WEBVTT - Sharri | 23 May 0:00:04.519 --> 0:00:07.880 Sharing well good evening. 0:00:08.240 --> 0:00:13.039 Tonight, the scandal surrounding Channel nine deepens with shocking allegations 0:00:13.280 --> 0:00:16.920 that the company betrayed the confidence of a high profile 0:00:17.079 --> 0:00:22.480 female presenter when she raised concerns about sacked newsboss Darren Wick. 0:00:23.040 --> 0:00:26.479 The on air star was horrified to discover that soon 0:00:26.560 --> 0:00:30.920 after discussing her concerns through the appropriate channels at nine, 0:00:31.160 --> 0:00:35.240 her confidence was breached almost immediately when the top news 0:00:35.280 --> 0:00:39.520 exec was told about the complaint against him. Our latest 0:00:39.560 --> 0:00:43.840 revelation about the toxic culture and the mishandling of serious 0:00:43.880 --> 0:00:47.559 complaints comes as I can also reveal tonight that the 0:00:47.640 --> 0:00:49.040 chief executive. 0:00:48.479 --> 0:00:51.320 Of nine planned a staff conference. 0:00:51.280 --> 0:00:55.320 Where there would have been a humiliating ice bath challenge. 0:00:55.760 --> 0:00:59.120 Senior women were horrified that they were being asked to 0:00:59.160 --> 0:01:03.040 strip down to their swimwear and jump into freezing water. 0:01:03.240 --> 0:01:07.440 In front of colleagues. The plan was later abandoned. 0:01:08.120 --> 0:01:12.720 It's also emerged that Vic had multiple consensual relationships with 0:01:12.840 --> 0:01:15.840 women working for him, as well as being accused of 0:01:16.080 --> 0:01:21.400 sexually harassing others. According to a senior company figure who 0:01:21.440 --> 0:01:25.920 spoke to me, because they're so concerned about events at nine, 0:01:26.080 --> 0:01:29.840 a famous presenter went to the people and Culture Department 0:01:30.280 --> 0:01:34.360 to confide in them about Wick and his toxic management style. 0:01:35.080 --> 0:01:38.279 Wick was her direct boss, yet he refused to speak 0:01:38.319 --> 0:01:39.800 to her or respond. 0:01:39.440 --> 0:01:41.520 To emails, texts, or calls. 0:01:42.080 --> 0:01:46.040 The woman requested that HR deal with her initial conversation 0:01:46.840 --> 0:01:51.120 in strict confidence, as she hadn't yet decided whether to 0:01:51.160 --> 0:01:55.560 formalize her complaint against Wick, the most powerful man in 0:01:55.600 --> 0:02:00.120 the news division. Yet her concerns were immediately conveyed to 0:02:00.200 --> 0:02:05.280 Wick and her identity was also revealed. Now, the senior 0:02:05.400 --> 0:02:09.079 nine figure who was familiar with the events that unfolded, 0:02:09.520 --> 0:02:12.920 told me that the woman was horrified that her conversation 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:17.520 hadn't been kept confidential and that her trust had been breached. 0:02:18.400 --> 0:02:21.600 This is now the third nine employee known to have 0:02:21.720 --> 0:02:25.560 raised concerns formally about Wick. The first is the woman 0:02:25.600 --> 0:02:29.680 whose complaint led to his departure this year. The second 0:02:29.720 --> 0:02:32.400 is the woman we raised here last night who had 0:02:32.480 --> 0:02:36.160 raised the toxic culture at nine with a board director. 0:02:36.760 --> 0:02:40.680 And now this presenter is the third. Now when not 0:02:40.760 --> 0:02:45.480 accusing HR staff of telling Wick themselves, only that the 0:02:45.560 --> 0:02:50.840 supposedly confidential process at nine failed, the loss of confidence 0:02:50.880 --> 0:02:53.680 in the HR department has been raised in the past 0:02:53.800 --> 0:02:57.520 week amid concerns that women don't feel safe to raise 0:02:57.600 --> 0:03:02.320 complaints about their superiors, and these concerns fed into the 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:06.080 email by Channel nine chief executive Mike Sneezeby to staff 0:03:06.080 --> 0:03:10.760 on Wednesday, when he gave assurances that the HR process 0:03:11.000 --> 0:03:13.960 was confidential. He said in the email, if you raise 0:03:14.000 --> 0:03:17.959 an issue, including