Why On Sky News Bitess and Sharry.
Good Evening, Welcome to the show, and it's a big show tonight. In breaking news, Peter Dutton has demanded that ABC chair Kim Williams show some backbone and rainan Laura Tingle, who he accused of hijacking, yes, hijacking the ABC. These are Peter Dutton's strongest comments yet about the public broadcaster. I spoke with him in an exclusive interview where Dutton
is now in Israel. He's just sat down with Benjamin Netanyahoo and Dutton spoke with the Israeli Prime Minister about the need to repair the relationship between Australia and Israel after it's been damaged by the Albanezy government. That full interview, very strong remarks. You don't want to miss it. That's coming up shortly. Also on the show tonight, New Hope for homeowners ahead of a crucial rates call. A leading economist will join me to break down today's inflation data.
Also tonight, an.
Olympic gender row has boiled over in Paris, and what Rex airlines downfall.
Means for regional communities.
But first in major news today, leaders of Hamas and Hezbla have been killed in a win for the fight against terror. Hamas's political leader, Ismael Hanier was killed in the early hours of the morning at his residence in Tehran. Iran released a statement saying that he was assassinated inn and I quote a treacherous Zionus.
Raid on his residence in Tehran.
Israel has confirmed the death but has not made a comment accepting responsibility. Hanier did nothing for Palestinians. They suffered in this war thanks to Hamas, putting them in harm's way. All the while, Honier was a billionaire living a life of luxury nowhere near Gaza. The aim of Israel's war against Hamas is to eliminate the terror group which murdered babies, children, and even a pregnant woman in cold blood on October seven. Hamas is a force of evil in this world and
it must be dismantled. Its leaders must be killed. Yet Hanie's death was shockingly condemned here in Australia by the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network and its president Nasamashni. In a media release, APAN said the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network says the extra judicial assassination of the political head of Hamas is Mael Hania is a grave war crime that risks exacerbating violence in the region.
They said.
The Australian government must condemn these brazen violations of international law and take immediate and decisive action to see Israel held to account for its crimes. This, perhaps more than anything else, has exposed the Palistine Inian organization here in Australia to be upset about the death of a terrorist leader, her Maas that not only massacret Israeli's but deliberately sparked this war that has cost too many Palestinian lives as well.
This is the Palestinian organization that the media loves to quote.
No one's addressing the root issue in this conflict, which is the displacement and destruction of Palestine, the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, as David Cameron described it when he was Prime Minister, an open air prison. The reality is that whilst Israel denies Palestinian's hope, we've got to work towards a better tomorrow. This land is Abraham's land. We've got a situation. We are manufacturing consent for a genocide.
Her mass is not the problem.
The problem is Zionism.
Well, perhaps the likes of the ABC network, ten other commercial networks and even Daytime Sky should now realize precisely who they're having on air, because no moderate individual is
upset by the death of a bloodthirsty terrorist. His death is, however, a blow to Hamas and to Iran, and they're anti West supporters like Russia, and the deputy Russian Foreign Minister Mikhail Boghdadov reportedly said this is an absolutely unacceptable political murder and it will lead to further escalations of tensions.
Turkey's Foreign ministry also criticized the we what they called shameful assassination in Tehran, saying in a statement quoted by Reuters that this attack also aims to spread the Gaza war to a regional dimension, and the terror chief's death has also been condemned by Iran, Qatar, Malaysia, and as I said, Russia. Well, the assassination embarrasses Iran because if it turns out that the Massad managed to target a senior figure within their borders, well it shows flaws in
their own security. And Hesbela's top military chief was also killed in an air strike overnight in Beirut, and that was in retaliation for the murder of twelve children who were just playing soccer on a field in northern Israel. Now, the death of hamasa's top political leader is making news around the world, and it comes on top of thirteen thousand terrorists that Israel says it has killed in Gaza.
This is all a positive sign that.
Israel does appear to be making inroads against Hamas, perhaps winning the war, and this is unquestionably crucial for any future peace and stability in the region. Opposition leader Peter Dutton is in Israel at the moment. He's holding high level meetings and I spoke with him in an exclusive interview a little earlier this afternoon. Peter Dutton, Welcome to the program from Jerusalem in Israel.
Pleasure sharing. Nice to be with you. Thank you.
Look you're there at the time the major news has broken that the political leader of Hamas has been killed. What's your reaction to this news that's making headlines around the world.
