WEBVTT - Sharri | 20 May 0:00:07.000 --> 0:00:10.760 Good Evening, Well tonight, I can reveal the major scandal 0:00:10.960 --> 0:00:14.200 enveloping at nine, involving the departure of one of its 0:00:14.320 --> 0:00:18.560 top executives and the lengths the network went to cover 0:00:18.640 --> 0:00:22.280 it up, including the use of non disclosure agreements. 0:00:23.000 --> 0:00:23.759 Nine has been. 0:00:23.680 --> 0:00:27.800 Accused of covering up allegations that its legendary news guru, 0:00:28.120 --> 0:00:32.120 former Director of News and Current Affairs, Darren Wick, behaved 0:00:32.200 --> 0:00:37.839 inappropriately towards women. In one incident, he behaved inappropriately to 0:00:37.920 --> 0:00:43.000 a television star after the logies. In another, he refused 0:00:43.040 --> 0:00:47.880 to engage or respond to senior female staff who reported 0:00:48.040 --> 0:00:52.559 to him. His drunken behavior raised so much concern at 0:00:52.640 --> 0:00:55.600 one nine function that an employee is said to have 0:00:55.720 --> 0:00:59.000 called police when they witnessed Wik getting in his car 0:00:59.200 --> 0:01:05.200 to drive. The secrecy of Wick's departure has infuriated many employees, 0:01:05.280 --> 0:01:08.199 particularly women, with many aware of. 0:01:08.120 --> 0:01:10.360 The nature of his alleged behavior. 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:15.720 There's internal revolt about the cover up, with journalists worried 0:01:16.080 --> 0:01:21.160 that it exposes the company to accusations of hipocrisy. Wick 0:01:21.280 --> 0:01:25.119 formally left nine on the fifteenth of March after being 0:01:25.160 --> 0:01:28.839 on leave in the weeks prior, while an external firm 0:01:29.080 --> 0:01:32.480 investigated a fresh complaint against him. 0:01:33.040 --> 0:01:34.759 He claimed he was leaving because of. 0:01:34.720 --> 0:01:39.640 Exhaustion after four decades working as a journalist, but The 0:01:39.680 --> 0:01:44.520 Australian confirmed today that his departure followed allegations of inappropriate 0:01:44.560 --> 0:01:49.920 behavior towards a female staff member, and tonight I can 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:55.000 reveal further details about this complaint. I understand while the 0:01:55.040 --> 0:01:58.440 complaint was new, it related to an incident that occurred 0:01:58.640 --> 0:02:03.360 some years ago historical. The allegation is understood to have 0:02:03.440 --> 0:02:07.680 been made from a current female employee in the Nine network, 0:02:07.920 --> 0:02:11.960 in the television news division. I understand an external legal 0:02:12.000 --> 0:02:15.200 firm was brought in to conduct the investigation into the 0:02:15.280 --> 0:02:20.960 allegation against Wick. It didn't substantiate the allegation, yet the 0:02:21.000 --> 0:02:24.880 decision was made for him to leave at the highest levels, 0:02:25.240 --> 0:02:29.320 where this was seen as the final straw, given previous 0:02:29.360 --> 0:02:33.639 concerns about his conduct. Now I sought comment on all 0:02:33.680 --> 0:02:37.800 of this from Nine's corporate affairs Today, Victoria Bucken, a 0:02:37.880 --> 0:02:44.120 friend of Wicks, said, and I quote not responding. Multiple 0:02:44.160 --> 0:02:47.320 sources today told me this complaint against Wick. 0:02:47.440 --> 0:02:51.160 Was seen as the final straw in a separate incident. 0:02:51.560 --> 0:02:54.320 It became well known at Nine that there'd been an 0:02:54.360 --> 0:02:58.960 alleged incident of inappropriate behavior by Wick towards a Channel 0:02:59.080 --> 0:03:02.440 nine star at the Logis After party on the Gold 0:03:02.480 --> 0:03:07.800 Coast in twenty nineteen. There was no official complaint and 0:03:07.840 --> 0:03:11.200 the woman has distanced herself from it, not wanting to 0:03:11.240 --> 0:03:13.279 be the subject of media scrutiny. 0:03:14.040 --> 0:03:16.800 The woman referred us to nine's corporate. 