WEBVTT - Sharri | 6 June 0:00:03.600 --> 0:00:06.480 Live Sharry. 0:00:07.080 --> 0:00:07.720 Good evening. 0:00:08.039 --> 0:00:11.879 Well, first tonight we start with that extraordinary video of 0:00:12.000 --> 0:00:16.840 nine chairmen and former Treasurer Peter Costello knocking a journalist 0:00:17.000 --> 0:00:21.280 to the ground. The Australians reporter Leah Mendes, a first 0:00:21.360 --> 0:00:26.120 class journalist, approached mister Costello at Camera Airport this afternoon 0:00:26.560 --> 0:00:30.240 with questions about how nine was dealing with the ongoing 0:00:30.280 --> 0:00:34.280 crisis following the departure a former newsboss Darren Wick. 0:00:35.000 --> 0:00:37.240 Here is that confrontation. 0:00:37.440 --> 0:00:40.640 Have a look, mister Cassello, my name is Lea Mendez 0:00:40.680 --> 0:00:44.519 from The Australian. Do you support mister sneedsby as CEO 0:00:45.120 --> 0:00:51.199 and his handling of the Darren Wick saga? Were you 0:00:51.240 --> 0:00:54.280 aware of the allegations against mister Wick before he left Nine? 0:00:55.080 --> 0:00:55.480 Thank you? 0:00:55.920 --> 0:00:59.840 Were you aware of those allegations? Mister Costilla? Why wonn't 0:00:59.840 --> 0:01:01.600 you support mister sneezebe publicly? 0:01:02.080 --> 0:01:02.280 Good? 0:01:03.400 --> 0:01:10.800 Well, you've got to answer the questions. Mister Still, you've 0:01:10.880 --> 0:01:16.640 just assaulted You've just assaulted me. 0:01:17.240 --> 0:01:19.640 It was very mud. That was quite a violent behavior, mister. 0:01:21.240 --> 0:01:22.800 Do you have the full support of your board? 0:01:25.240 --> 0:01:28.560 Journalists who work for nine approach people in this manner 0:01:28.600 --> 0:01:31.679 every day and you attacked me dercent. 0:01:33.760 --> 0:01:35.720 This is simply shocking. 0:01:36.240 --> 0:01:40.399 The chairman of a major ASX listed company knocking a 0:01:40.480 --> 0:01:44.000 reporter to the ground and I can reveal his camera 0:01:44.360 --> 0:01:49.200 broken in the process. These were perfectly legitimate questions to 0:01:49.280 --> 0:01:53.080 ask mister Costello on how he, as chairman and the 0:01:53.200 --> 0:01:57.240 nine board have handled the numerous allegations of the mistreatment 0:01:57.280 --> 0:02:00.840 of women during the time Wick was directed of News. 0:02:01.560 --> 0:02:05.200 Nine has brought in an external company to investigate its 0:02:05.240 --> 0:02:11.600 workplace culture, including allegations of harassment, of bullying, of poor 0:02:11.639 --> 0:02:16.160 treatment of staff, of a blokey culture. And yet here 0:02:16.240 --> 0:02:20.799 is the chairman of that company demonstrating physical and threatening 0:02:20.840 --> 0:02:26.680 behavior when asked politely about those very same problems. 0:02:27.120 --> 0:02:28.320 It's a terrible look. 0:02:29.200 --> 0:02:32.200 Yet, in a case of not accepting any responsibility for 0:02:32.280 --> 0:02:36.400 his actions tonight, Costello claimed it was all an accident 0:02:36.800 --> 0:02:40.480 and Mendy's had simply tripped over backward. 0:02:41.200 --> 0:02:44.240 When I came through camera airport, there was a reporter 0:02:44.560 --> 0:02:49.639 walking backwards with his phone filming. As I walked past him, 0:02:49.720 --> 0:02:53.519 he walked back into an advertising placard and he fell over. 0:02:54.080 --> 0:02:58.000 I did not strike him. If he's upset about that, 0:02:58.120 --> 0:03:01.840 I'm sorry, but I did not strike him. 0:03:02.080 --> 0:03:04.560 Have you spoken to Liamendez. No, I have not known 0:03:04.720 --> 0:03:06.720 you look very angry when you were approaching him. Were 0:03:06.720 --> 0:03:07.400 you angry? 0:03:07.639 --> 0:03:10.760 No, I wasn't angry. Just like you blokes here, if 0:03:10.760 --> 0:03:13.520 you're backing back and there's a placard behind here, you 0:03:13.560 --> 0:03:16.320 can walk into it. I've seen it happen a million times. 