WEBVTT - Sharri | 26 June 0:00:01.200 --> 0:00:02.880 Live on Sky News. 0:00:03.480 --> 0:00:09.719 This is Sharry Good evening Donald Trump's triumph at NATO 0:00:10.000 --> 0:00:13.600 as the Albanezy government left out in the cold. Shadow 0:00:13.640 --> 0:00:17.200 Defense Minister Angus Taylor will join me live to reveal 0:00:17.320 --> 0:00:20.400 how much he thinks we should be spending on our 0:00:20.440 --> 0:00:25.400 military Wall Street is scrambling after socialist influencer ma'm darney 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:28.760 won the Democratic primary in New York. I'll discuss the 0:00:28.760 --> 0:00:33.120 fallout with John Lee and Howard Melbourne's street sweeper won 0:00:33.159 --> 0:00:36.720 a landmark case after he was sacked for objecting to 0:00:36.760 --> 0:00:40.839 the Welcome to Country, Plus the mysterious case of the 0:00:40.880 --> 0:00:46.919 missing Supreme Leader. Where is Iran's Iotola Kamani hiding. I'll 0:00:46.960 --> 0:00:50.920 speak with human rights lawyer Arsenalstrowsky later on the show, 0:00:51.920 --> 0:00:55.120 but first tonight, Donald Trump has wrapped up a successful 0:00:55.120 --> 0:00:58.880 whirlwind visit to NATO. And while the world is talking 0:00:58.880 --> 0:01:02.160 about the NATO gen or secretary calling him daddy, and 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:04.920 we'll get to that in a moment. The substance of 0:01:04.959 --> 0:01:08.800 the meeting was deeply significant. It was a broad commitment 0:01:09.000 --> 0:01:13.520 from Europeans to lift defense spending to five percent of GDP, 0:01:14.480 --> 0:01:18.360 such as the precarious position of global security that NATO 0:01:18.640 --> 0:01:23.280 has reached this commitment. Zelenski's presence at NATO in a 0:01:23.360 --> 0:01:27.880 suit no less underscored the grave threat that the access 0:01:27.920 --> 0:01:32.200 of evil poses to democracy, and the talks took place 0:01:32.240 --> 0:01:36.440 in the shadow of America joining Israel to destroy Iran's 0:01:36.600 --> 0:01:42.120 nuclear sites. The lesson is that peace cannot be taken 0:01:42.160 --> 0:01:47.200 for granted. Protecting our sovereignty and guarding against aggressive enemies 0:01:47.680 --> 0:01:52.200 takes work. It takes a rigorous defense of our values 0:01:52.840 --> 0:01:57.480 and ensuring we invest in our military. NATO agreeing to 0:01:57.520 --> 0:02:01.840 increase defense spending to five percent under Article five the 0:02:01.920 --> 0:02:05.279 Collective Defense Treaty was a watershed moment. 0:02:06.680 --> 0:02:08.720 I've been asking them to go up to five percent 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:11.400 for a number of years and they're going up to 0:02:11.480 --> 0:02:15.359 five percent. That's a big from two percent, and a 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:18.080 lot of people didn't even prepare the two percent, So 0:02:18.680 --> 0:02:20.360 I think it's going to be a very big news. 0:02:20.520 --> 0:02:22.480 NATO is going to become very strong with US. 0:02:23.360 --> 0:02:28.120 NATAL leaders agreed on the the Hague Defense Investment Plan 0:02:28.960 --> 0:02:34.079 and this will fuel a quantum leap in our collective defense. 0:02:35.800 --> 0:02:39.560 Now, while Australia isn't part of NATO, we are on 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:43.200 the front line of an aggressive China and the expectation 0:02:43.400 --> 0:02:46.480 is that Albin Ezy should be pulling his weight as well. 0:02:47.080 --> 0:02:51.520 It's only Australia and Spain failing to get on board 0:02:51.960 --> 0:02:56.119 with a serious commitment to defense. And listen to how 0:02:56.200 --> 0:02:59.920 Trump threatened Spain if it doesn't come to the table. 0:03:00.919 --> 0:03:01.959 Of course, you know on a Spain. 0:03:02.080 --> 0:03:04.040 Are you satisfied with today? 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:04.240 Oh? 0:03:04.240 --> 0:03:06.320 I think Spain's terrible what they've done. 0:03:07.040 --> 0:03:07.520 No, I do. 0:03:07.560 --> 0:03:10.280 They're the only country that won't pay the full up. 0:03:10.720 --> 0:03:12.919 They want to stay at two percent. I think it's terrible. 