Interview with Karl Stefanovic, Today Show

15 November 2024

KARL STEFANOVIC: A tech billionaire, Fox News host and a real estate tycoon. These are just a few of Donald Trump's controversial picks to fill his cabinet and create a new era in American politics. For more, joined by Bill Shorten and Jane Hume, live from Melbourne. Good morning to you two. Bill, you're first up. You've called Trump's views barking mad in the past. Do you regret those hurtful comments now?

BILL SHORTEN: Oh, that was said in 2016. Congratulations to Mr. Trump. He has won the election. Mind you, I'm in good company for having had some views. I don't know who amused me more about their views on Donald Trump, where it was Josh Frydenberg, James Paterson, the Liberals, but John Howard said about Donald Trump that the umpire had put his finger up and so Mr. Trump should walk, so, yeah. Anyway, I'm curious to see –

KARL STEFANOVIC: You’re saying all that congratulations through very gritted teeth, Billy.

BILL SHORTEN: No, I think my mouth was open.

KARL STEFANOVIC: But the teeth are still gritted. Jane, Peter Dutton says Kevin Rudd is a captain's pick. Is it time he packed his bags for Noosa?

JANE HUME: Well, look, that's a decision for Anthony Albanese. Anthony Albanese did handpick his Ambassador to the US in Kevin Rudd and obviously Kevin Rudd, like Bill, have said some rather interesting things about the President Elect Trump in the past. But we should be very clear, Australia's relationship with the US is an enduring one. It's endured different people in the lodge as it has different people in the White House, and it will continue to do so because we have that shared experience, shared values, shared culture and a really important strategic and economic relationship that will continue no matter what.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Kevin Rudd should stay then?

JANE HUME: Well, that's up to Anthony Albanese.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Come on Jane, you’ve got an opinion.

JANE HUME: No, no, no, no. He was the one that put him there. I think he's the one that has to make the decision as to whether that relationship can be deepened and broadened rather than division.

KARL STEFANOVIC: All right, all right, Billy, you're in rare form this morning, I can feel it. You love Kevin Rudd. Adore him, think about him all the time?

BILL SHORTEN: Not that often, technically.

JANE HUME: That's really spooky.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Is it time he came home?

BILL SHORTEN: I feel there's a question here, Karl? Well, I think there's a very important principle and I would expect Jane, as a patriotic Australian to second this. Australia picks its representatives, not other countries. I mean, maybe the Liberals are having a little chortle about Kevin Rudd in terms of Washington, but what if China decides they don't like our ambassador? What if Iran decides they don't like our representative? You know, like at the end of the day, you're either on Team Australia and we pick our team or you let other people around the world pick our team for us. So, I think that, you know, this little bit of hand wringing and oh it's up to Mr. Albanese. Well, I think there's an important principle. Do Aussies pick Australian representatives or do the rest of the world?

KARL STEFANOVIC: The US election result means the US economy might bounce a little and Reserve Bank says interest rates that might stay where they are until after the next election, it says. It's obviously not going to worry you, Bill, but one thing's for certain, the cost of living will cost Labor at the next election in any event.

BILL SHORTEN:Are you asking me that question? If that's the case, well, I think that what Australia's, what we've been doing as a government is quite remarkable. Our unemployment rates are lower than a lot of our comparator nations. When we came in, Senator Hume's team left us with inflation with a 6 in front of it. Last month it was down to a number with a 2 in front of it. We're going to focus on looking after everyday Aussies and we'll see what the rest of the world does and we'll just deal with it as that comes.

JANE HUME: Bill, are you seriously saying Australians have never had it so good? Quite frankly, if there was one lesson that we could learn from the US election, it was that when the economy is going down, when the economy is tanking, when people are hurting in their hip pocket, they want to see a change. And that's exactly what we're seeing here in Australia. The cost of living has run out of control. Our economic resilience has got backwards. That's the biggest risk we take.

BILL SHORTEN: Now you're in the – Jane, you're now in the naughty corner. I did not say what you just said. I said that people have had it so good. You know, I didn't say that. I actually said that when you were in power, you left us with a 6% plus inflation rate. We've got it down to 2. But at no point in that interview, and I will challenge you to go back in the transcript because I'm calling you out. This is a standard bit of Liberal rhetoric here, that when we say there have been some improvements to the inflation rate, you guys then segue into a dishonest lie and say, oh, we're telling people how good they've had it. I never said that, and that’s not the world I live in.

JANE HUME: Bill, let me challenge you. Are people better off than they were when you came to government?

KARL STEFANOVIC:Oh, there we are, there's Donald Trump.

JANE HUME: The answer is a clear no. Clear no.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Get used to that question, Bill.

BILL SHORTEN: Well, I love it when you answer your own questions, Jane. First of all –

JANE HUME: Want to try answer it differently?

BILL SHORTEN: – the inflation rate is lower. Well, no, Jane, if you ask the question, you've got to listen to the answer. If – first of all, inflation is further down, I think Australians are doing it hard because of the mortgage rate increases, but, you know, just don't verbalise, mate. People hate it when politicians do that.

KARL STEFANOVIC: All right, I'm just finally, guys, because this is enthralling for me to watch. And it looks like, Jane, you are winding up Bill, beautifully this morning. The PM says Australia will attempt to stop a treat trade war between the states and China as a trusted middle power. Also, Donald Trump has stunned the Pentagon this week, nominating Fox presenter Pete Hegseth as Defence Secretary. Billy, where would you like to send me to utilise my skills on the international circuit or inside government?

BILL SHORTEN: Listen, you are without a doubt the ambassador we need in these tough times, because Karl Stefanovic is the ambassador for good times. So, I don't think we have a consulate Ibiza?

KARL STEFANOVIC: That's low.

BILL SHORTEN: I could just – I could get you with a margarita and a hat, you know, I think. Yes. So, there you'd be the ambassador for good times, Karl.

KARL STEFANOVIC:Thank you, Billy. I'll take that one. Good on you, Jane. Thank you so much.