WEBVTT - Sharri | 30 October 0:00:01.639 --> 0:00:05.680 Live on Sky News. This is Sharry. 0:00:06.840 --> 0:00:07.440 Good Evening. 0:00:07.680 --> 0:00:10.400 Welcome to the show. Well, I start tonight with some 0:00:10.600 --> 0:00:15.040 breaking news. I can reveal the Prime Minister's flight upgrades 0:00:15.280 --> 0:00:20.920 were handled by Quantus senior executives, including Andrew Parker. Just 0:00:21.000 --> 0:00:24.279 before we went to air tonight, Anthony Albertezi sought to 0:00:24.440 --> 0:00:28.120 downplay this scandal by saying in a statement that an 0:00:28.120 --> 0:00:33.559 audit found he never called Alan Joyce for upgrades, But 0:00:33.680 --> 0:00:37.479 sources familiar with the matter tell me it was Parker, 0:00:37.960 --> 0:00:42.040 the then Group executive for Government and International Affairs, who 0:00:42.120 --> 0:00:47.040 often handled Albanize's flight upgrades to business class. I'm also 0:00:47.120 --> 0:00:52.720 told that Albanezy even attended Andrew Parker's housewarming party. It 0:00:52.800 --> 0:00:56.720 was at a warehouse in Annandale. I understand there was 0:00:56.760 --> 0:00:59.440 even a plaque on his house that said it was 0:00:59.480 --> 0:01:05.080 officially opened by Albanezi. I've tonight asked Albanese's press secretary 0:01:05.120 --> 0:01:06.039 for comment on this. 0:01:06.360 --> 0:01:07.880 I've asked the following questions. 0:01:08.440 --> 0:01:12.880 Did the Prime Minister, his EA or his staff request 0:01:12.959 --> 0:01:18.520 upgrades through Andrew Parker? Did the Prime Minister attend his housewarming? 0:01:19.760 --> 0:01:20.600 As we go to air? 0:01:20.840 --> 0:01:23.920 We don't as yet have a comment from the Prime Minister. 0:01:24.040 --> 0:01:26.240 If he does come back to us within the hour, 0:01:26.560 --> 0:01:28.399 I'll bring that to you. If he comes back to 0:01:28.480 --> 0:01:30.959 us a bit later, poor Murray, we'll bring it to you. 0:01:31.480 --> 0:01:34.720 There's a lot more to this story. Another very close 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:39.399 connection is that Alan Joyce's top government relations executive was 0:01:39.440 --> 0:01:46.600 previously David Epstein. David Epstein is now Albanese's principal private secretary. 0:01:47.000 --> 0:01:50.680 The Prime Minister's carefully worded statement tonight just raises more 0:01:50.760 --> 0:01:54.200 questions than it answers. He told Sam Maiden at News 0:01:54.200 --> 0:01:58.360 dot Com. The Prime Minister did not ever call Alan 0:01:58.520 --> 0:02:02.680 Joyce seeking an up great. All travel has been appropriately 0:02:02.960 --> 0:02:07.440 declared and is a matter of public record, and that 0:02:07.560 --> 0:02:10.560 was through a spokesperson. Now, as you can see, that's 0:02:10.600 --> 0:02:14.280 a cryptic statement. Alberizi has failed to rule out whether 0:02:14.680 --> 0:02:18.400 he requested upgrades through anyone at Quantas. 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:19.520 Who worked for Alan Joyce. 0:02:20.160 --> 0:02:23.560 Could have been any of the senior executives, including Andrew Parker, 0:02:24.200 --> 0:02:28.120 and he only denied their calling Joyce directly. 0:02:28.200 --> 0:02:29.639 Have a look at that statement again. 0:02:30.000 --> 0:02:33.320 He says the Prime Minister did not ever call Alan 0:02:33.440 --> 0:02:37.160 Joyce seeking an upgrade, so he hasn't ruled out other 0:02:37.240 --> 0:02:41.080 forms of communication and We've even seen this week that 0:02:41.280 --> 0:02:45.720 publicly the Prime Minister has already admitted there was a 0:02:45.800 --> 0:02:50.119 number that he called for upgrades. Have a look, did 0:02:50.160 --> 0:02:52.840 you call Alan Joyce personally for these upgrades? 0:02:53.080 --> 0:02:55.840 The idea Quannas have a. 0:02:58.360 --> 0:03:03.520 Number in terms of bookings that are private bookings. 