0:03:16.440 --> 0:03:21.280 Affairs, who denied there'd been any complaint. But when questioned 0:03:21.560 --> 0:03:24.720 on how this had been handled, whether Wick had faced 0:03:24.760 --> 0:03:28.760 any formal repercussions, or whether the board chaired by former 0:03:28.800 --> 0:03:33.720 Treasurer Peter Costello or executive management had shown a duty 0:03:33.760 --> 0:03:38.520 of care to the female employee, Victoria Buckin said, we 0:03:38.600 --> 0:03:41.960 do not discuss our processes on any instances of this 0:03:42.120 --> 0:03:47.960 kind publicly about anyone. These processes are always confidential and 0:03:48.000 --> 0:03:51.240 it is important for all parties that they remain so. 0:03:51.800 --> 0:03:54.600 That is our policy. 0:03:54.720 --> 0:03:57.600 I made several attempts today to contact wik for comment. 0:03:57.920 --> 0:04:02.520 I sent him questions. So far he has not responded now. 0:04:02.560 --> 0:04:03.440 As well as these. 0:04:03.320 --> 0:04:07.640 Alleged incidents of inappropriate behavior, there are also a number 0:04:07.640 --> 0:04:14.720 of instances where Wick allegedly deliberately ghosted senior employees, refusing 0:04:14.720 --> 0:04:18.320 to engage with them even though they reported to him. 0:04:18.640 --> 0:04:21.880 It's understood to be a tactic to keep female. 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:26.400 Employees on edge and make them feel insecure in their jobs. 0:04:27.080 --> 0:04:29.919 But there was one transgression that was thrust into the 0:04:29.920 --> 0:04:33.320 public domain, which was when Wick pled guilty to high 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:36.520 range drink driving in January twenty twenty one. 0:04:37.520 --> 0:04:40.839 The boss of nine News has narrowly avoided doing jail 0:04:40.920 --> 0:04:44.440 time after pleading guilty to high range drink driving. It's 0:04:44.480 --> 0:04:47.880 the second time Darren Wicks being convicted. This time he 0:04:48.000 --> 0:04:50.600 was almost five times the legal limit, but. 0:04:50.600 --> 0:04:53.559 He won't do time behind bars. Instead, a nine month's 0:04:53.680 --> 0:04:57.240 intensive corrections order means the news boss is free to 0:04:57.279 --> 0:04:59.640 live a normal life in the community. He could be 0:04:59.720 --> 0:05:01.160 jail if he puts. 0:05:00.880 --> 0:05:03.560 A foot wrong outside court. 0:05:03.720 --> 0:05:07.080 Wick was remorseful and apologized for his behavior. 0:05:08.080 --> 0:05:10.520 I'm in a position where I do know better, and 0:05:10.600 --> 0:05:13.000 I should have known better in a terrible mistake where 0:05:13.000 --> 0:05:15.599 I could have harmed others or harm myself, which would 0:05:15.600 --> 0:05:18.200 have harmed my family and harm my friends and colleagues. 0:05:19.440 --> 0:05:20.600 So I own it completely. 0:05:22.000 --> 0:05:24.880 Wick had been driving home from a work function at 0:05:25.000 --> 0:05:27.240 nine in October twenty twenty. 0:05:27.040 --> 0:05:28.800 When he was stopped by police. 0:05:29.400 --> 0:05:32.440 The word inside nine is that Wick was only caught 0:05:32.880 --> 0:05:36.440 because a concerned colleague phoned police worried that he'd be 0:05:36.480 --> 0:05:40.160 a danger to others or himself behind a wheel after 0:05:40.240 --> 0:05:44.359 consuming so much alcohol, and when police breathalyzed him, he 0:05:44.480 --> 0:05:47.960 recorded a blood alcohol reading of more than four times 0:05:48.120 --> 0:05:52.200 over the legal limit. Wick held onto his job after this. 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:56.440 Now The Australian reported today that the Channel nine board 0:05:56.880 --> 0:06:01.120 knew about the most recent complaint of inappropriate behavior from 0:06:01.200 --> 0:06:05.160 a female staff member, Sophie Ellsworth, and James Madden reported 0:06:05.200 --> 0:06:08.560 that it has also understood issues relating to Wick did 0:06:08.600 --> 0:06:12.400 go to nine's human resources department, and parties have signed 0:06:12.560 --> 0:06:17.880 non disclosure agreements pertaining to the matter. So the board, 0:06:18.160 --> 0:06:23.000 led by former Treasurer Peter Costello and Chief Executive