakes are high. Labor and Matt Fistlethwaite backed him in yesterday.
We don't want to see the Reserve Bank go too far.
We want to make sure that we do continue to grow an economy.
And those comments there, well, that's a repeat of the fight that Labor backbenchers ran against former RBA Governor Phil Lowe, turning him into a villain for raising rates repeatedly. At the time, while the Treasurer announced major reform of the Central Bank, he didn't utter a critical word, so his intervention now, even though it's subtle is surprising, but Charmers batted away questions of a.
Rift with the RBA today. Are you all good with the RBA? What's going on here?
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is being forced to fend off accusations of a rift between the government and the Reserve Bank.
Looks so you've been picking fights with everyone.
The headline screaming Treasurer tries to pass the buck, Treasurer plays the blame game.
Treasurer makes RBA threats.
Charmer said he wasn't a war with Michelle Bullock, and it is true there's no genuine rift, but politically it suits the alb and Eazy government to give the pression that the RBA is to blame for household pain. The coalition has attack Charmers, accusing him of failing to take responsibility.
And not surprisingly alst other countries like Canada and the UK, Europe are seeing interest rates coming down. Not in Australia. He has unveiled and now he's just lashing out at everybody.
Then he blamed Philip Loow, and now he's blaming his hand picked replacement for Philip Blow, Michelle Bullock, for high inflation. At some point he's got to turn the mirror onto himself and say, what is it that the government can be doing well?
While labor and peas are putting pressure on the RBA not to raise rates again. There are some economists to a warning that we may still need more rate rises. It's something Warren Hogan said on this show last night, and the Finn reports that the Reserve banks recently departed research chief says the decision not to raise interest rates risks entrenching high inflation and hasn't been added quickly scrutinized
by the Central Banks Board. An economy teetering on the edge, inflation still above target range, and this means that prices are still rising well. The Nightly editor Chris Dahl says that while our economy is on life support right now, the Prime Minister can't stop talking about his wedding and his love life. Chris Dahl writes, we've heard more from the PM's office this past week about whether his second wedding is on last weekend's papers or off this weekend's papers.
And it's true all the Prime Minister can think about is when he's having his wedding, and he was talking about it again on radio in Perth.
No election date from you today?
What about a wedding date you enjoy any closer?
That will be sometime in the likely be the second half of next year, but it will be after the election because I want to focus on the job at hand, and we looked at the diary and there are no gaps between now and the end of the year.
Please, no one cares when you're getting married for the second time. No one cares where your wedding will be. People care when their grocery and power bills are going to stop rising. And christau Over in the Nightly says that when Albanezy isn't speaking about his wedding, he's talking about Peter Dutton, attacking him for division, for questioning the guys of visa process.
So for his nuclear plan.
None of this, his wedding or attacking Dutton is going to fix the cost of living crisis. And right now, if it weren't for high immigration numbers, it's very possible that Australia could well be in a recession. Okay, we'll get to our top story on Mike Burgess clarifying his position on the guys of is the issue that made news today James Patterson will join me in a moment, but first nowt to our regular Tuesday panel Farmer Speaker of the House Barnwin Bishop and Sky News host kayleb Bond.
Welcome to you both.
Bronwan, how worried are you about the state of the economy ahead of their national accounts figures that are due out tomorrow?
Very worried.
Look, I listen to the words of the treasurer. He tells you in one breath, everything's wonderful, a fantastic treasure doing a wonderful thing. And then he beats up on the Reserve Bank and says it's all your fault that the interest rates are so high. And then he comes around and says, well, don't look too much at what's happening tomorrow. It's a man who refuses to take responsibility for anything at all. And I am worried about those
figures tomorrow. And I'm worried when I go into shops and I have a discussion with the people who work there and they tell me about the fact that they're worried about losing their jobs, about people who own small businesses about having to close down. We are not in good shape it's true.
Look, Caleb, in a way, the treasure is saying the obvious that interest rates do weaken the economy, but he's also trying to shift the narrative politically, isn't he.
