Topics: AUKUS review, recognition of Palestinian state, Social media

 

E&OE

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

I'm joined live in the studio. We've swapped cameras now to our correspondent and brought in the Shadow Defence Minister, Angus Taylor. Thanks for your time. This confirmation that the review’s happening. Initially, they were leaked reports, now confirmation from the Pentagon, and it sounds like it’ll be a few months down the track?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Sure. I mean, that's what appears to be exactly the case, Kieran. Well, look what we need is a government that is absolutely committed to the Alliance, is absolutely committed to AUKUS, is committed to defence funding appropriate for the circumstances we face, and we don't have that right now, and I think the Americans understandably are concerned about that. You know, the Alliance is the absolute underpinning of peace in the Indo-Pacific.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

When you say we don't have it, what's the basis for that argument?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

We don't have the defence spending that we need even to support the Government's own [Defence] Strategic Review and the experts are saying this. We've heard ASPI say this very clearly and others, Kieran, and it is very clear that our Defence Force is underfunded for the circumstances we face and for the Government's own plan.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

So, are you worried? Do you predict that this review comes back and has an answer we don't want?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, I don't know. That's a question for the Americans. What I do know is that we're underfunding our Defence Force at the moment, and ASPI has told us we're at risk of having a paper Defence Force.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Are you worried that the Americans might hear your argument and use that as part of the weapon against AUKUS in Australia?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, it's not my argument. It's the argument of many, many experts across this country who are simply saying, in the circumstances we face right now, we are underfunded. We have many areas of defence that are not where they need to be. We don't have the personnel that we need, and the Government has set its own targets that it hasn't met. We have guided missile manufacturing that is supposed to be happening here in Australia and is not happening. It is clear that the Americans are concerned about our commitment and our ability to deliver on AUKUS and the nuclear submarines before we even get to the tranche two, which is the emerging technologies. So, all of these things are of great concern.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Given the timing now that the report comes back in fall, I guess October sounds about right, and the Prime Minister is going to be in America in September. It could well be good timing, in the sense that hopefully he would have met Donald Trump over the next couple of months, maybe in September, ahead of an AUKUS decision. Is that what you're hoping, from an Australian perspective, that we get confirmation that AUKUS remains on a firm footing?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, good timing would have been the Prime Minister already having met the President of the United States. What are we up to? 270 odd days of this Administration, and yet we haven't seen a face-to-face meeting between the Prime Minister and the President, at a time when we need to assure the United States of our commitment to the Alliance, and we also need to lay out to the United States why we are important to the Alliance. I mean, these are imperatives right now we haven't seen the face-to-face meeting. The Prime Minister has met with the Chinese President, obviously, and we have no problem with that, but there is a real problem in not having secured that face-to-face meeting with the President.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Is there momentum towards recognition of the Palestinian state now? You've heard from Macron this week, now the British Prime Minister overnight strengthening his message to Israel and we've had our Government sign a joint statement, along with nearly 20 other nations, that there will be further progress towards a Palestinian state. No definitive commitment on it, but that at the United Nations in September, that our Government supports a further discussion on that. What’s your reaction to that?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

It’s putting the cart before the horse Kieran. I mean, it's long been a bipartisan view that a peace agreement is a prerequisite for considering the two-state solution, and we don't have a peace agreement. We've got to remember the origins of this this conflict go back to October 7, of course, Hamas still exists. Hamas does not recognise the existence of Israel. I mean, these are not prerequisites for a peace agreement, and I think we are…

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Why are we at where we are then? Why is there that international pressure growing on Israel?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, you should ask that of the people who are putting that pressure on. I mean, but the truth is that we need to see a peace agreement first. Israel has the right to exist. Hamas made dreadful attacks on Israel back on October 7, 2023. Hamas still exists and does not recognise the existence of Israel. These are not prerequisites for getting to a two-state solution yet.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Is the apparent starvation, the lack of aid, is that a prerequisite?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, it's tragic.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Do we try and get some momentum towards a two-state solution.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, it's clearly tragic, but as I say, you've got to remember the origins of what's going on here which was this attack by Hamas. We still have, of course, hostages being held. They haven't been released. This is another prerequisite for getting to a peace agreement, and we're not there, Kieran.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Finally, the Prime Minister said today that he's going to convene a gathering at the United Nations to try and help build momentum towards the social media ban for those under 16. In that sense, he's going to deliver it here, but he wants international support and others to get on board as well, because this is an issue that young people have to grapple with, not just in Australia, but around the world.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Yeah, it's true.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Having other nations jump on board would help, wouldn't it?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Yeah, it's a really tough issue, and we want to see our kids being safe, and we want to avoid harm from social media and it's a strong position that we've had as a Coalition for a long while. There’s specific issues around YouTube. We haven't seen the regulations yet, and we'll wait to see what the Government is proposing, but we strongly support making sure that our kids are safe when they go online.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Yeah, okay. We appreciate your time. We'll see you soon. Thanks.

 

 

ENDS.