CredlinNew Year's terrorism in the US as an Islamic jihadist kills 15 people in New Orleans, the Coalition pledges to scrap mandatory emission reporting laws, and the Duchess of Sussex can't help stealing the headlines to kick just two days into 2025.
Peter Krandland live on Sky News Australia.
Good evening.
I'm James Macpherson filling in for Peter Kredlin. Coming up tonight. New Year's terror in the US as an Islamic jee hardist kills fifteen and injures thirty five and a pickup truck attack. What warning does that send for social cohesion in Australia. Plus the Coalition promises to scrap mandatory emission reporting laws that came into effect just yesterday, crippling businesses with more red tape. And the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markel, can't help stealing the headlines even as a new year begins. We'll discuss her latest move a little later in the program. Before we get into the specifics of the assumed Islamic terror attack in New Orleans. I want to first look at our Prime Minister's response, because, make no mistake, what we saw in the United States overnight is a problem we need to deal with here in Australia. A convert to Islam drove a pickup truck displaying a black ice flag at high speed through a crowd of pedestrians on New Year's Day before being killed in a shootout with police. He injured two of them before they ended his life. The same ideology that led this man to murder fifteen innocents and injured dozens more in last night's terror attack is present and growing here, and our government seems stubbornly determined to do exactly nothing about it. Prime Minister Anthony Albaneze tweeted this this morning quote, All Australians are appalled by the attack in New Orleans, a shocking act of violence aimed at people celebrating the new year together. Our first thoughts in the moment with the victims and their loved ones. Our nation stands with the people of the United States. Now, in just forty seven words, the Prime Minister makes at least five fatal mistakes. First, did you notice Albanzi calls what happened in New Orleans and attack, but fails to specify what kind of attack it was. Well, since Anthony Albanezi seems to have trouble getting his mouth around the words, let me help. It was an Islamic terror attack. The FBI have indicated it was inspired by ISIS, So why can't the Prime Minister of Australia say the words I guess Islamic terror attack must be difficult to say when you're busy importing more than two thousand followers of Islam from the highly radicalized Gaza Strip. I imagine it's even more difficult to say when you're trying desperately to shore up votes from followers of Islam in Western Sydney. Well, if Anthony Albaneze can't even name the threat, do you really trust him to keep you safe from it? Second, did you notice the PM referred to the attack as and I quote a shocking act of violence. Well, sorry, mister Albanezi, but you must be the only person in the world who thinks Islamic terror attacks in western countries are shocking. It's not shocking. It's entirely predictable. We've been here many many times before. In fact, Islamic terror attacks at Christmas are now about as Christmasy as Christmas markets. We've been here many times, so many times that for you to be shocked, well, that's the most shocking part about it. Third, the Prime Minister says all Australians are appalled by the attack. Well that's a lie. We know it's a lie. It's a dangerous lie. Every weekend in this country. We have people calling for a global into fada. We have some Islamic preachers in Western Sydney calling for jehad against Jews and infidels, and the Alberineze government has done nothing about it. How can the Prime Minister say all Australians are appalled at Islamic terror attacks. There was a terror attack on October seven last year that killed one thy two hundred people and this guy and Islamic leader from Sydney was, in his own words, not appalled.
He was elated, smiling and I'm happy.
I'm that's a day of courageure.
His Albanesi's fourth mistake. He described the New Orleans Islamic a terror attack as a shocking act of violence quote aimed at people celebrating the new year together. Give me a break, newsflash, Prime Minister, the Islamic terror attack was not aimed at people celebrating the new year. It's not as if the terrorist was triggered by January. The first Islamic terrorists want to kill Jews and Infidels wherever they find them, whenever they find them. A New Year's Day was just a really convenient way of finding a lot of Jews and infidels crowded together all at once to be killed. Fifth, and finally, the PM's assurances that our thoughts are with the victims is cold comfort for those of us he is responsible to protect. Instead of offering thoughts for American victims, how about the Prime Minister actually does something to stop similar things happening here. Every time there's an Islamic terror attack, we get the same routine from Western leaders. It's exhausting thoughts and prayers. We stand in solidarity and the obligatory diversity is our strength, which might be true if we were talking about cuisine, but it's definitely not true when talking about a policy we never agreed to, and that governments refused to seriously discuss importing people with belief systems entirely at odds with our own. In the early hours of New Year's Day, Muslim convert Shamsad din Jabbar drove his truck at high speed through a pedestrian area of New Orleans with clear intent to kill as many Americans as possible. US Lane Duck Joe Biden told Americans earlier today what had happened.