Yeah, Well, what he is leaving out of that discussion is that the reason that interest rates have continued to go up for so long is because the government hasn't pulled its own leavers. The RBA, as we've said many times before, has only one lever to pull to reduce inflation,
and that is to increase interest rates. And of course, interest rates not only affect the household mortgage holder, but they affect businesses that rely heavily on loans in order to keep operating and to set up new businesses, especially small business. That's a major part of why the economy
flat lines. So that the Treasurer doesn't want to accept that it is his own spending that has caused these interest rate rises in part, and that therefore means that the economy has shrunk or is certainly not moving at a rate that we would like a faster rate than it is now. Well, and as you pointed out right at the very end of your editorial, there if it were not for migration numbers, and this is why the Albanezi government has imported people so fast and so much.
If it weren't for those numbers, we would be in recession and we'd be talking about a very different election next year.
Well, Environment Minister Tanya Plebisk has changed the reason that she kured off the billion dollar mine project in New South Wales.
Have a listen.
I took advice and information from them, from academics, from a whole range of other people. The Council was invited to make a submission on the Section ten applications, two and a half thousand pages of advice and evidence from different people, including I should say Barnaby, a lot of local farmers who don't want this tailings dam built at the headquarters of the river because they are worrying about their sheep and go and honey businesses down the river.
They're worried about the factor as well.
And that was her comments on Sunrise yesterday, Brum. When you know, initially she was saying indigenous heritage concerns. Now she's saying she got advice from academics and other people. But she ignores the fact, doesn't she that this had both state department and Federal Department approval.
She's making it up as she goes along, because this declaration ten is made under the Aboriginal Torres Strait Island a Heritage Protection Act, not the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, which Alberici seemed to get confused about I think I heard yesterday. So the point is this, there is a way out of this. Alberesi is trying to wash his hands and say, I'd like the mind to go ahead.
But it's not my fault.
It's her fault. Well, it is his fault because there is a motion of disallowance in the Senate right now on the notice paper, and the declaration she made is a disallowable instrument. And if that disallowance motion sits on the ballot paper for fifteen sitting days and is not resolved nor withdrawn, then the declaration automatically is disallowed. So Alberzi has the power to tell the Senate, the Labor party in the Senate, do not call this in, do not defeat this motion.
And it will go away.
It will stop. It will be disallowed immediately, and she cannot remake it for six months. And it's an important point because this is Albanese's decision to make. She's made the declaration. He has the decision about the way it can be got rid of.
And that the reason this is such a big story, you know, as we've said several times now, is because of the message it sense to potential investors in Australia and the fact that the Prime Minister can't take control over this. He doesn't want to upset one of his ministers. He just lets them do whatever they want.
Kail, Well, we've just been talking about a flatlining economy. About the only part of the economy that has been booming and has delivered significant revenue to the government, it should be noted, is mining. You'd have to have rocks in your head right now to be trying to demonize or stop mining in this country. But of course plibasek As is evidenced by the fact that she keeps flip flopping about the reason she made this decision. It wasn't
made in the interests of the locals. It wasn't made in the interests of the minds, or the environment or indigenous people. It was made in the interests of people in Sydney who she hopes will vote for her at the next federal election. That's what all this has been about. The rest is entirely fabricated. The Prime Minister knows it. That's why he's trying to get away from it. She
knows it. That's why she keeps changing her story. Someone has to intervene and say, look, we've got to do what's in the best interests of the country here.
Well, that don't seem to care about that, because that is the same strategy that they're using in other policy areas. I mean, that's shaped their foreign policy position, it's shaped the immigration policy.
The Gaza vis issue all about local.
Votes and holding onto seats, not necessarily about what's in the national interests.
Absolutely, but he has to be made to wear it. He cannot walk away from that white but that mine. He cannot say to mens, oh yes, I wanted to go ahead too, and pretend it's all somebody else's fault. He has the power to deal with it, all right.
The Day They Telegraph reports today that since the Albanezy government has been in office, two hundred and ninety three thousand working days have been wasted on strike action.
And it does seem like every other.
Day there's another union or another group striking Runwin. This is a massive waste of taxpayer funds, isn't it?
Why we're surprised.
