WEBVTT - Credlin | 18 August 0:00:01.800 --> 0:00:05.400 Peter Quedlin Live from year twenty four. 0:00:08.160 --> 0:00:10.480 Hell, look a sterling effort there from Michael McCormack and 0:00:10.520 --> 0:00:14.480 others in the Parliament today against the Veterans Minister. I'll 0:00:14.480 --> 0:00:16.239 get to that in a moment. Good evening, welcome to 0:00:16.239 --> 0:00:18.639 the program, and look, just as we go to where 0:00:18.680 --> 0:00:22.080 I can report to you that the gambling advertising legislation 0:00:22.560 --> 0:00:26.040 has now passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support, 0:00:26.400 --> 0:00:29.640 although there were some Coalition MPs that crossed the floor. 0:00:29.960 --> 0:00:32.120 I'll get you an update on that shortly. Here's what's 0:00:32.120 --> 0:00:35.320 coming up on the program tonight. The shocking display by 0:00:35.400 --> 0:00:39.559 Labour's Veterans Minister dragged kicking and screaming to meet with 0:00:39.760 --> 0:00:43.360 veterans only after he was called out in the Parliament 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:46.879 Matt Keoh, he's got form here. It's time for the 0:00:46.880 --> 0:00:51.479 Prime Minister to step in and step up Labour's letters bungle. 0:00:51.520 --> 0:00:54.640 The convicted child sex offender might be saved from deportation 0:00:55.200 --> 0:00:58.160 because the fifty year old male says he's gay and 0:00:58.240 --> 0:01:02.120 can't be returned to Africa. That's the argument and its 0:01:02.160 --> 0:01:03.600 sparking outrage. 0:01:03.800 --> 0:01:04.520 So where is. 0:01:04.440 --> 0:01:09.560 The Minister Tony Burke still in hiding? Plus taxpayers on 0:01:09.600 --> 0:01:12.000 the hook for hundreds of millions each year to help 0:01:12.040 --> 0:01:16.080 find an activist network that props up governments like the 0:01:16.080 --> 0:01:19.319 one in Canberra. A major report has been released on this. 0:01:19.440 --> 0:01:22.720 I'll speak to the research author a little later. And 0:01:22.880 --> 0:01:25.080 just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, one 0:01:25.120 --> 0:01:28.560 of our major banks now warning that rents could soar 0:01:28.880 --> 0:01:31.000 by as much as thirty percent. 0:01:31.880 --> 0:01:36.600 The National Australia Bank has confirmed labor's toxic taxes will 0:01:36.760 --> 0:01:43.280 send rents soaring by thirty percent. Well, the Prime Minister 0:01:43.440 --> 0:01:46.720 guarantee rents will not go up by thirty percent. 0:01:48.760 --> 0:01:52.480 The first today is Vietnam Veterans Day, and as we 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:56.400 commemorated on the eighteenth of August, because it was on 0:01:56.480 --> 0:01:59.360 this day in a rubber plantation near Long Tan and 0:01:59.480 --> 0:02:02.280 South Yea Nam, that one hundred and eight Australian and 0:02:02.320 --> 0:02:06.680 New Zealand soldiers defeated an overwhelming force of some two 0:02:06.920 --> 0:02:10.920 thousand or two and a half thousand Vietcong and North 0:02:11.040 --> 0:02:15.640 Vietnamese troops. Outnumbered by roughly ten to one. The men 0:02:15.680 --> 0:02:19.520 of D Company fought for over three hours in heavy 0:02:19.720 --> 0:02:24.960 monsoonal rains, says the official war record, Precision artillery from 0:02:25.040 --> 0:02:31.200 New Zealand and Australian batteries, alongside risky helicopter ammunition drops, 0:02:31.800 --> 0:02:36.399 kept the small force alive until armored reinforcements turned up. 0:02:37.040 --> 0:02:41.400 The victory at Longtan halted a planned enemy assault on 0:02:41.440 --> 0:02:46.400 the nearby Australia Task Force base at Nui Dat, ensuring 0:02:46.480 --> 0:02:52.560 that the headquarters were never seriously threatened again. Eighteen Australians 0:02:52.600 --> 0:02:56.040 were killed in the Battle of Longtan, twenty four of 0:02:56.080 --> 0:02:57.359 our own were wounded. 0:02:58.040 --> 0:02:59.200 This is nineteen. 