The furs are reported to me the mirror hours Before the attack, he posted videos on social med indicating there's inspired by Asis esperessily, desire to kill, desire to kill. The ISSIS flag was found in his vehicle, which he rented to conduct this attack. Possible explosives are found in the vehicle as well, and more explosives were found nearby.
Okay, So a Muslim convert posts videos online saying he was inspired by ISIS to kill people before going out and doing just that. Seems pretty clear to me what happened, but not to Joe Biden and apparently not to the FBI.
The FBI is an investigation to determine what happened, why it happened, whether there was any continuing threat to public safety.
So Joe Biden tells us what happened and why it happened, only to say in the very next breath that the FBI needed to figure out what happened and why it happened. But it's called Islamic terrorism. But even when the Islamic terrasts them selves tell us they're inspired by Islam, we don't believe them. The media were quick to jump on the fact that the terrorist was born in America and had served in the military that it was in financial trouble, that he had been divorced a couple of times, and how many broke vets with marriage problems go mowing civilians down in SUVs.
Can we please.
Talk about an ideology that is producing extremists. CNN didn't want to talk about ideology. They wanted to talk about the security barriers that the Islamic ji artist was able to drive around.
We have these hydraulic steel barriers from past events. Those barricades were not on period. They had the flimsy orange ones that you could just push over with your finger.
Look, I'm really sorry, but the problem is not a lack of barricades. That we have to have barricades in the first place. That's the problem. Western countries never used to need barricades, or as I call them, diversity bollards.
Now they're everywhere.
If diversity is our strength, how come we need bollards. Shame on our governments for allowing a situation where citizens now need bollards everywhere to protect us from being mowed down in our own shopping malls by Islamic extremists. Maybe, if we weren't importing an ideology that hates the West, we wouldn't need ballards. When I see public places protected by bollards, are not grateful.
I'm furious.
They're a reminder that we are now unsafe in our own backyards thanks to dangerously naive politicians and a censorous media class. It was telling that the first instinct of the FBI after last night's terror attack was to insist that it wasn't a terrorist attack. Have a listened to FBI Special Agent Alethia Duncan briefing the American public three hours after the attack.
We'll be taking over the investigative lead for this event.
This is not a terrorist event. What it is right now is there improvised explosive devices that was found.
An ISIS flag is found in the truck of the attacker, and the FBI spokes more on says it's not a terrorist event. What did the truck with the ISIS flag just go rogue? No, No, it wasn't a terror attack. It was just a Ford pickup that suddenly went full G hard mode all on its own. Maybe if the FBI weren't still busy hosting DEI seminars, raiding Trump's home, spying on church goers, and investigating American citizens for walking through the Capitol Building on January six, four years ago. They might have had eyes on Shamsad Din Jabbar. Then again, the FBI were under instructions from Joe Biden to look out for anything other than Islamic.
Terrorists, the most dangerous terrorist threat to our homeland. There's white supremacy.
That a US president sprouts this kind of rubbish as the bodies from Islamic terrorism pile up is unforgivable. Let me show you something else that's unforgivable. This is Sixth Avenue in New York City, just hours after the New Orleans terror attack. So within hours of fifteen Americans being slaughtered by and IS limits with an ISIS flag, hundreds of pro Palestinians were marching through the streets of New York calling for a global into fada.
These people have zero shame.
If they aren't citizens, they should be expelled, and if they are citizens, they should be watched. Australia's got the same problem. This perverse, upside down world only ends when we stop importing people that hate us and deport those already here who reject our values in favor of a backward culture of terrorism and death. Meanwhile, we need leadership that possesses the moral clarity to do at least four things. First, reject cultural relativism. Objective truth does exist, and the truth is the Judeo Christian West produces outcomes and freedoms that are superior to any other worldview. If anyone disputes that, ask them why they live here rather than in Afghanistan. Second, shape our immigration program to reflect the fact that not all cultures are equal. Only bring people here who support our worldview and get rid of non citizens who undermine our values. Third, stop apologizing for Ossie culture and stop undermining all our unifying symbols the flag, the anthem, Australia Day, our British heritage. Greens leader Adam Bandt won't even stand in front of an Australian flag. Prime Minister Anthony Albaneze won't stand in front of only the Australian flag. Both men are undermining our nation and as a consequence, putting all of us in danger. And Fourth, stop pretend there's no problem with Islamic extremism. If we can't even have a discussion about why this particular ideology has so often inspired violence around the globe, then we are not serious people. Right now, we're led by a government that is neither moral, nor courageous, nor serious, not a serious person in its ranks, and that leaves all of us, like those pedestrians in New Orleans, dangerously exposed. You know the thing that really ticks me off. It doesn't need to be this way. When you're out and about this week and you see one of those diversity bollards that authorities have generously installed to protect you and your family from their immoral policies, Remember, it doesn't have to be this way, and it's only this way because we've put up with it. Well, joining me now to discuss events in the US over night and more is former Speaker of the House Bromwin Bishop and Sky News contributor James Bolt.
Welcome to both of you.
There is, of course, another potential angle to this terrorist attack, and that was the explosion of a Tesla's cybertruck parked right out front of a Las Vegas hotel owned by President elect Donald Trump. Now, the explosion that killed one person and injured seven others has prompted US authorities to probe any possible connection between the New Orleans attack and the cyber truck explosion Tesla. Elon Musk said it appeared the explosion was a terrorist attack. He wrote on x We've now confirmed the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion. James, just give me your reaction to events overnight in the US and what you make of it all.
Yeah, it's just such a sad and terrifying thing to go through. One thing I want to go through with your editorial though, is that so I'm just going to take this out for one second. We have this situation where people you say that they were important a hate for ideology, and I get what you're saying, but the thing with that is that this loser was born in the US. He wasn't picking up his ideology through customs departments. He was getting it through the Internet. And I just really worry what's happening when a person with ten years in the army, five years then as a reserve, someone with so much skin in the game as an American citizen that he wants to defend the joint then goes on this YouTube rabbit hole of a year or whatever. However he was getting this ideology, and then he becomes so disinterested in the American Dream, so diverted from its goals that he then decides to morrow down people. I think focusing at all on immigration is obviously something we can control, but I don't know if that is what inspired this person. I don't know if it's going to change any of the people that are like him. I think what we have to do is go what is it about.
The American dream?
What is it about the Australian dream that we can push forward, that we can talk about, that we can celebrate, And why do these marginalized people who are going through well, I say marginalized, but look, I mean, yes, his life was falling apart. I'm not saying we need to feel sorry for him at all, But why did someone so vulnerable to any outside ideology decide instead to go through this terrible thing? And how was he so lost to what makes this world so great?
Bronwin.
Was he a vulnerable ideology who somehow had missed out on the American Dream?
Or is there something else going on here?
I think there is something else going on, James, I think if I go back to the end of the Cold War, there were two important things, two important thesis put forward. One was by Francis Fukuyama, who talked about the end of history and saying that the liberal democracies had won and that was going to be the dominant way in which the world would be governed. The other was written by Sir Samuel P. Huntington, called the Clash of Civilizations, and he then put that original essay into a book in nineteen ninety six which he there explores really how the future is going to be clashes of people of great faith. So it is very concerning that there is not a realization that there is really a movement between what we believe to be right and what we believe to be wrong. And there are so many things that caused that differentiation to be there. And what you showed with the preacher saying that he was delighted that what happened on October the seventh had occurred really is an example of that. But I think we have to We've got very good people who've come here from different parts of the world, who follow the the Muslim faith, who have become very good Australians. But when we see leadership like the part that you showed and that being allowed to go unchecked and there being no strength from the government here to stand up against it and say this is wrong, it's got to end, then we're in serious trouble because we really can't then expect that there is that there is an expectation that those leaders can't go on pushing that ideology and trying to keep what they call their own flock in line with their own ideology. So we do have a problem. You are right about Albinisi. He's weak on everything he says. He never stands up and says then what was done was wrong and that they have to be held to account. There's always an if, but maybe soft language whatever. And that's why it is so important that this next election that we see a change in government.
Well, I'll tell you who else says that we have a problem in this and that's Hindu leaders here in Australia. They're warning that religious intolerance is being incubated, that's their phrase in this country through the Albanezi government's failure to stamp out anti Semitism. Hindu Council of Australia Vice President Surrender Jahn said that the quote the past four hundred and fifty three days have been a nightmare for Jewish Australians. Those who hate Jews also hate people of other faiths except their own. James, it's a bit embarrassing for the PM when community faith leaders feel the need to come out and address the hateful retriic that his own government is allowing to grow.
Yeah, it's discussing that they need to do so. And I'm reminded of the Martinie molloquoid. Then they came to the Jews and I didn't speak out because I wasn't the Jew. These Hindu leaders they're not going to be like that, and it's great that they are, and I'm not saying they're doing it for selfish reasons. But if we do have a situation where the conflicts of old World come to Australia, I think Hindus know that that would not exactly go well for them and their own either. I think it's also interesting that nine of the ten most populous Hindu seats in the Australian electorate are held by the Labor Party. Now, I don't know how universal this discuss of the labor government has been among Hindu people. But if they do feel that this is not a labor government that respects religious freedom and not a labor government that has the back of minority groups that are traditionally quite peaceful, then how many votes would that change and could that swing an election? I think that's going to be something pretty interesting to see later this year.