0:03:04.360 --> 0:03:09.320 So albinezy, they're already admitting requesting upgrades, which would appear 0:03:09.400 --> 0:03:11.919 to be in breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct, 0:03:12.240 --> 0:03:16.919 which specifically states that ministers must not seek or encourage 0:03:17.280 --> 0:03:21.760 any form of gift in their personal capacity. Now this 0:03:21.880 --> 0:03:25.520 all comes as former Prime Minister Tony Abbott today revealed 0:03:25.520 --> 0:03:30.160 that he turned down flight upgrades as a matter of integrity, 0:03:30.800 --> 0:03:35.040 and Peter Dutton has once again demanded that this matter 0:03:35.280 --> 0:03:36.760 be further investigated. 0:03:37.480 --> 0:03:40.040 When he was Transport Minister of our country, did he 0:03:40.040 --> 0:03:42.120 pick the phone up to the CEO of Quantus and 0:03:42.200 --> 0:03:45.000 ask for a free upgrade? That's the question that he 0:03:45.040 --> 0:03:46.960 refuses to answer it. Now, he can tie himself in 0:03:46.960 --> 0:03:49.240 all sorts of knots, but the reality is that he 0:03:49.320 --> 0:03:50.920 needs to answer that fundamental question. 0:03:51.960 --> 0:03:55.240 Now this has erupted into a major political scandal. It 0:03:55.320 --> 0:04:00.240 was front page of virtually all the newspapers today and yesterday. Yeah, 0:04:00.240 --> 0:04:03.360 the Prime Minister didn't appear in public today. He didn't 0:04:03.400 --> 0:04:06.080 want to answer questions in person. He got into such 0:04:06.120 --> 0:04:09.040 a muddle yesterday as you know, so it was left 0:04:09.040 --> 0:04:12.400 to the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, who was trying to announce 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:16.560 falling inflation data, to have to deal with the tricky 0:04:16.680 --> 0:04:19.240 and basically unanswerable questions. 0:04:20.279 --> 0:04:24.440 He's done a number of interviews this week and Sunday, 0:04:24.560 --> 0:04:27.440 certainly I think yesterday from memory, and so he's made 0:04:27.480 --> 0:04:31.200 himself available as he often does, to answer these sorts 0:04:31.200 --> 0:04:31.800 of questions. 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:35.479 And you can only imagine how frustrating this would be 0:04:35.520 --> 0:04:38.800 getting for labor and ps who week after week now 0:04:39.080 --> 0:04:42.080 are having to deal with questions about their Prime minister's 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:45.400 conduct and integrity. In the past two weeks it was 0:04:45.400 --> 0:04:48.640 about the four point three million dollar Cliff Top mansion. 0:04:48.720 --> 0:04:52.880 Also the one hundred million dollar taxpayer funded road upgrade 0:04:53.160 --> 0:04:56.680 for the road that leads to alban Easy's new mansion. 0:04:57.360 --> 0:04:58.000 So, if you're just. 0:04:57.960 --> 0:05:01.480 Tuning in breaking news tonight, the Time Minister has denied 0:05:01.920 --> 0:05:03.280 calling Alan. 0:05:03.120 --> 0:05:06.360 Joyce for upgrades. He says his office has done an audit. 0:05:06.800 --> 0:05:07.440 But I've just. 0:05:07.440 --> 0:05:10.960 Reported that All of his upgrades to Business Class were 0:05:11.000 --> 0:05:16.719 handled by other executives at Quantas, including senior executive Andrew Parker, 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:19.400 and at the time he was the group Executive for 0:05:19.440 --> 0:05:23.159 Government and International Affairs. He was later promoted to be 0:05:23.240 --> 0:05:27.240 Group Executive for Sustainability. And I've also revealed that the 0:05:27.279 --> 0:05:31.479 relationship was so close that Albanezi even is said to 0:05:31.520 --> 0:05:36.359 have attended his housewarming party. We're on standby waiting for 0:05:36.400 --> 0:05:40.160 a response from Albanezi to these fresh revelations, and I'm 0:05:40.200 --> 0:05:42.520 going to come back to this topic shortly with Michael 0:05:42.560 --> 0:05:47.719 Kroger and Graham Richardson. But clearly this scandal isn't going away. 0:05:48.320 --> 0:05:53.560 There are serious integrity issues about whether Albanezi requested upgrades 0:05:53.600 --> 0:05:57.280 from Quantus in breach of the Ministerial. 