0:03:16.320 --> 0:03:19.320 I've seen it here Parliament House a million times. People 0:03:19.880 --> 0:03:23.079 reporters back into the bollards and fall over. And that's 0:03:23.120 --> 0:03:23.680 what happened. 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:25.800 He's a kicking you of assault. That's not the case. 0:03:26.000 --> 0:03:29.760 It's no assault, so I said, before he was backing backwards, 0:03:29.880 --> 0:03:33.840 he hit an advertising placard. I did not lay a 0:03:33.919 --> 0:03:37.760 finger or a fist or anything else off it. 0:03:37.880 --> 0:03:40.800 The people who saw this have seen this footage and 0:03:41.240 --> 0:03:43.400 have seen it and thought that actually looks like an 0:03:43.440 --> 0:03:44.840 aggressive action on your part. 0:03:46.000 --> 0:03:47.080 You, I don't think so, I don't think. 0:03:47.800 --> 0:03:49.240 Can I just stop at the eye. I think they 0:03:49.280 --> 0:03:51.120 would think if they watched the whole. 0:03:50.960 --> 0:03:51.680 Of it and remember it. 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:54.600 So they did a transcript it was a pretty aggressive journalist. 0:03:54.640 --> 0:03:56.800 That's what I think they would bear. Do you do 0:03:56.880 --> 0:03:57.920 you think, mister Kener was a. 0:03:57.840 --> 0:04:02.720 Public place which I was entitled to through and as 0:04:02.760 --> 0:04:04.680 I said, to you. I mean he hit the advertising 0:04:04.800 --> 0:04:08.920 melody fell over. I'm sorry about that. I wish that 0:04:09.000 --> 0:04:12.640 hadn't have happened. But you know this is I've seen 0:04:12.640 --> 0:04:15.800 it happened a million times. 0:04:16.400 --> 0:04:19.760 There's already speculation that this could put your chairmanship at risk. 0:04:19.920 --> 0:04:21.080 What is your response to. 0:04:21.200 --> 0:04:24.479 Rubbish the generalist sake, you assaulted me and you've laughed 0:04:24.520 --> 0:04:25.119 and walked away. 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:29.440 Well, Peter Costello is in camera for the launch of 0:04:29.560 --> 0:04:34.000 Channel nine's new super Bureau. But that version of events 0:04:34.040 --> 0:04:39.240 there is quite extraordinary. Costello even accusing Mendis of being 0:04:39.279 --> 0:04:44.440 an aggressive journalist. Well, actually he was very polite, even 0:04:44.520 --> 0:04:47.400 after he was not to the ground. He was firm, 0:04:47.640 --> 0:04:52.800 but polite And unfortunately for Peter Costello, there's video capturing 0:04:52.800 --> 0:04:56.440 the incident from two different angles. You can have a 0:04:56.480 --> 0:05:00.320 look at the video and judge for yourself. Here gain 0:05:00.440 --> 0:05:04.320 is the moment in slow motion that Costello barged into 0:05:04.360 --> 0:05:07.680 Leam Mendes, who was just doing his job. 0:05:08.960 --> 0:05:16.160 Well, you've got to answer the questions mister straight thank you. 0:05:16.160 --> 0:05:26.320 You've just assaulted me, can't don't You've just sulted me. 0:05:28.240 --> 0:05:32.440 In my opinion, it's pretty clear that Costello comes at 0:05:32.520 --> 0:05:36.080 leam Mendy's with a shoulder barge and knocks him to 0:05:36.160 --> 0:05:40.200 the ground. And if there was any doubt about that confrontation, 0:05:40.800 --> 0:05:43.960 take a listen to some of the witnesses who saw 0:05:44.080 --> 0:05:46.800 the whole thing unfold. 0:05:47.200 --> 0:05:47.680 He saw that. 0:05:47.720 --> 0:05:50.080 I'm just feeling because I'm trying to So you saw 0:05:50.200 --> 0:05:50.720 you saw that? 0:05:50.800 --> 0:05:54.240 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, he like hitting about here. 0:05:54.320 --> 0:05:55.440 I don't know what's your fall over there. 0:05:55.520 --> 0:05:56.719 Let's just say that I'm gonna spoke. 0:05:56.560 --> 0:05:59.640 On the Okay, Yeah, I just thought we've been shacking up. 0:06:00.279 --> 0:06:05.360 What was that about? So obviously said something that I'm 0:06:05.400 --> 0:06:07.680 just asking questions about the Mike Sneezeby thing. 