E&OE TRANSCRIPT
SUBJECTS: Assassination attempt on former President Trump; CFMEU; Russian spy in the ADF.
NATALIE BARR, HOST: Calls for calm across the political divide this morning after the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump. Joe Biden and other officials say the heated political rhetoric must be toned down as experts fear more violence is possible following the attack. Let's bring in NDIS Minister Bill Shorten and Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce. Good morning to both of you. Bill, as we watch political violence reach new highs in the US, is this a good reminder to turn down the temperature here at home as well?
BILL SHORTEN MP, MINISTER FOR THE NDIS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES: Yeah, absolutely. The first thing is that whatever one thinks about people of different political persuasion, the use of violence is as shocking and deplorable. And you're quite right. So those scenes are just horrible. I'm glad that former President Trump is safe. It’s terrible that someone died at the rally. In terms of here in Australia, yeah, the rhetoric does have to be dialled down. We can make our points without creating a sense that it's all in and that we're at war with each other, because that isn't the case. And that's not the Australian way, and it's not the democratic way anywhere.
BARR: Barnaby, I know it's not on the same scale, but it feels like we've got angrier. We've seen vandalism at MPs offices, threats to some Australian politicians in recent weeks. Do you think we need to rethink our own security protocols?
BARNABY JOYCE, NATIONALS PARTY: I would hope not. Obviously, you know, we've, I think Bill and I, we've all had incidences where some nutcase has decided that they're going to, take a, well, you know, deliver a bullet in the mail to you or they're going to kill you by a certain date or some other rubbish. But I've always worked on the theory that Australians are overwhelmingly peaceful people and they're low key. As you walk down the street, people don't run up and jump all over you and clap you or hiss at you. Yeah, I know who that person is. And they go off and mind their own business and I like I love that about Australia. I think the big thing we've got to worry about, we've got to think about with the United States, is what would have happened in the United States if, President Trump or former President Trump had been assassinated? Imagine what would be on the news today. There would be riots. The whole place would blow up. And then we've got to look at, you know, what is the position of Australia? Are we in that really febrile world? Are we safe? Are we protected? Are we resilient enough to stand on our own two feet? Because America would go through a period of time of great introspection and probably not really focused on what was going on outside? Like, Bill, I'm, you know, first and foremost, someone killed there. For all the people who inspire this hate and inspire this, you know, you know, you've got a target on your back. And that crazy lady said take him out. You know, remember with the with the black cap on and the glass as well. In the attempt of someone, some poor demented person trying to do that, the murdered somebody and not former President Trump, an innocent person in a crowd. And two other people were injured. You know, this is that's where it all ends up.
BARR: And you're right, that chilling shot that you can see the bullets sweeping across. I mean, we know how close that got. Moving on, bosses here are demanding the Albanese Government launch a royal commission into alleged criminal behaviour from inside the CFMEU. The big union, after allegations of bullying, intimidation and high-level corruption surfaced. Industrial Relations Minister Tony Burke is even considering whether to deregister the union altogether. Bill, how should the Government respond to these allegations? They're pretty shocking. Bikies, bikies involved?
SHORTEN: Yeah. I'm furious. When I saw what was on the television last night. There's a lot of very good trade unionists trying to make sure people return home from work safely and get properly paid. There is no place at all, no place at all for this criminal behaviour. The standover rubbish and we're seeing it, you know, we're seeing it. And so, Minister Burke said all options are on the table. It makes my blood boil, frankly, because I've spent my adult life before I came into Parliament trying to do the right thing by workers and with employers. But there are rules, there are laws and you've got to stick within them. And when anyone thinks they're above it, be they a trade union official or an employer, well then that's, they've got to have the book thrown at them. In terms of a royal commission specifically, though, the Libs had one, but that was more about trying to put Prime Minister Gillard and myself in the dock. You know, I got a thousand questions, but that royal commission didn't even bother interviewing Setka. So, you know, I think that Minister Burke will look at what are the real things. We don't need another inquiry. We need just to get on and root out criminal and organised crime behaviour from building sites.
BARR: Look, before we go, we've got to get on to this Russian spy debacle we saw on Channel Seven news last night how basically the ADF was using this Russian woman as the pin up girl to recruit people. Barnaby, how on earth did we get to this stage and what needs to happen to make sure this doesn't occur again?
JOYCE: Well, on the macro side, you've got to attract more people to the defence force. We've got more people leaving our defence force than joining it. You know, we have got real issues on how we make this nation as strong as possible, as quickly as possible.
BARR: So, have we let our guard down?
JOYCE: Well, you know, they've caught it now, haven't they? I mean, obviously Russian spies being in your advertisements for the ADF, it's probably not the best look. You'd probably be better if you had a person who's patriotic to Australia. But you know, hell, if you can't find anyone, just get you close with Russian Spy and chuck them on television.
BARR: Yeah. Bill, it's not a good look. She was, she was the poster girl for the ADF. Should we be having a really hard look about how we recruit?
SHORTEN: Oh, the vetting procedures have got to be better, I mean, I shouldn't smile, but it sort of makes, It makes the system look stupid, doesn't it, that we're using someone accused of spying? Oh, come and join the Australian Army. I don't know if there was subtext, and you can spy on them to like it is, the vetting procedure has got to just be overhauled. That's just embarrassing.
BARR: It's a total shocker. Thanks, guys. See you next week. Here's Mike.
SHORTEN: See you, cheers.