0:03:12.919 --> 0:03:14.840 And you know, they're doing very well. The economy is 0:03:14.960 --> 0:03:18.079 very well, and that economy could be blown right out 0:03:18.120 --> 0:03:20.200 of the water with something bad happening. You know, Spain 0:03:20.280 --> 0:03:24.240 is the only country that are you from Spain? Good congratulations. 0:03:24.919 --> 0:03:27.639 You're the only country that is not paying. I don't 0:03:27.680 --> 0:03:30.200 know what the problem is, it's I think it's too bad. 0:03:30.440 --> 0:03:31.280 So we'll make it up. 0:03:31.280 --> 0:03:33.280 You know what we're going to do. We're negotiating with 0:03:33.440 --> 0:03:35.520 Spain on a trade deal. We're going to make them 0:03:35.520 --> 0:03:38.000 pay twice as much. And I'm actually serious about that. 0:03:39.400 --> 0:03:43.280 And like Spain, Australia also only spans two percent of 0:03:43.320 --> 0:03:47.600 our GDP on defense, so This would likely be how 0:03:47.680 --> 0:03:51.280 Trump speaks to alban Easy if he ever bothers to 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:54.000 meet with him. Now, at the very same time that 0:03:54.040 --> 0:03:57.600 the NATO summit was taking place in the Netherlands, Treasurer 0:03:57.640 --> 0:04:01.760 Jim Chalmers once again ruled out increase to defense spending. 0:04:02.680 --> 0:04:07.520 We are actually already very substantially increasing our investment in defense. 0:04:07.560 --> 0:04:10.680 We've found room in tight budgets for an extra eleven 0:04:10.760 --> 0:04:14.880 billion dollars over the forward estimates and around fifty seven 0:04:14.920 --> 0:04:17.120 and a half billion dollars over the course of the 0:04:17.160 --> 0:04:17.839 next decade. 0:04:19.000 --> 0:04:22.840 And Defense Minister Richard Miles, who actually was at NATO 0:04:22.920 --> 0:04:26.480 and yet he would only promise to assess and review 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:29.080 Australia's needs going forward. 0:04:30.080 --> 0:04:34.880 We've gone through our own process of assessing our strategic landscape, 0:04:35.320 --> 0:04:40.080 assessing the threats that exist there and the kind of 0:04:40.120 --> 0:04:43.120 defense force we need to build in order to meet 0:04:43.160 --> 0:04:46.520 those threats, to meet the strategic moment, and will continue 0:04:46.560 --> 0:04:48.960 to assess what our needs are going forward. 0:04:50.200 --> 0:04:54.200 A whole lot of waffle and no firm commitments there now. 0:04:54.240 --> 0:04:57.159 The Albanezy government insists it needs to be aligned with 0:04:57.279 --> 0:05:02.320 international partners when it comes to climb change and foreign policy. 0:05:02.960 --> 0:05:06.039 It's a point Albanezi has made over and over to 0:05:06.320 --> 0:05:08.600 justify the rush to renewables. 0:05:09.880 --> 0:05:14.160 Both Australia and Canada also share views about climate change. 0:05:14.320 --> 0:05:18.720 Focus on going forward, including meeting our net zero targets, 0:05:18.880 --> 0:05:22.680 how we can collaborate on the net zero transition. Our 0:05:22.760 --> 0:05:27.279 national interest lies with continuing to take action on climate change, 0:05:27.320 --> 0:05:30.440 including through international accords. 0:05:31.960 --> 0:05:36.719 So apparently being aligned with the international community is vital 0:05:36.760 --> 0:05:39.800 when it comes to climate action, but apparently not for 0:05:39.880 --> 0:05:43.919 defense spending. And this at a time when several international 0:05:44.040 --> 0:05:48.600 leaders now admit they're unlikely to meet their net zero targets. 