I mean, this government and the union movement are together locked in and they have under mister Burke, they have given the union movement everything they want. And on the twenty sixth of August the last tranch came into operation. I just wait till it starts to head and the rumifications of it. No wonder there's been more strikes caused by unions. No wonder the demands are getting greater. No wonder there's losses. It will get worse, It won't get better.
We've taken the industrial laws back pre Keating, and all that good work that was done under the hard government has just disappeared, and all because mister Burke thinks he can be the leader by getting the union vote when there's the next out, when they want to get rid of Albanisi.
But the pointly ambitious Tony Birth no reason.
John Cassius as a mean an angry look.
Yes, indeed, Caleb, the opposition is blaming Labour's new workplace laws.
You know Brunwin just referred to that. Do you think that is part of the issue here.
Yeah, of course it's part of the issue. I mean, it just seems a message, for instance, removing the ABCC, which of course gave red flag to the c if you to go back to its bad old days, which of course harks back to the bad old days of the mob that came before it, which was the b Left that was de registered that then spawned the CFMU. And here we are back in the same position again.
And we saw that that last week caused strikes because the Labor Party has finally decided to intervene and do something about the CFMU, which they may will not have had to do if they hadn't fiddled with the IR laws in the first place. It all goes back to the IR laws.
Look, just before we go quickly, let's turn to the big story that Andrew Clanel here on skybroke earlier today. He confirmed that Labor would partially ban TV gambling advertising within two years and imposer ban on online gambling ads.
Rowin, do you agree with this?
Now, when we come to the gambling issue, we have to realize they're competing forces. There's still some of the old waalderism that exists in Australia, which has been here for two hundred years, and that still underlines a lot of the anti gambling movement. But there is also the great worry about online gambling what that is doing to inculcate the idea of gambling for younger people in particular. But it is a legal practice and many people enjoy it.
There are some people who are dramatically affected by but they're a minority, so there needs to be a balance. I would be against spanning all advertising on television. The online issue, I think is a different issue. I think it's far more dangerous there, but also very difficult to do so. I think we have to realize that there does need to be a consideration that it's not wall to wall gambling advertising, which sometimes it looks like, particularly
in a big game. But I do think we also have to realize that a lot of people enjoy gambling. It is some people like to buy shoes, some.
People like to do other things.
I mean, we have to realize there is poison this matter too, but not given finally to the forces that I think want to abolish it entirely. I don't think that's right.
It's a funny comparison, Maybe leaving someone in a shoe store to keep buying more and more shoes might be about the same. I do think just I'll say that I think it's fascinating. There's so much focus on whether we should ban television gambling advertising, but there's not much discussion about all the advertising that children are exposed to when they're watching kids programs on YouTube and the like.
And I think there needs to be more discussion about that because that is far more dangerous.
Perhaps we could add in pornography yet, well, yes, because that is really really serious. Yes, And I'm sure as the domestic violence.
Well let's talk about that next week, next Tuesday, Broman, Bishop Calebond, great to have you both with me. Well, let's bring in now Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Patterson to speak about Mike Burgess finally clarifying his comments on the Gaza visa issue. James, Welcome to the program.
Does this clear up the matter, do you.
Think from a security perspective?
Well?
No, In fact, in many ways it raises more questions. But all the questions are as they always should have been, about the Albanese government's handling of this issue, not about our security agencies, or about our security agency heads like Mike Burgess, who do an outstanding job. Mike Burgess has now effectively set out a test for the bar that you should need to clear if you want to come
to our country. He said, you are a risk to the security of Australia if you support from US, if you support what they did on the seventh of October,
and if you support the annihilation of the state of Israel. Now, can the Prime Minister, all the Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke, put their hand on their heart and stand up tomorrow and promise that not one of the three thousand tourist visas they granted to Gaza residents includes anyone who supports from US, anyone who supports the seventh of October,
or anyone who wants to annihilate Israel. I seriously doubt that with the rushed, risky and reckless process they put in for handing out these tourist visas like confetti.
Exactly, I mean, it might even behired to find three thousand people from Gaza at the moment who don't support any of the propositions that you just put there.
But James, I'll remind.