Yeah, a really good point, James.
The Hindu leaders certainly seem to have more courage than the PM and they're a lot more direct in their language. If only we had direct speech like that from our political leaders.
I couldn't agree more. But of course the Hindu people here in Australia can remember, of course the atrocities that happened with a petition of India into Pakistan and India and the dreadful things that were perpetrated in that occasion.
They will remember that.
When they see the Jewish people being attacked as they are here in Australia without the government saying it's got to stop, and to saying that what was done on the seventh of October to those Israeli citizens was the most horrific, horrendous attack designed to bring about war. Until that is acknowledged, which the Hindus do acknowledge. They say, if they can get away with persecuting the Jewish people, they'll come after us as well. And that's why I think they have come together and understand very solidly precisely what they are facing. And we can't afford to have our country cut up like this, James. It really is a disgrace when we and the word disgrace has almost become degraded in its meaning. It's not strong enough because we have such a week government that refuses, absolutely refuses to say what is correct behavior, good behavior in this country and what is just paying bad behavior which has to be stamped out. And the word unacceptable is also.
Now being degraded.
What's the point in saying appalling behavior like that is unacceptable when nothing is done about it to make it sure it doesn't happen again. So we need strength here and I'm hoping that in Donald Trump being elected in the United States that strength will be shown there and that it will filter down as so much else filters down from the United States to Australia, that strength becomes the real thing that Australians want.
Yeah, Well, Bromin and James The other thing that I get weary of is every time something happens, our politicians say we won't tolerate to antisemitism more, we won't tolerate acts of violence like we've just seen until the next one happens and the next one happens. How many times can you say you're not going to tolerate something that continues happening until your retric is completely meaningless. And unfortunately, every time something like this happens, we don't get direct speech, we don't get plain speech. We get retric from our political leaders who are charged with keeping us safe. I think people are getting absolutely sick of it. Broman, Bishop James Bolt. Thanks to both of you for your time tonight, and happy New Year to you as well.
Well.
From January first, new mandatory climate reporting rules have taken effect, requiring companies to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions. The Coalition's vowed to scrap these rules if it wins the election, with Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor telling the Australian Financial Review that the laws quote will make it harder for Australia's farmers, manufacturers and miners to attract capital, insurance and financial services, while reducing the competitiveness for international companies to invest in Australia. Joining me now is Shadow Environment Minister Jonathan Dunham, John O, thanks for joining me. Just explain to our viewers how these mandatory reporting laws are supposed to work and why there's such a burden for Australian companies. As if Australian companies need more regulatory burden at this point in life.
Well, happy new year, James. These nonsense laws that Labor have in partnership with the Greens and a couple of confused Senate crossbenchers foisted on the Australian economy are laws that will force companies of a certain size. So in the first instance, large businesses to report, along with all of their financial reports at the end of every financial year, all of the data around their climate emissions, so how much they're emitting, what they're doing, what strategies they have in place to abate emissions, all pieces of information. Frankly, that will not save the planet, contrary to what Labor and the Greens might tell us. But we'll do one thing, certainly, and that is, as Angus Taylor rightly points out, drive up the cost of doing business, make our companies that seek to export uncompetitive and make those businesses trading in our domestic economy more expensive for people to buy goods and services from. So this is silly legislation that we have expressed our concerns about and opposed of course, all the way through. And if we're elected, it's the kind of stuff that needs to be torn up and taken away because these laws are not what will make our country an economic powerhouse, and as I said before, and won't do a blasted thing to save the planet.
Yeah.
I was actually going to ask you, John, know these regulatory requirements, if fulfilled, will make what difference to global temperatures?
And I think you just answered that absolutely zip.
All it does is cripple our business people and our farmers who are already struggling.
It's just ridiculous.
There's expectations that similar laws in the US are going to be scrapped when Trump comes into power. Would that increase pressure on our government to follow suit?
I think it's inevitable, And frankly, even if the US didn't do this, why would a government seek to price its country out of the market. It was the same with the safeguard mechanism which were the laws that Labor and the Greens and a few confused Senate cross benches brought in to force companies to bring down their emissions and if they couldn't then they would pay a financial penalty. Now, these are companies that make cement, steel, aluminium, things we need to actually keep our economy growing, to build houses, to build railways and roads, etc. All of these things make the cost of doing business here higher, and therefore the cost of living higher. It makes everything unaffordable and it slows down our economy. So a good government, and again one that it's something we would seek to repeal is the safeguard mechanism would not allow these laws to stay in place. So I commend the US for doing what is good common sense policy.