0:05:49.279 --> 0:05:53.840 It's embarrassing how Australia is so completely out of step 0:05:54.160 --> 0:05:58.960 on defense. We're investing just two percent of GDP while 0:05:59.000 --> 0:06:02.479 Europe is now at five percent. And by the way, 0:06:02.560 --> 0:06:05.039 the five percent is comprised of three and a half 0:06:05.080 --> 0:06:07.919 percent on defense and an extra one and a half 0:06:07.960 --> 0:06:12.000 percent on defense related infrastructure. And this is all within 0:06:12.080 --> 0:06:16.280 ten years. The Trump administration has only asked for our 0:06:16.320 --> 0:06:19.880 commitment to lift to three and a half percent, not five. 0:06:20.720 --> 0:06:24.920 This should be an easily achievable commitment for Australia, especially 0:06:25.400 --> 0:06:29.960 over a ten year period, Yet the Prime Minister refuses 0:06:30.040 --> 0:06:34.760 to do this all while wasting billions of dollars paying 0:06:34.800 --> 0:06:39.600 off student hex debt, on the exploding NDIS, and sending 0:06:39.880 --> 0:06:44.520 millions to Gaza. Alban Ezy's refusal to increase our defense 0:06:44.560 --> 0:06:48.560 budget is stubborn, and we're already seeing the consequences of 0:06:48.560 --> 0:06:52.920 being at odds with the international community. The President counseled 0:06:53.000 --> 0:06:56.240 his meeting with Albenzi with an no phone call to 0:06:56.279 --> 0:07:00.200 compensate like he had with other world leaders, and the 0:07:00.279 --> 0:07:05.200 United States didn't inform Australia before the strikes against Iran 0:07:05.960 --> 0:07:10.440 despite our role in the Five Eyes community. Albanesi's left 0:07:10.440 --> 0:07:15.280 wing ideology and refusal to increase defense spending means that 0:07:15.360 --> 0:07:20.400 we now could even risk losing orcus now. Albinizi already 0:07:20.440 --> 0:07:25.080 had a reputation internationally for his center left woke government, 0:07:25.840 --> 0:07:31.600 but now his reputation is sliding into irrelevance. He was 0:07:31.640 --> 0:07:35.000 too scared to attend NATO and risk being left out 0:07:35.000 --> 0:07:38.360 in the cold by Trump on a second occasion, and 0:07:38.400 --> 0:07:41.200 that's what would have happened. But this is all self 0:07:41.200 --> 0:07:44.600 inflicted and it's a direct result of the hostile foreign 0:07:44.600 --> 0:07:49.440 policy he and Petti Wong have pursued to Australia's own detriment. 0:07:50.160 --> 0:07:50.320 Now. 0:07:50.320 --> 0:07:52.600 I've been making this point for a long time now 0:07:52.920 --> 0:07:56.760 that even the Biden administration was disappointed in Albanesi and 0:07:56.840 --> 0:08:01.400 Wong's foreign policy. But now the sequences of this government's 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:06.160 actions are so obvious that they can't be ignored. Former 0:08:06.240 --> 0:08:09.559 Labor State Secretary Cameron Milner, our regular guest. He wrote 0:08:09.560 --> 0:08:12.800 in The Nightly this week that Australia, under Wong and 0:08:12.920 --> 0:08:18.000 Albanezi continually wants to pick our enemies over our allies. 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:21.880 He says Albanese and his government are now a serious 0:08:21.960 --> 0:08:25.440 threat to Orcus and our role as a trusted partner 0:08:25.840 --> 0:08:30.160 of world superpowers. And The Australian's Foreign editor Greg Sheridan 0:08:30.280 --> 0:08:33.160 put it well when he wrote that it's difficult to 0:08:33.200 --> 0:08:37.040 think of a time when Australia has been so inconsequential, 0:08:37.160 --> 0:08:41.920 so powerless, so much without influence, so incapable of affecting 0:08:41.920 --> 0:08:45.680 its own destiny or anyone else's, as we have become 0:08:46.160 --> 0:08:50.320 under the Albanesi government. And Sheridan writes that it's just 0:08:50.360 --> 0:08:53.920 as well Alberzi didn't go to NATO. He says, imagine 0:08:53.960 --> 0:08:56.520 trying to get an appointment with Trump so you can 0:08:56.600 --> 0:09:00.640 whine about tariffs while all this is happening, And what 0:09:00.720 --> 0:09:03.760 about the embarrassment that NATO now wants member states to 0:09:03.760 --> 0:09:06.680 spend three and a half percent of GDP on defense 0:09:07.200 --> 0:09:11.600 while we can't spend a pitiful two percent, He says, 0:09:11.640 --> 0:09:14.960 nobody's saying could argue that the Albanese government is responding 0:09:15.000 --> 0:09:20.960 effectively to the strategic challenges we face. So, while the 0:09:21.000 --> 0:09:25.959 frosty relationship between Australia and the United States continues, it's 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:30.160 a new dawn for the Europeans and the president. The 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:34.040 NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutter has been fawning over Trump, 0:09:34.720 --> 0:09:38.120 with the President publishing the private text message he sent 0:09:38.240 --> 0:09:42.760 him before the summit, and in it Mark said, you 0:09:42.800 --> 0:09:45.800 are flying into another big success in the Hague this evening. 