Live on Sky News. This is Sharry.
Good Evening. Well, we've got just over a week left until the Christmas break of five more shows you don't want to miss any of them coming up tonight. Australia's household recession now the longest on record. This as our economy is the weakest since Paul Keating's recession. We had to have economists are seriously concerned, and one will join me here tonight. Plus, the world leading stockbroker lashes out
at Chris Bowen, accusing him of incompetency on energy. Angus Aikin will be here live in studio for that exclusive interview. And Australia's worst foreign minister in history, Pennywong once again sides with terror regimes who don't recognize Israel's right to exist. Well, maybe she could take a trip to Gaza to see whether she feels safe living under her mus Michael would join me to fire up about this shortly, but first tonight.
The real story of the economy right now that goes to the heart of the cost of living crisis is that we're in a household recession. This is now the case for the seventh consecutive quarter in a row. It's a record. It's measured by GDP per capita. Now there's a lot of spinning politics, but the data doesn't lie. Australia under the Albanezy government has also recorded its weakest
annual growth since the nineties recession. Apart from the pandemic lockdowns, our economy grew by just zero point eight percent in the past year and just zero point three percent in the three months to September. It's only government spending and high migration that's stopping us from falling into recession. But at a household level, as I said, we're now in a recession for a record number of months. It's a
record we don't want here in Australia. Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor today describe these GDP figures as a nightmare.
These numbers are a nightmare, reflecting the nightmare Australians are facing in trying to make ends meet. Right now, this is the seventh consecutive quarter of GDP per capita going backwards. Seventh consecutive quarter of a household recession. We've never seen that before. We haven't seen it before. It is absolutely diabolical. At the end of the day, what we're seeing is household standards of living collapsing in front of our eyes.
The government can sugarcoat all they want, but the fact is, as the Reserve Bank governor keeps pointing out, it's the government's reckless spending that drives up inflation and therefore keeps interest rates.
High for longer.
And as you know, as we've been speaking about Australia's living standards on our worse than the rest of the world because other countries are emerging from this inflation crisis. Now, the Prime Minister was asked about this on Sunday, and this is the moment alb and Easy tried to blame our living standards on global inflation before being shown just how we were worse off than every other country.
But I want to.
Show you this some OECD data on household disposable income. It goes back to pre COVID right, so you can see the rise there. But why has in Australia household disposable income continued to go down over the last couple of years.
We understand that people are doing it tough. Global inflation has had an impact. Now, inflation peaked higher and earlier overseas, and it did here, but our focus has been on providing cost of living support.
Sorry to interrupt, but I mean take a look at this. You talk about the global fact that other countries Canada, the OECD average, the US, they're doing better than Australia with disposable income. Why is that?
Because, David, if you look at the middle of the graphor tells you the story, inflation peaked higher and earlier overseas than it did here.
Yeah, global inflation. It's a convenient answer until he's shown that other countries are handling this better than us. And it's not just families hurting, but businesses too are struggling. As Liberal MPs Zoey Mackenzie said today.
The country is in recession and you just need to ask the more than twenty thousand businesses that have gone out of business since this government was elected to know that everything is heading in the wrong direction. I can't see anyone taking any comfort in any of the figures, frankly coming out of this government's male administration of the economy.
Well Treasurer Jim Charmers admitted that there were expectations the GDP figures today would start to show a turnarout and across the industry, there was a wide expectation the economy would start to show green shoots and grow again. Facing the press today, Charmers was realist stick about the data. He said the growth was weak and slow.
It's weighed down by interest rates and cost of living pressures and global economic uncertainty as well. Now Australians would be much worse off and growth in our economy would be even weaker without our responsible and balanced approach to the budget and without our cost of living support.
But he said there was an encouraging aspect of the data that wages are growing and they grew by zero point two percent in the quarter. And this is true that wages are our growing, not falling, even if it is by zero point two percent. But the problem is that wages growth is largely eroded by bracket creep. Economists are concerned about how much of the increase in government
tax revenue is because of bracket creep. Middle Australia is paying more taxes while wages only grew zero point two percent, and at the same time, government spending hit a record high That means no government has ever spent more money than the Albanezy government at a time when economists and even the RBA has been begging the government to rain in spending to tame inflation. Well, the finn Reviews Economics editor John Keo says the national accounts are grim reading
his words, and he says indisputably worse than expected. And he wrote today that the private sector is even teetering on recession. And he says that it's bloated government spending and immigration that's keeping the economy afloat, even though it's barely afloat. John Keo writes, no amount of lipstick on
this pig can hide the economic stagnation. Government spending and immigration are not a sustainable way to expand a high productivity economy that lifts living standards and real incomes for Australians. But the reality is that without this government spending, the weakest annual growth since the nineties recession of zero point eight percent would have been much worse. In fact, if it wasn't for this government spending, we'd be in a recession.
And economists are arguing that spending should be rained in. It's a point to a minister. Element Economist Chris Richardson made here on this show last night when he said the government could be doing more to bring down spending.
The International Monetary Funds is, if governments want to help their central banks fight inflation, then governments need to cut spending and raise taxes.
Or in other words, if inflation.
Is a problem of too much money chasing too little stuff, governments can help by taking money out of the system instead. Most governments around the world, but particularly here in Australia, are doing the opposite.
And there's now speck that because our economy is so weak, it could prompt the IBA to cut rates earlier than it would have. Now that's pure speculation and the IBA has given no indication that it plans to do that. But if it does do this because our economy is so weak, alban Easy of course will celebrate it and claim it's evidence of good economic management. He'll even use it to claim the cost of living crisis is over,
when the reality is far from this. Many Australians are now facing a miserable Christmas, unable to afford to take even a local holiday and struggling to pay for Christmas presents for children. Their savings that they accumulated during the pandemic have been eaten up used to pay for bills and basic household expenses. And according to new polling today, one in three Australians have gone without medicine, food or education in order to just meet their rental payments or
their mortgage over the past twelve months. This is a really sad state of affairs for our developed nation, going without food or medicine, and voters will hold this against the Prime Minister, as they should, because this is what he promised them.
Labor has a plan for a better future, a plan not just for them but for their children as well, for families, taking the pressure.
Off the cost of childcare, the cost.
Of electricity, a plan to address cost of living, take pressure off cost of living, meaningful ongoing help with the cost of living for families.
Yep.
Alben Easy promise life would be more affordable, over and over again. And as families now scratch around to pay for Christmas decorations, there's only one person they'll blame. And when they remember that Albin Easy Thomas life would be better while also pledging a new era of integrity in politics, well they'll only be anger at the ballot box. Well,
another big show tonight. As always, world leading stockbroker angers Aitkin will join me live in studio, his first ever TV interview, and he's going to rip into climate warrior Chris Bowen plus Warren Hogan, Daniel Malino and Keith Pitt all coming up. But now let's bring in former Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger and labor powerbroker Graham Richardson. Welcome, gentlemen,
to you both. Michael, I want to start by getting your response to the National account data out today in the news that we're now in a record household recession seven consecutive quarters in a row.
Well, what it means.
Is that the Australian public has been in a recession for one and three forty years, almost two years. But everyone knows that the lived experience of people is that they are doing it harder than they've ever done in their life. And this is off of the back of Albanisi winning the election on the basis of you know, these great sort of advertising lines there's a cost of living crisis, power bills will be reduced, blah blah blah. I mean this was all a fraud. He had no
idea what he's doing. He's got a second rate treasure. Who has I've said for a long time. He's a commentator, He's not a treasure's bootlace. He wouldn't make the top twenty if any labor government of the last twenty or thirty years for old Jim. And basically the economy is running him. He's not running anything. And so these are disastrous accounts propped up by unsustainable massive government expenditure at federal and state level. And we know where this is
all going. We've seen this movie before in Victoria in South Australia. It's disastrous state governments and this will probably end up being a labor government worse than that of Kevin Rudd. And that's saying something Sharry Rich.
I mean, spin aside, these are the weakest figures since Paul Keating's recession. If you put lockdowns to one side. You know, the government's argument is that without the government spending we would be in a recession right now. But families feel like they're in a recession because of the data, the GDP per capita.
Yeahs are times are definitely tough and the economy is not doing everything that Jim Chalmers tells that it should do. And I think that is pretty obvious to the ordinary person in the street who usually doesn't care much about economics or politics, but people are filling the pinch at the moment and times are tough. If that doesn't turn around in a reasonably short time, then the government may pay a very big price at the ballot box.
Indeed, because this is going to be the biggest issue. And if we see blackouts over some and I'm going to speak about that with anger skid in a moment. Well, let's move into the world. Let's move on to the worst foreign minister in Australia's history, Pennywog. I have to tell you, it just feels like Groundhog Date. It feels like every week I have to talk about the latest
shocking thing Pennywog has done. And now this disgraceful move Australia changing our position to support more UN resolutions against Israel. And this one, the first one demands and I'm going to quote from this here, that Israel bring to an end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory as rapidly as possible. No demand in this resolution for the terrorists that run Gaza to recognize Israel. No demand in
this resolution for the terrorists to return the hostages. God forbid anyone at the UN should care about the hostages. Michael Kroger, what is wrong with Penny Wog in this government?
