Topics; Productivity Roundtable, IVF, Cancel Culture.
Sarah Abo
Joining us to discuss today’s headlines is Deputy Opposition Leader Ted O’Brien and Independent MP Monique Ryan. Good morning to you both. So Ted, the PM has a big bold majority, but does he have any big bold ideas? Are you concerned this might end up just being another talk fest?
Ted O’Brien
Well, his big bold idea, Sarah, is—wait for it—a roundtable! Yay. Look, you know, to be fair, at least they’re recognizing the problem. Productivity has gone backwards, the economy has stalled. And so at least they are saying, “Yes, we have a problem.” They don’t have any ideas, so we have a roundtable in August, and at least that’s an acknowledgement of the problem. So let’s take that as a partial tick.
Sarah Abo
How are the problems, as you see them, Monique? I mean, it’s interesting that the first term of government didn’t necessarily give this second elected government a sense of what the country needs. I mean, is the best option they can come up with taxing people money they don’t have?
Monique Ryan
Well, look, I think productivity has been an issue for this country for over a decade. We’ve seen it go backwards by 1% in the last 12 months, but it’s been a real problem for a really long time, unfortunately. One of the things the PM does need to do, which he hasn’t committed to doing as yet, is bringing everyone to the table to talk about how we can improve productivity. I think that has to include consideration of tax reform. We have to think about all of the options open to us. One of the things the PM hasn’t been open to as yet is talk about real tax reform, which should look at income tax and business tax. They’re things that would potentially make a real issue to business productivity. I hope that he’ll consider that sort of change. To date, he and Jim Chalmers have been resistant to that idea.
Sarah Abo
Yeah, I know the Independents have been very vocal about that as well. I mean, housing is another issue. Ted, are you concerned, though, that the unions are kind of running the Labor Party here, and that business has been blocked out?
Ted O’Brien
I am, Sarah, but I mean, really, Labor is a subsidiary of the union movement, so it’s no big surprise. I think what Monique said there is right, by the way. I mean, the Prime Minister—the government—needs to be open. If they truly want to talk about productivity, they have to talk about taxation, they have to talk about industrial relations, they have to talk about energy, they have to talk about deregulation, they have to talk about red tape, they have to talk about small business. They have to be open-minded here. Otherwise, it’s nothing more than a “talkfest.”
Sarah Abo
All right. Well, the PM is busy. In only a matter of days, he will meet with Trump at the G7 Summit. Monique, Albo won’t say whether he’ll talk to Donald Trump about our correspondent, Lauren Tomasi, being shot in LA. Should he?
Monique Ryan
I think the PM should raise the question of press protections with Donald Trump when he meets with him. It’s incredibly important that journalists can feel safe to report on issues that matter. That footage that we saw of Lauren Tomasi being shot by the rubber bullet was really concerning, but press protections have been an issue globally. In the last year, two or three years, we’ve seen, unfortunately, many journalists injured or killed in Gaza and in other areas of conflict around the world. It’s a really, really important issue and something which should be front of mind for the PM, but also for the American President.
Sarah Abo
Yeah, hear hear. I agree with that completely. Ted, what should be at the top of Albo’s agenda here? Tariffs, defence—being the obvious ones?
Ted O’Brien
Yeah. Indeed, it is to ensure that Australia gets exemptions from the tariffs that the Trump administration has put on us. They are unfair. They’re not in the spirit of the partnership, and they fly in the face of our free trade agreement. So I think…
Sarah Abo
It’s unlikely though, Ted, to come away with a solution to tariffs immediately, as you know. I mean, it took you guys, when you were last in government following that tariff announcement from Trump, more than a year to gain an exemption?
Ted O’Brien
Well, the UK has gotten an exemption, and so I believe that we should be going as hard as we can, and the Coalition stands with supporting the Prime Minister in trying to do so, by the way. But the expectation is certainly there.
Sarah Abo
All right, just moving on quickly—another IVF bungle. Monique, I know you have a history, obviously, in the medical profession as a doctor. I just wanted to get your reaction to this terrible mistake by Monash. How on earth has this happened again?
Monique Ryan
It’s a real problem. I think the issue is that your weakest link in the system is where issues happen. And I understand that some of the regulation around some of the medical technologies involved in IVF is a bit lacking. That around the doctors and some of the scientists is pretty stringent, but perhaps not at every point in the chain. We can’t have these sorts of issues in the IVF industry, or in any part of our medical system, and I think that we need an urgent review of the IVF programs around Australia. In light of these, there’s two really quite significant issues that we’ve had in recent times.
Sarah Abo
Yeah, it’s such an emotional time for anyone going through IVF. That’s the last thing you need. All right, well, just finally—another one from the National Press Club. This one was a bit more interesting: the PM condemning cancel culture. He says no one would run for office if they were accountable for things they said 20 years ago. So this is an open forum, guys—is there anything you said back in the day that you’re so grateful social media wasn’t around to document?
Monique Ryan
We’ve all said silly things when we were 20.
Sarah Abo
Such as, Monique?
Monique Ryan
Nothing comes immediately.
Ted O’Brien
If Monique’s not coming clean—if Monique’s not coming clean—I will. I concede. I concede that I used to like skinny jeans, shoulder pads, all those sorts of things. I think that was pretty cool for the fashion. I take it back and I retract it.
Sarah Abo
Ted! You need to provide evidence. We need photo proof of this. You must send some into the show, please. I want them before the end of the hour. Promise? Fine, fine, whatever.
Sarah Abo
Thank you, guys. Carlos, it’s not fair—shoulder pads!
Karl Stefanovic
Teddy used to wear shoulder pads! He is an interesting feller.