Mike Sneezeby, 0:06:23.560 --> 0:06:28.040 knew about the allegation of inappropriate behavior, and presumably they 0:06:28.080 --> 0:06:32.599 also knew about the non disclosure agreements. By putting calls 0:06:32.640 --> 0:06:37.279 to Costello today but haven't heard back yet. Despite the 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:41.680 board discussing the complaint, Wick was given a warm sendoff 0:06:41.960 --> 0:06:45.760 and there was no public mention of any complaint against him. 0:06:46.360 --> 0:06:50.840 Nine's Director of Television Michael Healy praised Wick's enormous impact 0:06:50.880 --> 0:06:54.200 at nine, including his recent work heading up the news 0:06:54.200 --> 0:06:58.000 division at a time of transformation. He wished him well 0:06:58.240 --> 0:07:01.120 and thanked him for his commitment to the news brand. 0:07:02.120 --> 0:07:04.880 Now there is a broad sentiment from everyone at nine 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:08.039 I've spoken to that there should have been transparency over 0:07:08.080 --> 0:07:09.040 Wix departure. 0:07:09.560 --> 0:07:11.240 There's a strong view that. 0:07:11.240 --> 0:07:17.320 Nine journalists can't investigate, pursue and attack others, whether it's politicians, 0:07:17.760 --> 0:07:22.720 media companies, or big corporations, over internal scandals and inappropriate 0:07:22.800 --> 0:07:27.440 conduct when it covers up its own problems. And multiple 0:07:27.520 --> 0:07:30.320 Nine sources have accused their own. 0:07:30.160 --> 0:07:32.840 Company of covering up this scandal. 0:07:33.360 --> 0:07:36.280 They say there shouldn't be a veil of secrecy over 0:07:36.360 --> 0:07:41.440 allegations of inappropriate behavior. One source said to me there's 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:45.440 been an extraordinary degree of secrecy around it. The key 0:07:45.520 --> 0:07:48.560 thing that people are annoyed about is the fanfare of 0:07:48.600 --> 0:07:54.920 his departure versus what happened. In fact, at precisely the 0:07:54.960 --> 0:07:59.520 same time the spotlight scandal was unfolding at Channel seven nine, 0:07:59.840 --> 0:08:02.280 the publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and 0:08:02.320 --> 0:08:06.480 The finn Review didn't say a peep about why Wick 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:11.160 had left the company. Here was nine pursuing seven and 0:08:11.280 --> 0:08:12.680 its executives. 0:08:13.120 --> 0:08:16.440 Our backs roll at seven Spotlight program in June last 0:08:16.520 --> 0:08:20.080 year was to help the show's executive producer Mark Llewellyn 0:08:20.440 --> 0:08:23.920 lockin Lurreman for an exclusive interview deal with the. 0:08:23.920 --> 0:08:29.480 Network tailor made package. Apparently no expense spared check book, 0:08:29.560 --> 0:08:34.320 journalism laid bare in a hotbed of allegations aired before 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:38.720 the federal court, Channel seven racking up I watering expenses 0:08:39.080 --> 0:08:41.360 to nail down their prized scoop. 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:46.160 The Cydney Morning Herald has published stories about Alan Jones, 0:08:46.240 --> 0:08:50.520 Craig McLaughlin and Channel seven Spotlight, and I do understand 0:08:50.520 --> 0:08:55.440 that investigative journalist Kate mcclemont has been chasing the story about. 0:08:55.120 --> 0:08:57.280 What unfolded with Darren Wick. 0:08:58.400 --> 0:09:01.760 I also put to nine's corporative Affairs Today the hypocrisy 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:06.760 of nine's journalism arm reporting on similar topics and allegations 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:10.960 in the world of politics and rival media organizations, yet 0:09:11.000 --> 0:09:16.040 covering up a scandal within their own organization. Victoria Buckin 0:09:16.120 --> 0:09:21.000 said nothing has been swept under the carpet or covered up. 0:09:22.320 --> 0:09:25.400 Will Nine's cover up of this scandal at the very 