Well, the hard left extreme, It's that's what they are, Albanizi Wong. These people are of the hard labor left. This is the Bill Hartley fection from the nineteen seventies. This is not the Hawk faction. This is a debate which goes back fifty years in Lebavarty history, which Graham
knows better than me. But Bill Hartley was a hard left pro Palestinian activist here in the labor movement in the seventies and this is his faction which have finally wrestled control of the federal Parliamentary Labour Party.
I mean, Israel has.
Tried to give back the disputed territories on any number of occasions since nine forty eight. They tried to give the Goal on Heights back to Syria, but they don't seem to want them. And we have a UN passing these ridiculous resolutions. It's time, Shari, for the UN to sit down and tell the world, for Penny Long to tell the world what type of Palestinian state are we looking at.
What we know is this.
It's not going to be a democracy, right because Hamas and Fata don't have elections. They're not going to be freedom of the press in a Palestinian state. There's not going to be freedom of religion unless you're a Sunni. They won't recognize Israel's right to exist. There's no freedom of religion, there's no rights for gays, there's hatred of the Americans, there's death to America and death to the West. That's the type of Palestinian state we are looking at.
If the UN would sit down and tell the truth about you know, but what we have of these sort of resolutions in theory without any practice. I mean, a Palestinian state on the base of everything I've said, is going to be like in Iranian theocracy, all I run by the Sunni rather than the Shia. That's what people are looking for. You know this, If this comes to pass, that's what's going to happen.
If this comes to pass, perfectly put Michael Kroger, that is just so well said, and Richo he's right. I mean, what exactly is the Rushia for Pennywong to recognize at least one Palestinian territory run by a terror regime.
Yeah, I wonder I don't have an answer for that. I wish I did. And I agree with pretty well everything that Michael just said. I think Australia has dropped the ball on Israel in the Middle East and the Palestinian territories. I think we're handling it pretty poorly. And I think at some stage of their game, we've just got to stand up and admit who our ntes are, who've got to be looked after, and who are the people who would rather kill us than look after us.
And that's what really annoys me about this exactly.
I completely agree with you. There's this total confusion under the Albenzi government about who our allies are and who our enemies are. And this is because you have two far left figures in Albanesi and Pennywog running the show. It's just so frustrating, it really is.
Now.
I want to turn to us posty and.
By the way, Scharry, Yeah, before that, Arry, you know, we keep reading about the Palistinian authority being reconstructed. Well, as Michael Danby says that they're now about to be twenty years into their four year term, they've had twenty years to rebuild, reconstruct, reorganize whatever. What's Mamudebus waiting for. There's no reconstruction of the Palestinian authority. They're all corrupt anti Jewish, antie Israel regime that you know that that
grew out of the PLO. He's had decades to rebuilding, to reorganize himself and not be corrupt. What's he waiting for? So the notion that there's going to be some pure American, Australian, British style democracy is an utter absurdity. But the U and should be honest and tell people this is what a Palestinian state will look like. It will look like in Uranian theocracy. That's what you're voting for. Penny one, well done.
But also a look where Donald Trump is right now. He's demanding the release of the hostages. And look where UN is trying to reward the terrorists who took those hostages. It's insanity. And why isn't the UN also have an investigation into how the billions of dollars in aid from the international community have been spent. Have they gone towards the underground tunnel network, have they gone towards weapons? And why haven't they gone towards civilian infrastructure? You know, that
is an investigation they should be running. Of course, they're not going to do that. Okay, let's turn to you politics now, because I'm sure we could talk about this all night. There are now reports that Donald Trump might put run De Santis in as Defense Secretary instead of Pete Hegseth. There've been allegations, and I've got to say this is according to a far left leaning media organization that hates Fox News. The allegations are that heg Seth
drank alcohol before he went on air. The report claims that Fox News colleagues smelled alcohol on his breath and that they heard him talking about being hungover. I don't know what journalist hasn't been hungover at work, But there you go, rich O. Look again, keeping in mind this is from a rival outlet to Fox News. The reports, though, are credible that Trump is looking at putting Runda Santa's in instead. Do you think this would be a good move for the President elect?
Well, I don't think it would necessarily hurt him. I mean, obviously I don't know these people, neither to you. We don't know the truth of these allegations. The trouble with these allegations is that once they hang around for a while, they get a light for their own and they become accepted fact. And I think that's very sad, especially if you're the person involved. But one thing is absolute certain, and that is that Trump we'll find a way around it. He always does.
Well.
He has already had to give up Matt Gates, so this could be the second candidate, Michael Kroger or his second pick that he has to cast aside.
So he's got to cast this bloke aside? What because he drinks? Hmm, Well, he would be the only politician in the world, in the Western world who's had a few drinks before out or a half to work. So that's the basis on which he's going to get rid of him. Goodness me that we know and left. I think this guy do a good job. You know, he's a former veteran, he's not tainted by the past. But in any case, if Trump does MOVI him and puts Desantas in, I don't think Trump will worried too much
about that. I mean, he's had defeats before, and you know he's got to crash through or crash style, and this will be part of the crash, but a weird minor one, So I don't think I'll worry him too much either way, but really getting rid of someone because he's been drinking seriously.
There have been other allegations, of course, as well, relating to, you know, sexual assault that Heseth has denied.
Rich.
I can't have you on the show without asking you about this rift between Alban Easy and Tanya Plebisac. Just how bad is it?
Oh?
I don't think there's any rift.
Cabline, No, I don't.
I actually really don't. They're both friends of mine, and if there's a rift between them, then I'm going to say I've missed it. They can argue, they can disagree. People do that, but it doesn't mean there's a split.
Well, come on, what about how he treated her this week? Though? He gasolt Hurt is a new term, a modern term, which means that you know she went and did a deal with the Greens. He pretended one had it been done when it had.
Yeah, I think this week's been shell We say a little sloppy, but that happens sometimes in politics. Not every week could be a good one.
Do you think if something happens to Hero, she would be the next leader. She would be a leadership candidate.
I doubt it. I think she'd make a very good leader. But she doesn't have carcus battalions behind her.
Chalmers or Tony Burke.
No, yeah, you haven't. If you haven't got the battalions, you can't be in the race.
So who does Who would have the numbers? If something happened to Albert.
I think there would be a pretty close run between the Charmers, Miles and Burke. I mean, it'd be very hard to pick a winner. I'm not sure I'd be prepared to put money on the table at this stage.
Well, let's see if it comes to that over the next few months. Going to be fun watching this unfold. Graham Richards and Michael Kroeger thank you both so much, as always for your time.
Thanks you, Chary.
Now. In recent weeks, Australians have been told to delay dishwasher use and stop using too much electricity after three o'clock in the afternoon or risk blackouts. This is ludicrous for twenty first century Australia to have to ration electricity and it's only a summer is just beginning now of course, this is a self inflicted crisis. We're an energy rich nation, but we're exporting gas while struggling for our own supply
across the country. Well, a world leading stockbroker has bravely gone public to strongly criticize the energy and climate change minister Chris Bowen. And I'm joined now by the man himself, prominent and well respected stockbroker Angus Aiken. Angus, great to see you here in sky. Thank you for joining.
Me, Thanks for having me. I'm sorry now we're.
Facing blackouts this summer. We're paying more for the privilege. How do you think Chris Bowen has handled the energy supply in Australia.
I always think arrogance and stubbornness are to shocking trades in life and in our listed companies. We always avoid companies where where they think there's arrogance, they won't listen to anyone's opinion, and Chris Bowen is that in the political world. He will not listen to any other opinion
other than his own views. And so far, the way we look at it, in this energy transition, all he's done is create less reliable base load power and significantly higher energy prices for the average Australian.
I mean, as you point out in a note to investors where you first went public with all of this, I mean you compare Chris Bowen to a fun manager where the stock price has gone down by ninety percent, but he's still out there saying the market is wrong and not him. I mean, how ignorant do you think he is.
I think he's up there in terms of the most stubborn politicians behind the Malcolm Turnbulls and Kevin Rudds, and we know how those sort of political career has ended. But you know he's going against some of the smartest minds in the world. He's very against nuclear. Doesn't mean we need giant nuclear plants here tomorrow, but to go against the Bill Gates as the Jeff Bezoses and these type of hyper successful technology investors are the best smartest
people in the world over the last thirty years. What makes Chris Bowen smarter than those people?
Nothing exactly. And also we're seeing more than thirty countries around the world how nuclear as part of that energy mix. Yet the Abenezy government is running this line that we shouldn't even go there. In Australia, I mean, voters aren't going to buy the scare campaign, are they?
Sharry, I just can't believe we go to we're a G twenty member. That means, you remember, of the twenty largest economies in the world. And albo is in Rio the other day. I'm pretty sure he wasn't telling the other delegates there about turning off the kettle and you dishwasher at night. It's an embarrassment. But Chris Bowen, you know, I was looking through his declaration of interest. The guy received a number plate from Tim Waltz and declared it.