You, because we've spoken about this before earlier in the year and February, I've already shown that there's a twenty one year old Palestinian came on a visit a visa from Gaza since October seven, now in Melbourne. He has on social media already liked posts and shared posts that supported the October seven terror attacks, that supported her Musk. There were numerous of their, numerous posts, I've shown them on this program.
So already people have come in.
Here who do appear to be her must supporters based on their social media activity.
So what should Tony Burke do now?
What happens now if there are people already in Australia as part of the Albanezi government's visa program who are Hamas supporters.
Well, you're right to single that out, Shari, because Mike Burgess has made clear in his comments today that even liking or retweeting a tweet supporting these incidents is evidence of concern from a security point of view and would
cause that person a problem in seeking to come to Australia. Now, I don't buy Mike Burgess or Azio for the fact that people like that do appear to have come in under the Albanezer government, because we know AZIO can only act when cases are referred to them, and we know from Mike Burgess comments on insiders that not all cases
are being referred to them. Well, this is exactly why, when you're dealing with a terrorist controlled war zone, that you should be referring all applications to AZEO, that full security vetting should be conducted for anyone leaving those countries or that region. And that's not what this government has done. So we already have thirteen hundred of these people in
this country already. There may be a risk among that cohort, but they're a further seventeen hundred offshore who could come to Australia at any moment if the raft of Crossing reopens again. Is we all hope that it does after a ceasefire agreement that releases the hostages. Now, what is the Albanize government doing about the thirteen hundred who are here? Are they going to review any of them? Will they cancel any of their visas if they found a support
on us? And what are they going to do about the seventeen hundred who will try to get here as quickly as possible? Are they going to review any of those to make sure there aren't any mus supporters among them. Are They've not outlined any plan to do so. I have no confidence that they're going to do so.
Well.
It's a very difficult position because Tony Burke has come out and said that no one is being sent back to the war zone. He said, no government in its right mind would send anyone back to Gaza. So what does he plan to do with the people. And we've seen figures today that about seven hundred have applied for a different visa, bridging visa to extend their stay more permanently in Australia. So these are big questions for the
government to answer. And James, you know, Paul Kelly made this point brilliantly in his article in The Australian on the weekend. He said, at no stage has any minister from the Albanezy government actually come out and said all right, this is our intake, this is how many people we're bringing in, this is the class of visa. There's been
no explanation. And Paul Kelly also pointed out that there are two separate issues here, entry policy and security checks, and there's been this deliberate blurring of the lines by Alberizi.
What do you think about this?
All really good points, Shary. Let's take them in turn. On Paul Kelly's article on the Weekend, I agree with you. A very critical point was made by him and also by voices like Dennis Richardson, the former Director general of ASIO, which is that we have both character provisions, which is a matter for government and the Department of Home Affairs and security risks, which is a matter for ASIO and
Mike Burgess and his team. And the bar to cancel someone's visa on character grounds is considerably lower than to cancel their visa on security grounds. To give you one tangible example, the Albanezer government has made it pretty clear that they're not going to approve a visa for Candice Owens, someone from the United States who wants to come to Australia on a Speaking to her, now, I'm not a fan of her. I think she's a dangerous anti Semma
and a conspiracy theorist. But she's not a supporter of Hamas or terrorist organizations. She's just an anti Semite and on that grounds alone, they are not going to approve her visa. Are we seriously saying among the three thousand gars of tourist fiezas, there are no anti Semites. Have they even asked, have they even checked? And this goes
to the other issues. I mean, how can you possibly be confident when the interviews didn't take place, when the biometric checks weren't done, when they were just handed out tourist vizas so quickly, and if Tony Burke is right that none of these people can be returned while were they given tourist vizas in the first place. A condition of a tourist viza is you're only here to visit temporarily. Clearly none of these people intend to stay here temporarily.
Yeah, so many questions that the government really needs to find type. It doesn't look like they're going to do that anytime soon. Just before you go, James Patterson, the Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wang has given a foreign policy speech today, but she inserted some domestic politics into it.
In fact, it's reported that she's going to accuse the lib Liberal Party of failing to recognize Jakarta's importance, citing Robert Menzies's nineteen forty seven criticism of the chiefly labor government support for Indonesian independence as.
The very ecstasy of suicide.
Do you think this is appropriate from the Foreign Minister.
It's extraordinary and bizarre that the Foreign Minister would think it's appropriate to revive seventy year old comments of a dead prime minister as a way of attacking Peter Dutton and the Liberal Party today, and to do so in front of invited guests from our region who are our friends. I mean, how does it enhance Australia's national interest to
do that? We could all play this game. We could revive Arthur Colwell's comments from a similar era about Asian immigration and use that to attack the Labor Party today. But would that make Australia stronger? Would that enhance our position in a delicately balanced Indo Pacific? Of course not. And the Foreign Minister I think has debased herself today
with this partisan attack. She's obviously been fired by Jim Chalmers and there's clearly been a message sent out to Labor Front benchers get out there and tear peedter ut and down because they've long come to accept there's no way they're going to build Anthony Albanezi up. And if you can't build up your own team. All you can do is tear down the other one.
Yeah, there's clearly concern about the momentum that seems to be in Dutton's direction at the moment, judging by the polls. James Patterson, always great to have you on the show.
Thank you. Now Stiel to calm.
Australia's economy on life support as we brace for tomorrow's GDP figures and what will it mean for interest rates?
Judah Sloan would join me next.
Plus Albinezi's approval ratings now the same as Scott Morrison's when he went into the last election. Well is it all over, red rover for the beleagued PM.
My Political Insiders panel will weigh in. Welcome back.
We're returning to tonight's top story. The National account stater that's out tomorrow is expected to show next to no growth. This could be the slowest pace of growth in the Australian economy in twenty years, and the stage is set for the Government to partly blame the RBA for this weak economic data, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers accusing the Central Bank.
Of smashing the economy.
Well, let's bring in now eclumnist and economist Judith Sloan.
Judith, thank you so much for your time again.
Look, tomorrow's figures, according to market expectations aren't looking too good.
Some are predicting around.
Zero point two percent. Do you think that's going to be what we see?
I think that's right, Shahi. So eleven thirty is see the big time when it comes out, and what do I think people will have to understand this? And actually most of the figures are in the locker. So for anyone who did economics, we used to talk about why equals C plus I plus G plus x one. I seem we actually know what most of those things are.
So I think almost certain. I think the Treasurer will have got a memo from Treasury last week, late last week, which is to tell him that the figure will be weak. And there's also the possibility that the March figure could be revised. These figures tend to be revised, revised, and it could be revised downwards. So I think the picture will definitely be one of well, I don't know, smash I think is a sort of perhaps unfortunate word, but
a very weak economy. And I think Charmer's reaction to that is to try and fend off the blame from himself and blame anyone else who's passing by, and that is particularly the Reserve Bank.
Well, looking at what he said this week is you know he said interest rates are partly to blame.
He's also blamed global factors.
Know how responsible is the central bank for this weak economy? And given inflation is what's causing families so much pain, it is the biggest fight at the moment. Did the RBA have any other choice but to raise rates thirteen types?
Well, they've really only got the one lever, which is the cash strate. And what the cash rate does then is feed into other interest rates, including mortgage rates. And you know, let's be clear here, the aim has been to slow the economy, to reduce aggregate demand. Now I heard, particularly mister Albanezy talk about global factors. The trouble is that that is a very out of date story.
So if we look at all.
Our major economies, most of them have got two characteristics. Now, one they've got inflation down to within their target bands, and secondly they have begun to lower their interest rates. So we're actually the laggard. And I think it's probably a bit yesterday's story to be lame and big global events, but I guess they'll try.
Yeah, look, we've seen that there's been analysis that if the dune quarter is around zero point two percent, that means that the annual growth would be zero point nine percent. You know, how does this sit in our history as a country? How do you compare this to the recession in the nineteen nineties.
Well, this is badly because don't forget the population is growing between two and two and a half percent, which is extremely strong both historically but also by international comparisons. So if you've got the economy growing at point nine and the populations, say, growing at two, you quickly work out that in per capita terms, we're going backwards.