0:09:25.559 --> 0:09:29.959 top of its news division is laughable given the ferocity 0:09:30.360 --> 0:09:34.680 with which it pursued their commercial rival at seven across 0:09:34.720 --> 0:09:38.920 its media outlets. Nine does much to support women editorially 0:09:39.280 --> 0:09:42.880 and at a corporate level, but perhaps they could focus 0:09:43.040 --> 0:09:47.920 more closely on issues affecting some female employees within their 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:54.640 own company. Now also on the show Tonight, to Melbourne 0:09:54.720 --> 0:09:58.080 University threatens to call in the police and expel pro 0:09:58.160 --> 0:10:02.280 Palestinian students who are occupy buying buildings on campus. It 0:10:02.360 --> 0:10:05.680 comes after a weekend of unrest on the city streets 0:10:05.920 --> 0:10:08.000 as protesters clash with police. 0:10:08.720 --> 0:10:09.959 Also ahead, new. 0:10:09.840 --> 0:10:14.160 Data dropping Tonight revealing Labour's failure to improve Australia's unemployment 0:10:14.240 --> 0:10:19.120 problem with a million people still claiming welfare benefits, and 0:10:19.280 --> 0:10:23.679 Around's president, known as the Butcher of Tehran, confirmed dead 0:10:23.760 --> 0:10:27.400 in a helicopter clash along with the Foreign minister. We'll 0:10:27.400 --> 0:10:29.800 talk about what this could mean for the Middle East, 0:10:31.120 --> 0:10:33.400 but now let's have a look at federal politics and 0:10:33.480 --> 0:10:37.160 Anthony Albanesi is joining a growing chorus of politicians at 0:10:37.200 --> 0:10:40.880 both federal and state who want to see enforceable age 0:10:40.920 --> 0:10:42.360 limits on social media. 0:10:42.480 --> 0:10:43.000 Have a look. 0:10:44.320 --> 0:10:47.760 Parents are worried seek about what the kids have access 0:10:47.800 --> 0:10:52.440 to online. It is a major social issue in this country. 0:10:53.080 --> 0:10:58.360 We want to respond positively too the request from parents 0:10:58.760 --> 0:11:02.439 that we do somethingut this. We want to make sure 0:11:02.960 --> 0:11:07.559 that any measures that are put in place effective because 0:11:07.640 --> 0:11:11.760 one of the concerns which is there is that age 0:11:11.800 --> 0:11:15.240 protocols may be circumvented by users. 0:11:16.760 --> 0:11:19.240 Okay, let's bring in sky News host Liz Storra and 0:11:19.320 --> 0:11:20.600 contributor Joe hilt. 0:11:20.360 --> 0:11:21.440 A brand Joe. 0:11:21.559 --> 0:11:25.280 In a sense, wouldn't this be a relief to parents 0:11:25.360 --> 0:11:27.360 that they don't have to say to the sets, you're 0:11:27.440 --> 0:11:30.800 banned from TikTok. You know, in their young teenage years, 0:11:30.920 --> 0:11:33.120 they can say, well, the government's bounding this. 0:11:33.320 --> 0:11:35.560 That's right. This is an absolute god's end. Good on 0:11:35.640 --> 0:11:37.960 the PM for doing this. Chris Means also came out 0:11:38.040 --> 0:11:40.000 very early the Premier of New South Wales and said, yep, 0:11:40.000 --> 0:11:43.000 I'm all on board. I cannot punch a hole in it. 0:11:43.040 --> 0:11:45.720 I cannot see I've been saying for years now, I 0:11:45.760 --> 0:11:49.320 cannot see pretty much any benefit from social media. Certainly 0:11:49.360 --> 0:11:52.280 no benefit which outweighs the downside to it. It's been 0:11:52.320 --> 0:11:55.760 an absolute force for destruction right across the globe, particularly 0:11:55.800 --> 0:11:58.439 in the West, and I think it has really harmed 0:11:58.679 --> 0:12:01.520 politics that I think is harmed public life. The difference 0:12:01.559 --> 0:12:05.200 you're talking about about it, but I was about to say, 0:12:05.440 --> 0:12:08.400 the difference is that adults. What I'm saying is I've 0:12:08.440 --> 0:12:11.120 seen it do harm to adults who have got hides 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:15.240 as tough as rhinoceroses. Just imagine the harm that it 0:12:15.320 --> 0:12:17.560 is doing. We don't have to. We've seen the suicides, 0:12:17.640 --> 0:12:20.720 we've seen the boy We've seen