making a complaint, our processes are designed 0:03:17.960 --> 0:03:22.119 to ensure the confidentiality and protection for the individual, as 0:03:22.120 --> 0:03:25.320 well as the confidentiality of the person who the complaint 0:03:25.360 --> 0:03:28.560 is directed at. He said this is critical no matter 0:03:28.560 --> 0:03:31.240 what level you are in our business to ensure you 0:03:31.280 --> 0:03:34.000 feel safe to make a complaint and know that it 0:03:34.040 --> 0:03:38.160 will be handled seriously and discreetly. In the email, he 0:03:38.200 --> 0:03:42.360 also said that making complaints about inappropriate conduct wouldn't be 0:03:42.560 --> 0:03:43.480 career damaging. 0:03:44.480 --> 0:03:45.600 Now I can. 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:48.680 Report that Sneezbey is understood to have broken his working 0:03:48.760 --> 0:03:52.160 holiday in Los Angeles to fly home to deal with 0:03:52.200 --> 0:03:56.200 this crisis. He didn't respond to my questions or calls today. 0:03:56.600 --> 0:04:00.000 My questions were about why Wick, who had a complaint 0:04:00.000 --> 0:04:04.040 point of inappropriate behavior leveled at him, was allowed back 0:04:04.080 --> 0:04:07.840 in the office for at least six hours on April 0:04:07.880 --> 0:04:11.040 twenty fourth, and whether this was a failure to protect 0:04:11.080 --> 0:04:15.080 employees and to provide them with a safe working environment. 0:04:15.720 --> 0:04:18.719 It's also understood that Wick was given a large payout. 0:04:19.800 --> 0:04:23.680 Now I do know I have confirmed the identity of 0:04:23.680 --> 0:04:26.400 the woman who made the complaint against Wick that led 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:30.560 to his departure, and of course we will keep this confidential, 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:32.880 along with all other details about her. 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:36.680 But my understanding is she hasn't received any. 0:04:36.520 --> 0:04:41.159 Compensation as yet, while Wick has received a large payout 0:04:41.480 --> 0:04:45.120 and her matter against the company is understood to be ongoing. 0:04:46.279 --> 0:04:48.560 It's not yet clear at all whether the claim she's 0:04:48.560 --> 0:04:53.480 made against Wick will or won't affect her career. And 0:04:53.600 --> 0:04:55.599 why Wick was allowed back in the office was a 0:04:55.680 --> 0:05:00.000 question that one female employee at nine asked when Corporate 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:05.359 Affairs boss Victoria Bucken, hrboss Vanessa Morley and TV executive 0:05:05.400 --> 0:05:07.159 Michael Healey addressed. 0:05:06.720 --> 0:05:09.120 All staff at three o'clock yesterday. 0:05:09.720 --> 0:05:11.320 Well, they were told that it was so he could 0:05:11.360 --> 0:05:16.679 return his equipment and collect his belongings. Now Sky News 0:05:16.680 --> 0:05:19.839 has learned of a culture under Darren Wick where he 0:05:19.920 --> 0:05:23.719 refused to engage with some staff, which was seen by 0:05:23.760 --> 0:05:28.359 them as a tactic to keep reporters, often women, on edge, 0:05:29.080 --> 0:05:34.360 while he forged extremely close bonds with others, so close, 0:05:34.480 --> 0:05:39.320 in fact, that Vic had multiple consensual relationships with either 0:05:39.400 --> 0:05:41.600 direct reports or junior. 0:05:41.279 --> 0:05:43.160 Employees in the newsroom. 0:05:43.680 --> 0:05:46.799 One of his relationships was with a nine News reporter 0:05:47.480 --> 0:05:51.000 and another with a producer who was promoted to an 0:05:51.000 --> 0:05:58.279 interstate role. This created an unhealthy environment amid allegations of favoritism. 