0:02:58.919 --> 0:03:05.200 Sixty six years ago. Today, un lest we forget, and 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:09.919 those words lest we forget are not just a polite 0:03:10.000 --> 0:03:14.400 way to close out a memorial or military service, but 0:03:14.520 --> 0:03:18.160 said as a plea, as a pledge from one generation 0:03:18.320 --> 0:03:21.720 to the next, that the valor and sacrifice of those 0:03:21.760 --> 0:03:23.960 who put their lives on the line to defend our 0:03:24.000 --> 0:03:28.760 country and our values should stand forever in our history, 0:03:29.280 --> 0:03:37.360 that even decades on, they should be remembered, honored and respected. 0:03:38.280 --> 0:03:38.920 Respected. 0:03:39.520 --> 0:03:42.360 Now, I want you to keep that word top of 0:03:42.480 --> 0:03:46.240 mind as you listen to this today from a veteran, 0:03:46.600 --> 0:03:50.680 a former Air Force fighter pilot now doctor Tim Neilson, 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:53.440 who is part of a broader group of veterans in 0:03:53.480 --> 0:03:58.080 Canberra this week urging the Albanese government to rethink its 0:03:58.120 --> 0:04:02.760 decision to cut their outs to medical support services. 0:04:03.600 --> 0:04:07.000 We're all here today because we have lost complete faith 0:04:07.080 --> 0:04:11.680 in the Department of Veteran Affairs. Yesterday confirmed that lack 0:04:11.680 --> 0:04:14.840 of leadership. It confirmed for us that lack of trust. 0:04:15.960 --> 0:04:18.200 Minister Keto was forced to have a meeting with us. 0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:18.880 At five point thirty. 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:21.520 It was obvious he did not want to be there. 0:04:22.360 --> 0:04:24.159 He even let us know that he was missing an 0:04:24.200 --> 0:04:26.760 appointment with the Governor General, which he was. 0:04:26.760 --> 0:04:27.920 Very upset about. 0:04:28.600 --> 0:04:31.799 He walked into the room, refused to shake our hand, 0:04:32.480 --> 0:04:35.960 sat down with his arms crossed, and rolled his eyes 0:04:36.240 --> 0:04:39.359 when we started telling him about the effect that this 0:04:39.480 --> 0:04:44.120 cap already is having on veterans, about four veterans who 0:04:44.120 --> 0:04:48.160 have already committed suicide as a result of the introduction 0:04:48.760 --> 0:04:52.880 of the information of this cap. We have no confidence 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:56.800 that the Department of Veteran Affairs will be able to 0:04:57.040 --> 0:05:01.560 instigate this cap and it needs to be scrapped. 0:05:01.960 --> 0:05:03.720 Right all right. 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:06.920 This is the man they are talking about, the man 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:10.360 upset to have missed drinks with the Governor General in 0:05:10.480 --> 0:05:13.440 order to meet these veterans. His name is Matt Keo, 0:05:14.200 --> 0:05:18.400 his Labour's Minister for Veterans, and until he was shamed 0:05:18.400 --> 0:05:22.960 in the House of Representatives yesterday, Keo wasn't even willing 0:05:23.040 --> 0:05:25.120 to meet with that delegation. 0:05:26.240 --> 0:05:29.800 Minister. These veterans have traveled to Parliament to be heard. 0:05:30.560 --> 0:05:34.440 Why have you refused to meet them? What or who 0:05:34.520 --> 0:05:37.040 could possibly possibly be more important? 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:39.080 All right? 0:05:39.160 --> 0:05:44.480 So embarrassed yesterday into doing his job, embarrassed into meeting 0:05:44.880 --> 0:05:49.200 with that delegation of veterans, Keo chose last night to 0:05:49.440 --> 0:05:54.800 keep up the insults, refusing to shake their hand, arms crossed. 0:05:54.880 --> 0:05:59.680 We were told, sulking away again, this is a veteran 0:06:00.400 --> 0:06:02.679 calling out the veterans minister. 