Subjects: Permanent members of the National Security Committee under Labor; Australia-United States Relations; the Prime Minister’s new car and ute tax; Labor’s immigration detention shambles; UNRWA funding scandal; Donald Trump’s comments on Kevin Rudd.
E&OE
RAY HADLEY:
Every Thursday I speak to the Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, and he’s on the line this morning. By gee we’ve got a lot to get through.
Good morning.
PETER DUTTON:
Good morning Ray.
RAY HADLEY:
Now, I’ve said repeatedly, and I’m really heartened to read – I don’t know if you read Terry McCrann’s column this morning, but you should, it’ll make you feel better – he believes, as I believe, this is the worst Labor Government since federation. They’ve usurped and surpassed, the previous Labor Government – Rudd-Gillard-Rudd, and I think even surpassed that of Gough Whitlam and his cronies back then. It is just a mess. But they go a step further, this Government. Sky News host Sharri Markson revealed to us that the Directors-General of ASIS and ASIO have been sidelined as permanent members of the National Security Committee of Cabinet. I just can’t believe that someone would do this. I can’t believe it.
PETER DUTTON:
Well Ray, first point; you’re right, Terry McCrann’s a great journalist and always a very good read, so recommend any of his works.
Second point, you’re right; I mean the Government hasn’t confirmed this report, I find it hard to believe, but how on earth can you have a National Security Committee and not be informed by the Director-General of security in the country, and the ASIS Director-General has an eye on what’s happening in our region: threats, situations that might be evolving, and all of that is normally part of a discussion within the National Security Committee, and why they would be excluded from the meeting is beyond me, and why you would put your friend Chris Bowen in as a replacement – what Chris Bowen could add to the National Security Committee is completely beyond me.
RAY HADLEY:
Well, it gets worse, because enjoying the same status we believe as the Director-General of ASIO and ASIS, is his Environment Secretary, to be an invited attendee. Chris is there permanently – old Casanova mate – but his Secretary’s got to come there on a semi-permanent basis, and be invited there and afforded the same courtesies as Director-General of ASIO and ASIS. It beggars belief.
PETER DUTTON:
Well, it’s remarkable that that Secretary would have more skill than the Director-General of ASIS or ASIO, our top spy chiefs, and obviously knows more about the intelligence and what’s going on in the region. I really find it quite bizarre, and I find it troubling as well, because we live in a safe country, but nonetheless, there’s still a threat here, there’s wars going on in the Middle East, and in Europe – in Ukraine – all of that has an impact, and the Government should be up to date on the protections of what needs to be done to keep Australians safe.
We’re never safe from the prospect of a terrorist attack, or an action on our soil, and I always found – you know I sat around the National Security Committee table for many years – that the additional contributions and the perspective of the Director-General of ASIO, who might just have a different angle on a discussion, even in relation to a defence matter, and I always found it of great value, but I guess Chris Bowen could contribute to any discussion around GroceryWatch or FuelWatch, or any discussion in there about what not to do on Operation Sovereign Borders – given he was the most unsuccessful Immigration Minister in our country’s history.
RAY HADLEY:
Just on this, I don’t know if I’m drawing a long bow, but this comes shortly after Mike Burgess made these comments about foreign interference. We know it’s a reference to China, and then all of a sudden, the Chinese Foreign Minister’s here, and about the same time, they say, ‘oh well look, it’s a better idea not to have the Director-General of ASIO and ASIS sitting at the table with us’, and it was confirmed by a listener – and my memory didn’t extend to this – but over 20 years ago, they never used to come to these meetings, and all of a sudden, John Howard said, ‘well, hang on a sec, we need to have the Directors-General of these organisations in the room, at the table, so I can look them in the eye and find out what’s going on’, and that’s been the process ever since, until this has occurred. It just absolutely stuns me.
PETER DUTTON:
Well, I agree, and you’ve got the climate change boss there. Again, no disrespect to that Secretary, but I just don’t know – certainly not in our time – most of the conversations in the National Security Committee had to do with national security. If they’re prioritising other issues or other discussions, I mean the Prime Minister should explain that.
I mean when people say that Anthony Albanese is taking the country in the wrong direction, and making just bad decision after bad decision, this is the latest. I think he should stand up and explain the logic, because the logic escapes most experts in the security space, and if the Prime Minister’s got a reason for it, he should be speaking publicly about it.
RAY HADLEY:
Now, Terry McCrann identifies this morning – as I’ve identified as well – a conga line of Ministers in the Albanese Government who are just duds. Now, I’ll go through them one by one if I can.
We’ve got all the drama with the Trumpster at the moment. He’s not a member of the Government, he’s an Ambassador, but let’s start with the Trade Minister, Don Farrell. Have a listen:
[excerpt]
CLAIRE CHANDLER:
Minister, why is the Albanese Labor Government acting in opposition to the United States – our most trusted international partner – who await the outcomes of the investigation into UNRWA and in the interim is pursuing alternate means of delivering more humanitarian assistance?
DON FARRELL:
Well, I take issue with your original…your first statement there. I’m not sure that United States is our most trusted ally. I would have said New Zealand.
[end excerpt]
RAY HADLEY:
So, I guess the Trumpster will have to be advised of that by Nigel Farage. That we’ve got a Trade Minister who doesn’t think they’re very important to us.
PETER DUTTON:
Well, I just think there are so many windows into this Government, and the thinking that they have, it’s really, it’s quite at odds with where most Australians are, and it’s not just in relation to these national security matters, but its cost of living and other pressures that people are under. The Government’s created a real mess of the economy, and they’re certainly doing it with the energy policy as well, and that’s why people keep paying more at the check out or more for their power bills.
Don Farrell should know better. New Zealand’s a great friend and ally, but our strongest, most important strategic alliance is with the United States, and particularly in an uncertain period, as the Prime Minister points out – the most precarious period since the Second World War – why we would be wanting to walk away from the US or downgrade that relationship, again, is beyond the comprehension of the normal person I would have thought.
RAY HADLEY:
But Farrell’s just another union hack promoted beyond his station in life, and of course, don’t forget his fellow union hack who was a one term Senator from Queensland, he packed him off to San Francisco with a cushy job, even though he didn’t apply for the job, and usurped a very capable woman who was a full time career person in that field. I mean, then you’ve got Casanova. Starts off as a younger Mayor in South Western Sydney, works for a conga line of Labor State and Federal Members, and now he’s got this very important position, lofty position, in the Albanese Government, which he stuffs up at every opportunity.
PETER DUTTON:
Well, firstly on Don Farrell, I mean Don’s part of the Praetorian Guard for Anthony Albanese, so he’ll be the last bloke to lose his job.
In relation to Chris Bowen, look, I really shudder every time he gets up to the despatch box. I mean, he’s got now this crazy thought that you can say to Australians, ‘we’re going to tax you an extra $15,000 for Toyota HiLux, another $23,000 for a LandCruiser. Unless you buy an electric vehicle, that’s the only choice that you can make. We’ll disincentivize you from buying a LandCruiser or tax you out of consideration’. But, as we know, what about people who are relying in caravan parks on literally tens of thousands of people each year who travel around our country towing a caravan and going into a caravan park, or spending money at a local cafe, and really giving up their hard earned cash to those local communities – they’re the lifeblood of these communities – and what are people supposed to do? Just park their car and not continue on their holiday? The fact is that an electric LandCruiser doesn’t exist at the moment, and the LDV, which is the only electric ute in the market, has a range of about 150km, and less, much less if you’ve got anything in the tray.
I mean, Chris Bowen is making all sorts of decisions, which I think we’re seeing manufacturing leave our country, we’re seeing power prices go up and up and up, and he is, I think, still the top of the list for me.
RAY HADLEY:
Labor is under attack for shifting responsibility on the removal of ankle bracelets and curfews from at least five criminals released from immigration detention to a board of bureaucrats, but at the same time, the Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil, has admitted the Government has lost control of migration laws. Now we have a man facing the death penalty in Lebanon over terror offences, applying to be freed from immigration detention. What, so he can perform terror offences here?
PETER DUTTON:
Well, you’ve really sort of thrown my last argument out the window Ray, that Bowen was at the top of the tree in terms of the incompetence. So, now he’s moved…
RAY HADLEY:
Listen, it’s an old expression from racing, ‘a developed print is required’. The judge is examining the developed print: there’s Tony Burke, there’s Clare O’Neil, there’s Don Farrell, there’s Casanova Bowen and a raft of others hitting the line absolutely locked together. Not an inch between them.