that's right, and again, 0:12:21.040 --> 0:12:23.199 all sorts of things, even just kids. You know that's 0:12:23.240 --> 0:12:25.920 the extreme end, obviously, and that's horrendous enough, but you 0:12:25.920 --> 0:12:28.520 know kids being addicted to it, dragged into it by 0:12:28.520 --> 0:12:33.160 the algorithm, a rewarding the focus at rewarding extreme behavior, 0:12:33.480 --> 0:12:36.400 and just dragging kids in so that there's zombies distracting 0:12:36.400 --> 0:12:38.080 them when they're at school. We know that it reduces 0:12:38.160 --> 0:12:41.199 cognitive function when kids are at school, let alone when 0:12:41.200 --> 0:12:45.400 they're at home. This is no place for children, it's 0:12:45.400 --> 0:12:46.280 no place for adults. 0:12:46.520 --> 0:12:49.360 It's definitely one of the stories as a journalist that 0:12:49.400 --> 0:12:53.040 will never leave me is interviewing the parents of a 0:12:53.120 --> 0:12:56.040 ten year old, a ten year old who took her 0:12:56.080 --> 0:12:56.960 own life. 0:12:56.760 --> 0:12:58.720 After she was cyberbullied so badly. 0:12:58.760 --> 0:13:01.200 And of course bullying is terrible in the playground, but 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:05.199 the cyberbullying. It follows the children into their bedrooms. The 0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:06.800 parents don't know what's going on. 0:13:07.280 --> 0:13:09.120 Liz, only makes sense. 0:13:09.120 --> 0:13:12.600 To have an enforcible ban here, raising the age limit 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:13.160 to sixteen. 0:13:13.480 --> 0:13:17.679 I can't imagine any irrational person disagreeing. My biggest question 0:13:17.800 --> 0:13:21.560 is what took so long? We have had such comprehensive 0:13:21.679 --> 0:13:25.160 data for so long that has been screaming at us 0:13:25.480 --> 0:13:30.600 worldwide that the effect of social media on children is 0:13:30.920 --> 0:13:35.760 massively detrimental, socially, mentally, you name it. 0:13:35.760 --> 0:13:38.960 It is no good. So why now? Better late than never? 0:13:39.280 --> 0:13:42.320 But why now is the government suddenly taking measures? 0:13:42.360 --> 0:13:43.360 And I've said it before. 0:13:43.760 --> 0:13:46.640 My only question mark here is how on earth you 0:13:46.679 --> 0:13:51.760 can enforce such a ban without really railroading absolutely everybody 0:13:51.760 --> 0:13:55.000 else's rights. We heard the Morrison government talk in late 0:13:55.040 --> 0:13:58.880 twenty twenty one, No no, I, Like I said, no 0:13:59.040 --> 0:14:03.640 rational person would oppose a ban of children accessing social media, 0:14:03.800 --> 0:14:06.560 especially if they visited any amount of the study that's 0:14:06.600 --> 0:14:10.800 been done. But in order to enforce such a ban, 0:14:11.160 --> 0:14:16.800 we are unquestionably looking at what it will require, and 0:14:16.840 --> 0:14:21.080 that is going to mean quite a few rights, matters 0:14:21.080 --> 0:14:25.040 of privacy for adults, because everyone is going to have 0:14:25.120 --> 0:14:27.320 to prove that they are who they say they are 0:14:27.360 --> 0:14:30.320 in order to jump online, in order to prove I 0:14:30.320 --> 0:14:33.640 am not a child, I am old enough to access. 0:14:33.200 --> 0:14:35.200 You know what, I wouldn't need to show them my idea. 0:14:35.240 --> 0:14:37.800 I just have tonkles up. 0:14:38.400 --> 0:14:38.920 But the. 0:14:41.000 --> 0:14:43.520 People are going to go and behave like monsters online, 0:14:43.600 --> 0:14:45.800 should they not at least not be accountable for that. 0:14:45.880 --> 0:14:48.760 I mean, that's what free speech is. Free speech is 0:14:48.760 --> 0:14:50.520 not the ability to be able to go and anonymously 0:14:50.520 --> 0:14:53.160 bully someone to death or control someone you don't like 0:14:53.400 --> 0:14:54.920 without But as I've. 0:14:54.720 --> 0:14:57.120 Discussed before, there is a lot of people online who 0:14:57.200 --> 0:14:59.960 aren't bullies, who aren't trolled and have chosen to remain 