0:05:58.880 --> 0:06:01.720 There's now deep on rest at nine this week, as 0:06:01.760 --> 0:06:05.359 women debate whether or not to come forward to HR 0:06:05.800 --> 0:06:10.120 with their experience of experiences of harassment while they worked 0:06:10.120 --> 0:06:15.279 at one of the country's biggest TV networks. Even before 0:06:15.320 --> 0:06:19.640 our revelations this week about Wick's history of alleged inappropriate behavior, 0:06:20.279 --> 0:06:25.279 company morale was low. Confidential sources tell me that the 0:06:25.360 --> 0:06:30.120 recent staff engagement survey across the entire nine group recorded 0:06:30.160 --> 0:06:34.160 scores in the low sixties, reflecting both on the culture 0:06:34.240 --> 0:06:37.560 at the company and Mike Sneezebe's own leadership. 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:39.719 Senior women were. 0:06:39.560 --> 0:06:43.320 Also appalled by the plan to hold a staff conference 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:47.400 in Bowrel around eighteen months ago that would feature an. 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:49.080 Ice bath challenge. 0:06:49.120 --> 0:06:52.520 It would have subjected some of the company's most senior 0:06:52.560 --> 0:06:57.320 female employees to a humiliating public viewing in their swimwear 0:06:57.839 --> 0:06:59.560 in freezing temperatures. 0:07:00.839 --> 0:07:01.039 Now. 0:07:01.120 --> 0:07:05.320 Our revelations tonight come after a nine network star told 0:07:05.360 --> 0:07:09.200 me in an emotional interview yesterday that Vic had groped 0:07:09.240 --> 0:07:12.760 her and breathed heavily down her neck at the Logis 0:07:12.800 --> 0:07:14.560 after party in twenty nineteen. 0:07:15.360 --> 0:07:18.680 She said he had his hands everywhere and she had 0:07:18.720 --> 0:07:20.120 to peel him off her. 0:07:20.800 --> 0:07:23.240 She said she might have kicked or pushed him if 0:07:23.280 --> 0:07:26.120 he was any other man, but he was a boss. 0:07:26.920 --> 0:07:31.280 She also expressed concerns held by multiple nine female employees 0:07:31.760 --> 0:07:36.160 about the head of Communications, Victoria Bucken. She said that 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:39.560 while Buckan's job has nothing to do with HR, it 0:07:39.640 --> 0:07:42.880 did involve working, and it does involve working with talent, 0:07:43.320 --> 0:07:47.680 including young women, and the star said she would brush 0:07:47.720 --> 0:07:52.600 aside any suggestion of inappropriate behavior, saying that's just wiki. 0:07:53.960 --> 0:07:57.120 But the presenter's most damning remarks were for the board 0:07:57.160 --> 0:08:02.080 member who ignored her concerns about the toxic culture at nine. 0:08:02.640 --> 0:08:03.640 She said there was no. 0:08:03.600 --> 0:08:08.000 Assistance provided by the network to source the leaks, stamp 0:08:08.000 --> 0:08:12.560 out the toxic behavior, or change the culture. She said, 0:08:12.600 --> 0:08:15.920 after bod level, there's nowhere to go, and I was 0:08:16.040 --> 0:08:21.800 fearful of losing my job. Nine newspapers and television thus 0:08:21.880 --> 0:08:25.240 far have failed to report in this scandal that the 0:08:25.280 --> 0:08:29.120 network is facing. But Ray Hadley, who is ass senior 0:08:29.160 --> 0:08:33.319 He's untouchable today, said that the bad behavior has to stop, 0:08:33.520 --> 0:08:36.520 and he even offered to intervene and support women who 0:08:36.600 --> 0:08:38.319 had experienced issues. 0:08:39.480 --> 0:08:43.040 No young woman in any workplace, whether it's nine Radio 0:08:43.200 --> 0:08:46.920 nine entertainment, generally, should have to put up with unwandered advances. 0:08:47.240 --> 0:08:51.560 No woman who reports such behavior should not expect, of course, 0:08:51.600 --> 0:08:55.640 to be facing recriminations. And if you wished me to 0:08:55.679 --> 0:08:59.960 become involved, I'm happy privately become involved, not publicly privately, 0:09:00.480 --> 0:09:03.000 I'm available. A couple of young women have already reached 0:09:03.000 --> 0:09:06.800 out to me, and I'm happy to not give you advice, 0:09:06.840 --> 0:09:10.000 but just direct you to where you should go. The 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:12.880 lines have been drawn in the sand. The CEO, Mike Sneezeby, 0:09:13.320 --> 0:09:16.640 has laid the ground rules, so be assured any complaint 0:09:16.640 --> 0:09:18.840 about this sort of behavior will be dealt with promptly 0:09:18.920 --> 0:09:21.640 and discreetly, particularly if that's how you want to handle. 