So this, I think.
Almost certainly will be the sixth quarter of negative per capita GDP growth, and in international terms, that is a bad story. It's basically a reflection of falling living standards, and you're not seeing the same gloomy story in a number of other countries, particularly the US for example.
Look, there does seem to be at least some frustration from the Central Bank about not just federal government but state government spending as well. I mean there's not enough focus on the state government spending, particularly Queensland really but there seems to be frustration on government spending. How much of a rift do you think there is? I mean the Treasure on television this morning said there's no rift.
We're working together. Michelle Bullock's obviously his handpicked governor. So do you think those reports that we've seen this week are a bit overblown?
Well, let me put it this way. I don't think they're helpful. I think to kind of have an open battle with the Reserve Bank is really not a help in terms of economic policy. But there is clearly an element of well, both someone applying the break and someone applying the accelerator to this economic car and that.
Is not a good idea.
Are the states part of the problem most definitely? But I do think I saw Katie Gallagher make a ridiculous point which is, oh, well, they have no control over the states. They do have control over the states, both in a sort of jaw boning sense but also in their ability to actually apply some financial penalties if they overspend.
So I think it.
You know, it's an interesting point with Michelle Bullock, because you know they have changed some of the processes, so for example, they don't have as many meetings. They're now only every six weeks, and she then gives a press conference after the decision is made public. Now that sort
of takes the narrative away from the treasure. Mind you, Jim Chalmers had wanted this, but I think in retrospect it's sort of he's sort of losing control of the storytelling because Michelle Bullock is getting it and she has got better and the journalists have got better. So it's actually, you know, it's not normally something I want to spend forty minutes listening to, but I quite.
Look forward to it so as well, So I'll.
Be doing that regularly.
All right.
Judah Sloan, always terrific to have you on the show.
Thank you again.
Now after the break, is Albin Easy out of his depth? Or speak to my Political Insiders panel as the PM tries to shake off bad approval ratings, and later on the show will cross Live to tell Aviv as Joe Biden claims, Natan Yahoo isn't doing enough?
Well what is he doing?
All right, let's bring in tonight's Political Insiders panel, Bill Shotton's former chief of Staff Cameron Milner and former advisor to John Howard David Gazzard.
Welcome to you, gentlemen.
Look, let's start with the PM's dismal newspot approval ratings that now as bad as Scott Morrison's were in the lead up to the twenty twenty two election loss. Cameron, how worried should Albanezi be about these figures?
Well, Albert should be very worried. But doesn't it tell you something about the Prime Minister when he's just so lackluster and lazy and tells journeys he's not worried. This is the guy who's responsible for nothing and has an excuse for everything. Shari, I mean, this is the guy who's ring Tony's phone is wasn't me? I mean Albani's voice loss wasn't me? Two and eighty five dollars power
cup wasn't me? Cost of living fighting wasn't me? I mean this guy will tell you anything to absolve himself from his responsibility, which is to lead the Laid Party the next election and win a majority. At this rate, we'll lose.
Look, and you say you of course, as a labor person, David, you know we heard this similar ratrick from the Prime Minister. During the Voice campaign, he seemed to be telling everyone they were going to win. Obviously there was a shocking defeat for them. Do you think there's any possibility, though, that the coalition could win the next election or do you think it's just minority government that's in stall for Labor.
I think minority government is probably the most likely, but a coalition winner is entirely possible. Momentum is flowing against the government and as debate and conjecture and focus scrutiny intensifies on this government, they seem to be making greater mistakes, so no one is really looking at this stage of
the cycle. The interest in what's happening in politics will will probably pick up coming out of Christmas next year, but it would be deeply alarming for Labor strategists, and I think I think Cameron's.
Got it right.
It would be deeply worrying to see support for the Prime Minister and the Labor Party ebbing away.
Look, we learned today that the Prime minister top media advisor, Brett Mason.
Has resigned after nine months in the job.
Is actually a lovely guy from a journalist, Cameron, what does this say about the Prime Minister's office that this is now his second communications boss who's had to call it quits.