0:09:46.040 --> 0:09:48.600 It was not easy, but we've got them all signed 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:53.200 onto five percent. Donald, you have driven us to a 0:09:53.240 --> 0:09:56.680 really important moment for American and Europe and the world. 0:09:57.200 --> 0:10:00.680 You will achieve something no American president in debat could 0:10:00.720 --> 0:10:03.960 get done. Europe is going to pay in a big 0:10:04.000 --> 0:10:07.480 way as they should, and it will be your win. 0:10:09.080 --> 0:10:12.160 And that's very true. No other president, as much as 0:10:12.160 --> 0:10:16.079 they tried, could get this sort of five percent commitment 0:10:16.440 --> 0:10:21.439 to defense at NATO. Now, unsurprisingly, Trump loved that message 0:10:21.640 --> 0:10:24.760 private message, and he shared it on truth social This 0:10:24.880 --> 0:10:29.600 seems to be becoming a trend, Trump sharing private correspondence publicly. 0:10:29.640 --> 0:10:33.200 We presume he didn't ask for permission. Then, as we 0:10:33.240 --> 0:10:36.839 saw last night, Mark was equally taken with Trump at 0:10:36.880 --> 0:10:40.880 the NATO press conference. He's a Dutch politician. He's been 0:10:40.880 --> 0:10:44.320 in the role that NATO since last October. He seems 0:10:44.400 --> 0:10:49.600 quite eccentric and fun and everybody has been captivated by 0:10:49.640 --> 0:10:52.400 the moment. He described Trump as daddy. 0:10:53.320 --> 0:10:55.160 They've got a big fight, like two kids at a 0:10:55.160 --> 0:10:57.560 school yard. You know, they fight like hell, you can't 0:10:57.559 --> 0:10:58.000 stop them. 0:10:58.040 --> 0:10:59.880 Let him fight for about two three minutes. 0:11:00.160 --> 0:11:01.440 Then it's easy to staff up. 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:05.880 And then Debby has sometimes do strong language. 0:11:07.559 --> 0:11:10.400 It was a joke, of course, but it's unusual language 0:11:10.400 --> 0:11:14.600 for senior diplomat and the situation became even more surreal 0:11:14.960 --> 0:11:18.040 when the President was asked about the comment at the 0:11:18.040 --> 0:11:23.640 official NATO press conference. Mark Britter, the NATO chief, who 0:11:24.080 --> 0:11:28.680 is your friend? He called you daddy earlier? Do you 0:11:28.800 --> 0:11:32.439 regard your NATO allies as kind of children? 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:33.280 No, he likes me. 0:11:33.360 --> 0:11:34.200 I think he likes me. 0:11:34.720 --> 0:11:35.920 If he doesn't, I'll let you know. 0:11:36.000 --> 0:11:38.839 I'll come back and I'll hit him hard. Okay, he did, 0:11:38.880 --> 0:11:39.280 he did it. 0:11:39.360 --> 0:11:40.040 Very affectionate. 0:11:40.200 --> 0:11:41.240 Daddy, here, my daddy. 0:11:43.800 --> 0:11:47.040 That was a lighthearted moment during a pretty long forty 0:11:47.040 --> 0:11:50.640 five minute press conference where Trump took questions from dozens 0:11:50.679 --> 0:11:55.200 of international journalists, and he had an emotional moment with 0:11:55.360 --> 0:12:01.560 BBC Ukraine correspondent Marislava Petza. 0:12:01.200 --> 0:12:02.480 BBC News Ukrainian. 0:12:03.440 --> 0:12:04.080 Where are you from. 0:12:04.600 --> 0:12:05.480 I'm from Ukraine. 0:12:06.000 --> 0:12:09.280 So my question to you is whether or not the 0:12:09.440 --> 0:12:15.400 US is ready to sell anti air missile systems Patriot 0:12:15.440 --> 0:12:18.240 to Ukraine. We know that Russia has been pound in 0:12:18.320 --> 0:12:21.600 Ukraine really heavily. Right now, you're living yourself now and 0:12:21.720 --> 0:12:25.000 you my husband is there and I. 0:12:24.960 --> 0:12:27.120 Can see you very you know, it's amazing. 