We'll share there are many reports obviously at the moment, but we know that Hamas is a terrorist organization. We know that they were responsible for the brutal slaughter literally all over a longer period of time, thousands of people, and we know that they were the mastermind behind the October seven atrocities. So, like we know with al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, they pose a threat to our
way of life. They certainly pose an existential threat to the Israeli people, and you would expect the Israelis to take action, particularly.
Given the slaughter that took place on October seven.
Mister Dartan, you've met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu. This is a very significant meeting, the first Australian politician to meet with him since October seven.
What did you discuss.
Well, we had about an hour meeting which was quite lengthy, and he had his national security team there as well, so it was high level and I was very grateful for the access and the time that he gave to us. As you know, Israel has provided intelligence to Australia over a period of time which has resulted in the lives of Australian diggers being saved in the Middle East, and I think it's a relationship that we need to rebuild, that we need to restore, and that we need to respect.
And I sent a very clear message on behalf of the coalition that should we win the next election, we look forward to the relationship becoming stronger and making sure that we can build off the platform of previous prime ministers where the relationship has been close, it has been strong and too our mutual benefit. So we just obviously a broad range of issues. Obviously in relation to the
current security context. What's happening with the WHODI is, what's happening with the Maas and hesblah, the threats to here to Israel otherwise, and obviously a broad ranging discussion on areas of mutual interest.
Otherwise, I understand from my own contacts that the Prime Minister Netanya Who thanked you for your support of Israel and your personal leadership on anti Semitism in your answer to me before you use the word rebuilt, that you indicated to Natanya that if a coalition team was in government,
you would rebuild the relationship between Israel and Australia. Was there therefore an element of concern from Netanya Who and his security team with the various foreign policy positions and public criticisms that have been taken by the Albanezy government, particularly in the wake of October seven, Well.
Sharry I've certainly expressed a publicly and privately my view in relation to the level of anti Semitism and the lack of leadership that the Prime Minister has demonstrated. I think most Australians recognize that now it was the time for the Prime Minister to stand up when that unruly mob stepped onto the fore court in Sydney at the
Opera House. He didn't, and it's allowed a level of anti Semitism to rise in our country that's provided a level of really distress, I've got to say within the Jewish community, as you will know, so I've spoken publicly and privately about that the level of antisemitism seeing in our country has not been evidenced in our country's history, and in fact, it's very confronting to me that when you speak to Holocaust survivors or the descendants, they are
very clear in their advice that frankly they're thinking about coming back to Israel because I think it would be safer than staying in Australia. People have lived in peace and harmony since nineteen forty five, and for the first time in twenty twenty four, they feel unsecure in our country and there's a reason for for that.
So my job is to.
Make sure that we build our equities and to make sure that we re establish relationships where they've been damaged. I'm not going to go into the private conversations, obviously, but I've been publicly critical of both Penny Wong, our Foreign Minister, and also of the Prime Minister. I think they have demonstrated a lack of leadership and I think we should have a zero tolerance for anti Semitism in Australia.
That's been a consistent message from the Coalition since October seven, and we won't be deviating from that part.
I understand that there was a sense out of your discussions that these threats that we're seeing aren't just a threat to Israel, but a civilizational battle that's raging in the West as well. Was that a theme not just with your discussion with Natan Yahoo, but also with the Israeli President Isaac Kurtzog.
Well, it's certainly a broader theme, and I think it's a very valid one. I think in the West we need to realize that our civilization, as we know at our democracy, our rule of law, that the adherence international law, all of that is under threat, and it is a time for Australia to reassess where we are in the world, to make sure that we align ourselves more significantly with
our partners. The Orchest deal with the United States and the United Kingdom was integral to us forming a stronger alliance with those two countries, but so too when the Coalition government was in power, we were able to bring together the Quad with Japan and India as well as the United States. All of those relationships are vital, but so too is the relationship with Israel.
They're our closest.
Ally in the Middle East, and as I say, they've been a force for good in terms of providing support to our interests in the Middle East over the course of the last couple of decades, and we shouldn't neglect that.
We should never forget it.
What sense of determination did you get from Natanyahu and his team about the urgency of securing the release of the hostages and also the need to eliminate hamas.
Will show. It's a great question.
I mean, as we know there are still one hundred and fifteen people who are held in captivity, who were.
Buried away in tunnels.
We don't know how many are alive, how many are dead, What brutality they've experienced at the hands of these terrorists, and the barbaric acts we saw when we visited the Kabutz and the Nova Music Festival site yesterday.
They're horrific scenes young people who are butchered.