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:12.440 So I'm on from the Australian and yeah, I thought 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:14.039 like he's trying to he was trying to say that 0:06:14.120 --> 0:06:15.200 I walked into there. 0:06:19.080 --> 0:06:21.719 Yeah so I saw that. Yeah, we saw it. 0:06:22.960 --> 0:06:25.920 How impressive is that for leam Mendes. He's just been 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:29.400 knocked to the ground, he says he's been assaulted, and 0:06:29.800 --> 0:06:33.640 he goes to find witnesses who have seen it all unfold. 0:06:34.760 --> 0:06:39.400 Very impressive, but again, this is extraordinary stuff and under pressure. 0:06:39.680 --> 0:06:43.760 Peter Costello, the chair of Nine, the former Federal Treasurer 0:06:44.200 --> 0:06:47.400 knocking to the ground the journalist who was just doing 0:06:47.440 --> 0:06:51.360 his job. Leam Mendes has covered the war in Ukraine. 0:06:51.920 --> 0:06:54.960 He's won the News Corp Young Journalist of the Year award, 0:06:55.440 --> 0:06:59.279 and he's broken important stories in the Northern Territory. He 0:06:59.400 --> 0:07:03.200 was also the researcher on my book investigating the Origins 0:07:03.279 --> 0:07:09.600 of COVID nineteen. He's a talented, respected and courageous young journalist. 0:07:10.240 --> 0:07:10.880 And you can. 0:07:10.760 --> 0:07:13.880 See how he gets back up after being knocked to 0:07:13.920 --> 0:07:19.160 the ground and continues to ask Costello pressing questions both 0:07:19.200 --> 0:07:22.160 about why he pushed him over and about the nine 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:22.840 share price. 0:07:22.920 --> 0:07:26.560 Have a look, well, you've got to answer the questions, 0:07:26.560 --> 0:07:27.280 mister Castillo. 0:07:28.680 --> 0:07:40.920 Don't you've just assaulted You've just assaulted me. You've just 0:07:41.000 --> 0:07:45.960 pushed me. It's all on camera, mister Cassello. Why won't 0:07:46.000 --> 0:07:48.840 you support mister Sneves be probably mister Cassella, you can't. 0:07:49.160 --> 0:07:49.880 You can't do that. 0:07:49.880 --> 0:07:51.080 That's all captured on camera. 0:07:52.280 --> 0:07:56.200 Is your share prior to concern? He's very wide. That 0:07:56.280 --> 0:08:00.360 was quite a violent behavior, mister Cassella. Turn part of 0:08:00.400 --> 0:08:00.800 your board. 0:08:03.320 --> 0:08:06.640 Journalists who work for nine approach people in this manner 0:08:06.680 --> 0:08:10.120 every day, and you attacked me decent. 0:08:11.680 --> 0:08:12.360 And that's right. 0:08:12.560 --> 0:08:16.200 As Leah Mendes points out, journalists at the company Costello 0:08:16.280 --> 0:08:20.320 chairs do approach public figures for comment every day of 0:08:20.360 --> 0:08:23.840 the week, and none of those journalists would expect to be. 0:08:23.800 --> 0:08:26.680 Assaulted while doing their job. Now. 0:08:26.720 --> 0:08:29.840 I've also spoken to Liam today and there's no doubt 0:08:29.880 --> 0:08:31.520 in his mind that he was. 0:08:31.520 --> 0:08:34.280 Deliberately knocked over. He is shaken. 0:08:35.080 --> 0:08:37.640 In fact, for a journalist who's covered a war zone, 0:08:37.960 --> 0:08:39.520 this is the most shaken. 0:08:39.440 --> 0:08:40.560 I've ever heard him. 0:08:41.559 --> 0:08:45.120 Given the witness testimony that you heard and the strength 0:08:45.440 --> 0:08:48.640 of the video captured from two angles, I doubt that 0:08:48.720 --> 0:08:51.920 Costello's statement tonight will be the end of this matter. 0:08:55.880 --> 0:08:59.480 The Australians media writer Sophie Ellsworth now joins me to 0:08:59.520 --> 0:09:03.360 discuss this. Sophie, thank you very much for your time. Now, 0:09:03.520 --> 0:09:08.360 Leah Mendes was very shaken after this incident. You would 0:09:08.360 --> 0:09:11.080 have spoken to him today, Sophie, because you wrote the story. 