Interview with Natalie Barr, Sunrise
22 May 2024
NATALIE BARR: Well, the Prime Minister has refused to comment after news, the International Criminal Court is considering issuing a warrant for the arrest of Hamas and Israeli leaders. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has issued a statement saying Australia respects the ICC and its independence. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has criticised the Government's reaction, calling it anti-Semitic. Let's now bring in Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil and Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume. Morning to both of you. Clare, US President Joe Biden says the arrest warrants are outrageous. Why won't the PM comment on this?
CLARE O’NEIL: Well, Nat, it's not the practise of the Australian Government to comment on live court proceedings. And I just clarify for your viewers what's happened here is an international court has had a prosecutor make a request to the court that warrants be issued. But no, decision has actually been made yet. Nat, our big focus here is trying to influence the things that we can influence here. You've seen Foreign Minister Penny Wong and the Prime Minister play an active role in calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the region. I'm the home affairs minister, and my big focus is actually what's going on here in our country, making sure that those communities who are particularly affected by this conflict are supported and, perhaps most importantly, at all, making sure that we don't bring that conflict here to Australia. We've got this beautiful, harmonious country here. And that's because we try to live together, you know, in harmony with our neighbours, even where there are disagreements.
NATALIE BARR: Clare, are we at odds with the US here? They say the International Criminal Court has made an outrageous decision in seeking these arrest warrants for the Israeli leader. Penny Wong's office says we actually respect the court's decision or the court's move. Are we at odds? And Albo is not commenting. Are we at odds with the US in this situation?
CLARE O’NEIL: Nat, look, it's part of our practise here in Australia that we don't get involved in court proceedings and make commentary on them in those ways. I'm not going to pass judgement on other countries that may have a different political culture. Our view is that the International Criminal Court has a job to do. We let them do that job. I'd say again to your viewers, the court hasn't made any decision about these warrants yet. It's merely a prosecutor making that request. Our big focus is what we can control, and that's what happens here in our country. I think the PM is doing a great job of providing stability for our country here, and really strong leadership in what is a difficult time overseas. That's our focus we’re the Australian Government, for Australians.
NATALIE BARR: It's not just sort of making the average arrest warrant, though. Seeking these arrest warrants for the Israeli leader has made headlines right around the world. It is highly controversial. Jane, you're shaking your head.
JANE HUME: Well, our AUKUS partners seem to have no problems commenting on this false equivalence of the ICC. Certainly, Joe Biden's come out and we should stand shoulder to shoulder with Joe Biden in his objection to this decision by the ICC's chief prosecutor, who have decided to compare, the leaders of a liberal democracy, one of our allies, with the leaders of a terrorist organisation. Now, the last I looked, that was the same position that our country had taken towards Israel and Hamas. This has been a terrible decision by the ICC's chief prosecutor. If Joe Biden can come out, if Rishi Sunak can come out, well, why can't Anthony Albanese come out? The false equivalence is absurd and appalling.
NATALIE BARR: Jane, the ICC says that the Israeli leader and the defence minister has committed war crimes just like Hamas. What do you say to that?
JANE HUME: Well, the ICC, by making this decision, aren't delivering one single aid package into Gaza They're not returning one single hostage. How about the ICC focus on creating peace in our regions rather than stirring up dissent, particularly with those countries that are liberal democracies within? You know, the US could come out if the UK can come out. Well, I just question now why Anthony Albanese won't stand up to this ridiculous decision by the ICC.
NATALIE BARR: Okay, Clare, we are hearing overnight of this, um, this terrible accident in the sky on a Singapore Airlines flight. Do you have an update? We understand there are Australians on board.
CLARE O’NEIL: Yeah, there were Nat. Absolutely terrible event where a Singapore Airlines flight has had to make an emergency landing in Bangkok after extreme turbulence in the air. We know that there were 56 Australians on board. And we've just had information that at least eight of those Australians are actually in hospital in Bangkok having injuries tended to. This is a terrible experience that these people have gone through. As usual, the Australian Government will provide consular assistance wherever we can, wherever it's needed to those people. And I know the embassy in Bangkok and the High Commission in Singapore are actively trying to contact those Australians at the moment. To anyone in our country, or if you've got family who have been affected by this make sure that you call Consular Assist and you can find the number on Google. We'll do everything we can to help.
NATALIE BARR: Right okay, moving on. Telstra has announced plans to cut almost 10% of its workforce. The telcos boss confirming nearly 3000 jobs are going to go by the end of the year as it raises to achieve its ambitious cost saving Telstra says the cut not part of its push into artificial intelligence AI despite the move being branded sinister Clare, how concerned are you?
CLARE O'NEIL: Oh, I look really concerned that this is a company that's trying to make $8 billion this year and they're cutting 10% of the workforce in the middle of a cost of living crisis. I have to say I find it really disappointing when I see these great iconic Australian companies who trade on that brand. Do something like this to Australian citizens. I mean, we saw this with Qantas and I'd say to Telstra please don't go the way of Qantas. You've built your brand on providing good quality secure jobs for Australians and providing great customer service. And we don't want to see those things disappear for our citizens here.
NATALIE BARR: Yeah, Jane, we saw the CEO stand up yesterday and say we're really sorry, we know its cost of living but we can't help it and it's not a push towards AI. What do you say?
JANE HUME: She also said that there are very difficult economic times ahead and that Telstra was operating in a really difficult environment. And that's not the first CEO that stood up and said that. It's not just large companies that are being affected by this tough economic environment. Small companies are being affected just the same. I was sitting around a table yesterday with a group of small business owners in Brisbane, who were saying that the combination of high inflation, high energy prices, restrictive industrial relations, overburdening red tape and high taxes are making it so much more difficult for them to keep their stuff and they're beginning to lay off people to think that there's going to be some very tough times ahead. And quite frankly, the Government doesn't seem to have the answers to the economic woes that are facing Australia.
NATALIE BARR: Okay, I will leave it there. Thank you very much for your time. We'll see you next week.