0:12:26.840 --> 0:12:30.560 And me with the kids. I'm in also actually because 0:12:30.640 --> 0:12:31.720 he wanted me to be. 0:12:31.920 --> 0:12:32.959 Your husband, the soldier. 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:35.600 Now he's there now. 0:12:35.840 --> 0:12:39.520 Yeah, Well that's rough stuff, right, that's tough, and you're 0:12:39.520 --> 0:12:42.440 living here and you're a reporter. 0:12:43.360 --> 0:12:44.120 I am good. 0:12:44.600 --> 0:12:46.840 So let me just tell you. They do want to 0:12:46.920 --> 0:12:50.439 have the anti missile missiles, okay, as they call them, 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:54.360 the Patriots, and we're going to see if we can 0:12:54.400 --> 0:12:55.319 make some available. 0:12:57.640 --> 0:13:01.360 Isn't that amazing that Trump actually took the time to 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:05.080 ask about her husband and her family, where she lives, 0:13:05.080 --> 0:13:08.760 in her job. He showed empathy and curiosity, and it 0:13:08.800 --> 0:13:12.320 was genuine, seemed genuine. It's rare for a politician to 0:13:12.360 --> 0:13:16.000 do that, to be genuinely interested in other people, not 0:13:16.160 --> 0:13:21.280 just themselves. It was a beautiful and heartwarming interaction. And 0:13:21.360 --> 0:13:25.040 so it was that NATO survived Trump. The war in 0:13:25.080 --> 0:13:29.240 Iran is over for the meantime, and Albinizi wakes up 0:13:29.280 --> 0:13:32.679 to a new reality where Trump isn't a villain of 0:13:32.720 --> 0:13:37.160 the international community and it's Albanezi who's the one shunned 0:13:37.640 --> 0:13:43.400 and out of favor. All right, big show coming up, 0:13:43.400 --> 0:13:47.240 But now let's bring in shadow Defense Minister Angus Taylor, Angus, 0:13:47.320 --> 0:13:50.200 thank you very much for your time. Now, if you 0:13:50.280 --> 0:13:53.520 were the defense minister, would you agree to lift our 0:13:53.559 --> 0:13:56.040 defense spend to three and a half percent of GDP 0:13:56.600 --> 0:13:58.000 within ten years? 0:13:59.040 --> 0:14:02.160 Well, Shari, thanks for having me, and we absolutely need 0:14:02.200 --> 0:14:05.600 to increase our defense expenditure, and of course during the 0:14:05.640 --> 0:14:08.560 election campaign we're now going to at least three percent 0:14:09.360 --> 0:14:11.800 and we've recommitted to that, and we need to do 0:14:11.840 --> 0:14:15.080 that because we're living in a dangerous and uncertain time 0:14:15.080 --> 0:14:19.600 where authoritarian regimes are flexing their muscles, whether it's in Russia, 0:14:19.800 --> 0:14:25.160 whether it's Iran directly attacking Israel or through proxies of course, 0:14:25.840 --> 0:14:27.880 or whether it's the military build up from the Chinese 0:14:27.920 --> 0:14:31.000 Communist Party, and all of these things mean, in the 0:14:31.000 --> 0:14:33.680 words of the Prime Minister Shari, that we are facing 0:14:33.720 --> 0:14:37.640 the most uncertain time since Second World War and we 0:14:37.680 --> 0:14:40.440 need to take appropriate action. Two percent of GDP is 0:14:40.480 --> 0:14:46.120 simply not enough. The government's Zone Defense Strategic Review is 0:14:46.160 --> 0:14:49.600 not properly funded. We need to make sure our submarines 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:52.960 are properly funded. We need to manufacture missiles here in Australia. 0:14:53.000 --> 0:14:55.920 We need to have investment in drone and anti drone 0:14:55.960 --> 0:14:59.240 technology in the northern facilities that are so crucial at 0:14:59.240 --> 0:15:00.920 this time in our p part of the world. All 0:15:00.960 --> 0:15:04.360 of this needs investment. It's not getting the investment it deserves, 0:15:05.080 --> 0:15:06.920 and that's why we need to increase defense spending. 