0:09:22.400 --> 0:09:25.160 And don't think this is simply the domain of nine Entertainment. 0:09:25.760 --> 0:09:28.640 It's happened and probably still happening in other workplaces, and 0:09:28.679 --> 0:09:30.440 I'll tell you one thing, it's bloody. 0:09:30.440 --> 0:09:31.200 We've got to stop. 0:09:32.559 --> 0:09:34.440 Strong remarks there from Ray Hadley. 0:09:34.960 --> 0:09:39.679 Now Fine nine finally announced Wick's replacement today after months 0:09:40.120 --> 0:09:42.920 in former a current affairs boss for Your Nadea, she 0:09:43.040 --> 0:09:46.120 appealed to staff to support her in the role in 0:09:46.160 --> 0:09:48.680 a video leak to us. 0:09:49.120 --> 0:09:51.800 To the news leadership team that I've been a part 0:09:51.880 --> 0:09:53.559 of for the last I don't know how long. 0:09:53.840 --> 0:09:54.960 I can't really think today. 0:09:56.120 --> 0:10:01.400 I need all of you guys so badly, so can 0:10:01.440 --> 0:10:02.560 we please do it together? 0:10:02.760 --> 0:10:04.000 I want to do this together. 0:10:04.160 --> 0:10:05.720 This is not a captain's thing. 0:10:05.760 --> 0:10:07.600 This is We've got to do this together. 0:10:11.400 --> 0:10:11.520 Now. 0:10:11.520 --> 0:10:13.400 I'm going to talk about this with my panel in 0:10:13.800 --> 0:10:17.600 a moment. But also tonight, yet another bungle. Immigration Minister 0:10:17.720 --> 0:10:22.600 Andrew Giles once again refuses to resign after a release 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:27.920 detainee was charged with murder. Also tonight, the harrowing new 0:10:27.960 --> 0:10:33.560 footage that exposes Hermasa's atrocities against young women. It's distressing 0:10:34.080 --> 0:10:39.080 but timely given the comparisons being made completely wrongly between 0:10:39.320 --> 0:10:43.560 Israel and these terrorists. Former British commander Richard Kemp would 0:10:43.600 --> 0:10:45.199 join me live in studio. 0:10:45.280 --> 0:10:47.280 He's in Australia to discuss this. 0:10:48.000 --> 0:10:51.040 Meanwhile, the Prime Minister finally fronts the media only to 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:56.480 deflect blame after refusing to defend Israel against the ICC's 0:10:56.679 --> 0:10:58.120 disgraceful charges. 0:10:59.000 --> 0:11:00.600 But now let's bring it to No It's panel. 0:11:00.640 --> 0:11:04.400 Sky News hosts Steve Price and Perth maare Basil zemplus. 0:11:04.559 --> 0:11:08.800 Welcome to you both. Steve, Look, let's first touch. 0:11:08.600 --> 0:11:12.439 On this nine scandal that we've been reporting on and 0:11:12.600 --> 0:11:15.560 breaking news of every single day this week. Do you 0:11:15.559 --> 0:11:20.160 think it's surprising that nine hasn't been reporting about this 0:11:20.320 --> 0:11:24.320 topic in the papers or on TV, despite going so 0:11:24.600 --> 0:11:28.880 hard against their commercial rival Channel seven Spotlight program when 0:11:29.360 --> 0:11:32.800 they were being exposed for allegations of poor behavior. 0:11:35.720 --> 0:11:37.959 Of course, I'm in your story today is page one 0:11:37.960 --> 0:11:40.320 of the Herald Sun in Melbourne. But I listened to 0:11:40.720 --> 0:11:44.560 much of the morning radio program on throughout w which 0:11:44.640 --> 0:11:47.200 nine owns not a mention of it at all, and 0:11:47.240 --> 0:11:49.840 I pat on the back my old mate Ray Hadley 0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:52.600 for bringing it up on two GB. Not one word 0:11:52.760 --> 0:11:55.560 of it in the Age newspaper, not one word of 0:11:55.600 --> 0:11:58.960 it in the Sydney Morning Herald. Now those two newspapers 0:11:58.960 --> 0:12:01.600 in particular, they've always been an odd fit to the 0:12:01.720 --> 0:12:05.680 nine corporate feeling in the company, the way that that 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:09.920 company operates. But you would think, given how strong they 0:12:09.960 --> 0:12:12.720 are in these matters of the treatment of women, whether 0:12:12.760 --> 0:12:16.880 it be domestic violence or workplace attitudes toward women, that 0:12:16.920 --> 0:12:19.680 they may have had the courage today to come out, 0:12:19.880 --> 0:12:23.480 report your story, back it up, ask questions themselves. But 0:12:23.600 --> 0:12:26.800 there has been a deafening silence, and that's disgraceful. 