All aboard Gina Air! Pauline’s private plane and the week in politics
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
I'm Daniel James, and you're listening to 7am.
What is the Albanese government's response to the Royal Commission into antisemitism?
The Albanese government has moved quickly on the Royal Commission into antisemitism, accepting all of the recommendations from its first report before public hearings begin. It comes at a volatile moment in national politics after the issue was seized on by the opposition in the wake of the Bondi terror attack. And as tensions around the conflicts in Iran, Gaza and Lebanon continue to expose the deep divisions across the country. Meanwhile, One Nation is trying to turn its momentum in the polls into something more lasting, all backed by a private plane from Gina Reinhart and millions of dollars in donations from her allies.
How has the opposition exploited recent political events?
Today, ABC Radio Melbourne's Raph Epstein on the Royal Commission, the politics of One Nation and whether the divisions running through the country are likely to deepen.
What is One Nation's strategy following their recent polling momentum?
It's Saturday, May 2nd. Raf, thanks for coming on 7am. The first report from the Royal Commission into anti-Semitism was handed over to the government late this week.
What insights does Raf Epstein offer about the Royal Commission's first report?
What did you make of the government's response, and particularly the PM?
Well, he was denying reality in some ways. The Royal Commission actually produced something really interesting, even in the interim report.
How do funding decisions impact counter-terrorism efforts in Australia?
They've flooded the security agencies with money, but they've drained the coffers when it comes to counter-terrorism.
Did those funding decisions leave the intelligence agencies without essential resources? No, indeed, the report shows the opposite.
We're talking stonkingly large amounts of money. This is both equally a coalition government thing and a Labor government thing, by the way. Security agencies have gone from $56 billion to $73 billion. That's an extraordinary increase.
What emotional responses are expected in the Royal Commission's public hearings?
The details we aren't allowed to know because they're the security agencies, but the spending on counterterrorism went down. the Royal Commissioner says it's significantly declined. The reason is the caliphate falls over, the ISIS caliphate at the end of the 2010s, and everyone goes, oh, China, everyone else, espionage. So they shift a lot of the effort. But that presents a real difficulty for a government. Sure, some of it happened under the coalition. They spent less on counterterrorism. They downgraded the people inside the security infrastructure that keep an eye on this stuff. That's a real weakness politically.
It It does show that overall increase, but it says there was a decline in the funding for counter-terrorism. So do you need to link the funding more clearly to ensure it goes to the right places? The report makes it clear that there was no inadequacy when it comes to preventing terrorist acts as a result of government agencies.
It also, if you're part of the community that endured the massacre in December, you're allowed to ask a legitimate question and say, oh, hang on, if you spent less on counter-terrorism, why? Would it have made a difference? We don't know it would have made a difference, but that's a real potential political opening and certainly an opening for significant sections of the media. So... The PM doesn't want to talk about that. He just wants to talk about the general rise in the amount of money. Those decisions around, you know, different priorities, they're not partisan decisions. Both the Coalition and Labor did them. But that's a vulnerability. That's an interesting wrinkle already at this stage of the Royal Commission.
How does Gina Reinhart's support affect One Nation's political standing?
I mean, let's go to controlling the narrative because the Royal Commission's first public hearings kick off on Monday, looking into the nature and prevalence of anti-Semitism in this country and hearing from Australians who've experienced it firsthand. It's sure to be very evocative, very emotional. Do you think that could result in some of that finger pointing you were just talking about towards the government?
Oh, it definitely will. Like, we know it will. One really interesting parallel was this terrible attack in a very Jewish suburb in London called Golders Green. Peter Starmer, also a Labour PM, holds a Shabbat dinner in Downing Street every Friday night.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:09
2
What is the Albanese government's response to the Royal Commission into antisemitism?
0:09–0:44
3
How has the opposition exploited recent political events?
0:44–1:01
4
What is One Nation's strategy following their recent polling momentum?
1:01–1:16
5
What insights does Raf Epstein offer about the Royal Commission's first report?
1:16–1:28
6
How do funding decisions impact counter-terrorism efforts in Australia?
1:28–2:00
7
What emotional responses are expected in the Royal Commission's public hearings?
2:00–3:38
8
How does Gina Reinhart's support affect One Nation's political standing?
3:38–16:11