PETER DUTTON:
Alright, well, okay so I’d forgotten about Clare O’Neil and Andrew Giles. They’re up on the podium together as well.
Again, what’s the argument here? Andrew Giles gets up in Question Time and says, ‘look, nothing to see here, nothing to worry about. We’ve just released 149 criminals, including rapists and paedophiles – some of whom have re-offended since they’ve been released – but do not worry because some of these people – not all of them – but some of them have ankle bracelets, which leads the police to the scene of the crime, and they’re being monitored, and we’ll know when they abscond because their ankle bracelet will ping’. Well, that’s cold comfort to the next victim of crime or to the police who have got to distract resources away and attend to whatever this person has done most recently.
So look, I think there’s a lot of serious, genuine, concern in the community at the moment about the decisions the Government’s making on the migration front. It must be sending a hell of a signal to the people smugglers who are saying, ‘look, go to Australia. You won’t even have to go into immigration detention if you commit a crime’.
RAY HADLEY:
Penny Wong reinstated funding to the United Nations Relief Works Agency before the results of an independent review of the organisation came out. Then it’s revealed today, last week the Government announced it would resume the funding, but today we learn one day earlier they were briefed that more of these employees from the United Nations Relief Work Agency were involved in the October 7th attack, than first thought.
So, she makes a decision before the independent inquiry comes out, and she is also told the day before she makes it, ‘hang on a second, there may be more of these people involved in the attack on Israel’, but has given them the money anyway.
PETER DUTTON:
Well again, it’s just an unbelievable decision. Australians work hard for their money, Ray. So the Government now has decided to give money to an organisation with definite links to a listed terrorist organisation here in our country. Hamas is a listed terrorist organisation, and somehow the Government can justify giving money to this organisation that’s completely discredited.
The United States and the United Kingdom are not putting money into this agency, and somehow we’ve decided as a country that we’ll put taxpayers’ money, during a cost of living crisis, into the hands of people who are affiliated with these terrorist activities. It beggars belief. Again, it’s something the Prime Minister won’t explain, but it’s done for political reasons.
This Government’s motivated by two things: one is they want to please inner city green voters so that they don’t leave the Labor Party and vote for the Greens. So, every decision they make is about trying to please them. The second one is to please the union movement. The industrial relations space is a disaster for small businesses and gets worse from the 1st of July. You’ve got Penny Wong, who’s made a decision here, which I think is all about domestic politics, but I suspect most people in the Jewish community here would be even further disgusted with this Government because of that decision.
RAY HADLEY:
Now, just finally, this is what Nigel Farage got from Donald Trump:
[excerpt]
DONALD TRUMP:
Yeah, well, I don’t know.
NIGEL FARAGE:
Would you take a phone call from him?
DONALD TRUMP:
He won’t be there long if that’s the case. I don’t know much about him. I heard he was a little bit nasty. I hear he’s not the brightest bulb, but I don’t know much about him, but if he’s at all hostile, he will not be there long.
[end excerpt]
RAY HADLEY:
Did anyone really expect when he said, ‘Donald Trump is a traitor to the West’, ‘the most destructive President’ in history, ‘I think the general consensus amongst anyone concerned with a public policy process…thinks he’s nuts’, ‘electoral corruption at its worst: Trump asking state officials to ‘find’ an additional bundle of votes’, ‘Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement took effect yesterday. This should go down as one of his most dangerous acts’ in history, ‘despite FBA warnings, Trump cultivated QAnon conspiracy theorists because he profited from them politically and financially’ – did anyone ever think he was going to say something nice about the bloke?