0:05:56.680 --> 0:05:57.800 Code of Conduct. 0:06:01.680 --> 0:06:04.599 It's now seven days until the US election, just a 0:06:04.640 --> 0:06:07.560 week until we know whether Donald Trump Orkamala Harris will 0:06:07.600 --> 0:06:10.760 be president. This is an important topic I'm going to 0:06:10.800 --> 0:06:16.000 bring in now. Michael Kroger and Graham Richardson, welcome to 0:06:16.040 --> 0:06:19.359 you both. Now, Cherry, we're going to come back to 0:06:19.440 --> 0:06:22.159 Quantas in just a minute. But Michael, where do you 0:06:22.279 --> 0:06:25.320 think this US election is headed? A week from today, 0:06:25.360 --> 0:06:28.040 we should if it's not a close result, we should 0:06:28.080 --> 0:06:30.800 know the answer. Michael, do you think we're looking at 0:06:30.800 --> 0:06:34.520 a Trump presidency as the polls are starting to suggest? 0:06:36.320 --> 0:06:39.840 Well, the answer that question should be that Trump looks 0:06:39.880 --> 0:06:44.239 like the obvious winner. But the reason I'm cautious about 0:06:44.240 --> 0:06:47.440 declaring him the winner is this that the polls were 0:06:47.600 --> 0:06:52.960 wrong by a huge margin four years ago. It's in Wisconsin, 0:06:53.040 --> 0:06:55.680 the polls had Biden winning by ninety one by one. 0:06:56.320 --> 0:06:58.080 In Pennsylvania they were five out. 0:07:00.000 --> 0:07:02.160 So what I don't know. 0:07:02.240 --> 0:07:06.960 Is have the polsters allowed for the shied Trump voter 0:07:07.040 --> 0:07:10.120 effect in these new poles which show level or one 0:07:10.200 --> 0:07:12.320 parload one in front. I don't know how much shy 0:07:12.400 --> 0:07:17.600 Trump voter effect they've taken into account in reaching these poles, because, 0:07:17.640 --> 0:07:21.000 as people might know by now, the polling figures that 0:07:21.000 --> 0:07:23.880 are produced, they're not real figures. They're all altered because 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:25.600 you might have too many women to any men, too 0:07:25.600 --> 0:07:27.720 many young people, too many old people. So they're all 0:07:27.720 --> 0:07:31.480 adjusted these poles to give a more balanced number. But 0:07:31.520 --> 0:07:33.920 what I don't know is how much shyed Trump voter 0:07:33.960 --> 0:07:36.640 effect is in these poles, which is why I don't 0:07:36.680 --> 0:07:38.400 know whether the Trump's going to win easily or whether 0:07:38.440 --> 0:07:40.720 she's going to win narrowly. It looks like a Trump victory, 0:07:41.280 --> 0:07:43.720 but it's very hard to know without knowing how much 0:07:43.760 --> 0:07:45.760 of shy Trump voter effect is in these polls. 0:07:45.880 --> 0:07:49.200 Charry and Richard, what about the number of people who 0:07:49.200 --> 0:07:50.400 are voting early? 0:07:50.600 --> 0:07:50.880 Do you? 0:07:51.080 --> 0:07:55.520 And both camps are imploring their base to get out 0:07:55.560 --> 0:07:59.080 and vote. Of course, in the US there's not compulsory voting. Richard, 0:07:59.160 --> 0:08:01.440 how are you reading the election campaign at the moment? 0:08:02.080 --> 0:08:03.480 Well, I'd love to be able to open a few 0:08:03.480 --> 0:08:07.720 ballot boxes and find out because this early voting trend 0:08:07.720 --> 0:08:12.120 in America is growing. You know, they didn't have it 0:08:12.160 --> 0:08:14.520 for a long time. Now they've got everyone wants to 0:08:14.560 --> 0:08:17.480 try and do it. And both sides are urging people 0:08:17.520 --> 0:08:21.560 to get out and vote early, not I hope vote often. 0:08:22.200 --> 0:08:26.200 So if that's what they're doing then and both sides 0:08:26.240 --> 0:08:28.840 are doing it, then it's hard to pick which you know, 0:08:28.880 --> 0:08:31.520 whether you should be saying this must be going well 0:08:31.560 --> 0:08:34.160 for one or the other, I don't really know. But 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:37.560 what you can detect is a movement back towards Trump 0:08:37.960 --> 0:08:40.920 over the course of the last couple of weeks, and 0:08:41.440 --> 0:08:43.640 he's now not only in it with a real show. 0:08:43.679 --> 0:08:50.120 You'd have to say he's the slight favorite over Harris Michael. 