I mean, getting something from the Minnesota government. You know, a guy like that shows you're a complete loser in life. And that's through.
And through it.
I mean, ultimately, what we've seen in Australia is a rush to renewables and at the same time a failure to invest or to extend the life cycle of colfied power plants. But the reality is whether we like it or not, and you know some viewers might not like it, but the reality is at the moment to keep the lights on, we still need cold.
Yeah.
I was in America last week for work, and the average American cannot believe a resource rich country like Australia. We explot four times that we produce four times as much gas as we consume, and we're talking about importing gas into Australia. Just think about that, like a nine year old at school can understand that makes no sense. Culfied power just before we came on air, it's seventy percent of the New South Wales power grid at this
time of the day there is zero solar. So for Chris to say it should be zero in four or five or six years time, it is an impossible task because you think about the scale of the batteries that you need to make up for seventy percent of the power grid at this time of day in this peak power period. So we just see his rushing it. We've got nothing against renewables, is a role for renewables, it's
just the pace of it is. What we're saying is madness and he will not listen to economic common sense and that's what worries us for the Ustralian economy.
And also they've been keeping secret their targets for twenty thirty five as well, which is kind of extraordinary.
Well so if you talk to anyone in the energy sector, like the biggest players. They don't like to stay stuff publicly for fear of the government shooting their head off and that sort of thing. They all know these targets are totally unachievable. You talk to any major power retailer, gas producer. None of these targets are achievable. Only Chris Bowen is sticking to the transmission. When you're driving through the countryside and you see the big old power transmission lines,
some of them are fifty sixty seventy years old. You know, we've underinvested in this infrastructure a decade. You cannot just turn all this soul and win on out in the middle of nowhere and have a stable grid. And that's what Bohn will never admit publicly.
I mean, it's putting ideology, let's face it, putting ideology above reliability.
Yeah, and I think you know, you look at as I keep coming back to that sus of nuclear against gas is the way we can totally change this economy. We have abundant gas resources we could find. You know, there's the Bedloo basin in the Northern Territory. That's the size of astray. It'll be developed and it'll be huge for the Australian economy. You know, there's so many ways we can solve this. But to me, us importing gas is as stupid as the Saudi's importing oil. Think how
moronic that would be. That's what Chris Bowen's got us to.
It's insane, it really is. I mean you think, Chris Bowen, do you remember at the last federal election, or the twenty nineteen election that Bill Shotten lost to was considered the unlosable campaign. Chris Bowen was then in the Treasury portfolio. He took these most radical tax proposals to the Australian public and he said of if you don't like them, don't vote for us, and Australians chose not to vote
for him. I think once again he might play a role along with other ministers like Penny Wong and seriously turning Australians off the Albanese government, causing them to vote for Peter Dutton, who has put forward a nuclear energy and you'd have to think, I mean, would you put Chris Bowen in charge of running a school fate?
No, I think it'd go bankrupt. You even nos sausages of Chris barn he is totally incompetent. And the problem we've got here is the further we go down this path, the harder it is to change. And there is no shorter energy or natural resources in this country. It is just they have to encourage these big companies to invest and have certainty not demonize the gas industry, the col
fired power industry and these sort of things. That is what we need is less of a pylon on these major current energy producers and this pressure to go to renewables, you know, and you think about his promise with a two hundred and seventy five bucks off your power bill at the election, You're now up about seven hundred. So it's the reverse. So this idea of lower prices is just not achievable, you know. To do with this renewable revolution.
Of Christmas, there's a complete fatasy let alone and broken promise. Well, I understand you've put a gas fire generator in your garage. So if there's black arts at summer or coming, shout it.
I'm not a doomsday prepper, but I know there's blackouts coming in the next five years thanks to Chris. And just remember, people with no history in private enterprise don't make good politicians. Chris has zero experience.
Right, Well, I'll be at your house when there's a blackout over summer. Willers. Thank you so much for your time, really appreciate it. Such smart words there. You see, this is sensible advice. Chris Bowen should listen to it. Now. Coming up after the break, the ABC's ideology on the energy crisis has been exposed. Plus just how long will we be in a household recession? For leading economist Warren Hogan would join me to discuss that's after the break.
Welcome back. Well, as we've been speaking about, Australia received it's economic health check up today and the figures prove what we know. Our economy is a train wreck, with household recession now at record levels. Let's bring in now Judobanks, Chief Economic Advisor, Warren Hogan. Great to see you as always. Look, the government's line is that without government spending we would be in a recession right now, and that's true not
just with government spending but with high migration levels. But at the same time we've got the RBA in economists saying that the government really needs to rein in spending in order to tame inflation. So what's the answer here.