We've seen the videos, the body cam footage of some of the terrorist that was recovered hunting people down in the streets, going in murdering children and women, abducting people
and taking them back as hostages. So I have to say, as you would expect from the President down the Prime Minister down here, they are absolutely determined to make sure that they can keep the people of Israel safe and secure, to make sure that there's not a recurrence of what we saw on October seven, And they have the capacity
to do that. Prime Minister Netna Netnyahu, as you know, has been an experienced hand and I think it's valued here in Israel in terms of making sure that they can meet the threats and stare down the threats that are existential to people here. When we hear the chance of river to the sea, this is where I'm standing, and they want to drive people from their homes here literally into the sea off the map, and so you can understand why they take so seriously the issue of safety and security here.
Look, we're showing people at home at the moment, footage of you visiting the site of the Nova Music Festival. What was that like for you, Peter Dutton, going to that site of the massacre where so many people were just killed in.
Cold blood, Well, it was To say it was confronting is just an understatement. We'd watched the classified videos before, as I said, and it showed literally that the of these innocent young people at the festival, but elsewhere in the attack as well.
So to have that.
Image in your mind as you go there and physically walk the ground, there's just nowhere to hide.
It's flat ground.
You've got thousands of people shouting and chanting and firing shots they had. They're particularly well armed, as we know, and people were just mowed down. They were trying to escape into their cars. And the footage of them being shot as they were approaching checkpoints that Hamas has set up.
It was graphic. It was horrific.
And to see the faces of those young people on the signs, it's the face of innocence.
These people don't have a political acts to grind.
In fact, many of them younger people, probably left leaning, very sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, would have been in the case of those involved in some of the Kutz activities, providing support to financial court to some people in the Palestinian territory as well. So it doesn't make any sense. But most acts of barbaric, dehumanized conduct from terrorist groups, I mean that don't make sense. We saw it and we still see it today with is and we've seen
it over a long period of time. The senseless attacks on men and women are people of Islamic faith as well, who were slaughtered by Hamas. It's a terrible, terrible circumstance, and we hope that the people who being held captive can be returned home soon and there can be a ceasefy following that.
Yeah, absolutely, I understand.
You also had quite emotional and moving meetings with both hostage families and even a hostage an elderly person who was taken captive by Hamasa and then a father who had four members of his family who are being held hostage. What wire those meetings like for you, you know, speaking to those people who are actually dealing with the reality of not knowing if they're ever going to see their family members again.
Well again, it's I mean, it was raw emotion and you could see the pain in their eyes. The elderly lady that we spoke to had been released, but she obviously had gone through an unbelievable experience that I didn't ask her to share, and I don't want.
The graphic details.
I could see the pain that she'd been through as she was speaking about the initial attack.
And when you look at the.
Father and you see the father holding up the photos of loved ones that he just wants back. These are innocent people, as I say, they're not soldiers, that they're not political players, they're not people who are.
Anything other than young people.
Enjoying their lives, and that they're still held captive, particularly for the younger earls, not knowing what sort of brutalization takes place. That's the reality of their life. It's incomprehensible as a parent, and I really felt for them during our discussions, and it was a very moving exchange.
As you say, look, you've been in Israel about three days now. You've had many high level meetings and meeting with local community leaders as well. Has there been a sense of concern and confusion about where the Israel Australia relationship has been over the past nine and a half months.
Well, just talk generally, because obviously we've spoken with a lot of people and there are a lot of friends here of Australia. There are a lot of Australians that we've run into here as well who are living in Israel or visiting friends. Just at a restaurant last night, a couple of people stopped. I was out walking this morning and stopped by an individual, and others that we've spoken to, there is a wilderment to be honest about
the government's approach. I think people really have been quite shocked about the departure from the position that Australia is long held, the activity at the un by Penny Wong and the statements of restraint when Hermas was still holding
people captive and the attack was still underway. I mean, it's quite remarkable in the circumstances that the government has taken that decision for their own grass domestic political purposes, and that's a decision that they need to live with because I believe the relationship is too important and too necessary to be playing politics with. And that's why I say, and I'm very definite about this, from day one in government, we will make sure that we prioritize the rebuilding of
this relationship because it's in Australia's long term interests. We don't know when we'll need to rely on Israel again. That we want to be a friend that's not fair weather, a friend that's there in all seasons, and that says it should be.
Mister Darton, I understand from my own contacts that Australia's anti Israel media coverage and even the impartiality of the taxpayer funded ABC was raised during your meeting with Natan Yahoo and Ron Dermer. I understand that Rondrmer spoke about his own experience of being interviewed on the seven thirty report. He saw that as a hostile interview. Did you find it extraordinary that the taxpayer funded ABC was caught into question at the highest levels of the Israeli government, Well.