0:08:50.160 --> 0:08:53.160 You've been quite analytical in your comments when we talk 0:08:53.200 --> 0:08:55.720 about the US election. Do you have a strong view 0:08:55.920 --> 0:09:01.200 over which candidate would be better for Australia? 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:08.600 Well, I think probably Trump, because you know, for all 0:09:08.679 --> 0:09:11.600 his immense faults, I'm sort of in the Greg Sheridan category. 0:09:11.679 --> 0:09:14.360 Sheridan's written about Trump extensively, and I tend to agree 0:09:14.360 --> 0:09:18.520 with Gregg's views on Trump, and I'm very worried as 0:09:18.520 --> 0:09:21.319 a bat a physician on the Ukraine, which I find inexplicable. 0:09:21.400 --> 0:09:24.320 But the reason I don't wouldn't vote for her, and 0:09:24.360 --> 0:09:26.800 I prefer not to vote for him either. But the 0:09:26.840 --> 0:09:28.920 reason I wouldn't vote for her is I think she's 0:09:28.960 --> 0:09:32.640 completely vacuous. I don't think she's got a clue. She 0:09:32.800 --> 0:09:35.000 is like an actress, and the advisors have said to her, 0:09:35.040 --> 0:09:38.960 here are the eight things. Just repeat these eight things, Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, 0:09:39.240 --> 0:09:41.480 you know, put it behind us and all the you 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:44.000 know these phrases. She keeps using these word salads as 0:09:44.000 --> 0:09:46.120 they call it. I don't think she's got a clue. 0:09:46.720 --> 0:09:48.640 And if you've been around politics for as long as 0:09:48.640 --> 0:09:51.160 I have, and you've seen politicians interview, you know, she 0:09:51.200 --> 0:09:53.480 hasn't got a clue. And there are very there are 0:09:53.760 --> 0:09:56.160 very strong telltale signs. When that couple asked in that 0:09:56.240 --> 0:09:58.080 town hall meeting, what do we to do about? What 0:09:58.080 --> 0:09:59.720 are you going to do about inflation and the high 0:10:01.800 --> 0:10:05.360 and there was this terrible pause and she said prices 0:10:05.400 --> 0:10:08.000 are going up, and it got worse from there. And 0:10:08.040 --> 0:10:11.199 I'm thinking she has no idea about economic policy, whatsoe 0:10:11.240 --> 0:10:15.320 about zero zilch. So I think she'll be terrible, And 0:10:15.840 --> 0:10:18.280 like Biden, she won't be running American foreign policy because 0:10:18.280 --> 0:10:19.760 I don't think she knows anything about it. 0:10:21.080 --> 0:10:24.640 Well, just on foreign policy, I mean, you know, I 0:10:24.679 --> 0:10:27.680 do think overall, Donald Trump is much stronger and he 0:10:27.800 --> 0:10:31.640 will be a much stronger president in terms of acting 0:10:31.679 --> 0:10:35.480 as allowing America to return to its place where it 0:10:35.520 --> 0:10:38.680 does act as a deterrent because we have seen that 0:10:38.840 --> 0:10:44.480 North Korea, Iran, Russia, and North Korea around, Russia. 0:10:44.200 --> 0:10:45.720 And China are on the march. 0:10:45.920 --> 0:10:48.360 They're on the rise, that working together in a way 0:10:48.360 --> 0:10:51.440 that they never have before, not as closely as this, 0:10:51.559 --> 0:10:54.680 and this is highly concerning. The US just keeps calling 0:10:54.679 --> 0:10:57.640 for a ceasefire. You know, it doesn't want to take 0:10:57.800 --> 0:11:02.520 its rightful historic place as a world leader. The only 0:11:02.679 --> 0:11:06.240 think that does concern me is that Donald Trump, when 0:11:06.280 --> 0:11:08.959 he did his interview with Joe Rogan a couple of 0:11:09.040 --> 0:11:13.959 days ago, I mean again, he had to flatter those dictators. 