0:15:07.080 --> 0:15:11.160 So you just said they're three percent, Pete hagseth Out 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:13.760 the Shangrilai Dialogue put forward a figure of three and 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:16.880 a half percent. Is that something that you agree that 0:15:16.920 --> 0:15:20.320 we do need to commit to and just remembering this 0:15:20.400 --> 0:15:22.200 is a ten year window. 0:15:23.680 --> 0:15:27.600 Well, of course three is a lot closer to three 0:15:27.600 --> 0:15:29.680 and a half than two is. And the real problem 0:15:29.720 --> 0:15:31.360 we've got to the moment is we're just way short 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:34.320 of the mark Shari. There's no question about that for 0:15:34.400 --> 0:15:36.160 what we need to do. And as I say, the 0:15:36.200 --> 0:15:39.240 government's own plan is not properly funded. So I mean 0:15:40.200 --> 0:15:43.360 it's there and very clear that there needs to be 0:15:43.440 --> 0:15:46.720 significant additional funding, and it's because we are facing this 0:15:46.840 --> 0:15:51.280 uncertain time and the places that need the investment are 0:15:51.560 --> 0:15:54.320 pretty clear. What's also clear is we need to make 0:15:54.360 --> 0:15:57.920 sure that every dollar is invested well, Shari, and I 0:15:57.960 --> 0:16:01.360 don't think all of the money invested into historically has 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:03.600 been invested as well as it needs to be, and 0:16:03.640 --> 0:16:05.400 that's got to be a part of the focus as well. 0:16:05.560 --> 0:16:10.240 I mean, we've seen war played out in real time Russia, 0:16:10.360 --> 0:16:13.480 Ukraine as well in Iran, and we don't have the 0:16:13.560 --> 0:16:16.840 sort of anywhere near the sort of military equipment that 0:16:17.000 --> 0:16:22.080 is being used routinely, drones being the most mean and 0:16:22.320 --> 0:16:27.040 relatively inexpensive, we just don't have that capability automated drones. 0:16:27.400 --> 0:16:30.720 Yeah, yeah, you're absolutely right. I mean the drones is 0:16:30.720 --> 0:16:34.000 a good example, and counter drone technology, of course, we're 0:16:34.000 --> 0:16:37.480 seeing extraordinary advances on that in the Ukraine War. We 0:16:37.480 --> 0:16:42.080 also saw it from Israel with extraordinary use of technology 0:16:42.080 --> 0:16:45.440 by Israel in Iran very effective, and we've got to 0:16:45.480 --> 0:16:47.280 learn from this. We've got to move much faster, we've 0:16:47.320 --> 0:16:49.800 got to be way more agile, we've got to focus 0:16:49.840 --> 0:16:53.920 on delivery, not just retric and we've got to make 0:16:53.960 --> 0:16:57.520 sure that we are ultimately in control of our own 0:16:57.560 --> 0:17:01.360 sovereignty shari A line. This are incredibly important. They are 0:17:01.440 --> 0:17:05.040 unbelievably important. But you get good alliances because you're focused 0:17:05.040 --> 0:17:07.600 on your own sovereignty and that means we've got to 0:17:07.640 --> 0:17:10.840 manufacture our own missiles, for instance. So this is incredibly 0:17:10.880 --> 0:17:14.080 important at a time like now, and it needs to 0:17:14.080 --> 0:17:15.840 be a sharp focused for the government, and it. 0:17:15.760 --> 0:17:20.240 Isn't Sadly, do you think Albanzi is trashing our alliance 0:17:20.280 --> 0:17:23.440 with the United States, Well. 0:17:23.359 --> 0:17:26.480 I think it's in real trouble. I mean, it's clear 0:17:26.840 --> 0:17:29.520 this review of Orcas is proceeding at a time when 0:17:29.600 --> 0:17:32.119 we haven't even managed to get a meeting between the 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:35.399 Prime Minister and the President. He seems more willing to 0:17:35.400 --> 0:17:37.960 get a meeting with the president of China than the 0:17:37.960 --> 0:17:40.000 president of the United States. And yet this is our 0:17:40.080 --> 0:17:44.520 key strategic ally, the United States, of course, So look 0:17:44.680 --> 0:17:47.600 that prime minister needs to get his gear together, that 0:17:47.720 --> 0:17:50.240 it needs to get focused on the right things here 0:17:50.880 --> 0:17:53.760 and most importantly needs to get a meeting with