Sherry, I watched, actually had watched Ron's interview on the ABC. I found it quite astounding and I think the ABC needs to have a recheck. I think Kim Williams really needs to show some backbone and stand up to people like Laura Single and others who have hijacked the ABC. This is taxpayers money and it needs to be objective in its reporting. Clearly it's not in the The inherent bias now, the cultural bias within the ABC is the
reason that their numbers are plummeting. In most Austrains find it a distraction from their daily lives and their own views instead of being the informative news source that it has been for all of us over a long period of time. So brother Ron did an exceptional job in that interview and pushing back.
In fact, i'd encourage him to to do more.
But I think, yes, I mean, I think there's people who really have been quite amazed by some of the reporting, particularly the ABC, and that's been expressed to us by different people on this visit.
Yeah, all right, Peter Dutton, thank you very much, not just for joining us with this exclusive interview from Israel, but also for making this trip, for bearing witness to the atrocities that have taken place, that have killed so many Jewish people, the largest loss of life.
In a single day since the Holocaust.
It's the trip the prime minister should have made many other most other Western leaders did make that trip in the wake of October seven, and thank you for going there and making the trip.
Thank you very much, Cherry TAKEO appreciate it. Thank you.
And that was Opposition leader Peter Darton from Israel very newsy interview. The two big revelations there that during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said that if he were Prime minister, he would rebuild the broken Israel Australia relationship. And also he said that ABC chair Kim Williams should show some backbone and raining journalists. He says, like Laura Tinkle who dart and accused of hijacking the ABC.
We'll discuss that a bit later with my panel. More to come after the break and new poll reveals Australians are blaming labor for high power prices plus the Olympic gender row.
That stole the show in Paris. Welcome back.
Well, let's bring in now our Wednesday panel, former Victorian Liberal Party president Mac Kroger and labor.
Legend At Graham Richardson. Great to see you both.
Look, we're going to get to the inflation data in just a minute, but I just want to get your reaction to Peter Dutton's comments there Michael Kroger very specifically about that ABC. He said that it was about time that Kim Williams showed some backbone rained in the ABC. He said the journalists like Laura Tingle but others were hijacking the public broadcaster. He said there was an inherent bias in it, a cultural bias. He said, it's tax payers money. It needs to be objective in its reporting
that it's clearly not. And he said that that most Australians find it a distraction from their daily lives instead of finding it the informative source of news that it's meant to be, and also of course accusing it of an anti Israel bias. What did you think of those comments, Michael Kroger.
Well, of course Dutton's absolutely right, and the Sydney based ABC News and Current Affairs Division is holding host Stinge. The rest of the ABC, I mean, Rural ABC, which is fantastic Rural Radio, which is great kids, children's drama, sport, comedy, et cetera, are all being tarnished by this sort of horrific sort are hard left bias coming out of the Sydney News and Current Affairs Division. It's been going on
for years, and of course Peter Dutton is right. Kim Williams is someone who has brought in and there was a lot of hope that Kim Williams, who owed nothing to anybody, would come in and just clean up this sort of you know, Stall would have left wing you know, propaganda, and let's hope he does. I mean, you know ITAs now come out and said, oh the thing's biased. Well good on you Ida. You know we tried to warn
you about that when you were there. So let's hope Kim Williams can do something because the ABC is tarnishing its brand and it's doing it very badly.
Charry so Rich Peter Dutton's criticism, in particular of Laura Tingle, saying she's hijacking the ABC. All this comes after Laura Tingle has been very critical of the opposition leader in recent times. She's accused him of adopting Trumpian language, of having a loose grasp of the facts, criticized his nuclear policy.
So is it surprising that Dutton.
Has come out this strongly and do you agree should Kim Williams reign in the journalists like Dutton has demanded.
Well, I think Kim Williams is going to have to have a quiet word in her ear because I think she has gone over the top. I think Dutton's absolutely entitled to say it's wrong. I'm not going to get in the road of that as far as I'm concerned. The ABC does have a duty to be impartial and occasionally, and I might say it's only occasional, but it does go over the top, and I think cross a line you shouldn't cross.
Well, let's look at the inflation data today, and your inflation rose to three point eight percent, up from three point six percent from the start of the year. Now this was a line with the RBA's forecast, but not treasuries. If there is a silver lining in today's data, it's that underlying inflation declined ever so slightly, from four percent to three point nine percent. Michael Krogie, there's been debate
over these figures today. We've heard opposing views from the Treasurer Jim Chalmers and the Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor.