0:09:11.920 --> 0:09:15.520 It clearly has rattled him being pushed to the ground 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:15.840 like that. 0:09:19.240 --> 0:09:21.840 Yes, Chari, I have spoken to Liam this afternoon, and 0:09:21.880 --> 0:09:24.600 I don't want to speak on his behalf, but I 0:09:24.640 --> 0:09:25.839 think the viewers. 0:09:25.480 --> 0:09:27.679 At home can make their own minds up. 0:09:27.720 --> 0:09:32.320 Sharf of what they saw unfold at Canberra Airport. And 0:09:32.520 --> 0:09:36.880 I've spoken to numerous witnesses who saw what unfolded at 0:09:36.920 --> 0:09:41.439 the airport this afternoon when Liam Mendez, an excellent reporter, 0:09:41.920 --> 0:09:45.880 was simply going about his job. He's an excellent journalist 0:09:46.200 --> 0:09:49.640 who was asking mister Costello the questions many of us 0:09:50.000 --> 0:09:53.040 have been trying to ask him for weeks but receiving 0:09:53.160 --> 0:09:57.559 no response. And mister Costello has been in political and 0:09:57.679 --> 0:10:02.680 media circles for decades. He knows how to handle media. 0:10:02.840 --> 0:10:06.360 But this looks like a situation where he just did 0:10:06.440 --> 0:10:09.720 not handle this well at all, Sharry. And the footage 0:10:09.720 --> 0:10:13.119 speaks for itself. And as you and I know, airports 0:10:13.120 --> 0:10:14.679 are full of surveillance. 0:10:15.120 --> 0:10:18.880 So as you said, this is not the end of this, Shari. Look. 0:10:18.920 --> 0:10:21.439 He has been under pressure the Chair of nine in 0:10:21.480 --> 0:10:24.680 any case, over his handling of the departure of Darren 0:10:24.720 --> 0:10:29.360 Wick after allegations of inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment. Do 0:10:29.400 --> 0:10:31.959 you expect that the events this afternoon will put even 0:10:32.080 --> 0:10:38.400 more pressure on Peter Costello's role as Chair of nine. 0:10:38.960 --> 0:10:42.239 We'll, Sharry, whatever you make of this footage this afternoon, 0:10:42.400 --> 0:10:45.200 it is not a good look for a chairman of 0:10:45.320 --> 0:10:50.199 any company, let alone an ASX listed media company to 0:10:51.400 --> 0:10:52.760 behave in this manner. 0:10:53.360 --> 0:10:56.160 And as we've seen, it's all captured on footage. 0:10:56.200 --> 0:11:00.319 There's vision audio there. This appear it is. 0:11:00.280 --> 0:11:01.520 To be someone under. 0:11:01.320 --> 0:11:04.960 A lot of pressure who has not conducted themselves in 0:11:05.000 --> 0:11:05.800 the best fashion. 0:11:05.960 --> 0:11:06.320 Charry. 0:11:06.360 --> 0:11:09.000 Now, just before I came on air, I received a 0:11:09.080 --> 0:11:13.800 statement from nine about this alleged incident and a spokesman 0:11:13.880 --> 0:11:17.400 said to me, after arriving at Canberra Airport, the chairman 0:11:17.559 --> 0:11:20.760 was confronted by a journalist from The Australian and in 0:11:20.800 --> 0:11:25.120 the course of filming the chairman, while walking backwards, the 0:11:25.240 --> 0:11:29.600 journalists collided with an advertising placard and fell. At no 0:11:29.920 --> 0:11:33.720 point did the chairman strike the journalists. Now, this is 0:11:33.720 --> 0:11:37.680 from a nine spokesman, Sharry. That footage to me looks 0:11:37.760 --> 0:11:42.280 like there is some conduct between the two of them, 0:11:42.360 --> 0:11:45.480 some contact, and we have had this backed up by 0:11:45.640 --> 0:11:49.920 numerous witnesses. So this is incredibly serious. This could be 0:11:49.960 --> 0:11:54.040 alleged assault. This is far from over and a shocking 0:11:54.080 --> 0:11:55.120 look for nine. 0:11:56.160 --> 0:11:58.160 Look, I thought it was interesting to see that the 0:11:58.240 --> 0:12:02.240 nine papers covering it. The City Morning Herald has covered this. 0:12:02.280 --> 0:12:06.320 It's on their homepage. As well. So you know this 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:09.880 is being taken seriously by the media industry right across 0:12:09.920 --> 0:12:13.439 the board and at some points Peter Costello had been 0:12:13.480 --> 0:12:18.199 