0:06:03.760 --> 0:06:05.919 Minister Keyo was forced to have a meeting with us 0:06:05.920 --> 0:06:08.359 at five point thirty. It was obvious he did not 0:06:08.520 --> 0:06:11.240 want to be there. He even let us know that 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:14.200 he was missing an appointment with the Governor General, which 0:06:14.279 --> 0:06:17.760 he was very upset about. He walked into the room, 0:06:18.240 --> 0:06:22.279 refused to shake our hand, sat down with his arms crossed, 0:06:22.600 --> 0:06:26.200 and rolled his eyes when we started telling him about 0:06:26.360 --> 0:06:30.360 the effect that this cap already is having on veterans. 0:06:31.839 --> 0:06:36.080 Again, Nelson is medical doctor but also a former fighter pilot. 0:06:36.920 --> 0:06:37.920 Understand this too. 0:06:38.120 --> 0:06:42.440 In that group with Nelson and others was also Julianne Finnie, 0:06:42.920 --> 0:06:46.039 the mom of a young naval officer, David Finny, who 0:06:46.080 --> 0:06:47.240 took his own life. 0:06:47.600 --> 0:06:49.240 Now you probably know her name. 0:06:49.360 --> 0:06:52.680 She was instrumental in the establishment of the recent Royal 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:57.040 Commission into Defense and Veterans Suicide. Well, today she accused 0:06:57.080 --> 0:07:01.680 Matt Keo of beinglittling veterans and treating them with contempt. 0:07:02.360 --> 0:07:05.240 Why would anybody want to join the ADF with him 0:07:05.279 --> 0:07:08.880 as the Minister for Defense Personnel and the Minister for veterans. 0:07:09.240 --> 0:07:12.840 He doesn't care about them. Let's call him out, Prime Minister. 0:07:13.200 --> 0:07:18.200 The minister's position is untenable and he needs to go, 0:07:18.680 --> 0:07:20.840 and you need to meet with us. You promised me 0:07:20.880 --> 0:07:23.680 in opposition that you would look after veterans. You are 0:07:23.760 --> 0:07:24.440 failing us. 0:07:26.440 --> 0:07:30.520 Now we are told that not long after those scarifying comments, 0:07:30.920 --> 0:07:33.520 senior staff in the Prime Minister's office reached out to 0:07:33.600 --> 0:07:36.360 the group and offered to meet with them. 0:07:36.520 --> 0:07:37.320 Of course they did. 0:07:37.640 --> 0:07:40.160 They went into damage control, didn't they look at that vision? 0:07:40.920 --> 0:07:44.880 But where is the Prime Minister sanctioning his minister and 0:07:44.920 --> 0:07:48.280 where is the government reversing this terrible decision to cut 0:07:48.280 --> 0:07:51.600 support to veterans. Let's start with that budget decision in 0:07:51.680 --> 0:07:56.520 May to limit over servicing. They call it KEO, capped 0:07:56.640 --> 0:08:00.600 Allied health spending to each veteran at five one thousand 0:08:00.600 --> 0:08:04.920 dollars per annum. Now anyone, whether chronic health condition, be 0:08:04.960 --> 0:08:07.920 that physical or mental, or in the case of many veterans, 0:08:08.120 --> 0:08:10.600 both will you know it doesn't take you long for 0:08:10.640 --> 0:08:15.560 the bills to mount up claims of over servicing. I mean, 0:08:15.560 --> 0:08:20.040 these are our most vulnerable veterans, and yet this decision 0:08:20.040 --> 0:08:23.480 from KO is really going to hurt those who neither 0:08:23.560 --> 0:08:26.800 help the most. Look at the millions, the billions that 0:08:26.880 --> 0:08:29.400 we waste and have wrought it out of the NDIS, 0:08:30.000 --> 0:08:33.880 and yet we're caving spending on veterans at five thousand dollars. 0:08:33.880 --> 0:08:35.200 That's it. That's it. 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:40.000 And what galls me most here is that this Veterans 0:08:40.040 --> 0:08:43.720 Minister has falled. That KEO is the same blow that 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:46.960 cut the very modest funding that Doug and k Baird 0:08:47.040 --> 0:08:51.160 had long received to travel to schools and RSL events 0:08:51.480 --> 0:08:54.840 to honor their son, the late war hero Cameron Bird, 0:08:55.400 --> 0:09:00.600 killed in action in Afghanistan. And now here goes again 0:09:01.200 --> 0:09:04.800 going after veterans. It's not as if Keo's careful with 0:09:04.960 --> 0:09:08.760 your money when it comes to what he spends on himself. 