0:15:00.160 --> 0:15:04.920 anonymous because they know speaking their truth these days, usually 0:15:04.920 --> 0:15:10.280 conservative beliefs, they will copy it in their public life. 0:15:10.480 --> 0:15:13.200 Is it for everyone else's safety? And it does remove 0:15:13.240 --> 0:15:16.360 anonymous trolls as well? It does, But again, these things 0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:18.800 are always done in the name of safety, and often 0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:22.480 at the time we cannot see the effects of down 0:15:22.520 --> 0:15:24.880 the road and what it will mean for people who 0:15:24.960 --> 0:15:27.120 then no longer have the right to remain All. 0:15:27.040 --> 0:15:29.120 Right, let's have a look at this next topic, labour's 0:15:29.160 --> 0:15:32.440 travel expenses. Once again, in the spotlight after revelations in 0:15:32.480 --> 0:15:36.240 the odds today the taxpayers will find four hundred and 0:15:36.240 --> 0:15:40.400 fifty million for two new Boeing seven three sevens to fly. 0:15:40.600 --> 0:15:45.840 The PM well, his dog Toto and a document around Joe. 0:15:46.360 --> 0:15:50.960 Look this is car on, Joe, how are you going 0:15:51.000 --> 0:15:51.800 to defend this. 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:54.440 It's not a great look in the middle of the 0:15:54.480 --> 0:15:56.040 cost of living crisis. 0:15:55.600 --> 0:15:59.520 And after a budget that everyone's agreed, doesn't actually relieve. 0:15:59.200 --> 0:16:02.600 That it can't because it can't be it can't be inflationary. 0:16:02.640 --> 0:16:06.440 But again, this is something the PM and the government 0:16:06.480 --> 0:16:09.040 and the Governor General who are all these digitries who 0:16:09.080 --> 0:16:12.520 are sharing these two jets, I think we all agree 0:16:12.560 --> 0:16:14.040 that they do need jets to be able to get 0:16:14.080 --> 0:16:19.680 around twenty years old. Why luxury jets are twenty years old, 0:16:19.960 --> 0:16:21.480 are at the end of their life. And the government 0:16:21.520 --> 0:16:25.320 had a choice by either leasing two jets for twelve 0:16:25.360 --> 0:16:28.000 years or buying them out right. And it found out 0:16:28.040 --> 0:16:29.920 that buying them out right was actually cheaper, So it 0:16:29.960 --> 0:16:33.280 was actually cheaper to buy these two jets. It's the 0:16:33.400 --> 0:16:37.120 government actually saved one hundred million dollars and actually got 0:16:37.160 --> 0:16:37.480 a jet. 0:16:37.600 --> 0:16:43.680 Luxury jets lutury jet. Do you know basically they needed. 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:47.480 It's basically as essential as bread, these yeats exactly. 0:16:46.960 --> 0:16:52.080 Without the question mark is the luxury nobody is? 0:16:52.840 --> 0:16:54.160 How dare they get around? 0:16:54.400 --> 0:16:56.560 Although if they want to practice what they preached, they 0:16:56.560 --> 0:16:59.239 should all be on bicycles or some sort of emissions 0:16:59.280 --> 0:17:04.200 free bus because they expect everyday people to pay dearly 0:17:04.320 --> 0:17:06.560 and we all are for the green dream that they're 0:17:07.320 --> 0:17:11.480 voisting onto everyone while they buy spend almost half a 0:17:11.520 --> 0:17:15.640 billion dollars of our money to buy two luxury jets 0:17:15.680 --> 0:17:19.760 that will spew our emissions, but don't for decades to 0:17:19.880 --> 0:17:21.480 go do me a failure? 0:17:21.800 --> 0:17:24.080 Don't you wish they would also have to catch quantus 0:17:24.119 --> 0:17:33.600 of Virgin flights or Jetstar and see how many cancelations. 0:17:28.040 --> 0:17:33.720 The bonds off that would make them politicians of the 0:17:33.760 --> 0:17:34.840 people all right. 0:17:35.040 --> 0:17:38.720 Unions are pushing for Labour's controversial right to disconnect laws. 0:17:39.040 --> 0:17:42.200 Remember these are the laws that give employees the right 0:17:42.280 --> 0:17:45.400 to disconnect, not to answer their boss's phone once they've 0:17:45.400 --> 0:17:48.000 got home at night. Well, the odds reporting that the 0:17:48.040 --> 0:17:53.040 ACTU wants fair work to rule out bosses being disorganized 0:17:53.359 --> 0:17:57.119 as a reasonable excuse to contact workers after hours to 0:17:57.200 --> 0:18:01.920 perform unpaid work is this fair enough. 