trying to portray the investigation into sexual harassment allegations as 0:12:18.240 --> 0:12:21.520 coming from News cop But the City Morning Herald has 0:12:21.600 --> 0:12:23.640 been reporting on this as well. 0:12:23.679 --> 0:12:25.680 They've had numerous stories on it too. 0:12:28.720 --> 0:12:32.280 They have Shari The Australian and Sky News has led 0:12:32.320 --> 0:12:35.040 the way on this story. But it was something that 0:12:35.200 --> 0:12:38.400 Nine could not ignore. It's too biggest story. It's too 0:12:38.480 --> 0:12:43.000 biggest scandal that's gripping the network. This is a media 0:12:43.080 --> 0:12:47.520 company in serious trouble Shary. Their share price has plunged, 0:12:48.120 --> 0:12:51.079 particularly in recent years. It's been at its lowest point 0:12:51.120 --> 0:12:54.640 around the dollar forty mark, you know, well down on 0:12:54.679 --> 0:12:58.080 the highs that it reached over three dollars. You've got 0:12:58.120 --> 0:13:02.119 a CEO in trouble, you've got a board that appears fractured, 0:13:02.200 --> 0:13:05.480 and now you have a chairman with an alleged incident 0:13:05.640 --> 0:13:09.679 now playing out on news bulletins all across the media 0:13:09.679 --> 0:13:10.319 and Australia. 0:13:10.360 --> 0:13:10.680 Sharry. 0:13:11.120 --> 0:13:15.440 This is not good and also for the employees of nine. 0:13:15.600 --> 0:13:18.160 They must look up to their management and their board 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:22.360 who should set and lead the example within the company 0:13:22.480 --> 0:13:27.760 and this is not a way any chairman or managerial 0:13:28.160 --> 0:13:31.400 role in a company should conduct themselves in public. But 0:13:31.760 --> 0:13:34.199 this will continue to play out Shari. 0:13:34.160 --> 0:13:37.280 Yeah, absolutely well, Sophie Elswath, thank you very much for 0:13:37.320 --> 0:13:40.679 your time, and of course you're reporting now. We're going 0:13:40.760 --> 0:13:42.760 to come back to that topic throughout the night with 0:13:42.880 --> 0:13:46.319 my panel. But now let's go to another big story 0:13:46.480 --> 0:13:50.720 today and I have exclusive comments now fromer Prime Minister 0:13:50.920 --> 0:13:56.200 John Howard, and he's criticized Anthony Albinezi for claiming that 0:13:56.360 --> 0:13:59.920 his government is successful on the grounds he hasn't reshard 0:14:00.320 --> 0:14:04.360 his ministry. The legendary prime Minister's intervention in this public 0:14:04.360 --> 0:14:09.600 debate comes after Alberizi dismissed suggestions he should sack his 0:14:09.679 --> 0:14:13.720 incompetent immigration minister. As pressure mounts on alber Esi to 0:14:13.800 --> 0:14:17.480 act over the scoundal prone Andrew Giles, the Prime Minister 0:14:17.559 --> 0:14:22.520 has boasted that unlike John Howard, his government has been stable. 0:14:23.800 --> 0:14:26.120 I think the stability of the team has been a 0:14:26.200 --> 0:14:30.640 real strength. I can't recall any new government having this 0:14:30.800 --> 0:14:35.200 same ministry in place two years after they were appointed. 0:14:35.440 --> 0:14:39.320 There's been no trips to Yara Lumla, and that's quite 0:14:39.360 --> 0:14:45.080 remarkable compared with John Howard had lost six or seven ministers. 0:14:45.120 --> 0:14:48.320 I think by this stage there'd been changes in the 0:14:48.360 --> 0:14:53.960 Hawk ministry, changes in the Rudd ministry. Tony Abbott himself 0:14:54.000 --> 0:14:58.480 didn't make it to two years as Prime Minister, and 0:14:59.240 --> 0:15:02.960 I had a chalence with an empty chair at one stage, 0:15:03.000 --> 0:15:07.040 and a lot of changes and shifts occurred. So I 0:15:07.080 --> 0:15:10.240 think that stability has been a positive. 