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:31.400 Now, Basil, you know you're Perth Mayre, but you're obviously 0:12:31.440 --> 0:12:34.520 aligned with the seven network. I mean, we saw such 0:12:34.559 --> 0:12:39.360 a strong campaign of mostly legitimate news reporting from the 0:12:39.400 --> 0:12:42.240 Sydney Morning Herald, you know, in its newspages, in its 0:12:42.280 --> 0:12:45.600 gossip columns, but nine Television as well a current affair, 0:12:45.800 --> 0:12:49.800 all their television programs against Channel seven when the spotlight 0:12:49.880 --> 0:12:53.640 scandal was unfolding. But yet not a word, even though 0:12:53.760 --> 0:12:56.640 so many women, I mean, we've been reporting every night 0:12:56.679 --> 0:12:59.880 this week, more women, more women, more women are coming 0:12:59.880 --> 0:13:05.360 forward with quite serious allegations of inappropriate conduct or sexual 0:13:05.400 --> 0:13:09.240 harassment that they've experienced at Channel nine. 0:13:10.200 --> 0:13:12.920 They're very serious allegations. That's the first thing that needs 0:13:12.960 --> 0:13:16.479 to be said. And the culture that evidently or apparently 0:13:16.880 --> 0:13:20.679 has existed is a very poor one, and it is refreshing, 0:13:20.720 --> 0:13:23.440 I think to see Ray Hadley take a lead and 0:13:23.520 --> 0:13:26.880 perhaps that is the first domino within the group to fall. 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:32.280 I'll also say, though, just because one group might choose 0:13:32.320 --> 0:13:35.760 to report about another in a certain way doesn't mean 0:13:35.800 --> 0:13:39.280 it has to be reciprocated. And ultimately, these are decisions 0:13:39.480 --> 0:13:42.439 for the Nine Network and the Nine Group to decide 0:13:42.559 --> 0:13:46.800 how they're going to report about affairs within their own organization. 0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:49.880 They need to make the decision now, how do we 0:13:49.920 --> 0:13:52.800 want to reflect, how do we want to be portrayed 0:13:52.840 --> 0:13:55.760 from this point in and how do we want history 0:13:55.960 --> 0:14:00.559 to judge we have dealt with these very serious actionsations 0:14:00.600 --> 0:14:04.800 that have been made against one of our executives. I'll 0:14:04.800 --> 0:14:07.880 also say that as somebody who's been in television and 0:14:07.920 --> 0:14:11.360 continues in television at around the thirty year mark, just 0:14:11.360 --> 0:14:13.760 just full stop, it doesn't make you feel good as 0:14:13.800 --> 0:14:17.480 somebody who's been involved in this industry to hear these 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:21.360 sorts of allegations. Television today is a very different place 0:14:21.400 --> 0:14:23.920 to what it was when I first joined thirty years ago, 0:14:23.960 --> 0:14:26.840 and twenty years before that, and even fifteen or ten 0:14:26.920 --> 0:14:31.160 years ago, but it clearly needs to continue to evolve. 0:14:31.240 --> 0:14:34.520 There's no doubt about that. This behavior is very very poor. 0:14:35.040 --> 0:14:36.280 Indeed, indeed it is. 0:14:36.480 --> 0:14:38.640 And you know when I did that interview yesterday with 0:14:38.720 --> 0:14:41.560 a female presenter, and when I spoke to her yesterday, 0:14:41.600 --> 0:14:45.080 hearing the emotion the tears as we spoke, you know, 0:14:45.440 --> 0:14:46.920 it really brings it home. 0:14:46.800 --> 0:14:48.800 Just how much this matters. 