Yeah, Hi, Sherry. Look, it's a very complex economy we're dealing with here, unlike anything we've seen in fifty or sixty years, and that's because we have a capacity constraint. We have not enough workers, we have not enough trades and skills in that section of the building side of things, and we can only grow by so much, and that is having a really detrimental effect on recorded rates of growth. One percent annual growth is weak by our standards of
the last thirty years. We're used to sort of three percent, but that's all we can do. In fact, it may even be too much. But the real problem and the real concern is that the public sector, not just the federal government but all the states, are growing their spending at an incredibly high rate of over four percent, so they're pushing the economy beyond its limits. And of course this idea that if it wasn't for the government, the
economy would be in recession is just not right. The government is out competing the private sector for scarce labor and other resources in the economy and of course squeezing them. So with if the weaker government spending, you'd actually find private activity would be higher and we wouldn't be in recession.
Well, John Keo in the fin Review writes that, actually the private sector is teaching on recession. So can you explain to us how tough it is at the moment for the private sector.
Yeah, Well, what we're seeing is obviously very soft consumer spending, and that's been the real driver of this slide down in the economy. That is all because of a higher tax burden because of bracket creep and rising real income tax rates and of course higher interest rates that squeezed household incomes. Consumer spending has slowed, it remains soft in the court despite a pickup in income because of tax cuts. And then the business side is seeing very flat activity
around construction and business investment has slowed down. But to this point that it's in recession. That's what the figures show us. But the question is if it wasn't for the government out there hiring people at the expense of the private sector taking up all the trades to build infrastructure and other things, what would the private sector be doing. And I think the private sector would be actually growing.
So I don't think it's the right way to characterize it, but of course, what it feels like to most Australians is the reality of a fall in our standard of living which has been going on now every quarter for the last seven quarters. And this is a long drawn out process.
Yeah, and of course that's you know, GDP per capita. So while GDP is still growing zero point eight percent, as you said, much lower than the three three percent we still usually see, it was even smaller in the September quarter, just zero point three percent our national GDP. But as you say, GDP per capita now going backwards for seven consecutive quarters. What does this mean for the average family? How are they feeling this pinch?
Well, I mean Australia has had a great economy for thirty years, all the reforms we did, opening up to the world, a great world economy that we could trade with. And what we saw there was our standard of living going up gradually one percent a year, maybe would have a good year of two percent. And this sort of saw us get to the point where not five or six years ago, we were one of the richest countries
in the world. But what we have seen is a sudden and sharp step backwards in our real incomes, household real incomes of an order of magnitude of around eight to ten percent is much worse than any other developed economy, and it's all because of inflation. And it's because we have failed to deal with inflation in a timely manner. And this is a deliberate strategy. The government's desire to avoid a recession at all costs has allowed the RBA to go on this narrow path, not raise rates as
much as other countries. And of course they're in they're spending money to try and prop the thing up when indeed it doesn't need propping up. So we haven't taken our medicine. We haven't dealt with inflation, and that's what's driving living standards backwards, people's purchasing power.
Just very quickly, Warren, before you go, we are starting to see speculation from some economists now that our weak economy might prompt the RBA to cut rates earlier than it would have done. What's your position on this.
Well, I don't think that's the right way to look at these numbers. And the governor only a week ago reiterrated this exact story, that the economy is constrained, that the demand from the government is and broader is pushing still inflation above target, and that I don't really have any scope to cut right now, so I don't see
a rate cut anytime soon. And if they did, I think it would be a very dangerous strategy because the reason we're in this mess is because they haven't probably raised rates enough initially.
Look, we'll hear from Michelle Bullock next week, but up until this point, she's given no indication that there's any rate cuts on the horizon at any point in the near future. Right, Warren Hogan, appreciate your insights. Thank you so much, Thanks Serry. Now, coming up after the break, surprise surprise that ABC is once again accused of bias suggestions now that they're reporting is energy activism. This outrage
Saxon Davidson, and he'll join me a bit later. Plus Peter Dutton ways into the debate over pubs that refuse to celebrate Australia Day. I'll talk about that with my political panel right after the break. Well, let's go to some breaking news now, and I'm hearing that there are pro Palestinian protests right now outside the Great Synagogue in the city in Sydney. So pro Palestinian protesters are currently
outside the Great synagogue. This is an incident. Police are there, But why do these protesters have to protest outside a Jewish place of worship? Why are you protesting Judaism. You might be against the war in Israel, that is not Judaism. To protest outside of synagogue is anti Semitic. This is unfolding as we speak. I've just seen a contact sent me video on my phone right now, taken from someone inside the synagogue and there are protesters right across the
road as we speak. They just shouldn't be able to protest outside of synagogue. It's just not on all right. Lots more to cover tonight. Let's bring you now my political panel Labor and P Daniel Malino and National MP Keith Pitt. Welcome to you both well. Opposition leader Peter Darton is leading the call to boycott any pubs that say Australia Day celebrations should be banned. Let's have a look at what he had to say today.