What's your view.
Well, as you know, I've never taken a view the view that we three interest rate rises this year. I didn't ever think that was politically possible, but it looks as if next week, next Tuesday, the RBA won't do anything, and it's now wait and see game. You know, I've always taken the view that Albaneze he needs a rate cut before he goes to election, because he promised people that he would be able to solve the cost of
living crisis. You know, he said he had a plan to fix this, and he won hundreds of thousands of votes on the basis of that and the two hundred and seventy five dollars cut to power prices. So one of the reasons his polls are are clining. He promised beyond his capacity to deliver, and that is now doing him immense damage. When people see he is on these issues, he is an empty suit and he's not helped by the way by Jim Charmers. I'm sure it's a very
nice fellow. But as I've said for months, Jim's a commentator. I mean, Jim can just tell you what's happening. Well, I can read that in the newspapers. He's about to deliver four budgets. The next four budgets will have over one hundred billion dollars worth of deficits shari which are forecast, which is why there won't be another budget before the next election. But Albanize is spending far too much money and any increase in aggregate demand puts pressure on prices and therefore inflation.
Rich O, what do you think do you think this will take the pressure off a rate hike next week that the data that we saw.
Today, Well, I think it takes some pressure off, but not enough. I think I expect more rate rises. I'm not sure they're very good politically, but I expect them. I think Jim Chalmers is a brilliant guy, but I think he's got to be a bit tougher. I think he needs to do more and he needs to show those around him that he's got what it takes, because obviously, I think there's a vat on in the knapsack somewhere there. So if you're carrying the bat hole, you need to show you're worthy.
Well, many of us think he would be a leadership successor to Albanezi.
But while we're on this.
Topic, rich what about Tony Burke thinking his son prime minister or aspirant and now albows elevated him to the Home Affairs portfolio. Surely no one is seriously considering Tony Burke is a future prime minister.
Well, I don't think that Tony would be out of the running. I think he's certainly in there. But you know, future prime minister's hard charmers and Miles have got a pretty head, big head start on him and it's hard to catch up.
Yeah, that would be a joke, wouldn't it. Michael Kroger having someone like Tony Burke as a prime minister.
Well, you and I might be laughing, but I don't think so. I mean Burke, Burke is one of the hard men of labor. He's delivered for the unions in his Portfolilore. He's a very good media performer, right, he won't be caught like Giles and O'Neill. He's a very good media performer. He'll have the backing now of a lot of the trade unions and look, in the end,
the cream rises to the top. And his performance as a labor minister, right, as a labor minister, in terms of appealing to the labor caucus and the labor faithful, he's done a lot more to win votes amongst his constituency than Chalmers has or Richard Males has. So I think Richard's fading and Charmers is just as rich I absolutely says Jim Chalmers as I was the hell of a nice blake. You preferred him at a barbecue than Tony Burke. But that's not what we're going for here.
I think Bert Stocks have risen dramatically within the caucus, whilst Chalmers is fading because Jim just can't make a point. You've got to make some enemies in this business, as Richard knows better than anyone, You've got to make enemies to make anything. He who makes no enemies makes nothing at all. Jim's a hell of a nice bloke. He's handing out, you know, free confetti at the weddings. But he's a lovely fellow. But boy, he's just a commentator.
He's a suburban new newspaper journalist writing about the local sport, telling us what happened on Saturday. Doesn't want to make any enemies, Jim, and that doesn't serve you well in politics.
Quick final word, Richo, I think.
I think Jim could deal with a few more enemies. I'll leave it at that all right.
Michael Kroger, Graham Richardson, thank you both very much for joining me. Now still to come, a leading economist will break down today's inflation data and what it means for the cash rate. Plus we'll return to our top story, conflict in the Middle East as Hamasa's top leader is killed. Will cross live to an Israeli journalist shortly.
Welcome back well.
Concerns over a rate hike next week are easing slightly after today's inflation data was in line with the Central banks forecasts, although it was higher than what Treasury had predicted just a few months ago. CPI rose one percent in the June twenty twenty four quarter, bringing annual inflation to three point eight percent. This was Treasurer Jim Chalmer's response, saying that inflation is still easing despite the rise.
Have a look.
We know that people are still under pressure and this inflation in our economy is more persistent than any of us would like. But there are some within the data, there are some welcome developments. Even though inflation overall is still sticky and stubborn. We've got to get on top of this inflation challenge in our economy without smashing our economy or without smashing jobs.
But Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor had a different take. He insisted, inflation is now homegrown.
This is homegrown inflation.
This is Labour's homegrown inflation inflicting pain on every Australian household.
All right, Judo Banks, A Chief economic advisor Warren Hogan joins me. Now, thank you very much for your time. Now, it did rise to three point eight percent, so the Treasury had forecast it was going to be three and a half percent the middle of this year. They were then forecasting that by the end of the year it would be down to three percent. That's getting very close to the target band of two to three percent. So
we're seeing that the Treasury was more optimistic. But given it was in line with where the RBA is expected inflation to be, do you think they're therefore less likely to raise rates at their board meeting next week.
Yeah.
We were worried today's number would be a bad number because the monthly numbers for April and May had been and we thought there'd be a smoking gun for the RBA. But as it turned out, we got a more moderate number. It's still a bad number. We're still getting inflation at one percent in the quarter four percent and rates, so the smoking guns not there. But the RBA could easily say, look, it's sort of coming down. We can wait for another
three months. But by the same token, the case for higher rates is quite clear, and that is inflation has stopped falling. It got to eight, it's come down to four late last year, and now it's just going sideways. And even though the days data didn't bear out the worst, it's still not telling us that inflation's heading to target. So the RBA has a case to go on top of the fact that we're creating a lot of jobs.
And of course the.
Big one is there's a huge fiscal stimulus about the hit the economy. Well he's hitting it right now, and text cuts and subsidies and so forth.
Well, the treasurers seemed to be urging, not directly, of course, you know, he says he would never tell the independent IBA what to do, but it seemed to be urging the IRBA in his public commentary to hold off because he's saying that when some of the extra subsidies hit, that will lower inflation. This is part of his argument that his budget is deflationary.
Do you think that proposition's accurate?
No, it's not.
I mean, it's a narrative for the broader community, and it's obviously a cost of living measure which is helping people in terms of their budgets, But in terms of the inflation process and what worries the RBA and the idea of getting inflation out of our economy, Throwing money at the economy is not a solution to inflation. In fact, it adds to it. And I think the real risk here is the RBA chooses not to go next week because of this broader pressure on them to not raise rates,
because this number wasn't as bad as feared. But as the stimulus that's coming through with tax cuts kicks in and the economy starts to look a bit better, and the next inflation number is no better, if could be even worse. Then if they raise rates later in the year, then the government's got nowhere to go, and it'll be clearly because the fiscal stimulus is hit and of course
the inflation is not going away. So in a way you could argue the government should want to hike next week because that sort of is a hike not related to their fiscal stimulus. But it's coming and there's some early signs that people are responding positively to the tax as you'd expect.
The Treasurer has argued that because of their energy subsidies, that component of inflation was much lower than it would have been. What happens when those subsidies and in about a year's time, well, the.
Inflation goes back up. So electricity is one hundred and it goes to one hundred and ten, but the government gives you a subsidy and says it's only going to cost you one hundred and five. The electricity generator is still getting one hundred and ten, but the CPI says it's only going up to one hundred and five. But in the following year they remove the subsidy. The consumer pays one hundred and ten, and even though the electricity price hasn't changed, the CPI will measure it as an increase.
So it's just a mask in terms of inflation. So if you remove the subsity, inflation will go up. So the IBA is said quite clearly they're going to look through it. I mean, this is something economists have understood for decades. These are tricks in terms of the measurement of inflation rather than what's actually out there.
So you think the IBA will still have to raise rates, but it might be they might shift it towards the end of the year bonding to some of the public pressure, or maybe it's just not urgent for them.
To do it right now.
Yeah, well, I mean there is a lot of pressure. It's not just this sort of political pressure from political leaders, but they are concerned about their position in the community.
Well, thirteen rate rises. It's hurting that, you know, people are having to.
Sell their homes, it is, But the reality is is the inflation is what's doing the damage to people's standards are living, particularly the most vulnerable in our community, and it's their job to get rid of it. So it's a judgment call. But I still think that the level of the cash rate is not high enough that we will need to see further rate hikes, and the sooner we do it, the less they'll have to be. So it's really the RBA is really it's a big, big
meeting next week. Most people think they're not going to move. I still think that there's a chance they will because I think it's the right thing to do. But I don't think we're out of the woods on rates or inflation by any stretch of the imagination. Just because this numbered the day came in a touch better than expected.