But regardless of what the US do, we.
Should doing the right thing by Australians and doing what's in our national interests and tearing these laws up.
Well, I'll tell you what else is about to get more expensive because of new laws. It came into effect yesterday, and that's motor vehicles. The government has just introduced their vehicle Efficiency standard. It's part of Labour's push to make us all buy evs and it means car manufacturers will be required to meet emissions limits or risk penalties of up to one hundred dollars per gram they run over the threshold. Nationals leader David little Proud has said this will lead to increase in car prices. Just explain to us how this legislation works and you share concerns that it's going to jack up the price of our cars.
Firstly, I do share concerns that will jack up the price of our cars because the cost of compliance will inevitably be passed on buy manufacturers and dealers to the consumer. That's just what happens when governments impose new regulation and new costrames to try and get a policy outcome. But yes, cars that don't meet a certain emission standard. For every gram per hundred kilometers the cars emit over a certain limit, there will be that one hundred dollars penalty applied to the manufacturer. So as I say, that will just not be absorbed and copped on the chin by manufacturers. They will have to pass that on and consumers Australian mums and dads and of course businesses, tradees who need to upgrade their utes every now and then for example, we'll all be paying more and David little Proud highlighted the cost increase. I think Afford Everest would eventually go up by something like eighteen thousand dollars and then that's a huge hit for any family looking to upgrade at SUV. And again, we emit just to touch over one percent of global emissions. And if you think you're going to save the planet by taxing the laugh out of our economy to bring down emissions, then you do not understand how good policies.
I think we just we might have just lost John O there, but I think he made his point pretty clearly. Wouldn't you love New Year's where the government says, Happy New Year, We're getting rid of regulations and we're making things cheaper.
What a dream that would be. Stick around. We're going to go to a break. But after the.
Break, householders feel the pinchers. Mortgage requirements have tripled since Labor came into power. Plus, Meghan Markle makes a comeback for the New Year. She sure loves the spotlight. We'll talk about that in just a moment.
Welcome back.
Well, the Prime Minister is planning to make medicare a major part of his election campaign, with the government working on policies to boost bolk billing and increase the number of urgent care clinics.
There's already hints of a new.
Medi scare campaign, with Health Minister Mark Butler telling the Sydney Morning Herald today labor will strengthen Medicare, well Peter Dutton will wreck it. Joining me now is Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie, Zoe, what do you make of Life AB's attempts to claim Coalition will go after Medicare. We've heard this routine before. The Coalition haven't said anything about making cuts to Medicare, and yet clearly they think there's a potential weakness here for the Coalition.
First of all, James, thank you for having me. It have been a year to you and Peter's viewers. Isn't it extraordinary they've gone straight to the gutter this week. We started off with the ridiculous meme we' still put out by the Victorian over Party and now this fanciful story about what will happen with Medicare. Look, the fact in relation to when Peter Dutton was Health Minister was that a hospital funding went up by sixteen percent. Overall health funding went up by over five percent, twenty billion dollars in a medical research fund expanded bow screening. Remember these are the guys, the Labor Party, the Albanesi government. One of their very first moves was to cut subsidized mental health support from twenty supported visits down to ten. We committed almost immediately to reinstating them. So if anyone's got a blotch on their copybook here when it comes to cuts in health, it's this government since May twenty twenty two.
Well, the other news that came out today was data showing the nation's mortgage interest bill has tripled since Labor came to power, Families now paying as much as fifty thousand dollars extra for their average home loan. Australian's paid a total of ten point nine billion dollars in mortgage interest rates for the March quarter of twenty twenty two ten point nine billion. Yet for the September quarter it has gone that figures up to thirty one point two billion dollars. How much of this is a result of government fueled inflation, that is, keeping interest rates high. And remember when Albanezy came into government, he came into government promising that everything was going to get cheaper under his economic management.
