Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
TRANSCRIPT
Today Show with Karl Stefanovic
4 July 2024
TOPICS: Cost of living, early election, Fatima Payman, Midwinter Ball
E&OE
Karl Stefanovic
Joining us to discuss today’s headlines is Member for Hunter Dan Repacholi and WA Senator Michaelia Cash. Nice to see you. Dan, first up, is Fatima Payman gone?
Dan Repacholi
Definitely not, that’s a choice for her to make. So Fatima’s been a great member of the Labor Party and a great Senator. And she’s also been a great friend. I’ve had her on our podcast Dan the Doctor, and she’s done great with that. And she’s done really good things for us in the Labor Party. So it’s entirely up to her. I hope that she does not go. I hope that she could come and talk to us and want to work together as a team, and stays part of the team.
Karl Stefanovic
You’re talking past tense this morning, Dan, come on.
Dan Repacholi
I haven’t heard anything, Karl. So we only work with what we got. And the info I’ve got is that she’s still part of our party and I hope she stays there.
Karl Stefanovic
Michaelia, Payman will do this with the backing of Muslim groups so how do you feel about the rise of religious-based parties and how will they affect the next election?
Senator Cash
Well, ultimately, let’s go back to what’s about to happen. According to the news reports, Mr. Albanese is being shown to be the weak Prime Minister that he is and that’s Graham Richardson, former Labor Senator saying that. I think this is a reflection on Mr. Albanese’s indecisiveness and the Australian people need to ask themselves if Mr. Albanese can’t govern his own party, how can he actually take decisive decisions in the best interests of Australians? I mean, he has been reduced to a sorry saga of saying “we’ll await now further announcements from Senator Payman.”
Karl Stefanovic
Dan, a bigger worry for you at the next election especially in Western Sydney and Melbourne is the rise of these parties. You got dramas there?
Dan Repacholi
So for me in the Hunter, I don’t have a big area of that in the Hunter. But definitely there are some other parts of Sydney, but we have a great Labor team and our Labor team will continue to focus on the things that matter for people in Western Sydney, for people in the Hunter, for people all over Australia.
Karl Stefanovic
All right. There are fresh calls for an early election this morning based on debate over nuclear energy. Michaelia, you aren’t quite ready for an early election, are you?
Senator Cash
I can tell you, whether there’s an early election or not, the Coalition under Peter Dutton is ready to go. The next election regardless, Karl, of when it’s called, it is a cost of living election. And the question Australians need to ask themselves is ‘do you feel better today than you did prior to the election’ and on any analysis – food, 11.4%, gas and electricity, you know up in excess of 20%, housing again, everything under Mr. Albanese has gone up, people are feeling pain. It is a cost of living election. And as I said, the question people need to ask themselves, ‘do I feel better today under Mr. Albanese than I did two years ago?’ And the overwhelming answer is no.
Karl Stefanovic
Dan, I love the Hunter, and I was up there recently and particularly small businesses are struggling. You better go to this election soon before interest rates go up.
Dan Repacholi
We definitely know the small businesses, and we also know that all Australians are doing it tough right now. And that’s why our focus is on the cost of living pressures on Australians right now, not focusing on when an election is going to be –
Karl Stefanovic
Are you worried that interest rates going up though? That must give you a fair bit of nervousness.
Dan Repacholi
Everyone’s concerned about interest rates going up but that’s up to the RBA. The RBA makes those decisions on that. We’ll continue to focus on cost of living measures. And I’ll continue to focus on the Hunter to make sure that we can give and deliver the best possible outcomes for the people of the Hunter.
Karl Stefanovic
All right. Finally, the who’s who of Canberra have attended the 25th annual Midwinter Ball overnight. Michaelia, judging by the sound of your voice this morning, you have hit it hard.
Senator Cash
I only wish I had Karl. Unfortunately, I actually had a work commitment and I honoured that work commitment despite my voice but hey look, it’s not the Met Gala – but it is a night that’s all about raising money for you know, for charities, over $5 million has been raised to date, put on by the press gallery, you know, so in terms of what it is all about, raising money for charity. I think that’s a fantastic thing.
Karl Stefanovic
To turn to who wasn’t there, the Israeli ambassador.
Dan Repacholi
No, definitely not, the Israeli ambassador wasn’t there. That was their choice not to come. But I fully agree with Michaelia there on that one. That raises a lot of money for charity and that’s the best thing that we can do. And that’s one thing we do agree on. For me I unfortunately didn’t get to go. I needed my beauty sleep pal. So needed to make sure I’m looking after myself.
Karl Stefanovic
What do you do with that beard? Do you put some wax in it, some moisturiser?
Senator Cash
I can give you some hair tips!
Dan Repacholi
It’s not the same kind of hair Michaelia! We’ve got to work with the beard a bit differently. So we put a bit of beard butter, bit of oil for the skin, to keep the skin nice and moist. And then a bit of beard butter in there as well just to give it nice volume.
Karl Stefanovic
Who would win in a gunfight between you and Bridget McKenzie?
Dan Repacholi
Look I’ve shot with Bridget McKenzie and let’s just say her skills aren’t as high as mine.
Karl Stefanovic
All right, hey, well done to everyone on raising some important money last night. Thanks for coming on the show this morning.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you.
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