Yeah, well, and even the Treasurer says it's sticky and stubborn. Now let's have a look at Rex Airlines. It has gone into voluntary administration. It's already fired three hundred and sixty employees. It's axed their Capital city flights, some jobs, More jobs are on the line, more flights are up for being cut as well. This is really impacting regional communities. Do you think there's anything the government should be doing.
Yeah, well, look the process has got to have a look at what can be retrieved. So they've gone into these new routes in the last few years and the capital city routes that hasn't worked. Can they get out of those routes and still have a business the one we know in regional Australia. If they can, great, If not, I think there's a case for the government to provide some support, whether it's the state governments or the federal
But this is a crucial service. We know that the airline industry is difficult, and of course rex is a really important service for Australia. So I think there is a case for government as long as it's a transparent process that shows that it can't be saved on its own.
All right, Larin Hogan, thank you very much for your time. Appreciate it.
Thanks V.
It's been a big day for you, I know, analyzing all of this data.
Returning to our top story, now that Hamas chief Ishmael Haneieir has been killed in Tehran, let's bring in Israeli journalist in New Zanka, Littel Shamesh. Thank you very much for your time. Have what response have we heard from Israel over this?
Has anyone in the.
Israeli government taken responsibility for this assassination?
Hi, Jerry, thank you so much, first of all for having me so No, at the moment, Israel is not taking responsibility for that assassination. To be honest, I don't think it will in the upcoming a few years. Usually Israel do not take responsibility for any kinds of measures as like that on the soil of Tyran, on the land of Iran. What I can tell you is that Israel took responsibility for taking down one of the heads
of Risbela just yesterday in the heart of Beiwut. So to see these two act within less than twelve hours, taking down heads of Isbelah and the number one personality of Hamas is a great, great achievement for the State of Israel. And this whole thing is happening on the same day of the inauguration of the President of Iran, which is sending a clear message to Iran, we will not be afraid to take down your proxies, heads of his Blah, heads of Hamas, and we know how to
get to each and single one of them. So it's basically a great success for the Israeli intelligence.
Yeah, indeed it is. It's also an embarrassment for te Iran.
Is there an expectation that the Iranian leadership will now retaliate.
So that's a question that we're all asking ourselves in Israel whether Tyran would want to respond to this act being held on its territory or will Iran will back down because at the moment, Israel is trying to defeat Ramas in the Gaza strip. In the recent few months, Israel has been taken down five of the six top men in Hamas, so including muhammadef who are Israel took down just last week. So we're talking about getting one step closer to the surrender of Ramas.
Do you think the terrorist group is looking weaker by the day. Many international experts have argued that ultimately Hamas can't be killed because it's an extremist ideology and there's so much of that extremism that's infiltrated the Palestinian population.
But there has been an effort. Israel says it's targeted or.
Killed some thirteen to fifteen thousand Hamas terrorists in Gaza. So is this looking like a more realistic proposition that the terror group could be destroyed?
Yeah, So, on one hand, you're right. On one hand, this is a fundamentalist organization. We're talking about an extremist idea, the same as isis calling for the illumination, illumination of the State of Israel and of the Jewish people as a whole. But at the end of the day, Israel cannot allow itself to leave side by side with a tear entity controlling the Gaza strip. And if we're just talking about Ismailhaniah was assassinated yesterday. This man estimated worth is four billion dollars.
And I think the entire.
World should wake up and understand when it's sending aid to Gaza, when it's sending humanitarian aid into the Palacine and Authority, the money goes eventually to the hands of
the leaders of RAMAS. Just a few months ago, Australia has declared fifty two million dollars eight into God And can you verify that this money is not going to the hands off the heads of Ramas who are traveling in private jets, who are slipping in luxurious hotels, And at the end of the day, you don't know if that tax paying money is going to the hands of the leaders corrupted leaders of RAMAS and policine Authority are
actually going to help Palesinians. So I think the entire world should gather up to fight this fundamentalist, extremist terr organization that Israel is fighting Tramas alongside with Fisbola and at the end of the day, both of these branches are proxies of Iran.
Yeah, such a good point. Dettel, really appreciate having you on the show tonight.
Thank you now Still to come.
Labour's renewable energy plan continues to lose public support as power bills get high, and my panel.
Will join me next. Welcome back.
Well, let's bring in tonight's political panel Labor MP Daniel Melino and Coalition MP Andrew Wallace.
Welcome to you both. Look, let's have a look at the issue of.