And I remember the two hundred and seventy five dollars reduction to your energy bills that we were all meant to be enjoying by now. But no such luck. Look at what it said today in relation to Victoria. So where I am is that the average mortgage of six hundred and forty thousand dollars is costing and extra forty one thousand dollars a year. I have the second highest number of tradees in my electorate of any electorate in the country. And everyone knows our small businesses, our contractors. They all back their business with their home loan, so that forty thousand and the average home here in my electoral costs one point one million, so it's an even higher amount. It's more like fifty sixty thousand dollars a year they have to come up with just to meet interest payments, not even retiring any part of the principle. You can see it hurting. It makes business so much harder, in addition to all the red tapes on which we were talking about with John I just before, makes it so much harder to keep their head above water. I'm seeing it left right and sent to here on the peninsula. In terms of people really struggling to make ends.
Meet, yeah, well labor aren't much chop at keeping costs down.
Where they're really good with memes.
They seem to have a special talent there. Most of us saw that tasteless meme posted by the Victorian Labor Branch attacking Peter Dutton and his wife. The Prime Minister was forced to intervene and Premier just sent to allan in your state of Victoria. Eventually came out and said it was appropriate for the post to be removed. But she hit back when pressed by reporters. I think I'm not sure if we've got a grab of that. I note we don't. Now Bill Shorton has blasted, oh actually we've got it. Let me show you what she said when she was pressed by reporters about this meme.
Here it is.
Do you know how the frost came about?
Note that account is run independently by the Australian Labor Party's Victorian brand.
Okay, so she's all defensive about it.
But Bill Shorten came out today He's blasted that meme as quote an embarrassment for the whole Labor Party end quote. You know, Victoria Labour's social media strategy needs a good review. And Bill Shorten's right, isn't he? This is not just an embarrassment for a few faceless people doing social media on behalf of the ALP. This represents all of them, and all of them should repudiate this. And it's certainly wrong of Jacina Allen to sort of be defensive about it. She should come out and say this is inappropriate, it's wrong. It reflects badly.
On all of us, and we don't want this in politics.
Yeah, frankly, it was a disgrace.
It was cras.
I don't know in whose world it's funny. I don't see any humor in it whatsoever. So and I think it's a really sort of bizarre turn that the Labor places had. They're memes, there are three eyed fishes, whatever it is, right, somebody are in there. Obviously, things and stuff is funny, but every single part of it falls flat. But this felt flatten because it's just really really nasty. We do our best to protect our families from this world that we live in.
You know, we co op the blows.
That's what we understand is part of the job, but our families do not. Kiri Ly Dutton is a beautiful woman. Frankly, Peter Dutton is a lovely bloke. You know, I've known for twenty five years. He's full of charm and good humor. But he's also very good at being a strong, clear leader in terms of what he's putting forward for this country. So because they can't take any paint off him, what they've gone for the family like it's just a disgrace. So I'm glad that Bill's been so clear on it. I think Jason Claire had a few clear words to say as well. And yeah, let's hope that in the next week or so, everybody sends a very very clear message to Labor HQ, whether it's here in Victoria or elsewhere around the country, that that kind of gutter junk won't be appreciated in this next forthcoming election.
Just before we go to a break, Zoe, While people are right to be outraged and you're right to say, you know, this is unacceptable, is there a little part of you that takes some encouragement from stuff like this, Because clearly, if this is what Labor HQ are resorting to, I'd argue it means they are a little nervous.
Look, I do agree as I said, because they can't take away from Peter's strong leadership, which's demonstrated across myriad portfolios. It's not just as leader of your position. They're looking around desperately for some alternative lever But I do think at the end of the day, we've got to be conscious at the example that we set for the rest of the country. We have to be conscious of the grace we must bring to this very rigorous profession, and I think labor will and truly failed that test this week.
Zoe Mackenzie, always a delight to talk to you. Happy New Year, and I trust you enjoy the rest of your evening. We're going to go to a break, but when we come back, Meghan Markele ends months of speculation with her latest move. Plus, despite the Treasurer's unbridled economic optimism, there's fears as many ten thousand firms are set to go bankrupt.
All of that coming up in just a moment. Welcome back.
Well, it's only the second day of twenty twenty five and already Meghan Markel is back in the headlines. The Duchess of Sussex has returned to Instagram for the first time since she deleted her account before marrying Prince Harry.
Take a look.
Nice stuff.
Now, what's interesting is that her other half, you know, the Prince, Well he's nowhere to be seen. It's one hundred and eleven days since Meghan and Harry have been seen out about together. So this return to Instagram with the post It's all winda and no ginger is.
Bound to create plenty of chatter.
Joining me now as Sky News host Caroline Derusso, Caroline, Happy New Year, thanks for joining me. Meghan Markle's back on Instagram. How significant is her return to social media?
Happy New Years?
Mate?
Well, let's just see.