0:09:09.440 --> 0:09:12.200 In just the first three months of this year, matt 0:09:12.280 --> 0:09:16.120 Keo spent three hundred and sixty one thousand dollars on travel, 0:09:16.760 --> 0:09:20.439 including almost three thousand dollars to fly his wife from 0:09:20.440 --> 0:09:23.400 Perth to Sydney for a gay pride ball. 0:09:24.320 --> 0:09:27.239 That's on top of his four hundred thousand dollars salaries. 0:09:27.679 --> 0:09:32.040 Big Office sees car and all the other perks. At 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:35.720 the start of question time today to commemorate Long Tan, 0:09:36.520 --> 0:09:39.680 we heard a lot of fine words from the Prime Minister. 0:09:40.440 --> 0:09:43.719 We also acknowledge that it took us too long as 0:09:43.760 --> 0:09:47.120 a nation to come to terms with a fundamental truth 0:09:47.760 --> 0:09:51.480 that we can disagree with the war without ever diminishing 0:09:51.920 --> 0:09:57.040 the profound respect we feel for every single Australian who 0:09:57.080 --> 0:10:00.400 puts on our uniform and serves in our name. 0:10:03.280 --> 0:10:07.320 You heard those words, but they mean little if Albanezy 0:10:07.440 --> 0:10:13.320 continues to tolerate mat Keo's clear contempt for veterans. Mat 0:10:13.440 --> 0:10:18.240 Keo's contempt is the Albanese government's contempt unless the Prime 0:10:18.240 --> 0:10:21.960 Minister does something about Keyo. If the Prime Minister says 0:10:22.000 --> 0:10:25.320 he respects the uniform he respects veterans, then it needs 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:31.000 to show it and sack Keyo immediately. If KEYO stays, 0:10:31.600 --> 0:10:37.240 Albanese is endorsing this contempt and he's endorsing the cuts. 0:10:38.000 --> 0:10:42.400 Here is Queensland MP Phil Thompson, himself a veteran today 0:10:43.000 --> 0:10:43.640 in the House. 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:47.720 Earlier this year the Minister had to be drag kicking 0:10:47.800 --> 0:10:50.840 and screaming to restore funding to Darg and k Bird, 0:10:51.280 --> 0:10:55.400 the parents of slaying Victoria Cross recipient Cameron Baird vc MG. 0:10:56.080 --> 0:10:58.960 Yesterday the Minister had to be drag kicking and screaming 0:10:58.960 --> 0:11:01.640 to meet with veterans about his cruel cuts to their 0:11:01.679 --> 0:11:04.680 Allied healthcare. Will you now do the right thing, Minister 0:11:05.120 --> 0:11:07.920 and scrap the five thousand dollars Allied healthcare? 0:11:10.280 --> 0:11:13.800 In response, here is the bladder from the minister and 0:11:13.840 --> 0:11:16.640 I want you to notice, please the fact that he's 0:11:17.160 --> 0:11:21.280 struggling at the dispatch box to even look Phil Thompson 0:11:21.480 --> 0:11:22.200 in the face. 0:11:22.960 --> 0:11:25.640 Really look forward to him and members of the opposition 0:11:25.720 --> 0:11:28.640 and the veteran community, and the Allied health professional community 0:11:28.640 --> 0:11:33.080 and our ex service organizations engaging in the consultation around 0:11:33.200 --> 0:11:36.600 how we ensure better access to Allied health care if 0:11:36.600 --> 0:11:41.840 you're releasing a discussion paper shortly to fulfill that consultation process, 0:11:41.880 --> 0:11:45.000 engaging directly with veterans, and I look forward to the 0:11:45.000 --> 0:11:48.000 Shadow Minister's feedback as well as those are veterans, our 0:11:48.240 --> 0:11:51.520 esos and our practitioner, our practitioners. 0:11:52.679 --> 0:11:56.960 At outguartlessness. I'll speak to Phil Thompson shortly. But this 0:11:57.320 --> 0:12:00.360 isn't about mat Cho anymore yet again, this is now 0:12:00.400 --> 0:12:02.360 a test of character for the Prime Minister. 0:12:03.000 --> 0:12:04.040 Keo should resign. 0:12:04.120 --> 0:12:07.400 He should absolutely resign, and if he doesn't have the 0:12:07.440 --> 0:12:09.600 decency to walk in Albanies, he needs to get himself 0:12:09.679 --> 0:12:17.280 a backbone and sack him well. I mentioned at the 0:12:17.280 --> 0:12:19.319 top of the show that not long ago that gambling 0:12:19.600 --> 0:12:23.439 advertising legislation has passed the Lower House. Of course it's 0:12:23.440 --> 0:12:26.120 a majority vote down there, but it did have coalition support. 