Power bills and how this is playing out amongst Australians. The Daily Telegraph had a Redbridge poll that found that Australians are not buying into Labour's renewable vision. Fifty four percent of voters agreed with the proposition that the government's transition to renewable energy has pushed up power bills. Daniel, it seems Australians are not convinced by Albanese's renewable plan.
Well, Sherry, thanks for having me on. Look.
I've seen a whole lot of poles on energy over the last few months, and I would say that the balance of the polling suggests that people actually support moving forward with renewables becoming an ever larger share of our energy source, so long as it's firmed appropriately, and I think the government's plan is for that to be gas.
I've seen poles, for example, by Essential showing that a strong majority support renewables as the most suitable energy source going forward, that they don't support deferring action for fifteen.
Years or more waiting for nuclear.
And there are other poles also which point to very similar results. For example a CSIO pole recently. I think what people want is action. The problem with the nuclear approach is that we're going to be kicking the can down the road for at least fifteen years and we just can't afford to do that.
Andrew, what do you think.
Do you agree with what Daniel just said that people do want renewable action and that they think nuclear energy is to remote proposition.
Well, Sharie, not necessarily, No, I don't agree with that because effectively, what we're seeing is Australians are hurting badly. We're seeing more than six hundred Australians each week getting in touch with their energy providers and going onto hardship provisions.
The cost of living is continuing to buy. This inflation crisis that we're seeing is home grown and people are hurting badly and what they are seeing is that as opposed to what Anthony Alberanezi said on ninety seven occasions prior to the election, is that he reduce energy prices. What we've actually seen, rather than be reduced, we're seeing them increase by one thousand dollars. So you know, Australians aren't buying this anymore because they know it is hurting
them in the back pocket. What they want is cheaper, cleaner and consistent energy. Now we say in the Coalition that we're returned to government that will provide an integrated energy mix and that can be done through certainly through renewables, firmed by gas and then ultimately by a nuclear This folly that Chris Bowen has been on with eighty three percent renewables is driving people's energy prices through the roof.
Let's have a look at Paris now, and there's been a gender row ererupt. It was discovered that two boxers who have been disqualified from the World Championships were then allowed to compete at the Olympics. The fight has failed gender eligibility tests last year, so they weren't deemed to be women last year. But the IOC is now defending the pair, confirming they have both met the criteria to be women to compete at these Olympics.
Daniel, what do you make of this?
We look.
I think we've seen a lot of debates around transgender athletes in sports across a range of different sports over the last ten years or more, and I think.
They generated a lot of hysteria.
And I think what led to more measured and sensible policies was that we went towards a process where the governing bodies for each of the major sports around the world looked at the issue and based upon the particular characteristics of each sport, made decisions about who could participate
and who couldn't. And to me, if you look at the kinds of outcomes we saw in swimming and athletics, it seemed to result in sensible, pragmatic outcomes across a whole range of sports, and that, to me, that seemed to be the sensible approach.
That we should look at it on a sport by sport basis.
What we see here is to me a situation where, look, I don't know all the details of this particular situation, the organizers in Paris seem to be saying that the two athletes have competed in women's categories in a number of competitions in the past, and if that's the case, then it would suggest that a number of competitions have
deemed it suitable. So, look, it may be a case that boxing is still grappling with the rules and that perhaps a number of their eligibility rules need to be settled before we get to major competitions.
I guess I just reiterate.
I think, broadly speaking, I think a sport by sport approach makes sense. Boxing clearly is a relatively high resport, so it just seems a little strange to me that we're still dealing with eligibility issues at such a major event.
Yeah, look, there seems to be a lot of different views. This is going to continue to be a big controversy. Andrew Wallace, The New South Wales and South Australian governments are holding a joint two day summit on the impact of social media on young people. They want to raise the age of the platforms to sixteen.
Do you think this should be a federal.
Government initiative, to have a national approach instead of just two states.
Well, I applaud both Chris Mins and Steven Malanowskis for coming out and talking about this. This is something that I've been banging on for a while and it's something that the Social Media Committee on which I is looking at doing expressly, and that is raising the social media age minimum age to sixteen. The platforms currently have them
at thirteen. We know it from a recent UK study that thirty four percent of young people on social media their parents are happy to lie for them to say that they are over thirteen.
Which is a great concern.
But look, we think that thirteen and even thirteen is far too young for developing minds to be exposed to sort of problems we see in social media.
Indeed it is Daniel Melino Andrew Wallace really appreciate your time tonight. Thank you very much, and thanks everyone for your company at home. I'll see you tomorrow at eight. And right now, here's Paul Murray.