Well, Albo's office is full of sick of fans and old mates from university days. Let's face it. I mean, anyone who says yes to Alba gets a job in Albo's office. But two communications directors in nine months is disastrous. But let's not shoot the messenger. It's the message, Sharhi, that's the problem. It's Alboss the problem. And you know if you own a something wants to take up the job.
I mean, having been Kevin Rudd's spin doctor, you know, an apologist for Twiggy Forest should be spinning something from the proverbial to get elbow up in this selection.
Yeah, David Gazarde, you've obviously worked as a media advisor to a prime minister.
You know, there's only so much you can do.
If the Prime minister's policies are not something that the people want to hear, or if they don't like how he's made decisions on not taking control of national security, for example, then you can't blame the media team.
Yeah.
There seems to be this view that's pushed in the media that this is a chance for a refresh of the message. I'm sorry Brett Mason was not setting the message that is set by the cabinet, that is set by the Prime Minister. There's always this view that, oh, well, they're not selling our policies right that Cameron is absolutely right.
This is the message, not the messenger. It's a difficult enough job to do anyway without losing the confidence of the senior echelons across cabinet, factional colleagues and of course ultimately the boss itself. But ultimately, at the end of the day, it is what the Labor Party is selling, what the Prime Minister is selling, and it's not an unelected figure in the Press office like Brett Mason.
No.
Indeed, look just to end on ACO Boss Mike Burges says, guys and visa backflip if you like. He's clarified his comments. Dartin today said that the Prime Minister should apologize to the spy chief for misleading and taking him out of context in parliament.
What do you think Cameron.
Albert should have apologized and cleaned up verbally the ASIO boss weeks ago. I mean he was caught out red handed, red handed, so in this situation, Albo has been caught again by the asioos having to clarify the very same situation, which is that gards and tourists are coming in without security checks. Guards and tourists are coming in without the right checks, and Albert should own up to that, and yes he should definitely apologize to the lead of ASIO, Mike Burgess.
Look, David, there's no way around this. This is an absolute policy fiasco.
Yeah, no doubt, and it plays exactly to the hand where Peter dut New's the strongest. He's an ex police officer, he's been the Minister for Immigration and bought and controlled border Force and Home affairs. This is his territory. Most Australians would believe that he would handle this better than
the Prime Minister. I don't expect Anthony Albinezi to apologize to Mike Burgas, by the way, but it's another way of Peter Dutton getting in this into the news and highlighting the fact that the Labor Party is very, very weak on borders. Don't forget but this is an issue that's gone around now for seven election cycles and it's falling into the same mistake of thinking it can control the borders and weaken the borders, and that the public
is going to like it. They've been found out again, and that the Prime Minister's being the consequences.
Indeed, it's the economy and it's national security, and that's what they've got to worry about. Davy Gazard and Carara Milnet, thank you both very much. Now still to come shocking comments by Joe Biden as the families of Israeli hostages grieve their loved ones, and Israeli television host would join me live.
After this quick break.
Well, it's been another gut wrenching day for the families of the six innocent hostages who were executed by Hermas. And today the parents of Hirsh Goldberg Pollen, an Israeli American, laid their son to rest. Heirsh's mother, Rachel Goldberg, gave a very moving emotional speech.
If there was something we could have done to save you and we didn't think of it, I beg your forgiveness. We tried so very hard, so deeply and desperately.
And in a seriously sick and twisted move, Hermas wanted to rub salt in the wound, and they released chilling new footage of the six Israeli hostages they murdered last week.
This clearly a cruel final taunt to.
Their already devastated and grieving families. This is terrorist propaganda, and it shows the captive's last messages before they were executed at close.
Range, believe to have been shot in the head.
Hamas has also threatened to kill the remaining hostages and return them to Israel inside coffins if Israel's military pressure continues. Now, this was a tragic day, and one of the hostages executed, literally shot in the head, was an American Citizenhirsh. Yet US President Joe Biden had the audacity to tell off Benjamin Netanyaho for not doing enough.
To secure the release of the hostages. Have a look, it's a president.
If you think it's time for probe, Prime Minister net Yahoo could do more on the issue.