0:12:26.280 --> 0:12:28.600 Let's get the letters now from our political reporter Cam 0:12:28.640 --> 0:12:32.040 red and for the update, Cam, we had some coalition 0:12:32.360 --> 0:12:35.240 MPs across the floor, but it would have been a 0:12:35.280 --> 0:12:37.360 strong vote in support even with that. 0:12:38.600 --> 0:12:41.080 Yeah, very strong, Peter, it must be said. Angus Taylor 0:12:41.120 --> 0:12:43.679 has plicated most of the concerns that it's fair to 0:12:43.720 --> 0:12:45.440 say we're on both sides of his party room. There 0:12:45.440 --> 0:12:48.840 were still many advocating for stronger laws, some also saying 0:12:48.880 --> 0:12:51.360 that this was effectively an affront through individual liberty, that 0:12:51.360 --> 0:12:55.360 people should be responsible for themselves. This is government overreach. Ultimately, though, 0:12:55.520 --> 0:12:57.560 as we first reported on News twenty four, all but 0:12:57.679 --> 0:13:00.320 two had sided with the government to back these in 0:13:00.320 --> 0:13:02.720 the last few minutes. So Andrew Wallace pat Conahan were 0:13:02.760 --> 0:13:05.640 the two that crossed the floor. They said just on conscience. 0:13:05.720 --> 0:13:08.160 They believe that these laws were too weak, that's the 0:13:08.160 --> 0:13:10.800 word pat Conahan used, and they could not support it. 0:13:10.840 --> 0:13:13.400 But ultimately, this is largely by part as an effort, Peter. 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:16.080 It'll see things like, for example, three ads an hour 0:13:16.160 --> 0:13:18.280 for most of the day, there'll be a total blackout 0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:21.760 during children's programming, and a ban on on demand gambling 0:13:21.800 --> 0:13:24.319 advertising as well. So if you're sleeping on Sunday morning, 0:13:24.320 --> 0:13:26.840 you've got to watch Andrew Clenel on Sunday Agenda on repeat. 0:13:26.960 --> 0:13:29.720 There'll be no gambling ads during that on demand streaming. 0:13:29.840 --> 0:13:32.199 So this will go through the House. Will it's now gone. 0:13:32.320 --> 0:13:34.480 Tomorrow morning, it'll be ticked off in the Senate, and 0:13:34.520 --> 0:13:36.240 then by tomorrow AVO it will be law. 0:13:37.559 --> 0:13:39.160 All Right, we've got some other bills too, but I'll 0:13:39.160 --> 0:13:41.000 get to those with your colleague anew right. 0:13:41.080 --> 0:13:44.040 Now, thank you, Cam. Let's bring him in now. 0:13:44.280 --> 0:13:47.680 News twenty four political letter to Andrew Clenell. We'll start 0:13:47.720 --> 0:13:50.679 with the veterans, Andrew, because you went pretty hard on 0:13:50.720 --> 0:13:54.239 this today in your program this afternoon, in this appalling 0:13:54.640 --> 0:13:56.559 treatment by Matt Keo. 0:13:56.920 --> 0:13:58.959 He has got form. I'll get to that in a moment. 0:13:59.040 --> 0:14:01.520 But you in interviewed one of the meet in the 0:14:01.600 --> 0:14:04.960 room because Keyo sort of gas lighted them in the 0:14:05.000 --> 0:14:08.560 response today in the house, you interviewed someone that was there, 0:14:09.000 --> 0:14:10.480 and I want to play it now. 0:14:10.559 --> 0:14:11.160 Let's listen. 0:14:11.920 --> 0:14:14.480 We went into his office, we sat down before he arrived. 