0:15:11.600 --> 0:15:16.000 And that was Anthony Alberanzi speaking in a podcast interview 0:15:15.680 --> 0:15:18.560 on the twenty fifth of Mate to Mark Kenny, and 0:15:18.600 --> 0:15:21.600 as you heard, he was boasting that he hadn't sacked 0:15:21.600 --> 0:15:24.640 any ministers during his first two years in office, while 0:15:24.720 --> 0:15:28.240 John Howard had lost seven within a year. Well, I 0:15:28.280 --> 0:15:31.520 spoke to John Howard today and he strongly defended his 0:15:31.680 --> 0:15:36.040 record against Anthony Albanesi's. The former Prime Minister told me, 0:15:36.080 --> 0:15:39.280 and I quote, I make the broader point that the 0:15:39.320 --> 0:15:42.880 worth and therefore the stability of the government is determined 0:15:43.120 --> 0:15:47.680 by more things than the frequency and extent of ministerial reshuffles. 0:15:48.680 --> 0:15:52.040 Mister Howard pointed to the nation changing reforms he said 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:56.800 he'd introduced as Prime Minister in his first term. He said, 0:15:56.800 --> 0:15:59.760 in the first two years, I had introduced major industrial 0:15:59.800 --> 0:16:04.840 relations changes, including reform of the waterfront. I had world 0:16:04.920 --> 0:16:08.720 leading historic gun reforms and Peter Costello and I made 0:16:08.840 --> 0:16:12.320 major reductions in spending. One of the true marks of 0:16:12.360 --> 0:16:15.400 the stability of my government was that the same people 0:16:15.520 --> 0:16:20.880 occupied the Prime Ministership, Treasury and Foreign Ministry for the 0:16:20.920 --> 0:16:24.560 whole eleven and a half years. The only time that's 0:16:24.600 --> 0:16:30.040 happened since federation. That was John Howard speaking to me 0:16:30.200 --> 0:16:35.680 earlier today now promising higher standards of ministerial accountability. John 0:16:35.720 --> 0:16:38.600 Howard acted when there were even minor infractions of the 0:16:38.640 --> 0:16:40.920 ministerial Code of Conduct, he. 0:16:40.920 --> 0:16:42.840 Accepted that ministers had to go. 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:47.920 By contrast, Albanezi has refused to act on Andrew Giles 0:16:48.320 --> 0:16:52.520 despite mounting scandals that have seen violent criminals set free 0:16:52.960 --> 0:16:57.800 only to re offend, putting community safety at peril. The 0:16:57.920 --> 0:17:01.800 situation is now farcical yet our but Easy claims there's 0:17:01.920 --> 0:17:05.800 nothing to see here. He's leading a great government. Have 0:17:05.880 --> 0:17:07.080 a look at him today. 0:17:08.400 --> 0:17:11.560 There's a lot of speculation around as a possible federal industry. 0:17:12.400 --> 0:17:16.040 Is that you're playing the first government in a long 0:17:16.080 --> 0:17:20.520 while that's been stable, that's been orderly that has done 0:17:20.640 --> 0:17:21.800 what we said we would do. 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:23.600 We said we'd look. 0:17:23.560 --> 0:17:27.200 After people and we've done it. My government has been stable. 0:17:27.240 --> 0:17:30.760 That compares with the shambles that we replaced. 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:35.760 The Prime Minister is using the pretense of stability to 0:17:35.840 --> 0:17:41.040 disguise extreme incompetence. He thinks he can delude voters into 0:17:41.080 --> 0:17:44.879 thinking his government is successful because he hasn't sacked anyone 0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:48.520 for policy failures. Well, for a limited time, it is 0:17:48.560 --> 0:17:52.159 a legitimate political strategy to dig in and refuse to 0:17:52.280 --> 0:17:56.359 terminate a minister. Doesn't want to give the impression of instability. 0:17:57.040 --> 0:17:59.919 But the limited time where this was a serious and 0:18:00.040 --> 0:18:06.439 incredible political strategy ended several Giles induced scandals ago. That 0:18:06.520 --> 0:18:11.960 Albanezi could claim superiority over John Howard is laughable. Albinizi 0:18:12.040 --> 0:18:15.080 as Prime Minister is out of his depth and is 0:18:15.200 --> 0:18:19.560 running a poor government, weak and not across the detail. 