Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
Youth Jam Radio with Isaac Mulcrone
TOPICS: Federal election 2025, antisemitism, fuel excise, migration, housing affordability, youth mental health, live sheep export
29 March 2025
E&OE
Isaac Mulcrone
Today has been an incredible news day. It’s been an incredible day. It’s been very fast paced, and I thought we should have a chat to someone who’s in Parliament, who has been soaking it all up, Senator Michaelia Cash is a WA Liberal Senator, and she joins us on the program today. Hello Senator, good to have you.
Senator Cash
Isaac it’s fabulous to be with you and hello to your listeners.
Isaac Mulcrone
Are you keeping up with all the news of today?
Senator Cash
Look, I am because we were obviously in Canberra, because it has been a sitting week this week. So we were here this morning when the Prime Minister did go down to Government House and formally dissolved this Parliament, and it is well and truly game on. Australians, Western Australians, we will go to the polls now on the 3rd of May. And let’s face it, there is our clear choice in terms of who Australians should vote for. And the question, I would say, all Western Australians and Australians need to ask is, are you better off today? And is our country better off today than it was three years ago? Because Isaac, as I travel around Australia, all over our country, Australians say to me, they are working harder, but they are not getting ahead. And you know, when Australia is governed badly, dreams and ambitions become beyond reach. Generations of Australians, they’ve built their lives and our country on the belief that if you work hard, you can get ahead and build a future for your children. Their reality now isn’t that. The problem for the Prime Minister is he can’t escape this reality. Australia under Mr. Albanese is going backwards. So at this election, the choice could not be clearer. It’s as simple as that.
Isaac Mulcrone
So, if you are elected into government after May 3, what will the Coalition do to do a u turn on? What you’re saying is a backward step for Albanese. What would you do to do things differently, particularly surrounding the cost of living?
Senator Cash
Absolutely, so brilliant question. You know, the first thing we will do, we will provide immediate cost of living relief for Australians. We’re going to cut the fuel excise for 12 months, and then we’ll review it, and we’re going to make sure that that comes in on the first day that the Parliament sits. What that means though, for your listeners, and in particular, for Western Australians, because we’re a huge state Isaac, and a lot of people drive really big cars. Okay, so it costs a lot to fill up a car. You’ve got a lot of tradies. They fill up, you know, two, three times a week. We will have the fuel excise. So if you’re a household with say, one car filling up once a week, you’ll get an immediate saving every time you go to that bowser to fill up of around $14 a week on average, it’s around $700 over 12 months. If you’ve got two cars in your household, that’s around a $28 a week on average, or around $1,500 over 12 months. And we will do that from day one. So my message to your listeners is this: if you want immediate cost of living relief on day one, you’ll get that under a Dutton government. We will give you cheaper petrol because we know you’re doing it tough. We know that is an expense that you just have to soak up every week, and we are going to ensure that we actually make it that bit cheaper for you. When you go to fill up your car or your truck, whatever you might be filling up, it will be cheaper under a Peter Dutton government.
Isaac Mulcrone
What about medication? Because there was an $8.5 billion investment through the Federal Budget to boost Medicare to try and get more bulk billing, GPs across the country, and that’s a pretty worthy investment. What’s the Coalition saying about that? And what’s your commitment to Medicare? And also the PBS, which is being threatened by the US? Yes.