PETER DUTTON:
Well, what about the poor staff at the residence in Washington? I suspect K-Rudd might be stomping around the house. By the way, Ray, I mean, what evidence is there that Kevin Rudd has a nasty streak? I mean, what…
RAY HADLEY:
No, no, look…
PETER DUTTON:
…What evidence is there of that? What Labor member could tell you of a private conversation with Kevin Rudd that went off the rails? I mean, there’s no evidence of that…
RAY HADLEY:
No, no, it’s a disgraceful assertion and can’t be supported by facts because the people who are abused are reluctant to talk about it. But, I mean, he is still – the bad news from my point of view, is I thought perhaps he was the worst ever, given what he did and the young men killed through the pink batts and all the money wasted through all the other initiatives and the rest of it. I thought he was the worst ever, but based on the first two years of Anthony Albanese, again, the judge is calling for the developed print, again. Rudd may be usurped by the current Prime Minister. I don’t think the current Prime Minister is as ‘nasty’ as the former Prime Minister, but I’ll tell you what, he’s almost bereft of ideas, as was the former Prime Minister.
PETER DUTTON:
Well, and you know, don’t forget that they’re best of mates, which is why Anthony Albanese appointed Kevin Rudd. It was a captain’s call, and he would have known about all the risks. Look, I wish Mr Rudd well and I hope that he does good work in our country’s name. It’s the most important relationship, as we discussed before, but Anthony knew all of the risks that he was facing when he decided to appoint Kevin. It would have been against the advice of a lot of his colleagues, but he made the decision, we respect that.
Now, would you be surprised that Kevin Rudd and Anthony Albanese were best of mates and in Government worked very closely together? And would you be surprised that Anthony Albanese learnt a lot of his skills from Kevin Rudd? No. And that’s why you’ve got a disaster in immigration policy, it’s why you’ve got a disaster in economic policy, it’s why he can’t keep his word and why a lot of people are suffering unnecessarily in our country at the moment; they can’t pay their bills because they’ve got a Government that doesn’t have the first clue on how to manage the economy.
RAY HADLEY:
Well, I guess he took a punt that at the time when he appointed him to the ambassadorial role in the United States of America, that it was long odds that the Trumpster would return. He’s now the Republican nominee, the polls have him in front of Biden. So, I mean, surely to goodness he can’t stay there. I’m talking about if he becomes the President, Donald Trump – if he becomes President and the inauguration is in January next year – but surely he can’t stay there. I mean, you can’t have the bloke who’s got to deal with the American President, on our behalf, having this history of attacking the bloke and calling him ‘the worst ever’, ‘nuts’, ‘stark raving…’, all the things he said. You can’t have someone dealing with him like that. It’s just suicidal to have an Ambassador with that history.
PETER DUTTON:
Well, if you’ve got an administration who says that they can’t work with a particular Ambassador, then there’s a long history of those people being recalled, and no doubt, I suppose the onus is on Mr Rudd now to repair the relationship, and you’re right, Labor would have been completely dismissive and said, ‘there’s no way in the world Trump could ever be re-elected’, and they would never of factored in the likelihood of him being the nominee, or getting a second term. That’s come back to bite them.
So, look, I can’t imagine for a moment if John Howard had of thought about appointing an Ambassador that had made derogatory comments about a President in-coming. I mean, it would never have happened. Kevin Rudd himself wouldn’t have appointed somebody in that circumstance, but again, this is another mess of Anthony Albanese’s making, and he’ll have to clean it up.
RAY HADLEY:
But Kevin Rudd will be so good at withdrawing and saying, ‘sorry’. It’s just his nature. He’s one of those conciliatory people that wants to repair the damage he’s created in the past. That’s just the sort of fella he is. I’m sure that he’ll be on bended knee in front of the Prime Minister, rather the President, shortly after he’s installed and saying, ‘please forgive me, sir. I did not know what I did’.
PETER DUTTON:
I’d say he’s filling out his Mar-a-Lago golf membership form right now, buying a new set of PING’s, and I suspect he’s sharpening his game up. That’s what he will be doing.
RAY HADLEY:
And you know what? He’ll shoot 52, the Trumpster, because Kevin Rudd will be scorecard. He’ll be doing the scoring – ‘Birdie there, Mr President’.
PETER DUTTON:
The old doctored card.
RAY HADLEY:
Yeah – ‘an eagle’.
PETER DUTTON:
Everyone knows one of those friends.
RAY HADLEY:
‘Oh an albatross, a double eagle’. ‘You’ve shot 52 – 20 under par. Congratulations. I’m glad I’m here to see it’.
PETER DUTTON:
‘We’re friends again’.
RAY HADLEY:
See you later. Thanks a lot.
PETER DUTTON:
See you mate. Thank you.
[ends]