If you've got a Christmas booking at a pub or an Australia booking at a pub with your friends or family that's not celebrating Australia, canceled and go to another pub that's celebrating Australia Day, and you'll see the companies change their behaviors pretty quickly. They're changing. They're not closing down the pokies on Australia are they. They're not saying that they're going to reduce the price of beer on Australia Day because it's, you know, philosophically what they wanted
to do. They're still happy to make money, and I think they should be supporting our national cause, and our national cause is best advanced when we celebrate the great country.
We are, all right, Labor and p Daniel Molino? Is this sensible? If a pub's not going to celebrate our national Day, then should people go elsewhere?
Oll? Thanks for having me on Shari.
You know, I was thinking about this as I've seen it evolve in the media over the last few days.
I've been elected at all three levels of government.
I was a counselor about fifteen years ago in out of suburban Melbourne and even back then, Australia Day was evolving, and I remember back then Australia Day took on much more of a theme of celebrating volunteerism as a way of bringing the community together. And since that time, Australia Day has evolved further, and it is fair to say that it has become somewhat controversial in parts.
Of our community.
And I think we're in an interesting transition at the moment with Australia Day.
When I was thinking.
About how pubs in my own electorate are dealing with this, it reminded me that Australia Day evokes very different feelings in different parts of my electorate.
There are some parts of my electorate that want to continue celebrating Australia Day much as it has.
Been for a long time, and pubs will do that in those parts of the electorate. There are other parts of my electorate where they're wanting to treat a You Day very differently. And I think as a country we are going through a process where different parts of our community are wanting to treat Australia Day differently.
I don't know what the endpoint is going to be.
What I'd say is there's no single rule here, and I think part of the problem with what that pub did, or that chain of pubs is that they came in with a ham fisted single rule and didn't understand their own consumer base. I think the rule here is that people don't want to be lectured when they're going to
the pub or going out. But I do think there's going to be a range of different things people want across the community, and I'd just say that pubs or bars or whatever, restaurants just need to know their consumer base.
Quite controversial comments there, Daniel Keith, What do you think about what Daniel just had to say that we're in a transition period on Australia Day that not everyone wants to celebrate it.
What do you think, Wow, if the Labor government wants to transition Australia, let's go to the election tomorrow, sharing because I tell you the overwhelming already of Australia and that on up for transitioning. They want Australia where it is. They're proud of our country, they're proud of our flag. They just want to be left alone to celebrate what is the greatest country in the world. And if it is the Labor proposition to make changes around Australia to day,
well they should take that to the election. And I look forward to it, I really really do. We're not even up to Christmas, no matter Boxing Day or New Year and here we are getting electioned already by companies about Australia. How about we just get on with it and celebrate our nation. That's what it's about.
Yeah, look, I agree. I think most Australians love Australia Day, that we should be proud of our country and have a day to celebrate it. And you know this is generation or now. We can all remember every Australia Day almost I can going to the beach or being at home, having friends over, barbecues, cricket on the television, people playing, the boys playing cricket outside. Daniel, I don't know, I'm surprised that you had to say that, but we'll see
that has probably kicked the debate along a bit. Now. Now, Daniel, you were this afternoon as part of a committee that's looking at the nuclear mix whether it should be included in our energy mix. Nuclear energy, whether it should be included as part of our energy mix. This inquiry, of course, was set up after Peter Dutton announced his nuclear proposal. Daniel, what are you hearing from the inquiry so far?
Well, Look, some of the issues that I've been hearing are that nuclear in Australia is going to be problematic for a range of reasons, one of which is the time it's going to take, and the other is the risk of serious blowouts. When you think about the time, we're starting from a standing start. We don't have any social license in Australia. We haven't had serious work done around site selection.
We had an expert from expert on US.
Nuclear plant selection give us evidence today who wasn't anti nuclear.
She said that if the process.
Of community engagement doesn't involve genuine engagement where communities can say no, then it's led often in the United.
States to the disaster.
And what we see with the coalition policy is that they're basically announced seven sites, no negotiation, and there's going to be a ticker box consultation.
The other issue is the construction.
Blowouts we've seen in the United States with the Vogel plant, we've seen in the UK with the Hinckley plant. Construction times alone have blown out to fifteen years in those two cases, and that's not including all of the planning and financing and regulatory side.