Senator Cash
Well, we have made it very, very clear that Medicare is safe under us. But you know what your listeners are going to hear? They are going to hear a scare campaign. I can tell you that right now. Mr. Albanese started this morning, but what Mr. Albanese forgot to tell people is what they are experiencing under Labor. So this is the reality for your listeners on Mr. Albanese’s watch: bulk billing – that means when you go into a GP and you are not charged for it, it has fallen 11%. That’s a fact. Isaac, Mr. Albanese, can’t get away from that. There are a massive 41 million fewer bulk billed free services under his watch. But what’s worse is people know they can’t get in to see a doctor, and that’s because 270 GP practices have closed under Mr. Albanese. We have made it very, very clear, we will invest $9.4 billion into health. We are going to boost Medicare bulk billing. We are going to invest in hospitals, and in particular in those high population growth areas where there’s the biggest strain on services. We will guarantee Isaac, cheaper medicines. We will lower the PBS scheme co-payment to $25. But for your listeners, because you’ve got a young audience, haven’t you? Okay, this is really important for them, because so many young people around Australia, as you know, do now experience issues with their mental health. One of the things that Labor did, which I think is possibly one of the most disgraceful things they did, is that they halved the number of subsidized mental health sessions from 20 down to 10. That has really been a big impost on our youth who just don’t have the money to go and get the help they need. So we have made a clear commitment to them that we will double the subsidized mental health sessions. You will go from 10 to 20 under a Peter Dutton government. But more than that, we will make it permanent, so it’s not going to change under us. You won’t get 10, you’ll get 20 subsidized mental health sessions. But what Peter also announced last night is that we’re actually going to invest an additional $400 million into youth mental health services. That is just so important, and for those in regional areas, we’re going to boost regional services, and we’re going to expand treatment so that Australia is at the forefront of youth mental health treatment around the world. I think that is one of the most important things that we can do to help young people struggling with their mental health.
Isaac Mulcrone
Has that been well advertised though? Because I mean, part of that I’m only hearing for the first time. I mean, have we been communicating with young people enough as a Coalition? You know, got means to talk to young people.
Senator Cash
Absolutely, and I know, and I can have to say Isaac, that’s why I love coming on your show, because you give us that ability to talk directly to the young people in Western Australia. And you know, we will be getting around Western Australia, I promise you, if people have any questions about what Peter Dutton has to offer them, they can call my office. They can go on to the Liberal Party website and have a look at our plan to get Australia back on track. It’s all there. But as I said, I think in particular for the subsidized mental health sessions, increasing them back from 10 to 20. But making that permanent is just so important for young people. But you know, another area Peter Dutton spoke about this morning. – he wants to be the Prime Minister for Housing affordability and Housing accessibility, because, let’s face it, that dream of owning your own home for those people listening into your show Isaac. So many of them, they know that they just don’t think they’re going to realize that anymore, and that is just so sad. And so what we have said is that under the current government, under Mr. Albanese, they brought in a million new migrants in two years. That was actually 70% more migrants than in any other two year period in Australia’s history, and we know what that has done. It has actually meant that Australians have been displaced from the housing market. That is just not good enough. The other issue is this, despite everything, Mr. Albanese said, how many homes he’d said he build the money that he put into housing again, Mr. Albanese cannot escape from the fact that his government hasn’t delivered a single additional new home. They’ve made all of these announcements Isaac, and I’d say to your young listeners, don’t be blinded by what Mr. Albanese says, have a look at the facts, because ultimately, it’s the facts that count, and the fact is that under Mr. Albanese, they have not delivered a single additional new home. So what will we do? Because it’s important your listeners know. So what has Peter Dutton said we will do? Well in the first instance, we’ve been up front with the Australian people. We will cut the migration intake to free up housing and restore the Great Australian Dream of a new home. Now let’s be very clear here though, Australians are generous and welcoming people. But we also want migration to be sustainable. It has been out of control under this government, and we need to rein it in. So cut the migration intake so that more…
Isaac Mulcrone
What about the jobs though? Because there are so many jobs out there Australians don’t want to do that that these migrants who are coming in will want to do?
Senator Cash
Yeah, at this point in time, we actually have a really low unemployment rate in Australia. So people are actually or businesses are actually struggling to find people to do work.
Isaac Mulcrone
The migrants the people they’d be hiring?
Senator Cash
And many Australians as well. And as I said, at this point in time, our unemployment rate is low. But we want to get actually more Australians though, even into work. But in particular, what we will do with the immigration numbers is we will ensure that the people who come in, come into the areas of the labour market demand. It’s actually Isaac, how you target migration, and we have made it very, very clear that we will bring in people, and they will actually go into those areas of labour market demand, in particular in construction, because one of the big problems with construction is you don’t have anyone to build the homes. So you actually have to get people into Australia through the migration program, who are able to build the homes. And none of the other things that we’ve also said we’ll do is we are going to get more apprentices into the system. And you know, so many young people, you know, an apprenticeship is just an absolutely amazing way to get a career. So we’re going to ensure that we get more apprentices into the system And we’ve set a target, we’ve said the target is 400,000 apprentices and trainees in training across Australia. But in particular, our focus is going to be on the building and construction sector, and we’re going to really work with those small and medium businesses. We’re going to provide them with an incentive. That incentive will be $12,000 to support them to put on a new apprentice or trainee. So if you young people are listening in and you’re thinking – wow, you know, I’d really love to be an apprentice in an area where I’m always going to have a job building and construction. Well, guess what a Peter Dutton government is going to invest in you. But more than that, we’re going to help our small and medium businesses be able to afford to take an apprentice on with $12,000 to support them, taking on that young apprentice for the first two years of their training. So we have a really comprehensive plan to tackle the housing crisis in Australia.