0:11:14.440 --> 0:11:17.440 It just you know, he doesn't need to do that. 0:11:17.520 --> 0:11:21.440 You can't imagine anyone in the past flattering other dictators 0:11:21.480 --> 0:11:24.240 like Hitler, and even the Wall Street Journal, by the way, 0:11:24.720 --> 0:11:27.800 their editorial board wrote about this, and they say that 0:11:27.840 --> 0:11:32.120 the US military's advantage over adversaries has also declined. The 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:34.800 fact that Trump has done little to acknowledge or worn 0:11:34.840 --> 0:11:38.000 about in his campaign. It will take more than flattery 0:11:38.040 --> 0:11:42.240 and unpredictability to re establish American deterrence, and that will 0:11:42.240 --> 0:11:47.360 include Western rearmament and reliable alliances. Richard, what do you 0:11:47.400 --> 0:11:51.679 think about about this point about Trump's tendency to flatter 0:11:51.760 --> 0:11:52.640 these dictators. 0:11:53.600 --> 0:11:56.200 Well, I think He's always had it. You know, he's 0:11:56.240 --> 0:11:58.520 made a big thing of being a mate of Kim 0:11:58.559 --> 0:12:02.280 Il Sung's. Swiss would if we were made of Kimil Songs, 0:12:02.320 --> 0:12:04.920 would want to keep it as the biggest secret in town, 0:12:05.520 --> 0:12:11.319 because you know, he's a murderous thug who's killed members 0:12:11.360 --> 0:12:13.880 of his own family who get in the road, and 0:12:13.960 --> 0:12:17.760 yet Trump touts him as some sort of good person. 0:12:18.400 --> 0:12:19.000 Very weird. 0:12:19.600 --> 0:12:23.280 Trump has a very weird sense in foreign policy. His 0:12:23.400 --> 0:12:27.480 foreign policy is a ratic it always has been, and 0:12:27.520 --> 0:12:31.760 it comes down to likes and dislikes rather than looking 0:12:31.800 --> 0:12:34.640 at American you know what's good for the Americans and 0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:39.000 what's not. And so I'm a bit I'm disappointed in 0:12:39.040 --> 0:12:42.319 Trump to some extent. I thought he well, I've never 0:12:42.360 --> 0:12:44.760 been a great fan. I thought he would be better 0:12:44.800 --> 0:12:45.040 than that. 0:12:45.559 --> 0:12:48.000 Yeah, all right, let's have a look now at this 0:12:48.120 --> 0:12:52.920 Quantus scandal. I've just reported tonight exclusively that the Prime 0:12:52.920 --> 0:12:56.760 Minister's upgrades to business class were handled by senior executives 0:12:56.760 --> 0:13:00.640 at Quantus, including Andrew Parker. There's also an interesting connection there, 0:13:00.679 --> 0:13:04.360 of course, that I just mentioned with David Epstein. Michael, 0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:08.200 there are integrity issues here. This is absolutely going to 0:13:08.240 --> 0:13:12.040 dominate question time next week when Parliament resumes. But Michael, 0:13:12.080 --> 0:13:14.760 how do you think the Prime Minister's handling this at 0:13:14.800 --> 0:13:15.199 the moment? 0:13:17.800 --> 0:13:20.559 Well, I think bad. I mean, he was obviously appallingly 0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:23.160 briefed yesterday when he said that Joe Asen hadn't made 0:13:23.200 --> 0:13:27.280 admissions about his Liberal Parties staffing and having worked for Quantus. Well, 0:13:27.480 --> 0:13:29.400 I bought the book yesterday. I have of them. Page three. 0:13:29.440 --> 0:13:31.960 That's a full page picture of Joe Aston in his 0:13:32.080 --> 0:13:34.079 Quantus gear in back two thousand and eight or whatever, 0:13:34.600 --> 0:13:37.640 with his job description standing next to Quantus plane. And 0:13:37.679 --> 0:13:39.959 then you go on to him to describe that you 0:13:40.000 --> 0:13:42.880 know he did work for Liberal ministers. So Albou was 0:13:43.000 --> 0:13:46.400 very poorly brief. Tonight's statement is ridiculous. I mean that 0:13:46.520 --> 0:13:51.240 statement should say I never spoke to Joyce. I never 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:53.840 sent him a text, I never sent him an email. 