I mean, it doesn't look like a whole lot at the moment. And if we go back to last March when she launched American Riviera Orchard and there was just an Instagram page with really not much on it and that video, you know, very low soft light in that black dress, whimsically running through that stately house, and then we didn't see much after that except for a few jars of strawberry jam that got sent to a few celebrities. So I don't know what this means. Unfortunately, since Mexitt, we've seen lots and bits and pieces from Harry and Meghan, some from Harry on his own, some from Meghan on her own, and some from them together. Although we do understand that going into twenty twenty five there will be a professional separation, but I don't actually know where this fits in because it doesn't feel like there has been a broader purpose and a broader strategy. So I think we all just have to wait and see.
Well, just before we move on to other subject, it's the start of the year. Just give me your hot tip for Harry and Meghan. What twist will their lives take this year?
I'm not quite sure what twist it will take this year. One thing that we do know is that Meghan's Netflix series there's something to do with cooking. Who knows what that even looks like. That really needs to be successful because we understand that that there is their last chance, so to speak, with Netflix, so it'll be interesting to see what that content is and whether they survive it. Other than that, I imagine there'll be a few more, you know, non royal royal tours to various flower funk parts of the Earth. But at this point I don't see a family reconciliation or anything like that on the cards. I think the jealousy from the other side of the pond will continue consistently throughout twenty twenty five.
Well, no doubt it'll keep us all greatly mused, and of course your Royal report here on Sky News is always worth watching for all the Royal News. Let's head to England, where thousands of people were left disappointed after gathering for a fireworks display in Birmingham. It had been advertised on social media, but the whole thing turned out to be a complete scam. In a statement, the West Midlands Police said quote, We're aware of a speculation of a New Year's Eve fireworks display taking place in Birmingham Centenary Square, but we can confirm this is not the case. We don't want people traveling unnecessarily into the city only to be disappointed, and of course many people did and were. It reminds me, Carol Oine of a similar event in Dublin last year, where hundreds of people turned out for a Halloween parade that also ended up being a hoax. Is this a new sort of a hoax that you think we're going to see more and more of and how do people make sure they don't fall for these kinds of scams.
Well, I think it's one of those things. With the prevalence of social media and that these things, I imagine that we probably will see more of it. Although there's been hoax and scams since time immemorial, they've just got a different way of disseminating that information. I guess the only thing that I would say to people is make sure you know call your local authorities. I mean, I find it actually really almost amusing, shocking, but kind of amusing. James that with the way that local government is so far up everyone's backsides on every little thing that they do, that something like this gets so far without it being shut down. It's almost, like I said, it's almost amusing. People just need to need to check in, I suppose, and don't believe everything you see on the internet. There would go there's a good piece of advice for twenty twenty five.
I tell you that advice will pretty much save your life in every regard.
Just don't believe what you read on the internet.
Speaking of scams, yesterday, Victorian Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen, she posted on Twitter that British singer Robbie Williams would be promoted performing a free event in Melbourne tonight. Robbie Williams fed Square tomorrow five pm for free.
She said.
Now it might be free for fans to attend, but taxpayers are going to have to cover some of the costs someday.
Is this what we call bread and circuses? Carolin?
It is absolutely what we call bread and circuses And I tweeted as much yesterday evening. Shortly after that that post was made on x A look bit, you know, more suffering for the Victorian taxpayer.
And ultimately these things do need to be paid for.
They get paid for by stamped you do, They get paid for by land tax, they get paid for by a whole raft of other things. And if you had a budget in the shape of the Victorian budget, why on earth would you be doing something like this.
You know, I can understand that you might, you know, want to help people with the cost of living issues.
And I understand James that you might go, well, we want people to be in the CBDA. You want people in the CBDA. You know what, public servants can go back to work in the CBD because business is in the CBD. They don't need a sugar hit for one evening. They need trade.
All year round.
But we saw that with the West Australian governments not particularly different. They gave everyone free tickets to the zoo.
And I mean, when people.
Are sufferings in a cost of living crisis, they need real assistance. I'm just not quite sure why the Victorian lives haven't said anything in relation to this. I know most people are on holidays, so I assume that's probably why.
But these sorts of sugar hits, they do not.
Fix an economy that's in the sort of trouble that the Victorian one is.
Now.
It's an absolute distraction paid for by the Victorian taxpayer, the long suffering Victorian taxpayer. Carolen Durisso thanks for your time and once again, happy New Year. We're going to go to a break stick around Jim Chalmer's advice, Fozzy is doing it tough.
Just be optimistic. It's been exposed as.
Pretty cruel with the forecast that ten thousand businesses are about to go to the wall, plus should we get rid of five cent coins. James McGrath will join me on the desk next.
