Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
Sky News – Sharri
TOPICS: Australia-US alliance, Trump Nobel Peace Prize nomination, anti-semitism, PM’s weak leadership
8 July 2025
E&OE
Sharri Markson
Joining me now is Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Michaelia Cash, great to see you, Michaelia. We also saw that subtle swipe from Albanese in his John Curtin speech about shying away from the United States. Are you concerned that Albanese is now jeopardising our relationship with our most important ally, the US?
Senator Cash
Yes, I am Sharri, and in particular, when you have noted commentators like Greg Sheridan now posing the question, is Anthony Albanese, intentionally, for reasons only known to himself, seeking to undermine and diminish our relationship with the United States, Australians should be worried. You know, in 2025, you have rising conflict, you have global unrest. We should be as a country, seeing our Prime Minister stand up and say, reaffirm that we stand with the country, the United States, who has long been a key foundation of our security, who has been and continues to be, the leader of the free world. We should be backing in the Australia-United States alliance. And yet Anthony Albanese, he seems to have put it on the back burner. And that is a worry. I mean, that speech that was just bizarre, the speech for the Curtin oration on the weekend. I mean, again, Greg Sheridan, I saw, described it as a ‘look away from America’ speech. I mean, that’d have the heads in Washington – they’d be scratching them and going, what is going on with Australia? So yes, I am concerned. But in particular, in 2025, when we should be reaffirming our relationship and the Australia-US alliance, not putting it on the back burner like Mr. Albanese appears to have done.
Sharri Markson
I agree. Very worrying. As I just mentioned, Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, and Netanyahu suggested that, or he said he had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Have a look.
Benjamin Netanyahu
I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize Committee. It’s nominating you for the Peace Prize, which is well deserved.
Sharri Markson
This is now the second country to have nominated Trump. Do you think he’s deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize?
Senator Cash
Well, let’s look at his actions under both his former administration and the administration today. I mean, Bronwyn, I listened there, just mentioned it was the former Trump administration that successfully negotiated the Abraham Accords. Now that is a series of agreements between Israel and participating Arab states that sought to normalise relationships. That was seen as a very positive step towards peace and security. But on top of that, look at his recent actions to ensure that Iran does not have nuclear capability. I mean, he made a decision that his military would launch a series of precision strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He is seeking to protect the world from a nuclear-armed Iran. That is a good thing Sharri, and he should be commended for it. But also Sharri, I would say, President Trump and his administration, they have been integral in the negotiations to get the hostages, the hostages that have been kidnapped by the militant terrorist organisation Hamas, who have still not been released today, he has been integral in seeking to have them returned back to Israel. So if I look at the actions of President Trump and his administration, those actions are to be commended because they are taken to ensure steps towards peace in the Middle East, which we all want. But more than that, in relation to Iran, that is of benefit to the entire global community.
Sharri Markson
Absolutely, and something the government refuses to acknowledge. I’m going to be speaking with Israel’s ambassador to Australia shortly, but just want to refer to the horrific anti-semitism we saw in Melbourne on the weekend, and specifically the Albanese Government’s response to it, because the Prime Minister today rejected calls to implement the 15 point plan that was developed through our Sky News anti-semitism summit. Here he was.
Anthony Albanese
Anti-semitism is a scourge. It has no place in Australia. Let’s be clear, what people want is not a meeting. They want action. They want action is what they want.
Sharri Markson
Yet he won’t implement the recommendations that the Executive Council of Australian Jewry put forward, developed through our summit. Do you agree that he does need to implement those recommendations?
Senator Cash
Absolutely, and under both Peter Dutton and now Sussan Ley, the Coalition has committed to them, to implement them in full. Sharri, I’m now at a loss. I see the Prime Minister in the footage. It’s just platitudes, Sharri. He could actually say what he likes now, and it just wouldn’t matter, because this is a man who opens his mouth, words come out, but then his actions betray him every single time. I’ve had a look at them, I’ve had a look at them, I’ve got one of them here. I want to read it out to you so your listeners know what he’s saying no to. “Preachers and charities spreading hate. Religious and other charitable institutions should have their charity status and all funding revoked if they promote racism, including anti-semitism, or display a terrorist symbol.” Well, I don’t know on what planet the Prime Minister lives if he does not think that that is a sensible, practical and reasonable recommendation. So shame on the Prime Minister. He has been presented with a constructive list of recommendations by the people who have been affected most egregiously by anti-semitism in this country, and he’s not going to implement them. So there you go. Every time he opens his mouth platitudes and nothing more.
Sharri Markson
Yeah, and you’re exactly right. Every one of those 15 recommendations are sensible, meaningful and correct. I believe they would have a tangible difference on reducing, not eliminating, but at least reducing anti-semitism.
Senator Cash
Yeah, exactly.
Sharri Markson
Michaelia Cash, thank you very much for coming on the program.
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