0:13:54.559 --> 0:13:57.400 None of my staff or anyone on my behalf ever 0:13:57.520 --> 0:14:02.320 requested an upgrade. The upgrades I received were all offered 0:14:02.720 --> 0:14:05.960 by Quantus without any request from us. That's what his 0:14:06.040 --> 0:14:08.480 statement should have said. And sooner or later that'll be 0:14:08.480 --> 0:14:12.520 wrestled to the ground. But keeps saying the bigger issue, 0:14:12.720 --> 0:14:15.600 the bigger issue is and this is what he can't 0:14:15.600 --> 0:14:17.280 get out of. And by the way, this has been 0:14:17.280 --> 0:14:18.880 on the public record for ten years and it took 0:14:18.920 --> 0:14:21.720 Joe Eston to uncover it. By the way, this bloke 0:14:21.920 --> 0:14:26.240 was the minister regulating Quantus and took tens of thousands 0:14:26.280 --> 0:14:29.520 of dollars of cash from Quantus in the form of 0:14:29.720 --> 0:14:33.040 ticket upgrades. If this man was a member of the 0:14:33.080 --> 0:14:36.720 Howard government, he would have been sacked on the spot 0:14:37.200 --> 0:14:39.560 the first time he'd made a declaration. He would have 0:14:39.640 --> 0:14:45.120 been sacked by John Howard and probably by other prime ministers. 0:14:45.680 --> 0:14:47.840 But the fact that he took cash, what was the 0:14:47.880 --> 0:14:50.480 guy thinking? So, yes, the whole question of who made 0:14:50.480 --> 0:14:53.800 the request is important from the ministerial code, But how 0:14:53.840 --> 0:14:58.920 does he explain away being paid money by Quantus who 0:14:58.920 --> 0:15:01.680 he is regulating. That is something you cannot get out of, 0:15:01.840 --> 0:15:05.960 and that is an extremely serious thing that he's done. 0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:10.320 Yeah, Richo, that does seem like a very serious conflict 0:15:10.360 --> 0:15:12.680 of interest, even if it was disclosed. 0:15:12.840 --> 0:15:15.600 What do you think, Well, I think we're all getting 0:15:15.600 --> 0:15:18.440 carried away here. I don't know how many upgrades I've 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:21.560 received over the years, but it's a hell of a lot. 0:15:22.720 --> 0:15:26.520 I wasn't paid cash, I was given upgrades. So what 0:15:27.680 --> 0:15:30.280 In fact, most of the time, I think, all the time, 0:15:30.280 --> 0:15:32.200 I ever think they eve or asked for one. They 0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:34.080 just see your name there and they upgrade you. 0:15:34.440 --> 0:15:39.160 But Richard politics came before all of the ministerial codes. 0:15:39.200 --> 0:15:39.680 Of conduct. 0:15:39.760 --> 0:15:43.200 You know, I don't mean to be disrespectful about your 0:15:43.240 --> 0:15:45.160 age at all, but you do come from a different 0:15:45.200 --> 0:15:49.760 era of politics before there were these strict ministerial Code of. 0:15:49.880 --> 0:15:53.480 Conduct guidelines in place. I mean they were introduced by 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:54.360 Julia Gillard. 0:15:55.520 --> 0:15:58.120 Yeah, although we did have some I mean I can 0:15:58.200 --> 0:16:03.720 remember making those declarations, so we had we had some rules. 0:16:04.000 --> 0:16:06.840 They were not as strict as they became, but they 0:16:06.880 --> 0:16:10.200 were there, so you did have to be careful about it. 0:16:10.200 --> 0:16:14.360 There's not about that. But look, I think there were 0:16:14.440 --> 0:16:17.240 all the things we could discuss, the important things in 0:16:17.280 --> 0:16:20.560 the world. We're discussing Albo getting an upgrade. Did you 0:16:20.640 --> 0:16:23.520 find this ridiculous, Michael. 0:16:23.600 --> 0:16:25.960 And he was the minister regulating quantits? How could it 0:16:26.000 --> 0:16:27.840 be ridiculous, mate, It's. 0:16:27.680 --> 0:16:32.600 Not ridiculous at all, regulating of his bloody career. Give 0:16:32.640 --> 0:16:33.360 me a break. 0:16:33.880 --> 0:16:37.800 I mean, these upgrades could be worth up thousands of dollars. 0:16:37.840 --> 0:16:39.680 It could be worth fifty thousand dollars, it could be 0:16:39.680 --> 0:16:40.840 worth one hundred thousand dollars. 0:16:40.920 --> 0:16:41.520 We don't know. 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:44.880 We know how much a business class ticket is, you know, 0:16:45.080 --> 0:16:47.960 between eight and ten or twelve grand, depending on the flight. 