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:53.360 Now after growing calls for Australia to perhaps boycott, maybe 0:14:53.440 --> 0:14:56.880 withdraw from the ICC that's the International Criminal Court, after 0:14:56.960 --> 0:15:00.640 its decision this week to issue arrest warrant for Benjamin 0:15:00.600 --> 0:15:05.960 Netanyahu alongside hermas Well. Once again, Albanezi has refused to 0:15:06.560 --> 0:15:11.000 directly comment on the ICC. Instead, he just shifted the blame, 0:15:11.080 --> 0:15:13.320 can you believe it to the Howard government. 0:15:13.400 --> 0:15:15.200 Have a look which. 0:15:15.120 --> 0:15:18.800 Actually was signed up to, of course not by my government, 0:15:18.960 --> 0:15:24.000 but by the Howard government when Alexander Downer was the 0:15:24.040 --> 0:15:26.680 Foreign Minister. So it's up to them, I think, to 0:15:28.400 --> 0:15:32.280 explain those decisions at that time, be very clear about 0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:35.040 what's happened to here. There's been an application, there's been 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:40.960 no determination by the ICC against any individual or anybody 0:15:41.720 --> 0:15:42.760 at this point in time. 0:15:42.840 --> 0:15:45.880 If they do proceed with the restaurant, there. 0:15:45.800 --> 0:15:50.280 Hasn't been and I don't respond to hypothetic alls about 0:15:50.320 --> 0:15:51.960 court cases that haven't. 0:15:51.640 --> 0:15:53.080 Occurred with respect. 0:15:54.080 --> 0:16:00.320 We also call for since then a humanitarian cease fire. 0:16:00.960 --> 0:16:05.200 Steve, can you get a more week? A worse PM? 0:16:05.280 --> 0:16:08.280 He won't even rule out that should. 0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:10.600 Natanyahu come to Australia, which obviously is not going to 0:16:10.640 --> 0:16:11.000 do that. 0:16:11.040 --> 0:16:14.960 He wouldn't be arrested. Can the PM get any worse? 0:16:17.800 --> 0:16:20.120 Well, it got worse again today. His response today was 0:16:20.160 --> 0:16:23.800 even more confused. Its weak leadership and I think the 0:16:23.920 --> 0:16:27.920 Labor Party has a real problem here. Anthony Albanezi is 0:16:28.160 --> 0:16:31.440 being shown to be a weak man. Now. I looked 0:16:31.440 --> 0:16:34.120 back for the reason that it was two years ago 0:16:34.520 --> 0:16:38.000 Tuesday this week that Anthony Albanesi stood at an RSL 0:16:38.040 --> 0:16:41.440 club in Sydney and claimed the prime ministership. I watched 0:16:41.480 --> 0:16:45.360 the whole speech of him claiming that victory over Scott 0:16:45.400 --> 0:16:47.680 Morrison back to write a column about it for the 0:16:47.720 --> 0:16:50.360 Herald Sun this week, and the one thing that he 0:16:50.480 --> 0:16:53.600 kept going back to was his main focus was going 0:16:53.640 --> 0:16:57.480 to be as Prime Minister, shari to bring the country 0:16:57.520 --> 0:17:01.400 together his words, not mine, accusing Morrison of being the 0:17:01.520 --> 0:17:03.480 visive and he said he was going to bring the 0:17:03.600 --> 0:17:06.520 country together now, I've been around a long time, even 0:17:06.560 --> 0:17:10.720 longer than Basil. I can't remember a time when Australia 0:17:10.760 --> 0:17:14.080 has been more divided than it is today. I'd have 0:17:14.160 --> 0:17:16.360 to go all the way back to the early seventies 0:17:16.400 --> 0:17:19.240 in the Vietnam War to remember a time like that. 0:17:19.520 --> 0:17:22.360 And I think Anthony Albanizi has to step up now 0:17:22.400 --> 0:17:25.399 and show leadership, or someone into his own party is 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:28.760 going to start saying this bloke doesn't deserve to be 0:17:28.840 --> 0:17:29.320 the boss. 0:17:29.960 --> 0:17:31.520 And you know, I think you're right. 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:35.159 We are seeing this unprecedented level of anti Semitism. But 0:17:35.200 --> 0:17:37.199 the issue is, and you know, I've been saying this 0:17:37.240 --> 0:17:39.600 for a while, and it just keeps getting worse that 0:17:40.040 --> 0:17:44.120 Albanasi is making it worse by refusing to call out 0:17:44.160 --> 0:17:47.280 the ICC, by refusing to say, no, we can't equate 0:17:47.359 --> 0:17:48.840 Natanyahoo with har Maas. 0:17:48.960 --> 0:17:49.800 This isn't right. 