0:14:15.400 --> 0:14:18.960 On entering, he said hello, went took his seat and said, 0:14:18.960 --> 0:14:21.880 what are you guys here for? So that was the 0:14:21.880 --> 0:14:27.040 way the meeting started. Being the Minister of both Defense 0:14:27.080 --> 0:14:31.000 Personnel and the Minister of Veterans Affairs, I feel Minster 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:34.400 Keo as an obligation to show some respect and to 0:14:34.480 --> 0:14:38.240 also lead, which is a big thing. Minister Ko's failing 0:14:38.280 --> 0:14:38.920 to do so. 0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:42.040 So his officer said to me he didn't want to 0:14:42.040 --> 0:14:44.960 trouble you guys to stand. Okay, I'll see your reaction 0:14:45.080 --> 0:14:47.360 to that and that he shook all your hands on 0:14:47.400 --> 0:14:48.960 the way out. What do you say to that? 0:14:50.240 --> 0:14:54.320 Mate. We've met with various politicians and political and media 0:14:54.480 --> 0:14:58.240 people what we've been here, and including labor politicians who 0:14:58.240 --> 0:15:01.520 were great, they were gracious. Everyone has shook the hands 0:15:01.520 --> 0:15:04.400 of the veterans. Everyone has spoken to us with respect 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:07.640 and we've shown respect. But it was a different scenario 0:15:07.680 --> 0:15:10.640 with Minister Keo. There is a disdain that I think 0:15:10.960 --> 0:15:13.520 when you speak to the veteran community and those serving. 0:15:13.600 --> 0:15:15.880 It's been obvious since he was appointed minister. 0:15:16.640 --> 0:15:18.840 What happened though in that meeting? Did he listen to 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:22.160 your concerns about the Allied healthcare cap? Did he express 0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:22.960 any sympathy? 0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:27.720 No sympathy at all. He actually said to us at 0:15:27.760 --> 0:15:30.840 one stage that you know, if we see a veteran 0:15:30.880 --> 0:15:35.080 going through a process rehabilitation and say, after twelve treatments 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:37.800 there's been no improvement, why would we continue this? 0:15:40.000 --> 0:15:43.280 All right, Andrew, we've been around a long time. How 0:15:43.320 --> 0:15:44.400 does he stay in the role. 0:15:49.040 --> 0:15:53.080 Is Matt Keo an idiot? Is he a manchild? What 0:15:53.320 --> 0:15:56.800 is this guy's problem? I mean, what a moron? And 0:15:56.840 --> 0:15:59.440 you know I don't use this language lightly with ministers. 0:15:59.520 --> 0:16:01.360 You've known me for a long time, Peter. 0:16:01.560 --> 0:16:02.000 Yes I have. 0:16:02.120 --> 0:16:06.320 But I'm so stunned and shocked by this, you know, 0:16:06.720 --> 0:16:12.400 the lack of empathy, the stupidity, the political stupidity, and 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:18.320 the arrogance and the stubbornness. You know, I reported on 0:16:18.400 --> 0:16:22.040 Sunday Agenda these guys were coming to Parliament to do 0:16:22.120 --> 0:16:26.560 this with cross Bench, with the opposition, and to you know, 0:16:27.040 --> 0:16:29.080 the first thing that office has to do and that 0:16:29.160 --> 0:16:32.000 minister has to do is go right, we're meeting these people. 0:16:32.480 --> 0:16:35.400 It doesn't matter if they're up there with other MPs. 0:16:35.480 --> 0:16:38.640 You know what has this Matt Keo guy done his life? 0:16:38.640 --> 0:16:42.120 Push paper? These people have had bullets fight at them. 0:16:43.040 --> 0:16:48.320 They have real life trauma from their time serving us, 0:16:48.720 --> 0:16:51.720 You and me and every viewer out there. And this 0:16:51.840 --> 0:16:55.240 clown Matt Ko thinks he can refuse a meeting with 0:16:55.280 --> 0:16:59.000 them to go to a governor general ceremony. Now I met. 0:16:59.080 --> 0:17:01.520 I was introduced to four of these guys yesterday afternoon 0:17:01.560 --> 0:17:04.639 here in the corridor, Peter. The first thing I did 0:17:05.200 --> 0:17:07.719 was shake every one of those four guys hands, and 0:17:07.720 --> 0:17:12.359 they were very polite guys because out of respect. And 0:17:12.440 --> 0:17:14.720 he goes into that meeting, he doesn't shake their hands 0:17:14.760 --> 0:17:17.560 and he sits down, he folds his arms. Now he 0:17:17.680 --> 0:17:20.240 sort of you know sometimes you know, people can get 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:22.880 beat up on ministers. In terms of the one side 0:17:22.880 --> 0:17:24.679 of account of this meeting. He said he didn't want 0:17:24.680 --> 0:17:26.199 to stand, he shook their hands at the end. 0:17:26.280 --> 0:17:26.639 Whatever. 