0:18:19.960 --> 0:18:23.440 He allows left wing ministers to embark on radical reform 0:18:23.840 --> 0:18:27.919 that's not in Australia's best interest. It's nothing to boast 0:18:27.960 --> 0:18:31.200 about that he hasn't lost a minister. What this shows 0:18:31.760 --> 0:18:35.600 is that Howard had high standards for his ministry. He 0:18:35.800 --> 0:18:40.359 sacked even his allies whereas had the same misdemeanors happened today, 0:18:40.880 --> 0:18:43.760 Alberizi would look the other way and wait for the 0:18:43.800 --> 0:18:47.680 scandal to burn out. It's not a point of pride 0:18:48.040 --> 0:18:51.520 to accept not just mediocrity, but incompetence. 0:18:52.440 --> 0:18:53.440 That's the point. 0:18:53.960 --> 0:18:57.040 Albinizi has lowered the bar to such an extent that 0:18:57.200 --> 0:19:01.320 grandmothers are blue and bruised in the face from being 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:05.160 bashed by detainees thanks to Andrew Giles's failure. 0:19:05.880 --> 0:19:07.920 Yet that's not enough to sack him. 0:19:08.400 --> 0:19:10.960 Albinizi has lowered the bar to such an extent that 0:19:11.040 --> 0:19:14.800 he won't investigate allegations of bullying when they arose with 0:19:14.880 --> 0:19:19.520 the mean Girls. These were serious allegations by labor women 0:19:19.880 --> 0:19:23.800 and labor MPs, and Albinizi has lowered the bar to 0:19:23.840 --> 0:19:27.120 such an extent that when Katie Gallagher is caught out 0:19:27.160 --> 0:19:30.600 misleading the Senate about what she knew about the Higgins 0:19:30.680 --> 0:19:34.640 matter prior to broadcast, well, he just looks the other way. 0:19:35.359 --> 0:19:38.359 The fact Albineze won't sack a minister in his first 0:19:38.480 --> 0:19:40.840 term speaks volumes about. 0:19:40.560 --> 0:19:42.840 His character and his leadership. 0:19:43.400 --> 0:19:46.320 It speaks to the lack of disrespect he has for voters. 0:19:46.960 --> 0:19:51.960 How he's happy to prioritize what's politically advantageous to him, 0:19:52.600 --> 0:20:00.639 even if it's at the expense of community safety. All right, 0:20:00.760 --> 0:20:04.119 let's bring in tonight's panel, Liberal Senator James McGrath and 0:20:04.240 --> 0:20:06.840 Sky News commentator Jason Morrison. 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:08.439 Welcome to you both. 0:20:08.840 --> 0:20:10.679 We're going to come back to the big story of 0:20:10.800 --> 0:20:13.840 Peter Costello in a moment, but let's start with what 0:20:13.960 --> 0:20:15.159 I was just speaking about. 0:20:15.440 --> 0:20:15.680 Then. 0:20:16.280 --> 0:20:20.359 James, the Prime Minister, says his government is stable and 0:20:20.480 --> 0:20:25.280 that he has looked after people. There's increasing speculation that 0:20:25.359 --> 0:20:28.879 he will have a reshuffle. There were reports by Sam 0:20:28.920 --> 0:20:33.280 Maiden just today that what could spark that reshuffle is 0:20:33.320 --> 0:20:38.280 Bill Shorten taking on an ambassadorship, perhaps in Paris. Well, 0:20:38.280 --> 0:20:41.920 I've spoken to very good sources close to Shorton who 0:20:41.960 --> 0:20:45.160 say that he's not interested in an ambassadorship. He has 0:20:45.200 --> 0:20:50.240 no intention of going anywhere. So you know, at this point, 0:20:50.720 --> 0:20:53.520 perhaps it could be Linda Burney retiring. But at this 0:20:53.600 --> 0:20:56.560 point it doesn't look like Albanize's going to admit that 0:20:56.600 --> 0:21:00.640 he needs a reshuffle based on the incompetence of Anne Giles. 0:21:03.680 --> 0:21:07.560 The issue here is not just incompetence of Andrew Giles, 0:21:07.880 --> 0:21:11.720 it's the weakness of alban Easy. It's the weakness of 0:21:11.760 --> 0:21:17.040 a prime minister who is letting Australia slide into economic 0:21:17.119 --> 0:21:22.439 mediocrity and allowing Australians to not feel safe because of 0:21:22.520 --> 0:21:25.840 an immigration minister, quite frankly, who we would not trust 0:21:25.840 --> 0:21:29.000 to operate a toaster or a kettle. He should have 0:21:29.000 --> 0:21:33.600 been sacked weeks ago. Australia is not safe because of 0:21:33.680 --> 0:21:37.440 that man, and the buck stops with the prime minister. 