Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
6PR Perth Live with Oliver Peterson
11 August 2025
Topics: Palestinian recognition
E&OE
Ollie Peterson
Michaelia Cash, Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, joins me live on 6PR. Good afternoon.
Senator Cash
Good afternoon, Ollie.
Ollie Peterson
Will this bring an end to the conflict in the Middle East?
Senator Cash
Well, let’s just say today, Mr Albanese has delivered to a terrorist organization one of its strategic objectives from the horrific terrorism that the world witnessed on October the 7th, 2023. Let’s be clear, the decision by Mr. Albanese does not make the world a safer place. It does not expedite the end of the conflict. It does not deliver the bipartisan agreement of a two-state solution. It doesn’t see the free flow of aid. It does not support the release of hostages, and it certainly does not put an end to the terrorist group Hamas. I think, though, also, Mr. Albanese needs to clearly explain to the Australian people what state is Labor recognising. They have committed to recognising, as a state, an entity with no agreed borders, no single government in effective control of its territory, and no demonstrated capacity to live in peace with its neighbours. So I am disappointed by the decision today, but as I said, what Mr. Albanese has really done is potentially risk rewarding and empowering terrorists.
Ollie Peterson
Has the Prime Minister jumped the shark? Should he have waited for further conversation to the leader of the United States for that United Nations meeting next month?
Senator Cash
I’m very concerned with the comments of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He said talks with Hamas fell apart on the day Macron made the unilateral decision to recognise a Palestinian state, and this was, of course, the ceasefire negotiations that were occurring in Doha. So that is pretty telling. I think also, Mr. Albanese referred to a number of conditions, but it would now appear that these conditions do not need to be met prior to the formal recognition, and those conditions included, the release of the hostages, the disarmament are of Hamas. This is of great concern. Mr. Albanese needs to be clear, when do these conditions need to be met? How will they be met? How will they be enforced? How does recognition now assist the conditions to be met? And he also needs to be clear, if these conditions aren’t met, will Mr. Albanese revoke recognition, or will he just quietly ignore the broken promises? I mean, he’s selling this decision Ollie as a practical contribution to peace, but let’s be very, very clear, peace can’t be built on unverified promises and unenforceable commitments. What Mr. Albanese has done today is reward terrorism undermine Israel’s security, and I hope to God, he doesn’t destabilise our own community harmony here in Australia.
Ollie Peterson
Ben of Tuart Hill says the Prime Minister said his decision was talked about with Palestinian authorities. Is that Hamas? Is he making deals with Hamas?
Senator Cash
It is a very, very good question. Hamas controls Gaza, the Palestinian Authority controls the West Bank. Mr. Albanese referred to guarantees he had received from the Palestinian Authority. Let me be clear, the Palestinian Authority has made these promises before to reform, to end terrorism, incentives to hold elections, they have broken them. What makes Mr. Albanese believe this time they will be any different? The Palestinian Authority does not control Gaza. It hasn’t held elections Ollie, in 19 years. What is worse, the last time they held elections, Hamas was delivered the overwhelming number of seats in the parliament. There’s also another issue. Labor needs to explain how the 2024 Beijing Declaration does impact their recognition, given it was just signed last year. It included Fatah, of which Abbas is the chairman, and Hamas, and this is what they agreed to commit to: forming a future national unity government that would include Hamas. So again, Mr. Albanese is either being incredibly naive, does not understand the actual facts of the situation, or doesn’t actually care.
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