Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
9 MARCH 2026
2SM Radio Mornings with Chris Smith
Topics: AHRC strategic plan; Iranian women’s soccer team; Coalition immigration policy
E&OE
Chris Smith
The Australian Human Rights Commission’s strategic plan contains highly political statements. We’ve been at this point practically many times before. This taxpayer funded body declares that colonizers committed genocidal acts and that indigenous sovereignty coexists alongside Australian sovereignty. Sounds like a very poisonous black armband view of what Australia was and is. And one person who’s going to take it on is Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash and she’s on the line right now. Good to speak with you again Michaelia.
Senator Cash
It’s always great to be with you and your listeners Chris.
Chris Smith
It’s a perverse view of history. Is that not an adequate and accurate description?
Senator Cash
Well, let’s be very clear here, the real problem is this, a taxpayer funded independent regulator has published what reads as you stated like a political manifesto, not a governing strategic plan. I mean, the Human Rights Commission was originally created to resolve discrimination claims, not to run ideological campaigns. And yet, when you read this document, it declares contested legal claims as actual facts on genocide, on sovereignty, and by invoking the Uluru statement, as though the Australian people did not reject that proposition overwhelmingly at the Voice referendum. And I mean all of this, Chris from a taxpayer funded body that is supposed to be impartial.
Chris Smith
I don’t want any of my tax dollars paying for anything associated with this model. The modern idea that colonialism and large scale violence were uniquely Western, simply isn’t supported by the historic record. Giridharan Sivaraman is the Race Discrimination Commissioner. He was born in India. For historic context, India’s own past contains plenty of examples of conquest, plenty of examples of empire building, a brutal conflict, just like every other civilization on the planet?
Senator Cash
Well, let’s be very clear here, we need less activism, more accountability and back to basics. That’s what the Commission needs to do. No court in Australia has found genocide. Mabo did not recognize unceded sovereignty. So the statements that they have made flatly contradict Australian law. And I’m calling on Michelle Rowland, the Attorney General, today, to answer a direct question: do the legal assertions in this strategic plan on genocide and sovereignty represent the official legal position of the Australian Government? Yes or No. She can’t dodge that. But Chris, don’t forget this. This is added to by the extraordinary spectacle of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, who, at several estimates now has been unable to define what a woman is. I mean, I would have thought that’s a basic function of her job. So what Australians are now seeing with the Australian Human Rights Commission is institutional capture, ideology above impartiality, advocacy and above accountability, and the commission that is drifting further and further from its core job. Less activism, more accountability – get back to basics.
Chris Smith
Spot on. Spot on. Now, can I ask you our Shadow Attorney-General about the lionesses, the Iranian women’s soccer team? They were spotted making the internationally recognized hand gesture calling for help in a bus last night. What do we do?
Senator Cash
Well, every reasonable Australian Chris clearly wants the best possible outcome for the welfare of these players and their families. We are watching this closely. But here’s the thing, if I start making loud political demands right now, and Iranian officials are listening, that could actually make things harder for the players, not easier. So at this stage, there isn’t clear information about what may or may not occur after the Asian Cup tournament, and as I said, it’s very important for the safety of the players and their families back home that we avoid adding to any speculation. But I have to say this, when it comes to the government, I trust that the government and the relevant authorities will carefully and appropriately manage the situation if those players do ultimately seek to remain in Australia.
Chris Smith
Speaking of visas, the Coalition is considering forcing people who appeal their visa cancelations to do so in their country of origin, rather than being granted bridging visas and waiting for that process to expire here. Why?
Senator Cash
Well, let’s be very clear, we’ll release our immigration policy in due course. However, what is clear is that Mr. Albanese and his government are doing nothing to stop the rorts in our visa system. It is a fact that more than 100,000 people Chris with rejected asylum claims currently remain in Australia, with places clogging up the Administrative Review Tribunal. That is unacceptable. Our immigration system must work for Australians, first and foremost, and in particular when it comes to migration levels, they must be aligned with housing infrastructure and services. And I think that when it comes to migration policies, this is going to be a clear fundamental difference between the two parties as we move towards the next federal election, because Angus Taylor has a very simple policy. If you come to this country you believe in democracy, the rule of law and our basic freedoms. That’s it full stop. Our taxpayer dollars should never fund organizations that undermine our way of life. And when you look at Mr. Albanese, he’s had three years and shown time and time again, he does not have the backbone to stand up for this country. So we have a simple proposition. We stand for an immigration policy that’s in the interests of Australians. And as I said, we’re working on our immigration policy, and we’ll release it in due course, but I can tell you now it’s going to be a fundamentally different one to that of Labor’s.
Chris Smith
Looking forward to hearing that. Michaelia Cash, thank you very much.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you as always.
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