I just wanted to make sure we have way too long enough time for Keith Pitt's response to all of this, Keith, this is clearly the line that Labour's going to run in the lead up to the next selection. What's your response.
Aucas has been underway for a number of years showing it's nuclear reactors in nuclear submarines at Australian bases. I don't think the Australian people will have the will pulled over their eyes. Lots of other countries are using it right around the world. Time has come we should be implemented here in Australia because it is zero missions, it is reliable, it uses very little land. We've got the people of the technology. We should just get on with it.
And it's a long way to twenty fifty. Twenty five years is a long time, all right.
Let's turn to Tasmania. Hundreds of workers in the salmon industry are nervously waiting on Tanya Plibisek to make a decision that will affect their livelihoods. Daniel Malino, this is a very controversial issue now and don't workers deserve to know what's happening to their jobs. Why hasn't a decision been made here?
Well, look, I think with complex issues like this, decisions often take a long time, and this is something that we've seen across governments of both political strikes for stripes for a long time. I mean this was part of the reason for the Samuel Review, which was undertaken under the previous government and which found that a number of reforms were needed based upon a lot of systemic delays
that were occurring under the previous government. Look, the Minister is making decisions based on all of her obligations under the laws. She has to step through these things carefully. I totally agree with you that workers rightly want these decisions made in a timely way. But these are complex issues and she might make.
A decision only for Anthony Albert easy to overrule it, as we've seen with the EPA laws. Right, Daniel Malino, Keith Pitt, thank you very much for your time. There you go. It looks like that Australia Day debate is going to kick on. You've just heard a labor in pace say that we're in a transition period with Australia Day. All right, don't go anywhere. The IPA Saxon Davidson is fired up about the ABC using taxpayer dollars to fund energy activism and woke ideology. Here's coming up after this
quick break welcome back. Well, let's return to that breaking news. There is an incident outside the Great Synagogue in Sydney as we speak. There are pro Palestinian protesters right outside the synagogue. You can see it on your screen. There are hundreds of Jews inside the synagogue. The synagogue is in lockdown. It is not safe for the Jews to exit because of these aggressive protesters who are right outside as synagogue. They can be against the war, but you
cannot protest outside a synagogue. What are you protesting the Jewish religion? This is antisemitism. The police are on site at the moment. They are trying to make it safe for people to leave the synagogue. They were there for an event. There were Israeli speakers inside. This is unfolding as we speak. The Great Synagogue in lockdown in the heart of Sydney. Terrible state of affairs. I understand that
Nova Paris is at the event as well. Now let's bring in now senior research fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs, Saxon Davidson Saxon, thank you for your time. Now, you've done some research, some analysis on the ABC and on their bias when it comes to ideology, and energy reporting. What can you tell us, Well.
The ABC simply just do not hide their bias. They have an entire section on ivy dedicated to their climate change catastrophism and their net zero pushing agenda. And no matter what the ABC say about the ABC being all of our ABC, it is as you would know their ABC.
They have a very clear set.
Audience and they cater to that audience and that being radical inner city activists, and they push that activism and sometimes participate in that activism and this is reflected in their journalism.
So you know there was the protest of course outside the home of Woodside Energy bus Meg O'Neil last year. Is this a case in point for how activism can just go too far at the ABC?
Well, one hundred percent. And that's not an isolated example. You of course know about the example involving Heston.
Russell as well.
And this is what happens when green ideology gets sort
of injected into our national broadcaster. We know, thanks to some analysis into the biases within the ABC done a few years ago, that ABC staff are up to five times more likely to vote for the Greens than the average Australian and this is of course, reflected in a whole range of topics, not just energy and climate change, but also the Middle East, also the voice to Parliament, the pandemic itself, and just general politics, whether it be here in Australia or abroad.
Now, it's interesting that your IPA survey found that only thirty two percent of Australians believe the ABC represent their own views, but yet the ABC always claimed that they're the most trusted organized in thirty seconds. I mean, how do these two things align.
Well, it's sort of a self fulfilling prophecy. I suppose the more you tell yourself something, the more you tend to believe it. But everyone can say that this is simply not the case. You only have to look at reporting into things such as renewable projects in the regions where inner city activists never have to foot the bill for it and have total support for it. But these projects are dividing our communities in the regions, and yet these views are simply ignored by the ABC.
Saxon Davidson, thank you so much for your time tonight, and that's it for me. Thank you for watching. I'll see you on Monday. Won't be here tomorrow night. Monday at eight o'clock and right now, Paul Murray