Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
Sky News Credlin
20 November 2023
E&OE.
Peta Credlin
Joining me now for the latest, Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash. Michaelia, thank you for your time. I think the most worrying part, well it’s two parts really. A) that we’ve got 93 out there and another perhaps 247 foreign criminals that could be on our streets. But even though the coalition pushed Labor into this legislation, and most of the changes were changes that you wrote to improve their legislation, nothing that passed last week is going to lock any of these people up again, is it?
Senator Cash
Peta, what a complete, total and utter mess, Australia finds itself in. As you said, under the Albanese government 93 hardcore criminals, rapists, murderers, child sex offenders and a contract killer. People who are not entitled to even be in this country are now roaming the streets out in our community. But what’s worse is the cohort of 247. Mr. Albanese needs to front the Australian people and clearly articulate what is his government going to do with the 247? When is his government going to do it? But more than that Peta, what in God’s name is his government going to do to ensure the security and safety of the Australian people? Because to date, other than the leadership shown by Peter Dutton last week, Mr. Albanese has completely abrogated his duty as our Prime Minister to put the safety and security of Australian’s first.
Peta Credlin
You have been Attorney-General in the past, in government. Home Affairs Minister Claire O’Neil, she was told by her officials that the government was likely to win the High Court case. That’s why there was no Plan B. Now you and I know that’s not how it works.
Senator Cash
Absolutely not Peta.
Peta Credlin
They are not admitting their fault here?
Senator Cash
I’m not surprised they’re not admitting their fault, because this is a government that when they’re wrong – hands up, they don’t tell anybody. But Peta, you and I, as you said, we’ve both been in government. So in the first instance, don’t you think in June of this year with Justice Gleeson’s comments, that would have been the first red flag when you and I would have said – well hold on, there might be a bit of a problem here. What are we going to do? We would have then spent the next few months demanding of the department to put in place a series of options. What is our worst case scenario right through to a potential win. This government now says – oh, we were told we were going to win. So, we didn’t take any further action. Again, complete, total and utter incompetence on behalf of the Prime Minister, Minister O’Neil, quite frankly the Attorney-General as well Peta, who should have been on notice in June of this year, and also Minister Giles. But again, more than that Peta, if you actually believe your first responsibility as the Federal government, is the security of Australians. Don’t you have a response ready to go, regardless of the outcome?
Peta Credlin
Just on so many levels Michaelia, I just think that this government is just completely out of its depth. It’s focused on the things that don’t matter. It’s been obsessed with the Voice but you’ve now got the AFP say, we need funding to now monitor these people. We’re told it’s about $180,000 a month to monitor the 90 odd we know about. Wait till you add in the 247. I mean, are we supposed to monitor them and pay for them as Australians for a decade or more, and then you’ve got the welfare, the housing, the travel, all the other entitlements that taxpayers will give these foreigners.
Senator Cash
Absolutely, because at the moment you’ve got 93 hardcore criminals, with no right to be in Australia. And guess what? The taxpayer for the next 12 weeks is funding their lifestyle, another 247 could potentially be in that situation. But Peta, I think what’s exposed the Albanese government is a) the leadership shown by Peter Dutton b) that Peter’s put options on the table including looking at the high risk terrorist offenders regime, which as you and I know, could actually be manipulated, have a good look at it, and see what you can do to actually include these people in on it. But it’s like the Albanese government, they’ve only got one way of thinking. We were going to win and as such, we’ve done nothing. And now we’re actually hoping Peter Dutton knows what to do, because we don’t. I actually feel very sorry for the AFP and our intelligence agencies because I’ve got a lot of respect for them. And the Albanese government seems to have just said to them – well, it’s over to you now guys. This is up to Mr. Albanese to show leadership as the Prime Minister of this nation. And again, it’s just abrogating his first responsibility to keep Australia and Australian’s secure. Not worry about the rights of a cohort of high risk criminals who have no right to be here in the first place. Perhaps Mr. Albanese needs to take a leaf out of Peter Dutton’s book. Mr. Albanese, why don’t you have the back of Australians? Because Peter Dutton does.
Peta Credlin
Michaelia, my viewers are saying there’s no contest, put Michaelia Cash in Home Affairs.
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