0:21:37.720 --> 0:21:42.080 He is a weak prime minister, Jason, what. 0:21:42.040 --> 0:21:43.120 Do you think I mean? 0:21:43.720 --> 0:21:47.760 Clearly Albinizi is presenting this as some sort of stability 0:21:47.800 --> 0:21:49.960 in his government, the fact that he refuses to move 0:21:50.000 --> 0:21:51.400 on an incompetent minister. 0:21:51.920 --> 0:21:54.359 He compares himself to John Howard. Well, what do you 0:21:54.480 --> 0:21:55.600 make of that comparison. 0:21:55.880 --> 0:21:58.800 I'm still getting over the toaster and the kettle analogy. 0:21:59.680 --> 0:22:03.800 You know, it's interesting what a barometer for success. I'm 0:22:03.840 --> 0:22:06.359 doing well as a prime minister and my government's pretty 0:22:06.400 --> 0:22:09.920 good because I haven't sacked a couple of imbeciles. That's 0:22:09.960 --> 0:22:13.040 the barometer for success according to the Prime Minister today, 0:22:13.280 --> 0:22:16.879 it's not watching with people I think you know to 0:22:16.960 --> 0:22:19.720 suggest that you know people don't want diplomatic posts is 0:22:19.760 --> 0:22:22.520 also laughable. I'm not met a politician that doesn't want 0:22:22.520 --> 0:22:23.359 a diplomatic post. 0:22:23.400 --> 0:22:24.720 Perhaps a senator. 0:22:25.280 --> 0:22:27.040 You might want to tell me if you wouldn't mind one, two, 0:22:27.040 --> 0:22:30.240 if it was tucked your way. It's a joke. It 0:22:30.320 --> 0:22:32.920 is a joke of a thief. All right, there, you're 0:22:32.960 --> 0:22:35.439 off the hook. But the joke of this is to 0:22:35.520 --> 0:22:38.320 say that the only thing that is the indicator of 0:22:38.520 --> 0:22:41.520 how well or not a government is going is by 0:22:41.560 --> 0:22:42.760 how many ministers. 0:22:42.440 --> 0:22:43.359 You've had to clean out. 0:22:44.320 --> 0:22:47.320 History will reflect that the most successful government in terms 0:22:47.320 --> 0:22:51.040 of being re elected, probably since the kind of deep 0:22:51.119 --> 0:22:52.920 dark sixties, was the Howard government. 0:22:53.200 --> 0:22:54.080 And yeah, a lot. 0:22:54.000 --> 0:22:56.640 Of ministers got chopped, a lot got turned and burned. 0:22:57.000 --> 0:22:59.639 That happens. That doesn't mean a government's no good. It 0:22:59.680 --> 0:23:02.560 means the like in charge has got good judgment and 0:23:02.600 --> 0:23:03.160 can get rid. 0:23:03.160 --> 0:23:04.800 Of the drop kicks. Yeah. 0:23:04.800 --> 0:23:09.119 Well, John Howard responded to those allegations of those criticisms 0:23:09.160 --> 0:23:12.320 from Anthony ABERNIZI today, as you just heard. Now, let's 0:23:12.320 --> 0:23:15.320 go to this big story, major breaking news this afternoon 0:23:15.840 --> 0:23:18.920 that the former treasurer at Peter Costello, the chair of nine, 0:23:19.280 --> 0:23:24.800 knocked journalist Liam Mendes to the ground. James McGraw, You know, 0:23:25.160 --> 0:23:27.320 what do you think of that? You would have seen 0:23:27.359 --> 0:23:30.080 the vision by now? Do you think that conduct is 0:23:30.119 --> 0:23:33.200 befitting the chair of an ASX listed company. 0:23:35.720 --> 0:23:39.520 Look, look, Peter was perhaps the greatest treasurer that this 0:23:39.600 --> 0:23:42.119 country has seen, and I think he would be the 0:23:42.119 --> 0:23:44.800 first to admit when he if he does look at 0:23:44.800 --> 0:23:48.360 that footage, that that footage shows, he's probably let himself 0:23:48.400 --> 0:23:53.159 down and he's let the company down because he's someone 0:23:53.200 --> 0:23:56.679 who's experienced the highs and lows of politics. He's done 0:23:56.760 --> 0:24:00.880 some serious, important things for this country. But it wasn't 0:24:00.880 --> 0:24:05.320 a good look for Peter and hopefully he will address 0:24:05.359 --> 0:24:06.919