0:17:27.240 --> 0:17:29.199 But I listened to all these veterans. I don't think 0:17:29.200 --> 0:17:31.280 they're all making it up. They all had the same 0:17:31.320 --> 0:17:33.439 feeling in that room, and they were already on the 0:17:33.480 --> 0:17:38.239 back foot because he hadn't given them a meeting. And 0:17:38.320 --> 0:17:42.680 surely PMO has intervened here, and surely there are people 0:17:42.680 --> 0:17:45.159 in the Prime Minister's office watching this broadcast right now 0:17:45.240 --> 0:17:47.720 who have the same view of Matt Keo's conduct in 0:17:47.760 --> 0:17:50.119 this matter as me. Now, this is one of the 0:17:50.160 --> 0:17:53.640 problems with this political sort of federal system. They don't 0:17:53.640 --> 0:17:56.080 have a lot of talent in WA the Labor Party, 0:17:56.080 --> 0:17:58.000 they've got a lot of talent and places like New 0:17:58.040 --> 0:18:01.800 South Wales and Victoria. But because the system in the ministry, 0:18:02.119 --> 0:18:05.119 they have to have WA representation or a certain number 0:18:05.280 --> 0:18:07.399 from each statement. Seems to me that's the only reason 0:18:07.440 --> 0:18:09.520 Matt KO, even though he seems to have a high 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:15.680 opinion of himself is essentially in that job. And the 0:18:16.160 --> 0:18:18.000 other main point I wanted to come on and say 0:18:18.000 --> 0:18:21.200 to you tonight, Peter, in relation to this, we've seen 0:18:21.240 --> 0:18:24.520 this Anaka Wells travel business. We've seen it with this 0:18:24.600 --> 0:18:27.920 character now Matt Keo and his disrespect for veterans and 0:18:28.040 --> 0:18:32.560 what appears to be just in competence. Anthony Albanizi is 0:18:32.640 --> 0:18:36.040 letting the nation down by his stubbornness not to provide 0:18:36.040 --> 0:18:39.199 a scalp to either the media or the opposition or 0:18:39.200 --> 0:18:42.800 in one nation. These days, you've got to move ministers 0:18:42.840 --> 0:18:44.280 on when they're not up to it. 0:18:44.320 --> 0:18:44.480 Now. 0:18:44.480 --> 0:18:46.240 He did it with Claire O'Neill and he's good mate. 0:18:46.240 --> 0:18:53.439 Adam Giles, Sorry, Andrew Johns, he moved, yes, but at 0:18:53.520 --> 0:18:55.280 least he moved them out of there once he went 0:18:55.280 --> 0:18:58.360 to a reshuffle. But it just seems to me, look, 0:18:58.440 --> 0:19:00.800 sometimes you just got to drop people, and he's never 0:19:00.840 --> 0:19:03.399 done it now. John Howe did it a heap and 0:19:03.400 --> 0:19:05.840 then he stopped doing it as well. But even Reith 0:19:06.000 --> 0:19:09.000 was shown the door after the Telegut affair. Peter Reith, really, 0:19:09.760 --> 0:19:13.959 so eventually you've just got to be a leader and 0:19:14.119 --> 0:19:17.560 show these ministers that there is some accountability. See Elbow's 0:19:17.600 --> 0:19:21.159 big on loyalty. It's his number one thing. But you 0:19:21.359 --> 0:19:25.080 don't get the best performance from this cabinet for this 0:19:25.200 --> 0:19:29.879 country with loyalty. We're just rewarding loyalty no matter the 0:19:29.920 --> 0:19:31.199 caliber of the performance. 0:19:32.359 --> 0:19:34.600 But you also have to be very, very careful in 0:19:34.600 --> 0:19:38.359 this portfolio for a couple of reasons. One veterans anyone 0:19:38.359 --> 0:19:41.520 in the defense portfolio areas, whether they're in a uniform 0:19:41.680 --> 0:19:44.720 or had once worn a uniform, want to see leadership, 0:19:44.760 --> 0:19:47.800 want to see respect, and will not tolerate weakness. So 0:19:47.880 --> 0:19:50.040 that's a big problem both for the Prime Minister and 0:19:50.080 --> 0:19:51.960 obviously for mat Keo the. 0:19:51.840 --> 0:19:52.960 Blow CAAs form. 0:19:53.440 --> 0:19:55.680 I'll get to his form in a moment. With Phil Thompson. 