0:17:50.160 --> 0:17:54.160 He's making it worse because he's telling everyone, all those protesters, 0:17:54.200 --> 0:17:58.000 all those students, everyone at home, that actually Israel might 0:17:58.080 --> 0:18:01.719 be committing war crimes, that it should be arrested, that 0:18:01.720 --> 0:18:04.680 it's PM should be arrested for crimes against humanity when 0:18:04.840 --> 0:18:08.679 and this just fans the flames of antisemitism, when in 0:18:08.720 --> 0:18:11.119 fact the opposite is true. You know, I'm going to 0:18:11.119 --> 0:18:12.840 go into the detail of that a bit later with 0:18:13.280 --> 0:18:15.080 Richard Camp when I interview him. 0:18:15.840 --> 0:18:17.680 But Basil, what do you think about this? 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:21.640 You know my view, he's making the anti Semitism crisis 0:18:21.680 --> 0:18:24.600 worse by not shutting down these falsehoods. 0:18:26.080 --> 0:18:28.560 I think Peter Dutton's got an absolutely spot on He's 0:18:28.600 --> 0:18:31.159 used very simple language to explain what's happened here with 0:18:31.200 --> 0:18:33.480 the Prime minister. He said the Prime Minister has squibbed 0:18:33.520 --> 0:18:36.399 it and that is exactly what he has done. He 0:18:36.480 --> 0:18:40.840 has refused to take any responsibility or even take a position. 0:18:41.040 --> 0:18:44.240 I mean that blaming that John the Howard government ridiculous. 0:18:44.280 --> 0:18:45.880 No matter how we signed up to it or how 0:18:45.880 --> 0:18:49.320 we became a part of it. The issue for consideration 0:18:49.720 --> 0:18:52.920 is what is happening right now. And sometimes here in 0:18:52.960 --> 0:18:55.320 Australia we look at Joe Biden and wonder about how 0:18:55.359 --> 0:18:57.560 he became the President of the United States or what 0:18:57.680 --> 0:19:00.320 sort of a leader he is. But Joe Biden has 0:19:00.359 --> 0:19:04.000 spoken out against what's happened with the ICC, and incredibly 0:19:04.640 --> 0:19:08.520 incredibly Anthony Albanezi has not. Who is he fearful of? 0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:11.840 Why won't he take a strong position. Who is he 0:19:11.920 --> 0:19:15.840 trying to appease with this very wishy was she view? 0:19:15.840 --> 0:19:17.960 And again I say, Peter Dutton got it spot on. 0:19:18.359 --> 0:19:21.040 He squibbed it here, the Prime Minister. That's not what 0:19:21.080 --> 0:19:23.919 we want. We want leadership in times like this and 0:19:23.920 --> 0:19:24.760 we're not getting it. 0:19:25.160 --> 0:19:26.800 Yeah, exactly right. 0:19:27.560 --> 0:19:30.000 Now over to the US, and you mentioned Joe Biden, 0:19:30.080 --> 0:19:33.760 will Nikki Haley, who was once Donald Trump's rival, and 0:19:33.840 --> 0:19:37.000 she only had unkind words about to say about him, 0:19:37.200 --> 0:19:39.760 which is now saying that she will vote for him 0:19:40.040 --> 0:19:40.720 in November. 0:19:40.800 --> 0:19:46.200 Have a look, I put my priorities on a president 0:19:46.240 --> 0:19:48.919 who's going to have the backs of our allies and 0:19:48.960 --> 0:19:53.520 hold our enemies to account, who would secure the border, 0:19:54.760 --> 0:19:58.840 no more excuses. Trump has not been perfect on these policies. 0:19:58.960 --> 0:20:03.760 I have made that clear many many times. But Biden 0:20:03.840 --> 0:20:05.159 has been a catastrophe. 0:20:07.200 --> 0:20:07.480 Steve. 0:20:07.560 --> 0:20:11.960 I mean, it wasn't overwhelming support for Trump, but you 0:20:12.000 --> 0:20:14.120 know she's going to have to get behind him. 0:20:14.160 --> 0:20:15.720 She's going to have to be a loyal. 