Isaac Mulcrone
So can I come to some other news?
Senator Cash
Yes.
Isaac Mulcrone
Because there’s a lot going on today as we know.
Senator Cash
I know there’s so much going on.
Isaac Mulcrone
It’s been a hectic day. And in terms of one of the biggest stories here in WA, Keep the Sheep. There’s been a convoy, as you know, all around the four different routes, and there’s been between 500 and 1000 vehicles taking part in this convoy. What’s your message to those taking part and those supporting Keep the Sheep?
Senator Cash
Absolutely. Peter Dutton and the Coalition, the Liberal team in Western Australia, we back you every step of the way. I cannot understand for the life of me why Mr. Albanese has betrayed WA farmers, why he is ignoring the needs of our WA farmers. He has taken a purely ideological stance in shutting down the live sheep export trade. He is destroying family businesses. He is destroying regional communities. This is having, already Isaac, a devastating impact on Western Australian livelihoods and jobs, and that’s what I’d say. You know, in particular, young people in Western Australia. You know, you’ve got a really important decision on Saturday the 3rd of May. I mean, ultimately, the decision that we all need to make is, who can better manage the economy and help get Australians ahead? But when it comes to Western Australia in particular, I mean WA voters, yes, we’re fed up with Mr. Albanese, cost of living crisis. But more than that, his betrayal of our state, he is by far the most anti-mining and anti-Western Australian Labor government in living memory. And the issue with that is a re-elected Albanese government, he will be governing in minority with the Teals and the Greens. They hate mining, they hate resources, which means you hate Western Australia. And young people really need to think about what’s the type of future that I want, and I would say to them, we’re going to back in Western Australia. We will back in our mining industry. We will back in our resources industry. We will back in our farmers, you know, we will back in our regional communities, our family businesses, because, you know, Albanese Labor is a real risk to our future prosperity. I mean, the mining and resources industry, it is the backbone of Western Australia’s economy, and yet Mr. Albanese, time and time again, has made decisions that impact our prosperity. And quite frankly, you know, we can’t afford another three years of a government that is actually going to destroy the prosperity that we have in Western Australia.
Isaac Mulcrone
Finally something that happened yesterday. I watched this, and it was fascinating. Yourself at the Senate committee, and you were speaking or questioning, I should say the Foreign Minister Penny Wong
Senator Cash
Yes.
Isaac Mulcrone
And whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is welcome on Australian soil. And before we come into your answer, I want to quickly play what Penny Wong had to say at the committee?
Senator Cash
Ok
Isaac Mulcrone
Have a listen.
Penny Wong
I’m happy to respond to this. We all understand why you’re asking these questions. And you flagged that yourself by your reference to the Australian Jewish community. You and I both know that this is a conflict that has generated a great deal of division in the Australian community. And I would certainly say to you two points. One, Australia’s not a central player in this. And the second point is to listen to what, Mr. Burgess from ASIO said, which is, it is important for us to dial down the temperature here domestically.
Senator Cash
So can I just confirm the Albanese government’s position is not to bring the conflict here in planning do that is to leave open the possibilities that Australia may well arrest the Prime Minister of Israel should he come here?
Penny Wong
I’m not. They’re your words.
Isaac Mulcrone
That’s from SBS. But, I want to get one point she raised. She said, we’re not a central player in this war. I would argue that every country in the world has a role to play in this war to try and see peace in the Middle East. But what’s your perspective on number one, us being a central player in this, are we one? And number two, what’s your take on her response to your question? Because that audio doesn’t quite take into account the amount of times she didn’t really want to answer the question.
