1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,320 Speaker 1: A convicted murderer, and Victoria wants the state to overturn 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: the ban on veggie Might in prisons. The spread is 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: banned because of fears that inmates will use the strong 4 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: smell to disguise illegal alcohol brewing operations. But one man 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: serving a life sentence has launched court proceedings saying he's 6 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,479 Speaker 1: entitled to enjoy his culture as an Australian even while 7 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 1: he's incarcerated, and that means VEGGI mate Jonathan Cursley US 8 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: corresponds with us, Jonathan, can you get the veggie Might 9 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: in the States? 10 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 2: In some places, yes, you can. You can get that 11 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 2: delicious black spread that goes wonderfully on a nice little 12 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,200 Speaker 2: English muffin or a slice of toast in the morning. 13 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:40,519 Speaker 2: It's a little pricey over here. I think you're looking 14 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 2: at about fifteen to sixteen New Zealand dollars for a 15 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,839 Speaker 2: small jar off it. So it's pretty pricey. So we 16 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 2: tend to ask our nice friends in Australia to send 17 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 2: them over when they can. 18 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: It's all right, listen, how long before these Epstein father 19 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: are actually released? Then? 20 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 2: Well, that's the question that everybody's asking is when are 21 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 2: they going to be released obviously past the House. The 22 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 2: Senate has unanimously agreed to pass it, so when it 23 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 2: goes before the Senate tomorrow, it will zip through and 24 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 2: go straight to Donald Trump's desk. He will then likely 25 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 2: cite it, he has said he very much intends to, 26 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,479 Speaker 2: and then it's over the Department of Justice to work 27 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 2: on the release of the Epstein files. Now, there could 28 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: be one other roadblock left in the way of the 29 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 2: release of these files, and that is that the President 30 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 2: himself had ordered the Department of Justice and his Attorney 31 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 2: General Pambondi to look into Epstein's links with Democrats. If 32 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 2: that investigation has started, then that could theoretically mean the 33 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 2: Department of Justice cannot release any documents as part of 34 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 2: an ongoing investigation, so it may have to wait until 35 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 2: that investigation finishes before any documents can be released. So 36 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 2: this is very much a political bonfight that goes right 37 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 2: to the top of America's seat of power. The president's 38 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 2: backflip on this on initially not stalling on the release 39 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 2: of these documents has caused him some political pain, so 40 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 2: he changed his mind. He told Republicans to back it end. 41 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 2: He told them to get the build to his desk 42 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: so that he could sign it and see what's released. 43 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: And he's also putting pressure on Democrats now too, basically 44 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 2: cautioning them there could be material in this that's bad 45 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 2: for you too. Already, the House Oversight Committee is releasing 46 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 2: some material relating to the Democrat leader in the House, Jefferies, 47 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 2: and documents that were sent by Epstein about donations to 48 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 2: his campaigns that Jeffrey KM Jeffries has said he's got 49 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 2: no recollection of. So this is now a political fight 50 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 2: that is in brawling all sides, But the focus is 51 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 2: very much going to be on whether those documents are 52 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 2: going to be released and when they are, what's in them. 53 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: That business with NBS was uncomfortable for me? Was it 54 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: for you? 55 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 2: Yeah? It was an interesting watch. I mean, this is 56 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:43,519 Speaker 2: the first time MBS Muhammed BD, someone whos been to 57 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 2: the White House since Trump. One point o back in 58 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 2: twenty eighteen, it was months before the murder of journalist 59 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 2: Jamal Kashoghi that the CIO eventually pointed the finger of 60 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 2: blame at straight at MBS and said that he had 61 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 2: orchestrated this murder. And we saw that exchange that you 62 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:03,359 Speaker 2: played just four with ABC America journalist Mary Bruce, essentially 63 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: putting it to jamalkashoge how could Americans trust him? That 64 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 2: the families of nine to eleven victims were disgusted that 65 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 2: he was inside the Oval Office, and then President Trump 66 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 2: launched into this staunch defense of MBS and then at 67 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 2: the same time attacking the journalist as well, describing her 68 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 2: as a horrible reporter and threatening to withdraw ABC's license 69 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 2: for being what he called fake news. It was a 70 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 2: very very interesting exchange inside the Oval Office. There have 71 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 2: been many of these since the inauguration on January twenty. 72 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 2: This though, will be a marker and it will go 73 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 2: down in the history books to some extent to see 74 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 2: the transformation of somebody who was a pariah for the 75 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 2: United States just a matter of well a couple of 76 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 2: years ago or just before the inauguration, to being welcome 77 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 2: back into the Oval Office with open arms, and then 78 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 2: tonight a lavish state dinner attended by, among others, Elon Musk. 79 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: Yeah. Very interesting. Hey, thanks very much, Jonathan, appreciate it. 80 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: Jonathan Kursley, US correspondent. For more from Hither Duplessy, Allen Drive, 81 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: listen live to News Talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, 82 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio