Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
Sky News with Chris Kenny
TOPICS: Albanese China visit, US alliance, Mark Latham
17 July 2025
E&OE
Chris Kenny
I’m joined by Shadow Foreign Minister, Michaelia Cash, good to talk to you. Michaelia, I’m very keen to get your readout on Anthony Albanese’s trip. It’s an extraordinary, long trip to China. He hasn’t pushed back on the key issues. Usually, when a Prime Minister’s overseas, the opposition doesn’t criticise them over their diplomacy, but you haven’t held back this time. Why?
Senator Cash
Well, I think the Communist Party leaders would be very, very happy with the way that this visit has played out from their perspective. But in Australia, Mr. Albanese now needs to front us, hold a press conference and tell us, what are the tangible benefits, in particular, the tangible economic benefits that he has achieved for our country in what is a six-day trip, Chris. This is the longest trip that he has made since becoming Prime Minister to any country. I mean, from our perspective, at this point in time, it appears the trip has had very little of substance that is being achieved. I mean, Mr. Albanese seems to think it’s an achievement to be serenaded by a band playing Aussie rock songs. But in relation to the so-called achievements, Chris, they need to be more than the announcement of a review of the China Australia Free Trade Agreement. That review was already in built into the agreement when we negotiated it 10 years ago, in 2015. It needs to be more than a re-announcement that Australian mainland apples will now have access into the Chinese market. Again, that announcement’s been made. What about the blueberries? So, Chris, Mr. Albanese, it’s time for him to call that press conference and tell us now, what of substance did you achieve in this visit? And like you, Chris, I look forward to hearing from him.
Chris Kenny
Another aspect that really troubles me, because I think it damages our national standing and it makes us a push over in the future, is that he hasn’t stood up to China on key issues. Now, I’m not being idiotic about this. Of course, you don’t go there spoiling for a fight, as you know, I used to work for the Foreign Minister, but you’ve got to actually go public with your complaints, and at no stage has Anthony Albanese on this visit, publicly admonished the trade sanctions that China unfairly directed at us. They’re finished now, but for years, they punished us economically unfairly, and also the numerous instances of military intimidation. Now he needs to, in a firm way, acknowledge that this is not on. Instead, he’s pretended all that away, which surely just gives China the message that we will come to heal whenever they put the pressure on us. Would you have gone stronger?
Senator Cash
Well, yes, I would. And in particular in relation to the way in which the second navigation of Australia by Chinese communist Navy ships occurred, but in particular in relation to the live fire exercises into civilian airspace. Now, Mr. Albanese stands up and says, I raised these issues, but hey, hold on. The response was that they were largely dismissed. And in fact, the exact response was that the Chinese government will undertake exercises in international waters whenever they please, whenever they choose, and with no notice. That is not an adequate response. But Chris, I think Mr. Albanese should have also raised, to be very, very clear about the fact that Australia supports the United States presence in the Indo Pacific, and the contribution that the United States makes to security in the region. I think Mr. Albanese should have been very, very clear about a decision has been made to return the Port of Darwin to Australian control. The problem with Mr. Albanese is, he says, well, I’ve made the decision. The confusion that Mr. Albanese is now causing is in the fact that he refuses to outline the framework, the time frame and the process. So I think Mr. Albanese should have been a lot clearer in relation to those issues. But Chris, the trip’s over. Six days is now over. I want Mr. Albanese to immediately now turn his attention to the Australia-US Alliance. I mean, as Greg Sheridan has said, in Greg Sheridan’s words, and Greg Sheridan is a respected foreign affairs commentator: is Mr. Albanese deliberately, for reasons only known to himself, seeking to deliberately diminish or undermine the US Australia relationship? In times of global uncertainty, growing conflict, a growing list of issues between Australia and the United States, Mr. Albanese now needs to give the US Australia Alliance, the attention it deserves.
Chris Kenny
I want to get your thoughts on other former Federal Labor leader, Mark Latham, who’s now in the upper house of the New South Wales parliament. All sorts of personal material of his has gone into the public domain in recent days, it’s very tawdry stuff, but some of it relates to his communications about his parliamentary colleagues that says, brought it into the political debate, and even the Labor minister Rose Jackson in New South Wales has had this to say today.
Rose Jackson
Mark Latham is a pig. I’ve been on the record about that for a long time. I mean, this is not new to me. Is well known on the record multiple times as a bigot. It’s one of the biggest bigots in this state. Obviously, it’s extremely confronting for me to think that in a workplace, there’s someone who thinks it’s acceptable to take photos of you to share them with derogatory comments. In any other workplace, you’d be shown the door. Um, immediately and rightfully so.
Chris Kenny
Michaelia Cash, is it time for Mark Latham to leave politics?
Senator Cash
Oh, look, Chris, I didn’t agree with Mark Latham when he was the leader of the Australian Labor Party. I certainly don’t agree with him now. But you know, why don’t you ask Tanya Plibersek, Penny Wong or Anthony Albanese. They were part of the then Mark Lathan team who tried to convince the Australian people that he should be our Prime Minister. Thank God, they were wrong.
Chris Kenny
They did indeed, they all told us to vote for him. Thanks for joining us Michaelia, I appreciate it.
Recent Comments