0:20:15.480 --> 0:20:22.120 Republican with friends like Nicki Haley, who needs enemies. Really, 0:20:22.160 --> 0:20:24.840 I mean, it was quite a performance. She came out 0:20:24.880 --> 0:20:27.280 there and said, well, you know, Donald Trump. I don't 0:20:27.280 --> 0:20:29.959 really like him, but I hate Joe Biden more, and 0:20:30.000 --> 0:20:32.320 so I'm going to vote for Donald Trump. I mean, 0:20:32.560 --> 0:20:35.320 it would have been ridiculous if she said something different 0:20:35.320 --> 0:20:37.280 to that, and that was going to support Biden. But 0:20:38.080 --> 0:20:40.440 all the points she raises about the weakness of Joe 0:20:40.440 --> 0:20:44.280 Biden are absolutely correct. Donald Trump, obviously going to court 0:20:44.280 --> 0:20:47.080 every day in New York, got his own problems. He 0:20:47.119 --> 0:20:49.520 would probably look at Nicky Haley and say, gee, thanks 0:20:49.520 --> 0:20:49.840 a lot. 0:20:51.080 --> 0:20:53.639 Now just over in your neck of the woods. 0:20:53.720 --> 0:20:58.159 Actually, Steve opposition leader John Pursuito reportedly ditched a Liberal 0:20:58.200 --> 0:21:01.719 Party multicultural dinner and she the night. Well, the reports are, 0:21:01.800 --> 0:21:04.320 the claims are that he was told he couldn't make 0:21:04.520 --> 0:21:09.240 a speech. Now Basil apparently we're also hearing that John 0:21:09.320 --> 0:21:13.880 Persudo and Peter Dutton on not having such a good 0:21:13.920 --> 0:21:15.320 relationship at the moment. 0:21:18.720 --> 0:21:22.840 Look, sometimes there is a blue on behind the scenes 0:21:22.920 --> 0:21:26.400 because of how people have been treated, what role they've 0:21:26.440 --> 0:21:28.280 been given, what opportunity to speak, etc. 0:21:28.600 --> 0:21:28.800 Etc. 0:21:29.520 --> 0:21:32.240 And either side of the argument may well be right, 0:21:32.640 --> 0:21:35.679 But what really matters. The only thing, in fact it 0:21:35.720 --> 0:21:39.040 matters with this stuff behind the scenes or the internal stuff, 0:21:39.520 --> 0:21:42.080 is what the perception of the public is and the 0:21:42.119 --> 0:21:44.439 perception of the public when they hear things like this 0:21:44.640 --> 0:21:48.719 is this is school yard stuff. It reflects very poorly 0:21:48.760 --> 0:21:52.240 on the individuals, and it reflects poorly on the party. 0:21:52.560 --> 0:21:56.000 And so every consideration, no matter how aggrieved somebody might 0:21:56.119 --> 0:21:59.439 feel about a situation they've been dealt. Come on, they 0:21:59.440 --> 0:22:02.920 have to make assessments. Come on, how will this play 0:22:02.920 --> 0:22:03.280 out to day? 0:22:03.320 --> 0:22:07.400 They hate each other, They can't stand one. Haven't spoken 0:22:07.440 --> 0:22:10.280 for me, consideration, they haven't spoken for me. 0:22:10.440 --> 0:22:12.240 Are we going to expressing that? 0:22:12.400 --> 0:22:14.679 I have a question, Steve, I have a question for you, Steve. 0:22:15.119 --> 0:22:17.440 Does anyone like John Persuto? 0:22:19.800 --> 0:22:23.000 No? I don't think his dog even likes I mean, seriously, 0:22:23.400 --> 0:22:27.560 the bloke came out today and said there'll be no 0:22:27.720 --> 0:22:31.600 nuclear power in Victoria. We don't support nuclear power for Victoria. 0:22:31.720 --> 0:22:34.119 I mean, goodness, gracious. I mean the Premier to Senator 0:22:34.119 --> 0:22:36.560 Allen today said it was toxic and we're never going 0:22:36.640 --> 0:22:39.080 to have it and it's dangerous. What if John Persuito 0:22:39.240 --> 0:22:41.360 wants to get elected when the next election is two 0:22:41.440 --> 0:22:43.760 years away, what does he say on we can't have 0:22:43.880 --> 0:22:46.440 nuclear power here? I mean, the bloke is a dud 0:22:46.920 --> 0:22:49.639 and the sooner the Liberal Party in Victoria get rid 0:22:49.680 --> 0:22:51.000 of him, the better off will all be. 0:22:52.440 --> 0:22:56.120 Yeah, And look, the worrying thing is the Liberals could 0:22:56.160 --> 0:22:58.879 actually have a chance to win the next state election 0:22:58.960 --> 0:23:01.359 in Victoria, but not John Persudo is the leader. But 0:23:01.400 --> 0:23:04.000 I don't know if they have any other better options anyway. 0:23:04.359 --> 0:23:07.080 I think we were actually saying the same things there, Steve. 0:23:07.760 --> 0:23:09.960