Do you think he's doing enough?
No?
No, Netanyah, who is not doing enough according to Biden. Now, the idea that Biden should try to blame netin Yahoo after hermas killed six hostages is insanity. The only message Biden should be sending is one way he puts the fear of God into Hamas. Otherwise, this just plays into Harmasa's strategy. They kill hostages and Israel is blamed.
Now, this of.
Course comes after Biden has been on holidays for the past two weeks sun tanning at the beach. Last time I checked, Joe Biden is still the president. He chose not to relinquish that role. So what has he been doing to free his American citizen Hirsh. Where were the US troops going into Raffa to search for him? They weren't, And Biden was trying to stop Israel going into Rafa
at all. It made Netiyahu delay by some three months. Now, irrespective of your view on Netiyahu, the idea that it's Israel that's prevented a cease fire deal is utterly ludicrous. It's her musk that has failed to come to the table over and over and over again.
It's a point that Blincoln.
Has made clear publicly that Israel has accepted their proposals, but her musk has it. Now what's worrying is that the reaction to blame Israel for the execution of these six hostages will only encourage Hamas to repeat this ghastly murder again. It encourages more of the same.
Well, that's cross.
Live now to tell Aviv, where I'm joined by Israeli news Anka Littal, SCHAMESH.
Littal. Thank you for your time.
Now, what did you think of those comments by Joe Biden today trying to blame Israel for Hermasa's murder of the six young lives.
Yes, well, thank you for having me, Sherry. I think you said it beautifully.
You know, every.
Person with a bit of a bit of sense of understanding the situation could clearly see that Kamas is refusing a deal time and again, Israel is willing to consent.
Israel is sending delegations to do Jatakatar to Cairo time and again, months after months, sending delegations in order to try and achieve some sort of a hostages deal, and Commas again and again is saying no. And as you said, hearing President Biden saying that NATANIAO is not doing enough two days after six of our innocent Israeli hostages were shot dead. Blaming Israel and blaming Natanio is really a stop in the face, because after such a horrific attack
like that, the US should pressure Ramas. The US should pressure the Palestinians.
I don't see any.
Sanctions being lifted upon Katar, upon the Palestinian authority. Hundreds of trucks are getting into the Gaza Strip humanitarian aid every single day, and President Biden still have the audacity to blame Prime Minister Nataniao and I think for a lot of us in Israel, it is a stop in the face because you have to understand the bigger point, and the bigger point is the fact that America is
in a year of election. Hamila Maari's are basically wanting to get ceasefire so they can get a peace of mind, so they can get peace in the Middle East. But Israel knows that it cannot leave the Gaza Strip without clearing it from the heads of Ramas, without clearing it from the remaining of Ramas. We need to take measures. We need to bring back our safety. We need to bring back those people who are living on the border with the Gaza Strip to fill and to live in
their safe environments. And we cannot do that until we clear out the Gaza Strip from Ramas.
So just ordering.
Israel to take out all the soldiers is a first of all, you're leaving behind all the hostages that are still remaining because at the moment, at the moment, Ramas is not really willing to give more than twenty maybe thirty hostages and not even telling which ones are still alive and which one are dead. And then what do you do? You take out the idea from the Gaza strip and you're just leaving all the rest to die. And I think that all the pressure at this moment
should be on Ramas. Yesterday Prime Minister Nazaniao held our press conference and he said, after this horrific event of Ramas healing shooting six six innocent hostages, Israel will respond and we will. We are waiting to see what is going to be the if response to that.
Yeah, I mean, you just think how different the situation might have been if they had been genuine and you know, tangible international pressure on her mask through Iran, through Katar and you know, sanctions, other financial pain.
It might have been different for the hostages. But you know, you're right.
We hear some of the Western leaders more frequently criticize Israel. The latest news today Kiir Starmer now saying that he's going to suspend thirty out of three hundred and fifty arms export licenses to Israel, so all the pressure seems to be on Israel. Here it's a massive case of vic and blaming latlshamesh. Thank you very much for your time tonight.
That's it for me. I'll see you tomorrow at eight o'clock.
And right now, here's Paul Murray.