Senator Cash
And that’s exactly right. Well, in the first instance, what I’d say is this government’s response to the horrific rise of antisemitism in this country has been nothing more and nothing less than an absolute disgrace. It is as simple as that. I cannot believe that Penny Wong, as the Foreign Minister of this country, the message she sent yesterday to Jewish Australians and Australians more broadly, was that under this government, we don’t stand with our friend and our ally Israel against Hamas. I honestly Isaac, the fact that she could not rule out an Albanese government arresting Prime Minister Netanyahu, if he came to Australia, was absolutely gobsmacking. That is an indictment on Penny Wong, and it is an indictment on Mr. Albanese. We have made it very, very clear that Prime Minister Netanyahu is a friend. They are an ally, Israel. And he is welcome in Australia. He is the democratically elected Leader of Israel. As I said, he is our friend, and he is our ally in the Middle East, honestly, unfortunately, Anthony Albanese, I cannot believe that he cannot say the same. The Albanese government has refused to rule out arresting Benjamin Netanyahu if he sets foot on Australian soil. I mean President Trump and Former President Biden, they unanimously agreed that Mr. Netanyahu would be welcome in the United States of America, and we’ve already seen that, but under this government, unfortunately, they have not been there for Jewish Australians. The rise in antisemitism in Australia, quite frankly, is due to the inaction of the Albanese government and the fact that they will not give a commitment to Jewish Australians that Mr. Netanyahu, should he come to Australia, would not be arrested, I think really says it all for Jewish Australians.
Isaac Mulcrone
Do you think she’s right though, in terms of toning down the rise of antisemitism, her excuse for not inviting Benjamin Netanyahu was basically to tone down the atmosphere, because right now it’s a boiling point. It’s ridiculous where we’ve gotten to, do you accept that as her argument?
Senator Cash
No, I don’t know. No, I don’t, because from day one, from day one, this is a government who have failed to stand up for Jewish, people of Jewish descent, or people who are Jewish in Australia. So no, I would say you judge this government by its actions, not its words. This is a government that is very, very good Isaac at saying things. But Australians need to judge them by their actions and not their words, and by their actions, they themselves are responsible for the rise in antisemitism in this country. And as I said, their failure to stand up for a friend and an ally in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is an indictment on them, but should also send a very clear message to Jewish Australians in terms of their lack of support for them.
Isaac Mulcrone
And finally, I want to end this interview a bit of a pitch.
Senator Cash
Okay.
Isaac Mulcrone
For Australian young people. You’ve got the floor. I’m going to give you a minute. I’m not counting, but you know, just try and keep it to a minute. What would you say to West Aussie young people? Why should they vote for the Coalition the upcoming Federal election?
Senator Cash
Well, as I said, there is a very clear choice in terms of the upcoming election. And the first thing I’d ask them to do is this, ask yourself, are you better off today than you were when Mr. Albanese was first elected? And the reality for them is this, they’re not. They know their rents gone up 18% under Labor. They know they’re struggling to get into the housing market. They know every single time they walk into a shop, they know that things cost more. It is as simple as that. So the truth is, Australians cannot afford three more years of an Albanese government. Peter Dutton, he has set out a very, very clear plan to get Australia Back on Track. And as I said, we’re going to do three things. The first is we will reign in inflationary spending, because the higher inflation, the less value you get for the money you earn. We will reduce the cost of energy, because energy is the economy, and businesses are struggling on a daily basis, and Mum and Dad know every time they pay that energy bill, it’s gone up under Mr. Albanese. But more than that, we’re going to strengthen the economy to work for you, because time and time again, Isaac, you know what I get told Michaelia, I feel like I’m working for the economy, it’s not working for me. That is unacceptable. So let’s get Australia Back on Track. But more than that, as I said, if you want cost of living relief on day one, if you want cheaper petrol, that is what we will give you on day one, because we understand that’s what you need. Together. Let’s build a stronger, safer and better Australia, and let’s just get our country Back on Track. That was more than a minute, but that’s okay, Senator Cash. Oh, I thought you were going to interrupt me. I was waiting for the bell. No. I’m waiting for the bell. Ding, ding, ding,
Speaker 1
Laughter.
Isaac Mulcrone
Senator Cash, good to chat to you.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you, Isaac. Great to be with you.
Isaac Mulcrone
Thank you, Senator. Look out for yourself.
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