0:19:55.880 --> 0:19:58.679 When you stuff up and you keep stuffing up, eventually 0:19:58.720 --> 0:20:03.120 the problem becomes your boss, who won't take action as 0:20:03.160 --> 0:20:03.800 opposed to. 0:20:03.920 --> 0:20:06.720 Just your repeated errors. But also. 0:20:08.520 --> 0:20:12.479 Thousands of meetings I've had in that building with external players. 0:20:12.520 --> 0:20:14.600 I've been there with ministers, I've been there with people 0:20:14.640 --> 0:20:17.359 in opposition, and I've had plenty of meetings of my own. 0:20:17.560 --> 0:20:19.120 I don't think I have ever. 0:20:18.960 --> 0:20:22.359 Walked into a room and not shaken the hands or 0:20:22.400 --> 0:20:26.080 at least put my hand out to shake someone's hand. Now, 0:20:26.200 --> 0:20:29.320 the idea of all the people who will come in 0:20:29.320 --> 0:20:32.240 the door that you do not do that to veterans 0:20:32.640 --> 0:20:35.320 that you set on your hands with veterans, they are 0:20:35.480 --> 0:20:38.800 people that have spent their entire lives working in a 0:20:38.800 --> 0:20:42.800 command structure that is very orthodox when it comes to 0:20:42.880 --> 0:20:47.960 symbolism and respect. So for him to walk in and look, yes, 0:20:48.000 --> 0:20:50.560 he's made a decision. He will argue why he needs 0:20:50.640 --> 0:20:53.359 to have this cap in place. He has to have 0:20:53.520 --> 0:20:56.400 basically the balls to look the soldiers in the eye 0:20:56.400 --> 0:20:59.280 and the veterans in the eye and defend that decision. Now, 0:20:59.280 --> 0:21:02.320 if you can't, if you won't have the meeting, you 0:21:02.400 --> 0:21:04.679 don't deserve to have the job. And I looked at 0:21:04.760 --> 0:21:08.240 him in the chamber, Andrew, and it was gutlessness. He 0:21:08.320 --> 0:21:10.879 had his head down at the dispatch box. He didn't 0:21:10.960 --> 0:21:15.280 even have the gumption to look across the aisle at 0:21:15.280 --> 0:21:15.800 the opposition. 0:21:15.880 --> 0:21:17.560 He's looking up in the gallery, he's looking up in 0:21:17.560 --> 0:21:18.040 the lights. 0:21:18.359 --> 0:21:21.760 He is not able to face his opponents because he 0:21:22.000 --> 0:21:24.560 is shamed, and he should be shamed. 0:21:25.600 --> 0:21:27.439 Sometimes they're just not up to it, right, I mean, 0:21:27.520 --> 0:21:28.240 you would have seen it. 0:21:28.320 --> 0:21:29.159 You start to a. 0:21:29.160 --> 0:21:32.760 Promister minister and you think this person will be okay, 0:21:33.520 --> 0:21:35.360 and then you see it and you go, oh no, 0:21:35.440 --> 0:21:39.639 they're hopeless. It must be a horrible feeling for that 0:21:39.760 --> 0:21:42.560 to be the case. And I think we've just seen 0:21:42.600 --> 0:21:45.160 Matt Kayo's moment. What's he going to be remembered for this? 0:21:45.600 --> 0:21:47.679 Wow to. 0:21:48.720 --> 0:21:49.640 I know your point. 0:21:50.240 --> 0:21:52.480 I know your point about w A and you're absolutely right, 0:21:52.480 --> 0:21:56.960 particularly with labor because they're all the factional factional nuances 0:21:56.960 --> 0:21:59.399 that go into that mix as well. But this is 0:21:59.440 --> 0:22:02.200 now drag taking the Prime minister down, This is dragging 0:22:02.240 --> 0:22:07.880 his government down. Labor already have a less than optimal 0:22:08.160 --> 0:22:12.240 view amongst defense and veteran personnel. A lot of them 0:22:12.280 --> 0:22:14.439 are looking at what's gone on in relation to the 0:22:14.440 --> 0:22:19.159 Breton Inquiry and Ben Roberts Smith and others versus the 0:22:19.240 --> 0:22:20.240 last straw for many. 0:22:22.600 --> 0:22:24.480 Well, I just think a guy like pack Gorman, even 0:22:24.600 --> 0:22:26.639 like Pac Gorman's never going to behave himself like that 0:22:26.720 --> 0:22:30.240 if you gave him the job. He's from Western Australia, 0:22:30.280 --> 0:22:32.760 He's never going to carry on like Matt ko just has. Hey, 0:22:32.760 --> 0:22:35.720 the drivers, there's got to be options there. Yeah, Well 0:22:35.720 --> 0:22:40.080 that's true. That's very true. And yeah, I mean you've 0:22:40.119 --> 0:22:42.320