0:18:02.040 --> 0:18:05.760 Well, I think the example that Michelle O'Neill, act President, 0:18:05.800 --> 0:18:08.240 gave was I thought a pretty reasonable one, which is 0:18:08.240 --> 0:18:10.560 a boss, can't you realize suddenly that there's something that 0:18:10.560 --> 0:18:12.080 were meant to do during the week and they've totally 0:18:12.119 --> 0:18:14.520 forgotten and call an employee at four fifty on a 0:18:14.560 --> 0:18:16.240 Friday and say, right, you've got to spend your weekend 0:18:16.320 --> 0:18:18.320 doing this. Having said that, the number of times I've 0:18:18.320 --> 0:18:20.040 had editors asked, they say, oh my god, we've got 0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:21.679 to do stuff this up? Can you fix this? 0:18:21.680 --> 0:18:23.800 But I said, whether the work to disconnect? 0:18:24.280 --> 0:18:26.200 And of course I say yes, But I guess I'm 0:18:26.240 --> 0:18:28.480 not and we are not. I mean, the sort of 0:18:28.520 --> 0:18:31.720 workers that unions represent are not necessarily the higher end 0:18:31.800 --> 0:18:34.600 kind of white collar workers where you are expected to 0:18:34.600 --> 0:18:38.480 do whatever it takes and you usually remunerated and rewarded accordingly. 0:18:39.160 --> 0:18:41.320 These are workers who might be safe. For example, you 0:18:41.359 --> 0:18:43.440 know teachers who don't want to have to respond to 0:18:43.480 --> 0:18:46.160 every single email they get from a cranky parent until 0:18:46.240 --> 0:18:48.000 nine o'clock at night, which frankly I can assure you 0:18:48.000 --> 0:18:51.080 they do anyway. So I think it's more about just 0:18:51.480 --> 0:18:54.960 saying employees have the right to say no to change 0:18:54.960 --> 0:18:58.639 the kind of expectation. But again, yeah, I think there'd 0:18:58.640 --> 0:19:00.159 be a lot of workers sort of at our in 0:19:00.160 --> 0:19:03.040 and out industries and professionals who would say, what are 0:19:03.040 --> 0:19:04.760 you talking about. I think also if you're asking to 0:19:04.760 --> 0:19:08.080 work from home, then the right to disconnect suddenly becomes a. 0:19:08.200 --> 0:19:11.119 Very I feel like the younger generation don't even need 0:19:11.119 --> 0:19:14.320 these laws because try getting hold of anyone under thet 0:19:14.480 --> 0:19:16.159 after hours and they're not picking. 0:19:15.920 --> 0:19:16.440 Up their body. 0:19:16.520 --> 0:19:19.040 Oh exactly, They're well aware of their rights and they 0:19:19.119 --> 0:19:21.360 are laying down the law, which is why a lot 0:19:21.359 --> 0:19:24.520 of employers do not want to hire them, because very 0:19:24.560 --> 0:19:27.359 different work ethic in the younger generations. But I just 0:19:27.400 --> 0:19:30.000 think this is getting absolutely ridiculous. 0:19:29.480 --> 0:19:31.760 Because of course it's so subjective. 0:19:32.560 --> 0:19:36.120 I mean, what you might class as, oh, this is. 0:19:36.080 --> 0:19:39.399 Because you have been disorganized, Sharry, and as my boss, 0:19:39.440 --> 0:19:42.800 this is your fault. And whereas you know the backstory, 0:19:42.920 --> 0:19:45.440 you know that maybe a client's called up last minute 0:19:45.560 --> 0:19:48.160 asked for something, Therefore it's not your fault at all, 0:19:48.440 --> 0:19:51.920 and now we have to deliver on something to a deadline, etc. 0:19:52.200 --> 0:19:52.600 And so on. 0:19:53.000 --> 0:19:56.399 This is just going to mean so much, he said. 0:19:56.480 --> 0:20:00.320 She said type action for anyone who actually will to 0:20:00.440 --> 0:20:02.440 exercise these laws and take them for a ride. 0:20:02.480 --> 0:20:03.640 It's going to get ridiculous. 