the 0:17:53.760 --> 0:17:56.680 president and needs to get defense spending up. 0:17:57.000 --> 0:18:00.240 Indeed, and in fact, you know, Albanesi could have a 0:18:00.280 --> 0:18:03.920 fourth meeting with Chinese President Hijinping before he even has 0:18:03.960 --> 0:18:07.119 his first one with Trump, who won the election in 0:18:07.160 --> 0:18:12.199 November nearly eight months ago. It's extraordinary. Now Albanize failed 0:18:12.200 --> 0:18:15.040 to come out and support America's strikes on Iran's nuclear 0:18:15.040 --> 0:18:19.080 facilities on Sunday. Should he have done this straightway in 0:18:19.160 --> 0:18:19.720 support of. 0:18:19.680 --> 0:18:26.080 Our ally, Yes, absolutely, I mean this was the right 0:18:26.160 --> 0:18:30.480 thing for the United States to do. Israel was entirely 0:18:30.960 --> 0:18:35.680 entitled to take action against Iran because there's an ongoing 0:18:35.680 --> 0:18:40.399 existential threat for Israel created by Iran, and not just 0:18:40.440 --> 0:18:43.760 through direct attacks but through proxies of course over a 0:18:43.800 --> 0:18:46.200 long period of time. And so it was well within 0:18:46.880 --> 0:18:49.000 the rights of Israel to do what it did, and 0:18:49.440 --> 0:18:52.080 absolutely appropriate for the United States to support it, and 0:18:52.119 --> 0:18:54.639 I think the United States has played a very deft 0:18:54.640 --> 0:18:57.760 hand in the approach it's taken on this. So yes, Albanize, 0:18:57.760 --> 0:19:01.680 he should have supported he didn't mean. What worries me here, 0:19:01.760 --> 0:19:05.160 Shari is that there seems to be an anti US 0:19:05.160 --> 0:19:09.400 alliance sentiment coming from Albanesi and others in the government, 0:19:09.640 --> 0:19:12.520 and I think that is very dangerous At a time 0:19:12.880 --> 0:19:17.080 like this, these autocratic regimes are flexing their muscles. Democracies 0:19:17.080 --> 0:19:19.320 and open societies like ours need to band together, and 0:19:19.359 --> 0:19:21.520 we need to work together, and that's the only way 0:19:21.520 --> 0:19:23.399 we're going to make sure that we're safe in a 0:19:23.400 --> 0:19:24.159 difficult time. 0:19:24.920 --> 0:19:29.560 Absolutely so refreshing to hear some common sense there now. 0:19:29.600 --> 0:19:32.440 Just on another topic, there's been debate about quotas today. 0:19:33.200 --> 0:19:35.520 Susan Lee has said she's open to them. You have 0:19:35.600 --> 0:19:38.280 said you don't support them. But the key point is 0:19:38.320 --> 0:19:42.400 having more women in politics, and there are now fewer 0:19:42.440 --> 0:19:45.480 women in Shadow Cabinet under Susan Lee than there were 0:19:45.600 --> 0:19:49.240 under Peter Dutton. Were you, Angus Taylor shocked to see 0:19:49.280 --> 0:19:52.080 your colleagues Jane Hume, Sarah Henderson just sent it ow 0:19:52.119 --> 0:19:56.120 bagmper Price and Claire Chandler dumped from Shadow cabinet. 0:19:57.960 --> 0:20:00.480 Well, of course, that's an extraordinary group of very capable 0:20:00.640 --> 0:20:03.080 women who I worked very closely with in the last 0:20:03.200 --> 0:20:06.560 term of government, in many cases before that last term 0:20:06.600 --> 0:20:09.119 of parliament sorry, and in many cases before that when 0:20:09.160 --> 0:20:12.000 we were in government as well. And yeah, it was 0:20:12.040 --> 0:20:15.520 disappointing not to see them in the cabinet. I am 0:20:15.560 --> 0:20:18.560 confident they will all play an important role in public 0:20:18.560 --> 0:20:21.800 life in the coming months and years, and we need 0:20:21.840 --> 0:20:25.000 more women like them, Shari and I certainly hope and 0:20:25.080 --> 0:20:28.639 encourage all of them and others to get on with it, 0:20:28.680 --> 0:20:30.600 because we need women exactly like them. 0:20:30.960 --> 0:20:34.199 You'd have them back if you became leader in the future. 0:20:36.040 --> 0:20:39.520 I'm not going to speculate on that. My focus is 0:20:39.560 --> 0:20:43.000 on defense and becoming the Defense minister, that's the goal. 0:20:43.640 --> 0:20:45.680 But what I would say is there an extraordinary group 0:20:45.720 --> 0:20:48.879 of very capable women and we need more like them. 0:20:49.040 --> 0:20:51.840 Indeed, all right, Angus Taylor, I really appreciate your time tonight. 