Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
Channel 9 Today Show
TOPICS: President Trump tariffs call, Labor Voice referendum backflip, Labor lies, cost of living, Clare O’Neill link foreign interference, Loch Ness monster
30 April 2025
E&OE
Sarah Abo
Earlier this morning, when asked about our election, US President Trump said he will be talking to our next Prime Minister about trade. We’ve been waiting a while for it. Joining us to discuss today’s headlines is Employment Minister Murray Watt and Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash who woke up very early from Perth this morning. Thank you. Murray, the President says we’re calling – he doesn’t say if it was on a mobile phone or not, but should we hold our breath and we will call back eventually to talk tariffs?
Murray Watt
Well, it’s obviously a positive development that President Trump has said this this morning, and we have to take him at his word on that. And we look forward to being able to continue the engagement we’ve had with the American administration about the tariffs that we think are totally unjustified and will…
Sarah Abo
What engagement – has there been any?
Murray Watt
…of course, yeah, at various levels, particularly at Ambassador and official level, especially because we’re during caretaker at the moment. And of course, the Prime Minister spoke to President Trump about these matters some time ago. But yeah, look, we look forward to re-engaging at that level, and we’ll be making a very strong case that these tariffs shouldn’t be applied to Australia.
Sarah Abo
Michaelia, I mean, maybe he’s seeing our calls and he’s just ignoring us. That sounds like the more likely outcome.
Senator Cash
That’s exactly, Sarah, what is happening. The Prime Minister of this country, Mr Albanese, cannot get a call with the American President. But I think what it also shows is there is no relationship with this government and our greatest ally in the United States. Fundamentally different to the previous Coalition Government, which, because of the nature of the relationship that we had, we were successful in getting the exemption from the steel and aluminium tariffs. So after this election we look forward, if we are elected, to speaking with our greatest ally, the United States of America. Unlike the Albanese government, he won’t take their call.
Sarah Abo
Well, Michaelia, the point you make there about Trump looming large is a good one. I mean, he has been a big factor this election campaign. There’s no doubt about it, but it seems Trump is toxic for your brand. Canada’s left-leaning government, which was on the nose, has now been re-elected riding a wave of anti-Trump sentiment. It’s not good for you guys.
Senator Cash
Well, let’s be very clear, Sarah, what’s not good for Australians is the fact that they’ve woken up this morning and Penny Wong has now confirmed that the failed Voice referendum that sought to divide Australians is inevitable under a future Albanese government. That is an insult to every Australian who’s already voted. It is an insult to the 60% of Australians who resoundingly voted no to Mr Albanese’s divisive Voice referendum seeking to divide our great nation on the basis of race. So my clear message to the Australian people, Sarah, is this: a vote for Labor is a vote for division. It has been confirmed by Penny Wong. Read the newspapers today. The Voice, the divisive Voice, is inevitable under a future Labor government.
Sarah Abo
Murray, is that true?
Murray Watt
That is a complete lie… It’s not… It’s a complete lie…
Senator Cash
So Penny is lying is she, Murray – so Penny is lying?
Murray Watt
It’s not what Penny Wong said. You are lying, Michaelia, but I know that’s what you do. People can have a look for themselves at what’s been reported. What I’m telling the Australian people is that you and Peter Dutton are desperate to talk about anything other than your plan to cut jobs, to cut wages and to cut Medicare to pay for your nuclear reactors.
Senator Cash
Murray, you love a good scare campaign.
Murray Watt
You are desperately grabbing at straws to try to distract anything that’s going on from their nuclear plan and their cuts.
Senator Cash
A good scare campaign, Murray. Have you been out looking for the Loch Ness Monster this morning, Murray?
Sarah Abo
(laughing) Oh okay.
Senator Cash
Have you been out looking for the Loch Ness Monster this morning? Seriously, you’d have more chance of finding the Loch Ness Monster than finding the truth come out of your mouth.
Sarah Abo
Well, Michaelia, at the moment, the polls say you would have more chance of finding the Loch Ness Monster than winning this election. Because, I mean, you had all the momentum leading into this election campaign, and you have just forfeited all of it. Do you look back at these past few weeks and wonder, what on earth happened?
Senator Cash
Sarah, the only poll that ultimately counts is the poll on election day. And the Australian people need to ask themselves, can they actually afford another three years of Labor? Are they better off today than they were three years ago when the Albanese Government was first elected? Any Australian that is walking into a shopping centre today will know the basket has shrunk, but guess what—the bill that you are paying because of Mr Albanese, because of his government, has got bigger. And that is the question that the Australian people need to ask themselves: Am I better off today than I was three years ago when Mr Albanese was first elected, and can I really afford another three years of Labor? But worse, the likelihood of Mr Albanese governing with the Australian Greens—the most left-wing party this country has ever seen.
Sarah Abo
Murray, I mean, you guys are in pole position as we enter the home straight. Millions of people have already voted, and it’s looking good for you, but there is still time to blow it. I mean, just look at your colleague Clare O’Neill, who is this morning embroiled in an election eve controversy. Did she hire volunteers with links to the Chinese Communist Party?
Murray Watt
No, she didn’t. What’s happened here is that a particular organisation has made an offer of volunteers, and that offer was politely declined. So end of story. What we’re focusing on in the run-up to the election in the next couple of days is, again, Labor’s plan to keep wages rising.
Sarah Abo
Was it declined or did they not hand out at booths?
Murray Watt
No, the offer was declined, and as I say, our entire focus over the next couple of days is stopping Peter Dutton from imposing his cuts on jobs and wages and Medicare.
Senator Cash
Another Labor lie.
Murray Watt
Now, Michaelia, I’m really pleased you finally agreed to debate me in the campaign. Michaelia has been avoiding me the entire campaign…
Senator Cash
Another Labor lie, Murray – go off and find the Loch Ness Monster. Go off and find the Loch Ness Monster. Off you go.
Murray Watt
Maybe Michaelia can tell us if she’s going to backflip on the right to disconnect. She’s going to cut the right to disconnect…
Sarah Abo
Alright, alright… okay, guys. In our next segment we are searching Scotland for the Loch Ness Monster… we have run out of time unfortunately. Thank you both for joining us.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you.
Sarah Abo
Good luck, each of you.
Murray Watt
Good to debate you at last, Michaelia.
ENDS
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