0:20:03.680 --> 0:20:05.359 Maybe we should have it so it goes both ways. 0:20:05.400 --> 0:20:07.600 O good aid bys. Yeah sorry, Look, I know at 0:20:07.640 --> 0:20:09.119 five o'clock on a Friday, but I've forgot to do 0:20:09.160 --> 0:20:11.000 all that stuff you ask me. Would you mind just 0:20:11.119 --> 0:20:13.000 you know, doing it yourself and getting it back to 0:20:13.000 --> 0:20:13.760 me on Monday morning. 0:20:13.880 --> 0:20:16.800 Pats all right, Joe, you around this story. Thanks so 0:20:16.880 --> 0:20:19.080 much for hures. Now, don't go anywhere. 0:20:19.240 --> 0:20:24.000 Labor has failed to improve Australia's unemployment problem despite overhauling 0:20:24.119 --> 0:20:27.719 the jobs program. The Daily telegraphs James Willis has crunched 0:20:27.720 --> 0:20:32.439 the numbers and joins me with his exclusive story. Next plus, 0:20:32.480 --> 0:20:38.520 pro Palestinian protesters attempt to confront anti Semitism supporters who 0:20:38.600 --> 0:20:41.639 were rallying in Melbourne. I've got more on that with 0:20:41.720 --> 0:20:45.840 the Christian organizer of nevergrain Is Now after the break, 0:20:50.280 --> 0:20:54.080 welcome back, well exclusive news story now from the Daily Telegraph. 0:20:54.280 --> 0:20:56.240 New data has revealed that there. 0:20:56.160 --> 0:20:59.680 Are still more than one million people receiving either job 0:20:59.720 --> 0:21:03.720 Seek or Youth Allowance welfare payments. The same number is 0:21:03.760 --> 0:21:08.600 when Labor was sworn into government despite overhauling the jobs program, 0:21:08.880 --> 0:21:11.440 this is costing taxpayers sixteen. 0:21:11.200 --> 0:21:12.880 Billion dollars a year. 0:21:13.640 --> 0:21:16.919 I'm joined now by the Daily Telegraphs James Willis. James, 0:21:17.000 --> 0:21:19.520 great to see you, so tell us about this story 0:21:19.560 --> 0:21:21.600 you've just broken over on the Daily Telly. 0:21:22.520 --> 0:21:24.639 Thanks for having me on your show, Shari, I think 0:21:24.840 --> 0:21:28.760 this figure that you've just quoted is important to clarify 0:21:28.840 --> 0:21:32.359 so people understand exactly how bad this problem is. We're 0:21:32.359 --> 0:21:35.679 not talking about people that are on a disability pension, veterans, 0:21:36.080 --> 0:21:37.600 people that are on an age pension. 0:21:37.840 --> 0:21:40.240 This is one million ossies. 0:21:40.240 --> 0:21:44.359 Who have been declared capable of working at least a 0:21:44.400 --> 0:21:47.240 little bit about five hundred thousand of them for. 0:21:47.280 --> 0:21:48.840 At least thirty hours a week. 0:21:49.320 --> 0:21:52.880 And yet in two years of government with Tony Burke 0:21:52.920 --> 0:21:56.320 as the Employment Minister, Labor has failed to move the 0:21:56.400 --> 0:21:58.639 dial on this figure. And we still have one million 0:21:58.640 --> 0:22:02.560 ausraeans on the Job Seeker and Youth Allowance program. Now 0:22:02.640 --> 0:22:06.040 a lot of these people, I think two three hundred thousand. 0:22:05.680 --> 0:22:08.240 Have been on the program for. 0:22:08.280 --> 0:22:10.639 At least two years, if not five years, if not 0:22:10.840 --> 0:22:13.720 ten years, for about seventy thousand, and we have to 0:22:13.760 --> 0:22:17.800 start asking when Labor continues to say, we've created hundreds 0:22:17.800 --> 0:22:20.959 of thousands of jobs, unemployments at record lows. 0:22:21.320 --> 0:22:22.960 You've got this massive. 0:22:22.800 --> 0:22:26.240 One million elephant in the room, which is people that 0:22:26.320 --> 0:22:29.679 should be working that aren't, and it starts to shine 0:22:29.920 --> 0:22:33.119 a pretty big light on the number of migrants that 0:22:33.119 --> 0:22:34.919 we've brought in over the last two years. 0:22:35.280 --> 0:22:36.480 More than one million. 0:22:36.200 --> 0:22:39.639 People who can't go immediately on unemployment benefits need to 0:22:39.640 --> 0:22:42.119 have a job. So that's taken jobs in that regard. 0:22:42.440 --> 0:22:45.479 But what is labor doing to fix this problem that 0:22:45.560 --> 0:22:47.560 Tony Burke said was on the right track in Dune 0:22:47.640 --> 0:22:48.440 twenty twenty two. 0:22:49.000 --> 0:22:52.199