0:20:51.840 --> 0:20:55.320 Thank you so much. Don't you wish the actual Defense 0:20:55.359 --> 0:20:59.240 minister spoke like that? What we hear from miles and 0:21:00.119 --> 0:21:02.359 is not even the worst of them. Pennywong and Alban Easy, 0:21:02.600 --> 0:21:06.280 It's extraordinary. This is our government. Now. Victorian Liberals have 0:21:06.359 --> 0:21:09.280 launched an eleventh hour legal bid this afternoon to block 0:21:09.560 --> 0:21:12.160 the one point five to five million dollar loan they 0:21:12.240 --> 0:21:15.280 lent to former leader John Persuto to pay off his 0:21:15.400 --> 0:21:19.240 debts to Moridemi, but clearly the movers divided the party. 0:21:19.320 --> 0:21:23.320 Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett defended pursuito and the loan, 0:21:23.880 --> 0:21:27.320 writing in The Australian Today that settling the case quickly 0:21:27.400 --> 0:21:30.520 was in the party's best interests to resolve and put 0:21:30.520 --> 0:21:33.199 this matter behind them in order to deliver on their 0:21:33.240 --> 0:21:36.399 primary function, which is to be an effective opposition. Well, 0:21:36.440 --> 0:21:39.040 I'd say their primary function is to try and win government. 0:21:39.160 --> 0:21:40.960 If they can do that, if they can get their 0:21:40.960 --> 0:21:44.040 act together. Let's bring in tonight's panel WA Liberal leader 0:21:44.040 --> 0:21:47.840 Basil Zemplus and Stein New's host Taylor Bond. Welcome to 0:21:47.960 --> 0:21:51.560 you both. Now, Basil, the legal bill obviously needs to 0:21:51.600 --> 0:21:54.320 be paid. The question is whether the Liberals should be 0:21:54.640 --> 0:21:59.040 footing the bill for John Pursuto when it's very unlikely 0:21:59.080 --> 0:22:00.760 they would have done this if it had been my 0:22:01.000 --> 0:22:01.920 redeeming's debt. 0:22:02.160 --> 0:22:06.159 What do you think possibly, yes, and then I accept 0:22:06.160 --> 0:22:08.560 that point of view. What we do know is is 0:22:08.600 --> 0:22:11.439 that more redeeming is owed an amount of money. She 0:22:11.480 --> 0:22:14.480 should be paid that amount of money in full, as 0:22:14.520 --> 0:22:17.400 it has been ruled by the courts. What's also then 0:22:17.440 --> 0:22:20.640 important is that a by election is avoided. That's very 0:22:20.680 --> 0:22:24.120 important for the Liberal Party in Victoria. And then, as 0:22:24.160 --> 0:22:26.879 we've just heard, and as we've heard you phrase it 0:22:26.880 --> 0:22:30.880 in a slightly different way, the Victorian opposition should get 0:22:30.880 --> 0:22:33.240 on with its job of holding the Labor government to 0:22:33.320 --> 0:22:36.760 account and trying to win the next election. They are 0:22:36.760 --> 0:22:39.280 the three priorities and those three things should happen, and 0:22:39.359 --> 0:22:40.760 happen as quickly as possible. 0:22:41.760 --> 0:22:43.840 I mean, Caleb, every time we think this matter is over, 0:22:43.920 --> 0:22:46.800 there's another step. Now there's this challenge to the Liberal 0:22:46.800 --> 0:22:51.560 Party lending of loaning John Persuto the money. What do 0:22:51.560 --> 0:22:52.520 you think should happen here? 0:22:52.600 --> 0:22:55.840 Well, artfully dodged the Abasil, well done, and moving from 0:22:55.840 --> 0:23:00.080 their journalism to politics, you've fitted in really well set 0:23:00.240 --> 0:23:03.479 more complicated than the Liberal partner. 0:23:03.680 --> 0:23:04.880 I guess cayleb. 0:23:07.800 --> 0:23:10.360 Basil can take it, because I'll be feeling for you 0:23:10.400 --> 0:23:10.920 next week. 0:23:11.359 --> 0:23:12.879 I'll give it to it. And I should say that 0:23:12.960 --> 0:23:15.800 normally Matt canavans here, but he's got a busted tire, 0:23:15.880 --> 0:23:18.280 he said, a photograph of the tire to prove it. 0:23:18.359 --> 0:23:22.359 So it's not an execution. We're likely to have Caleb 0:23:22.400 --> 0:23:24.600