0:16:48.000 --> 0:16:52.440 So this is serious money, as Michael said he was 0:16:52.480 --> 0:16:57.560 the minister regulating quantas and don't forget that Barrio Farrell's 0:16:57.600 --> 0:16:59.680 New South I was premier had to go for a 0:16:59.720 --> 0:17:04.000 b of grange that he didn't declare one bottle of graine, 0:17:04.400 --> 0:17:07.520 you know, not tens of thousands of dollars. 0:17:07.119 --> 0:17:11.800 Of flights Richoe minnesters have been sacked but full perceived 0:17:11.800 --> 0:17:15.960 conflicts of interest, Graham, perceived conflicts of interest. Boy, this 0:17:16.160 --> 0:17:17.879 is more than perceived, isn't it. 0:17:18.840 --> 0:17:20.840 Am. I am aware of the fact that ministers have 0:17:20.880 --> 0:17:24.880 been sacked for for things including the bottle of wine. 0:17:24.880 --> 0:17:27.920 I remember the bottle of wine incident very well because 0:17:28.280 --> 0:17:32.440 I remember it because I said, well, I would resign too, 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:34.800 because I'd bring him up and say, what did you 0:17:34.880 --> 0:17:35.639 send me a dozen? 0:17:37.640 --> 0:17:38.840 This is what I'm talking about. 0:17:38.880 --> 0:17:41.679 You're from a different era of politics, this is what 0:17:41.760 --> 0:17:42.120 I mean. 0:17:43.520 --> 0:17:47.960 Yeah, well, I think I think thats eras do vary, 0:17:48.720 --> 0:17:51.680 and I have to say my era was a little 0:17:51.720 --> 0:17:52.359 while ago. 0:17:52.920 --> 0:17:56.320 Yeah, all right, all right, oh dear, all right, well, 0:17:56.359 --> 0:17:59.280 there is a lot more to go on this, no doubt, 0:17:59.320 --> 0:18:03.120 I mean, my do you think there's any chance Albanezi's 0:18:03.240 --> 0:18:07.480 enemies will use this against him to come after him. 0:18:08.040 --> 0:18:11.920 No, the election's four or five months away. There's no 0:18:12.080 --> 0:18:15.520 single challenger. You've got to change the caucus rules to 0:18:15.520 --> 0:18:17.600 get rid of the membership ballot and just have a 0:18:17.640 --> 0:18:21.040 caucus vote. And whilst you've got five or six people 0:18:21.040 --> 0:18:24.000 who want to be leader and not one single challenger, 0:18:24.320 --> 0:18:27.919 it's far too messy for anything to be organized. So 0:18:28.160 --> 0:18:30.680 I don't think there's any chance at all he'll be replaced, 0:18:31.160 --> 0:18:35.240 although this is doing labor immense damage in the marketplace. 0:18:35.920 --> 0:18:38.119 You know, he's got free tickets to the tennis he went. 0:18:38.280 --> 0:18:40.520 He went to El Springs for three hours and then 0:18:40.560 --> 0:18:42.960 spent many more hours at the tennis. He's got free 0:18:43.600 --> 0:18:47.960 Taylor Swift tickets. This guy has lost the plot and 0:18:48.400 --> 0:18:52.399 he's drowning in freebies. And I'll tell you you're walking 0:18:52.520 --> 0:18:54.760 up and down the streets of Melbourne. People are appalled, 0:18:54.840 --> 0:18:56.240 they're shocked, they're horrified. 0:18:57.359 --> 0:18:57.560 You know. 0:18:57.680 --> 0:19:00.119 They think he's like a pig with his snout with them, 0:19:00.000 --> 0:19:02.760 a massive schnout in a massive trough and that I 0:19:02.960 --> 0:19:03.240 like it. 0:19:03.520 --> 0:19:07.240 Yeah, all right, Michael Kroger graem Richardson, So great to 0:19:07.240 --> 0:19:10.159 see you as always on a Wednesday. Now I should 0:19:10.240 --> 0:19:13.000 just mention that I have a big exclusive on the 0:19:13.000 --> 0:19:13.600 show tonight. 0:19:13.600 --> 0:19:15.879 It's coming up a bit later. Penny Wong. 0:19:16.040 --> 0:19:20.040 As you know, she's been criticizing Israel over the decision 0:19:20.200 --> 0:19:24.320 to ban UNRA because of its links to terrorism. But meanwhile, 0:19:24.359 --> 0:19:28.040 behind the scenes, there's a top secret investigation going on 0:19:28.320 --> 0:19:30.720 in the Australian government into AUNRA. 0:19:30.840 --> 0:19:32.720 I'm going to bring you those details a bit later. 