Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
Sky News Newsday with Kieran Gilbert
22 September 2025
Topics: Palestinian recognition; Albanese/Trump meeting; Optus outage
E&OE
Kieran Gilbert
I’m joined by the Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash. Thanks for joining us, Senator. The Prime Minister says this is a positive step trying to build international momentum towards ending the violence. What’s your reaction to the developments in New York?
Senator Cash
Well Kieran, I have a very simple principle – Hamas are terrorists and you don’t reward terrorists. And I have to say, what a contrast – on one side of the country, you have a memorial celebrating and honouring the life of Charlie Kirk. What was Charlie Kirk himself dedicated to? He was dedicated to freedom, freedom of speech, democracy, Western values, something that I would have hoped that Australians believe in each and every day. On the other side of the country, on the other hand, Mr. Albanese is in New York, and he’s officially rewarding Hamas – Hamas are terrorists – for the slaughter on October the 7th. I mean, Hamas themselves have said, this is the fruit of the slaughter on October the 7th. So for me, I’ve taken a step back to look at it through the lens of values. What type of Prime Minister does Australia want? What type of values do we want to live by as a country Kieran? And for me, the contrast, as I said, could not be greater. Charlie Kirk, a man who stood for Western values. Let’s be very, very clear here, Hamas are terrorists. They hate our values. They slaughter people, Kieran. But what is worse, they use their own people as human shields. Kieran, I don’t know if you’ve seen this article. It’s on The Australian website. Hamas publicly executes three collaborators. I went on and unfortunately, looked at the video. Australians need to wake up and understand these people are terrorists. They are animals. They executed these alleged collaborators because they said they collaborated with Israel. For God’s sakes, we are today recognising terrorism. And as I said, for me, it’s about Australians – what type of country do you now want to live in?
Kieran Gilbert
You’re saying that they’re recognising terrorism. I’ve got the statement here from the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and it says explicitly, the terrorist organisation, Hamas must have no role in Palestine. That’s also as in black and white, and that’s what they said repeatedly.
Senator Cash
Yes, they’re words on a piece of paper and nothing more and nothing less. This is the reality – Hamas control Gaza. Hamas were voted in by the Palestinian people. Hamas themselves have said this recognition, it rewards the fruits of October the 7th. Words on a piece of paper and symbolism do nothing to change what is actually happening on the ground. As I said, I will celebrate democracy and stand with democracies like Israel each and every day of the week. These people are terrorists. They hate western values. But I think the bigger issue for Mr. Albanese now is this: in the first instance, what state are you actually recognising? What are the borders? Are they the 1967 borders? Are they the border that recognises Palestine under Hamas control? What’s going to happen with East Jerusalem? Those questions have not yet been answered by Mr. Albanese.
Kieran Gilbert
Yeah, indeed. Is it also about giving some Palestinians hope so that they don’t – so in the sense that the Israeli government, at the moment, the Prime Minister argues, is supporting illegal settlements and talking about annexing parts of the West Bank. So is it trying to build pressure on the Netanyahu government to reign in some of that behaviour?
Senator Cash
The way that you actually put pressure is to stand up each and every day and call for the release of the hostages. You put pressure by ensuring that you back a two-state solution that is given at the end of a negotiated peace process. You back in a two-state solution that guarantees, not in words, but in actions, Israel’s right to exist. As I said, Kieran today, what we’ve seen you couldn’t have a greater contrast. One side of America is honouring a man who stood, lived for and fought every single day for the freedoms that you and I, in having this conversation, believe in and live by. Today, Mr. Albanese, on behalf of Australia, has recognised a state that is under control of terrorists who hate western values. And then, in any event, look at what the United States have said. They are the ones who are directly, directly involved in the peace negotiation process. And Marco Rubio has been very clear the day that France said they would recognise a Palestinian state was the day that the peace negotiations fell apart. So I have to say, I think that Mr. Albanese today – symbolism over substance. It does nothing to change the reality of the ground and get us firmly heading in the direction of a negotiated peace and a two-state solution.
Kieran Gilbert
It sounds like the Prime Minister might still have a window of possibility for that much anticipated, much awaited meeting with Donald Trump. That would be a good thing. You’d welcome that, if it did happen this week.
Senator Cash
We’ve been saying for how long now – 320, days, that Mr. Albanese does need to get a meeting with President Trump. To say it is a little embarrassing now that he doesn’t even know if he’s going to get a pull side. And quite frankly, that’s not enough. There are so many issues that now need to be discussed with President Trump, including, obviously, AUKUS, the re-committing to AUKUS – understanding what the outcome of the review is going to be. The tariff issue. I mean, it is now embarrassing. The Prime Minister of Australia for 320 days has not had a meeting with President Trump. So as I said, we would be delighted if a meeting was to occur. But I have to say, President Trump has made his views on the recognition of Palestine very, very clear. He does not believe in rewarding terrorists. You have the Republicans who have written, in particular to Mr. Albanese, saying this has done more now to put the peace process and set it backwards than it has done to do anything to actually support peace.
Kieran Gilbert
You wouldn’t expect, sorry, the government shouldn’t set its foreign policy based on, you know, as a principle, it shouldn’t set its foreign policy based on representations from another country alone should it?
Senator Cash
No, of course not. They should always be based on Australian values, which is why I go back to where we started. I stand for freedom, for democracy, for Western values. Hamas doesn’t and in recognising Hamas, that is what you have done. But ultimately, going back to the meeting, I mean, we hope, we really hope, that this meeting, in whatever form it could take, goes ahead, because there are now a number of issues that Mr. Albanese does need to address face to face with President Trump. But I see now the government are doing everything they can to downplay any expectation, because it’s embarrassing that one hasn’t been locked away, let alone now this game that we seem to be playing about whether or not one will even occur. But of course, we want a meeting to occur, because that is in Australia’s best interests.
Kieran Gilbert
One quick one. It’s obviously been a big story the last few days out of your area of responsibility, but the triple zero catastrophe with Optus. What do you make of in the government’s response at this point? Have you got any thoughts on where to from here?
Senator Cash
Yes, utterly devastating. This should never have occurred. I’m very concerned that the minister only found out the next day. I’m very concerned at the pace at which the government is responding to this. We need an urgent inquiry into what happened, when it happened, and why it happened. Western Australians have died as a result of this. So I see the minister standing up, but quite frankly, I don’t see a level of urgency. I want to see that level of urgency. This should never happen again, and we should have an inquiry stood up yesterday, quite frankly, to ensure that we understand what happened, why it happened, and we will help the government if we need to work with them, to do everything we can in our power to make sure does not occur again. People have died Kieran.
Kieran Gilbert
Shadow Foreign Minister, Michaelia Cash, I appreciate your time today. Thanks as always.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you.
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