So welcome back.
Federal Treasurer gave us a budget update last month, announcing deficits as far as the eye can see, but he did it with a smile. And then he told Ozzy's battling cost of living pressures to be optimistic about the future, while providing very little reason for optimism. That encouragement was actually pretty cruel if forecasting by the Coalition is correct that ten thousand businesses are right now at risk of bankruptcy. Meanwhile, the country's top economists are certainly not optimistic. They've warned that neither Albanezy nor Dutton have tangible plans to address the nation's die economic situation. Among those is independent economists Chris Chris Richardson. Sorry who said and I quote will yet again in Australia have a Seinfeld election about nothing joining me now? Is LNP Senator James mcgrah James. I bet Chalmers feels a little bit silly after that tone deaf speech, and he should shouldn't he.
He should feel really silly. But remember we've got a Treasurer of this country that it is PhD In Paul Keating. It was chiefst Affter Wayne Swann who doesn't understand when in the midst of a cost of living crisis at the moment is hitting everybody. So it's no wonder we're going to see ten thousand small businesses hit the wall this year, and they're going to hit the wall because of Labour's policies and because we've got a treasure who does not understand what is happening out there in voter Land.
I want to ask you about Victorian police. There's been reports that female police officers, about three hundred and fifty of them on the front line, small in stature, many of them quite petite.
They've been working.
For more than a year without new integrated load bearing vests that are supposed to protect them from things like stabbing attacks, sharp weapons, firearms. What's going on with our police force that we're not looking after our offices?
This is labor incompetence. Labor are terrible looking after victims of crime and a terrible looking after to the men and women who are on the front line of policing. So what else will you expect from labor? So Here in Queensland, a youth police minister has Stan Purdy, a former serving police officer, someone who's actually served with Peter Dutton has said this is not good enough. We're going to fix it. That's what you need to do. You need to get coalish and governments in well.
I think that might fix a few things actually, but of course.
You'd say that.
Hey, let's talk about Sydney where private school fees are just out of control. Some of the most exclusive private schools now are charging more than fifty thousand dollars a year in fees. It represents a seven percent rise. Did you ever imagine a day in this country where private school fees And I'm all for private schools. My kids went to private schools, but fifty grand.
That's a huge amount of money and it takes away choice of parents. They're the ones who should decide whether kids go to whether state schools or private schools. I went to state schools, a lot of them in a Spahile to warmer, namb or BLib life. But that's something my parents decide. It's fifty grand. You know what cost of living crisis. It is impacting everybody across Australia, especially parents and that want to send their kids to a private school.
Yeah, all right, one more topic I want to ask you about and this one, I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Many people now are calling for the abolition of five cent coins. Armor Guard chief executive Matt Corefield, whose company is responsible for the storage and transport of about ninety percent of Australia's cash, wants to kill off coins and millions of them just sit unused, particularly the five cent piece, and apparently that's costing the country the most. It begs the question, then, should we get rid of five cent coins out?
James.
We're gonna be honest, I'm allful. We've got to keep cash, we've got to keep it in circulation. But five cent coins. When was the last time you used one of those in a meaningful way?
I can't actually remember. And I've got my wallet here and it looks got no coins in it. It's got like a a ten dollar night, five dollar night. It comes to choice, though, if people still want to have that, use five cent coins. But also, full your respect to the paler Rahmagard. That's your job, mate, to deliver the money. That's what you get paid to do. It's not like five cent coins have gained a lot of weight since decimal currency was brought in. They've always weighed the same. Let's says people use them or not use them. It's let's let the mob decide.
I guess you've got to be a little bit sympathetic to armor Guard though, because it does cost them to transport money. And if they're transporting money that typically people aren't using, that is an impost on them.
But they get paid to do it.
That's the thing I'm just going to pass on the cost of hold.
It's like a fisherman complaining about the fish they're catching and there's too many fish. So look, I've got a little bit of sympathy, but hang on, that's our currency. So if people want to use it, then Armorguard, who are getting paid to transport it, should transport it.
But here's here's my takeaway from this, and here's a hot tip for viewers. I would start putting aside my five cent coins because if they get rid of them twenty twenty five years from now, they might actually be worth a bit more than five cents. That's the tip for twenty twenty five jays. Reguard, thanks for joining me tonight. Thanks to you for your company tonight. I've really appreciated your joining me. Stick around because coming up in just a moment is the Bolt Report with Denika de Giorgio, a lot for her to get through tonight.
I'll be here tomorrow, same time, six pm. I'll see you then