0:19:33.119 --> 0:19:35.800 But now let's look at the cost of living crisis 0:19:35.840 --> 0:19:39.040 and the latest inflation figures have been released today, the 0:19:39.119 --> 0:19:42.520 headline rate falling to two point eight percent in. 0:19:42.480 --> 0:19:43.399 The third quarter. 0:19:44.320 --> 0:19:47.920 Underlying inflation, this is the preferred indicator for the IBA 0:19:48.359 --> 0:19:52.240 remains still above the IBA's target band. Here was the 0:19:52.280 --> 0:19:55.119 Treasurer when he wasn't having to take questions about the 0:19:55.160 --> 0:19:56.760 Prime Minister's flight upgrades. 0:19:57.000 --> 0:19:59.399 Here he was speaking about this earlier today. 0:20:00.359 --> 0:20:03.920 Today's numbers show that we are on track for a 0:20:04.000 --> 0:20:07.760 soft landing in our economy. We are confident, but not 0:20:07.920 --> 0:20:11.960 complacent about the substantial progress that we are making as 0:20:12.000 --> 0:20:14.840 a country. Inflation is back in the band. 0:20:16.080 --> 0:20:19.080 Okay, let's bring it now. Economist leaf van on slend 0:20:19.160 --> 0:20:22.520 Leath growth to see you again. Look what's your interpretation 0:20:22.680 --> 0:20:24.280 of this data today? 0:20:24.359 --> 0:20:24.719 Today? 0:20:24.800 --> 0:20:27.639 Both the underlying inflation rate and the headline figure. 0:20:28.560 --> 0:20:30.520 Yeah, goday, Sherry, Look, I think it certainly means that 0:20:30.560 --> 0:20:33.200 the Reserve Bank's going to be on hold until next year. 0:20:33.600 --> 0:20:36.160 So obviously, yes, the headline inflation rate fell to two 0:20:36.160 --> 0:20:39.119 point eight percent, and that's great, But the reason for 0:20:39.160 --> 0:20:41.560 this fall was that we had a big fall on 0:20:41.600 --> 0:20:46.000 electricity prices because of the government's electricity subsidies and also 0:20:46.200 --> 0:20:49.480 petrol prices. So just put it into perspective, electricity prices 0:20:49.480 --> 0:20:53.359 subtracted point four percent from the quarterly inflation result and 0:20:53.640 --> 0:20:57.040 fuel prices point two five percent. But Sharry, the Reserve 0:20:57.080 --> 0:20:59.119 Bank is repeatedly stated that it's going to ignore the 0:20:59.119 --> 0:21:01.680 headline result, is going to look at the underlying inflation 0:21:02.000 --> 0:21:04.399 and that came in at point eight percent for the 0:21:04.480 --> 0:21:06.920 quarter and three point five per cent year on year, 0:21:07.000 --> 0:21:09.720 So both in quarterly terms and in annual terms, it's 0:21:09.760 --> 0:21:13.800 still above the RBA's target. And Australia still has among 0:21:13.840 --> 0:21:17.240 the highest core inflation in the advanced world. So I 0:21:17.240 --> 0:21:19.119 think based on that the Reserve Bank's going to be 0:21:19.160 --> 0:21:20.440 on hold until next year. 0:21:21.160 --> 0:21:24.080 Well we've seen you know, you say Australia has among 0:21:24.080 --> 0:21:26.040 the highest inflation rates in the world, and we've seen 0:21:26.080 --> 0:21:29.200 the IMF forecasts back that up. I mean, Australia was 0:21:29.240 --> 0:21:32.800 the worst out of I think forty two countries. Why 0:21:33.200 --> 0:21:38.239 is the CPI here, you know, remaining sticky where as 0:21:38.280 --> 0:21:40.600 it's starting to fall elsewhere around the world. 0:21:41.480 --> 0:21:44.359 Yeah, look, look, look to be fair, Australia's inflation started 0:21:44.400 --> 0:21:46.840 to rise later than the other countries, so it's it's 0:21:47.600 --> 0:21:50.680 big because of that. It's obviously starting to fall later. 0:21:50.760 --> 0:21:53.800 But we do have domestic prescires here. So obviously we've 0:21:53.800 --> 0:21:58.800 had very very strong housing inflation, so housing inflations' paling 0:21:58.800 --> 0:22:01.320 about rents and construction costs and those sorts of things 0:22:01.640 --> 0:22:05.159 have accounted for zero point two to twenty percent to 0:22:05.280 --> 0:22:09.400 half of a lot of the inflation over recent quarters. 0:22:09.680 --> 0:22:13.600